How do we distinguish a cult?

[Miss Friendship]

Well I will just use the Muslims as an example. Clearly, they believe in Jesus. They believe in God...in Abraham... But they give all their authority, worship and adoration to their Prophet Mohammad. He makes the decisions which dominates their lives. He is the one they go through to find God. With the Mormans, they have given their authority to Joseph Smith...and so on.

What I mean by "authority" is that its the very source and power which makes their religion what it is. These men all took authority that belonged to Jesus alone and said, "Hey everyone, I can tell you what truth is. Just follow me to find out."

What would you call everything outside of Christianity?

[Eleventh Doctor]

I would call everything outside of Christianity, a religion that is not Christianity. But cult has a specific meaning. As I said, calling everything outside Christianity a cult is unhelpful.

[Miss Friendship]

Truth doesn't always have a pleasant helpful taste...

Hell, for example, would fit that description.

[Eleventh Doctor]

All words are now to be defined and spelled as bad.

Bad bad bad bad, bad bad, bad bad bad bad; bad bad bad bad.

This isn't about denying truth it's about using language effectively and to promote understanding. Just as if we changed every word to mean and be the same not allowing for differences in definitions is equally useless.

[Miss Friendship]

You made your point.

So you are saying that religions outside of Christianity are cults, you just prefer to call them something else, and leave the word cult to a different form of these religions?

[Eleventh Doctor]

No, I'm saying the word cult refers to a specific sub set of religions outside Christianity. Specifically those that are a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object; it's important to note that religious veneration is different than vested authority. Or a relatively small group of people having religious beliefs or practices regarded by others as strange or sinister.