XPost: alt.usage.english, alt.english.usage, sci.anthropology   
   XPost: alt.religion.christianity, alt.languages.english   
   From: a24061@ducksburg.com   
      
   On 2024-05-29, Steve Hayes wrote:   
      
   > For a long time there has been a debate, especialy in academic circles   
   > studying new religious movements (NRMs) about the use and usage of the   
   > word "cult". See here:   
   >   
   > https://t.co/ZGXbOfER3I   
   >   
   > In my view there are legitimate and illegitimate uses of the word.   
   > Here's an example:   
   >   
   > Legitimate: The cult of St George was taken to England by the   
   > crusaders.   
   >   
   > Illegitimate: The Jehovah's Witnesses are a cult phenomenon.   
   >   
   > A cult is something that people *do*.   
   >   
   > A cult is not something that people or a group of people *are*.   
      
   I get your point ("cult of X" as a scholarly term) but it's obvious   
   from the context which meaning applies.   
      
      
   --   
   You could tell by the way that he talked, though, that he had gone to   
   school a long time. That was probably what was wrong with him. George   
   had been wise enough to get out of school as soon as possible. He   
   didn't want to end up like that guy.              [A Conf. of Dunces]   
      
   --- SoupGate-Win32 v1.05   
    * Origin: you cannot sedate... all the things you hate (1:229/2)