A CULT

What does the word "Cult" mean to you? Let me share my thoughts on it with you.

Monday, while recovering from my vacation I tuned into Oprah. Her topic for the days show had her inside the recently raided Yearning for Zion Polygamist Ranch. While I was watching her talk with the members it struck me as interesting how often the word 'cult' came up. It wasn't necessarily Oprah referring to this group as a "cult" but she would refer to the fact that "others" thought of them as a cult. And there seemed to be such emphasis on it as a negative thing.

I find it extremely interesting that there is such a negative connotation connected to this word when it is a associated with religious beliefs and often unpopular political beliefs.

My belief is that when someone doesn't really understand someone else's beliefs, then there becomes this need to put those beliefs into that "bad cult" category. This is really sad.

There seems to be such a misunderstanding of just the word "cult" in itself and the media sure likes to keep it alive with the negative connotation attached.

Isn't it also interesting that in the common or popular usage, "cult" has a positive connotation such as when it relates to fan followers. How about the cults that follow music groups, these aren't "bad cults" because people understand this passion and devotion. One would not think of the cult of art fanatics as being bad, or how about those cult sports groups. Heaven forbid us for ever thinking of those groups as "bad".

Everyone has a viewpoint on what's good or bad and these viewpoints often come from agreement with the media or another person that we look up to, I'm just pushing for the concept that one makes takes the viewpoint with understanding.

Check out Wikipedia for info on this, and also dictionary.com which is where I took my definitions from for the "Word of the Week".