Sects and Cults: Definition, Difference, Sects in Hinduism & UPSC Notes

Sects and cults are organisations that have a smaller membership, and they might or might not hold their principle within the mainstream religions. Sects are subdivisions of an individual religion or faith, e.g. Christianity, Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism and so on. Nowadays, sects are used to denote any religious organisation that has broken away from some kind of existing religion and has its own rules. The world has about 4,500 different cults of all the religions. A cult, on the other hand, is a social unit that believes in quirky religious, philosophical, or spiritual ideals to achieve a shared interest or life goal. The cult believers are not similar to their forefathers. 

Last 10 Years UPSC Question Papers with Answers PDF

UPSC Sociology Sects and cults are significant issues in Section D as they assist in explicating the dynamics of religious social movements. They can be found in Paper I, in the sociology of religion, and in Paper II, in the context of Indian social changes and religious reform. Knowledge about sects and cults can enable aspirants to study the origin and structure of emerging beliefs and their influence on society. There are also changes in value, identity and authority within such groups. In the case of UPSC, the information about sects and cults can be used to answer better the question about social change, deviance, and the role of religion in traditional and contemporary life. Join the UPSC coaching today and boost your preparation. 

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What are Sects and Cults?

Both types of religious or social organisations are sects and cults that vary from mainstream religious customs. A sect is a group of followers of a larger religion, and some of them tend to revert to the original thoughts or ways. It tends to be faithful to a well-established community feeling and ethical discipline. A cult, however, can be a new or deviant organisation that is constructed around a charismatic leader or distinctive belief system. Cults are not always orthodox religious and in many ways can be considered extreme. Sociologists investigate both to learn more about religious diversity, social movements, and the impact of these movements on society.

Sects

• Breakaway groups from established religions.
• Aim to return to the original or "pure" teachings.
• Often strict in rules and moral codes.
• Emphasise community, equality, and spiritual discipline.
• It can evolve into denominations over time.

Cults

• Usually starting with new religious or social movements.
• Often centred around a charismatic leader or a unique idea.
• May reject traditional religious systems.
• Less organised, more emotionally driven.
• Sometimes viewed as socially deviant or radical.

Cults tend to be a relatively new and unorthodox organisation that revolves around a religious figure of charisma and promotes unusual or secret-based beliefs. Sects, however, are derivations of the existing religions that are out to correct ancient doctrines. Cults are structureless and can be considered extreme or deviant, whereas sects are religiously disciplined and follow some aspects of morality. Sects want to be legitimate in religious traditions, but cults primarily act beyond the mainstream norms.

The differences between cult and sect are as follows:

Sects in Hinduism

Sects in Hinduism are the religious lineages founded on the spiritual commitment to one or another of the Hindu gods or schools of thought. There were the major sects: Shaivism (worship of Shiva), Vaishnavism (worship of Vishnu), Shaktism (worship of Goddess Shakti) and Smartism (worship of many Gods). The beliefs that are common to all sects, such as karma and moksha, exist, and each sect has its special rituals, texts, and traditions. These sects point out the diversity and flexibility in Hinduism and propagate the spiritual path according to the different followers.

Hinduism has four major sects – Vaishnavism, Shaivism, Shaktism, and Smartism.

Vaishnavism 

This sect is devoted to lord Vishnu, and the sect members refer to themselves as vaishnavites. The believers accord importance to Lord Vishnu and His 10 avatars. Foundations of their beliefs and practices in support of the development of notions like Bhakti and Bhakti Yoga are in the ancient texts such as the Bhagavad Gita, the Padma, Vishnu, Bhagavata Puranas and the Upanishads. The Gaudiya Vaishnava branch has gained a lot of international attention since the mid-1900s, as far as the sector is concerned.

Shaivism 

This is a group of people who believe in Lord Shiva as their Supreme Being, and they identify themselves as Shaivas. They are sure that Lord Shiva is the be-all and end-all. Holy ash used by the Shaivism devotees is applied on the forehead and other parts of the body, which is known in Sanskrit as bhasma or vibhuti.

Shaktism

Believers of this religion are devotees of the Devi or the Shakti, which they view as the Hindu Divine Mother or the Supreme Brahman itself. The sect spreads tantric and non-tantric practices throughout the Indian sub-continent and all over.

Smartism 

Smartism believers adhere to all Vedas and Shastras and consider all Hindus gods as a manifestation of the Brahman.

Islam

Islam all over the world practice a religion known as Islam. They believe in a single God by the name Allah. All the sects within Islam pray to Allah but differ in other ways. These are the sects:

Sunni Islam 

The most prominent Islamic sect in the world is the Sunni sect. The adherents of this group are referred to as Sunnis, and they follow the Sunnah, the tradition and practice of the Prophet Muhammad. These comprise 85 to 90 per cent of the whole Muslim population. In their opinion, the first caliph wasAbu Bakr, the successor of Prophet Muhammad.

Shia Islam 

The term Shia is a translation of a particular word of the Arabic language, shi ay Ali. The adherents of this group are the Shia Muslims. Their perspective is different in the sense that they believe that Ali was the real successor of Prophet Muhammad, as opposed to the belief of the Sunni Muslims. This is the second largest sect of Muslims.

Ismailis or Seveners 

The Ismailis are one of the Shia Muslims who emerged in 765 AD over a dispute concerning the 6th Imam. The sixth imam was Jaafar al-Sadiq, and they hold that the oldest son of Imam Jaafar, Ismail, is his legitimate successor.

Zaidiyyah or Fivers 

This group of the Shia believes that the fifth Imam is the grandson of Ali, Zayd ibn Ali.

Christianity

There are three main sects of Christianity, which further have their sub-sects. The sects are the following:

Roman Catholicism 

Roman Catholics consider that Jesus was the son of God who had the objective of eliminating sins on earth via his teachings, death and resurrection.

Protestantism 

Protestantism came up during the 16th century, and the adherents believe the Bible to be the final authority on all aspects of religious truth.

Orthodox Christianity 

Christ is God in the person of Jesus to an Orthodox Christian. They also have the same belief in the incarnation, crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus Christ.

• Buddhism
• There are three sects of Buddhism:
• Theravada
• Mahayana
• Vajrayana

Cults 

Cults can be classified as:

• Destructive cults
• Doomsday cults
• Political cults
• Polygamist cults
• Racist cults
• Terrorist cults 

Destructive Cults

Destructive cults are usually abusive both to the members and to people who are not members, and they go to the extent of psychological manipulation, social isolation, and control. These sects require fanatical devotion and do not allow external communication. Leaders can take advantage of the followers through their emotions, finances, or even physically. Such cults tend to create violence or may result in a tragedy like Jonestown.

Doomsday Cults

The doomsday cults hold the belief in the occurrence of an imminent end of the world. They are usually followers of someone who says they know all about an apocalypse, and God reveals it. Individuals can become secluded and start to prepare to survive in drastic ways. Such cults at times commit suicide or, in fact, resort to violence, thinking they will survive and be cleansed.

Political Cults

Political cults are based on political ideology or a person and, in most cases, require unquestioning allegiance. The methods they can employ to shape the minds and behaviours of the members involve propaganda, manipulation and control. Any opposition is discouraged, and it is not encouraged to challenge the leader. Such cults can degenerate into radical politics or disciplinary organisations.

Polygamist Cults

Polygamist cults indulge in and propagate multiple marriages, which are mostly religiously or spiritually based. A leader who has divine authority is often a male leader. Possible exploitation or abuse of women and children can take place. The groups live and act beyond the legal standards, as they tend to be isolated by society.

Racist Cults

Racist cults are those cults that may emphasise the superiority of one race over others and may base their superiority upon religion or even pseudoscience. They address the people of a particular ethnicity and even encourage people to hate, segregate, or engage in violence. The members typically have extreme views that are instilled at a tender age. Such are cults that destroy national security and social peace.

Terrorist Cults

Religious, ideological, or political convictions are applied to terrorism and violence by terrorist cult members. Members end up being radicalised and trained to execute attacks. These are cults that live on the importance of secrets, loyalty, and something greater than life itself. They have activities that cause threats globally and are under the watch of law enforcement.

Distinguish between sects and cults with illustrations.

Sects and cults are two terms that are frequently referred to with regard to religious or spiritual movements; however, they are not equivalent in their nature and meaning. It is essential to know what the sects and cults are, as it helps a lot in the development of understanding of how these religious or spiritual organisations operate and their effect on society.

Distinguishing Sects and Cults:

1. Definition and Membership:

• • Sects:
    • Sects are subgroups or factions that have broken away, usually because of differences in beliefs, practices, or interpretations of the main religion.
    • Most sect members join the sect voluntarily, and the choice is usually in reaction to the established religious authority or an attempt to have a more structured or focused interpretation of the religion.
    • Protestantism is a sect within Christianity that adopted practices and beliefs during the time of the Reformation against some practices of the Roman Catholics.

• Cults:

• • Cults are usually defined as having a charismatic leader and a small number, closely bound together, of true believers in the leader.
  • Being in a cult usually entails much elaborate control and manipulation at the hands of the leader, and the people are lured in, cut off from the rest of society.
  • An example of a cult organisation is the People Temple, which was run by Jim Jones and whose members were secluded and ended up in mass suicide in 1978.

1. Leadership and Control:

• Sects:

• • • The sects also characterise leadership structure, but in most cases, it is more decentralised than in the cults.
    • Sect's leadership often entails the involvement of respected individuals who lead the followers, depending on how they interpret the religion.
    • Example: The Amish community could be regarded as a sect that has its leadership and upholds certain tenets of Anabaptist tradition, at large.

• Cults:

• • Cults have a few characteristics: they have a charismatic, authoritarian leader with a lot of control over the organisation.
  • The power of the leader is, in one way, enormous and can, most of the time, control every single aspect of the people that he leads, including what they believe and do, as well as how they get along with other people.
  • Example: The famous cult of Manson, the Manson family, is a cult led by Manson and his followers, where he had complete authority over his subjects, who committed disgusting murders.

1. Relationship with Society:

• Sects:

• • • Sects seek to live in harmony with mainstream society, and they do not want to relinquish their beliefs and practices.
    • They can want to own their understanding of the religion, or gain acceptance in society, but they do not go out of their way to segregate themselves in society.
    • Example: Hasidic Jew is a group of the Jewish community which is a cult of Judaism that upholds its beliefs and practices but is integrated into the rest of the general society.

• Cults:

• • Cult groups tend to separate themselves from an orthodox society, and they are likely to develop antagonistic or protective predilections towards an outsider.
  • They can terminate the relationships with their family and friends that do not belong to the cult, fostering dependence on the cult leader and group.
  • An example can be seen in the Heaven s Gate cult, which was headed by Marshall Applewhite and secluded itself away in society and believed that a spaceship was coming soon to transport them to a superior place.

Conclusion

Sects and cults are religious institutions which have variations between them, including their origin and the main God. A sect is a group that develops within a large religion, and a cult is a group that holds religious, philosophical, or spiritual beliefs that are non-mainstream and small.

In conclusion, although both sects and cults are characterised by groups of people with different beliefs, practices and leaders, the significant differences between the two include the membership structure and style of management, as well as the status of the groups within the mainstream society. Sects typically develop out of more decentralised establishments of religions and seek to live in harmony with the culture. Conversely, features of cults would include charismatic leadership, centralised authority, and corrupting the members by isolating the cult group and manipulating the group. The insight into these differences is critical in determining the effect and processes of religious or spiritual institutions in society.

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