Cult

A cult is a negative term applied to a religion or community of belief that is regarded as illegitimate, heretical, or far outside mainstream beliefs. Thus, it is a statement of opinion; many groups consider themselves "sects," no group considers itself to be a "cult." Some cults have proven to be destructive, such as Jim Jones's group in the late 1970's in Guyana (see below).

Typical lists of "cult" characteristics given by their opponents include:

• recent origin
• autocratic rule by a single charismatic leader
• extraordinary demands on converts (such as that they surrender all their property to the cult) and
• a maniacal focus on proselytizing and winning new converts.^{[Citation Needed]}

There have been cults which have claimed to be Christian, as well as cults which claim some other religious affiliation, or no affiliation at all. One notable example of a cult is the "Peoples Temple" operated by Jim Jones . Jones's insistence that all his true followers drink poisoned fruit punch led to the deaths of 913 of his converts at their enclave of Jonestown in Guyana.