We explain what cult is in a religious sense and what cult language and cult cinema are. Also, what is freedom of religion.
What is worship?
The cult is the practice of veneration or homage to that which is considered sacred or divine which is done through rituals or ceremonies. Each religion has its own cult, and sometimes the term is also used for other forms of devotion that are not religious, such as the personality cult of a political leader.
The term “cult” is also associated, especially in the English language (cult), still more or less informal group, organized around shared beliefs of a religious, mystical or esoteric nature in which initiates are distinguished from ordinary people and usually follow the orders of a charismatic leader.
The use of the term in this sense is primarily pejorative, as a way of distinguishing official religions from informal mystical or esoteric groups. In any case, it comes from studies conducted by intellectuals, such as the German philosopher Ernst Troeltsch (1865-1923) and the American sociologist Howard Becker (1899-1960), who sought to distinguish between organized religions and the small religious groups to which they They called them, precisely, sects or cults.
Cult comes from Latin cultusconjugation of the Latin verb colerewhich can be translated as “cultivate” or “take care of,” and which from a religious point of view was linked to the idea of venerating. From the same Latin word comes the term culture, which was applied figuratively to human knowledge, understood as the cultivation of the mind and the production of knowledge. Even today the phrase “a cultured person” or “a cultivated person” is used to refer to someone who has a lot of education or knowledge.
Key points
- Religious worship is the veneration or homage to an entity considered sacred or divine through rituals and ceremonies.
- The practices that make up religious worship contribute to forging bonds of solidarity and brotherhood among the faithful.
- Currently, freedom of religion is considered a fundamental right in most countries in the world, and allows one to freely profess one's religion.
- Small groups of people who share a mystical, religious or esoteric belief informally and who are led by a charismatic leader are also called cults.
- Other uses of the word cult are “cult language” (a formal way of speaking and writing) and “cult film” (a film production with a certain group of admirers).
The religious cult
Religious worship is the recognition of the superiority or transcendence of the sacred or divine entity being venerated. In practice, it consists of the celebration of rituals and ceremonies through which believers seek to express their relationship with said higher entity and pay tribute to it.
Some practices that can constitute worship in certain religions are festivities or ceremonies officiated by a religious authority, prayers, pilgrimages to sacred places, veneration of images and sacrifices. Some of these practices are collective and others can be done individually. In general, rituals are performed with some regularity and include repetitive aspects.
Every religion and every form of mysticism contains a cult that is, a series of identifiable practices that often contribute to forming bonds of solidarity, brotherhood and belonging among the faithful. For example, the worship of the different Christian churches and communities (Catholic, Orthodox and Protestant) is shaped by various liturgical practices. Although all Christian communities have in common their veneration of Jesus Christ and share some of their rites, the existence of a specific set of rites and sacraments within each of them gives a certain identity and cohesion to the membership of each church or movement.
Freedom of religion
Freedom of worship or religious freedom is the fundamental right that most modern societies grant their citizens to freely choose and practice their religion or not choosing any religion and openly professing atheism or agnosticism. It is a fundamental right made possible by the separation between religion and State.
It is internationally recognized as a fundamental human right in documents such as the Universal Declaration of Human Rights published by the United Nations (UN) in 1948 and the International Covenant on Civil and Political Rights adopted by the same organization in 1966. However, in some Islamic countries there are penalties against people who declare themselves atheists or who choose to abandon their religion.
cultured language
The cultured language or cultivated language is a formal, careful, and demanding form of speech or writing which uses technical, specialized or not very colloquial lexicon.
It is the form of language that dominates in academic, specialized or philosophical situations, which is why it requires recipients with a high degree of training. People who exhibit this type of training or instruction are usually called cultured or cultured people.
cult movie
The terms “cult film” and “cult director” are commonly used in cinephile jargon, that is, in the speech of film fans. They refer to a film or director that is admired, followed and celebrated by a large part of the community interested in the world of cinema, but which do not usually have the commercial success of large film productions.
Generally, cult films differ from the most commercial and mass cinema in the fact that they address less conventional themes and offer a more personal look. Sometimes they are even made with poor techniques and a low budget, despite which they reach a significant number of admirers.
References
- Filoramo, G., Massenzio, M., Raveri, M., & Scarpi, P. (2000). History of religions. Criticism.
- Morris, B. (2009). Religion and anthropology. A critical introduction. Akal.
- The Editors of Encyclopaedia Britannica (2024). Religion. Encyclopedia Britannica. https://www.britannica.com/
