Cult

A cult is any group representing themselves as being Christian while at the same time rejecting one or more key tenet of Christianity. A reliable indicator of whether or not a group is a cult is how well their beliefs compare with Scripture.

Common examples

In the United States, the following are commonly-found cults:

• Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• International Church of Christ
• Jehovah's Witnesses
• Unification Church
• various "emergent churches"

Secular usage

In recent decades, "cult" has received a new definition by secularists. It is now typically used to describe groups that are considered "extreme" by some (usually unspecified) standard.