Three Rhetorical Answers

Originally posted by RJHinds
I am not saying that other so-called Christian groups are correctly in line with the teachings of Christ, but I am pretty sure that you three are the only ones on this Forum that don't know that the Watchtower Society is a cultic organization.

http://www.jwfacts.com/watchtower/fear-cult-mind-control.php

A cult is 1)a religion generally considered to be extreme with it's followers often living communally under a charismatic leader. 2)a community of religious worship and ritual. 3)an exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric usually artistic or intellectual interest.
JW's are not extreme, do not live communally, have no leader except the Christ, and have no ritual with one exception. We do observe the Memorial of Christ's death. the date of that Memorial this year is Friday, April 3, after sundown.
We invite you to attend at your local Kingdom Hall for an interesting talk about why Christ had to sacrifice his life for us and what benefits we can look forward to because of his superlative act of love.
Obviously we do not in any way resemble a cult.
Anyone who says we are is just showing their lack of accurate knowledge.
(1 Timothy 2:3, 4) This is fine and acceptable in the sight of our Savior, God, 4 whose will is that all sorts of people should be saved and come to an accurate knowledge of truth.
We hope this has helped you come to an accurate knowledge of the truth!

Originally posted by roigam
A cult is 1)a religion generally considered to be extreme with it's followers often living communally under a charismatic leader. 2)a community of religious worship and ritual. 3)an exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric usually artistic or intellectual interest.
JW's are not extreme, do not live communally, have no leader except the Christ, and have no ritual with one exception.

The word "cult" is damaged in so far as I think it is irredeemably subjective. It's mostly used to express a gut feeling about a given group that is perceived negatively. When I think of people who might be perceived as "victims" of a cult, then what is under scrutiny [or subject to criticism] is how their intellectual faculties and, sometimes, their integrity, are distorted or truncated in some way by the demands of conforming to their group's doctrine, and the degree to which this distances them from what I see as common sense.