Theos-Talk Archives (October 1995 Message tl00157)

Eldon:
>Regardless of how we try to define "cult", it is often used as a hate
>word to put down groups one doesn't like. One person may call, for
>instance, the Mormon Church a cult, another may call it the best
>church in Christianity.

Quite true. Galanter's definiton would have applied to many religious groups,
including the Catholic church. He claimed the difference was not in the
structure, but in whether it is destructive or constructive.

Galanter compared many groups and found Alcholic Annonymous to be one of the
most successful "cults". His take on AA was that it greatly benefited the
people involved, partly because of good leadership. The other end of the
spectrum would be David Koresh.

- ann