Although cults are religious groups typically, they have a lot of differences which are quite big.


Leadership: Whereas a religion may have a religious head and a hierarchical structure to it's system, a cult typically only has 1 or 2 leaders who make all the rules and who have absolute control.


Communities: Cult members often live in groups or communes which brings them further into the cult.


Isolation: Many of these communes are isolated from the rest of society and members may be forced into cutting off communication with the outside world.


Coercion: Many inductees are mistreated and abused in order to establish a form of psychological control over their lives.
Recitation: Cult members aren't told how to interpret their religion, they're told the phrases and motos to reinforce it.


Objective: Cult members are constantly told that if they remain loyal and do things for the cult that they will be elevated to the select few who can be enlightened/transcend/attain inner peace. However the goal posts are constantly moved back to keep the higher ups in absolute control.


Limited Information: Whereas anyone can pick up a bible and more or less understand most of Christianity, cults only reveal small tidbits of their beliefs at every new level that a member reaches.


Alienation: Cult members are constantly engrained with an "us versus them" mentality.


Seclusion: Most cults are self sufficient so that members don't ever have to leave, and most of the time they're not allowed to anyways.

Expensive: Yes church can be expensive, but cults routinely ask for it's members to dedicate their whole live to the cause and to pay their "dues"


Secretive: Cults never openly advertise about themselves, their beliefs, their leadership, or how they spend the money they receive from members.

Can you recommend any cult that would give me money for free?