On Drinking the Kool-Aid and other thoughts

In keeping with my inspiration coming from odd places, I have now found something to write about in the medium most known for it’s short and succinct ideas: Bumper Stickers. The other day I saw a bumper sticker on a car saying: “Religions are Cults with More Members.” Although this was probably meant to lump mainstream religious belief with the practices of more radical or bizarre faiths, Webster.com does list a possible definition of a cult as “A system of religious beliefs and ritual.” Many people who have unusual beliefs don’t like to refer to their faith as a “cult” given the negative connotation the word has gained from such incidents as the Jonestown Massacre in the 70s and the siege at the Branch Davidian compound in the early 90s. However, I personally am comfortable with the cult origins of my faith, like with most movements, it started small and began to grow. Still, it does cause me to think about how we view other sects/denominations of Christianity and other religions.
First, I think we should get some definitions out of the way. A Cult has many definitions, one of which being the one previously discussed, but can also mean “A religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious” and “a great devotion to a person, idea, object, or movement.” These definitions seem remarkably close to the definition of a “sect” which is “a dissenting or schismatic religious body usually regarded as extreme” or “a group adhering to a distinctive doctrine or to a leader.” Both of these stand out to “Denomination,” which is: “a religious organization whose congregations are united in their adherence to its beliefs and practices.” So what would that make Spirit of Peace? We certainly are schismatic since many of us left our previous denominations in search of more open-minded theology and should we call the UCC a denomination since it seems our only uniform belief is that nobody else has to believe what we do? I don’t know if we ever could achieve cult status (NPI) since we are actually a merging of two denominations and lack that central figure like Moses David who founded The Children of God (now known as the Family of Love). However, Oprah is a member of a UCC church so she might be willing to take the role on as a side project.
Although it is not part of the definition, if a person’s beliefs are viewed as “cultish” by a society, they are in for a bumpy road. In Germany, members of the church of Scientology often feel discriminated against because German Society does not approve of their faith. Likewise, the Seventh Day Adventist Church’s known support of freedom of religion is based on the fact that they are often a religious minority and have been on the receiving end of religious discrimination.
Therefore, we are left with that recurring question of what would Jesus do? I’m honestly not sure since Jesus really didn’t seem to push evangelism of people of other faiths. However, in Paul’s letter to the Corinthians (specifically, 1 Corinthians 13, that verse known for being read at weddings but really doesn’t deal with romantic love). The passage states: “If I speak in tongues of men and of angels, but have not love, I am only a resounding gong or clanging cymbal.” Paul was a cult leader in his own way given he did not share the other apostles beliefs about maintaining the rites of conversion dictated in the Jewish law and some have described his spreading of God’s word as “fervent.” I believe he was saying “love” is the lens through we should view people’s beliefs when they are different from ours. When we say we have problems with a small group who has some beliefs we consider weird, unorthodox, or dangerous, what is our motivation? Is it because we care for the people in this group and are concerned because how they express those beliefs could be harmful to themselves or others or because they have beliefs that are different from ours and, therefore, must be wrong and misguided?