camp nuwaubian: Nuwaubians have often been referred to as just another religious cult.

Nuwaubians have often been referred to as just another religious cult.

This is an attempt to defame, discredit, and label us as such out of fear of the possibility that we may succeed in what has been called the impossible for 400 years;

bringing people of all races, religions and ethnic backgrounds together in a harmonious, peaceful, prosperous, community environment, void of the everyday crimes that plague so many of our communities.

So before we answer the questions, lets examine the information surrounding the word cult.

Usage of the word cult: The term "cult is generally used as a hateful snarl word that is intended to intentionally devalue people and the new faith groups that they have chosen to follow.

It tends to associate thousands of benign religious groups with the handful of destructive religious groups that have caused loss of life. The term often creates fear and loathing among the public, and contributes greatly to religious intolerance in North America. The word "cult," particularly as used by the media, carries a heavy emotional content.

The term suggests that this is a group that you should detest, avoid, and fear.

Quotations about cults:
...one person's cult is another's religion; all religions begin life as cults. An alternative definition is that a cult is a religion which you happen to dislike." Anthony Campbell "Cult is a word without much use outside the realm of religious mudslinging." Philip Kennicott "When someone uses the word 'cult,' it usually says more about them than the group," J. Gordon Melton, founder and director of The Institute for the Study of American Religion. "It's easy to tell the difference - a cult is someone else's religion. Corollary: "A fanatic is someone who believes something more strongly than you do." Jim Heldberg "I have often thought that the difference between a cult and a religion is an IRS ruling." Ron Barrier In history: Fear and dislike of new religious movements, coupled with increased respect for established faith groups with a long history, has been with us for at least two millennia.

During the first century, many people in the Roman Empire rejected Christianity because it was new, and valued Judaism because of its ancient history.

Today, some established religions criticize new religions simply because they are new and teach different beliefs.

During the first century, some politicians spread rumors that Christians engaged in orgies during their love feasts, and sacrificed infants to their God. During the 1980s and early 1990s, many Christians believed that Pagans, Satanist, and other small religious groups engaged in orgies and ritual abuse and human sacrifices.

Meanings of the word cult: Individuals and organizations have assigned many meanings to the word "cult." The result is mass confusion:

The Counter-cult movement (CCM) classifies all non-traditional Christian faith groups as cults simply because their beliefs differ from historical Christian doctrine. The term "cult" has, in many ways, replaced "heretic" or "non-traditional," or "unconventional" within the CCM. Examples of commonly attacked faith groups or denominations are: Seven Day Adventists and Mormons. Some Fundamentalist and other Evangelical Christians describe most non-Christian religions as cults or as Satanic religions, simply because they are non-Christian.

Examples are religions as different as Wicca and Hinduism. The largely secular Anti-Cult Movement (ACM) mainly targets religious groups that make high demands on their membership.

They are accused of mind control or brainwashing techniques which reduce their members to near zombie-like status, who are unable to think clearly and become trapped within the group. Examples of religions targeted by the ACM are the Jehovahs Witnessess and the Two-by-twos. Studies by mental health researchers indicate that the charges of the ACM have little or no merit.

Many information sources use the term "cult" to refer to the few destructive, doomsday religious groups whose members have been murdered or committed suicide. Examples are The Solar Temple and Heavens Gate.

Dictionary definition: Lets define the word cult. According to the online dictionary at www.dictionary.com the word cult is defined as:
Cult n.

A religion or religious sect generally considered to be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian, charismatic leader. The followers of such a religion or sect.

A system or community of religious worship and ritual. The formal means of expressing religious reverence; religious ceremony and ritual. A usually nonscientific method or regimen claimed by its originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a particular disease.

Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration for a person, principle, or thing. The object of such devotion. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually artistic or intellectual interest.

Now back to the question Are the Nuwaubians a cult?. The answer is simply NO! Nuwaubians can not possibly be a cult because we are not a religion or a religious sect (see Who Are The Nuwaubians?).

None of the above applies. Nuwaubians are people worldwide who seek facts and live normal conventional lives. Most organized religions such as Christianity and its many sects, Islam and its many sects, and Judaism and its many sects fit into definitions 5 thru 6, however those same organized religions are not considered cults. Definition 6 is also inclusive of a wide variety of groups and businesses, yet, they are not labeled as cults.

Suggestions: We recommend that people develop a healthy skepticism when they hear someone refer to religious groups as a "cult". A new faith group may be being attacked:

because they don't believe in the Trinity, or because they are non-Christian, like two thirds of the world's population, or because they expect a major commitment from their membership, or because they are one of those rare, destructive, doomsday groups that have shown themselves to be dangerous to their membership.

We recommend that people refer to religious groups by name. If a term is needed to characterize non-traditional religious groups, we suggest a neutral phrase, like "new religious movement," or "emerging faith group." None of this applies to Nuwaubians.