Crash Course Religions

What's the Difference Between Cults and Religion?

What is a cult? How are cults different from religions? And why do many religious scholars say we shouldn’t even use that label? In this episode of Crash Course Religions, we’ll learn why the line between cults and religions is much fuzzier than it seems.

What's the Difference Between Cults and Religion?

10m 27s

  • What Does Ritual Have to Do with Religion?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    What Does Ritual Have to Do with Religion?

    S1 E15 - 12m

    Rituals aren’t meaningless actions. They can mark time and space, create new identities, and connect people to something bigger than themselves. In this episode of Crash Course Religions, we explore the rituals that shape our lives—whether religious or not.

  • How Do Religious Texts Work?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    How Do Religious Texts Work?

    S1 E14 - 11m 8s

    Sacred texts mean different things to different religions—sometimes they’re essential to belief and practice, and other times, not much importance is placed on them at all. In this episode of Crash Course Religions, we dive into the different ways religious texts are used, debated, and venerated across various traditions.

  • Is Atheism a Religion?: asset-mezzanine-16x9

    Is Atheism a Religion?

    S1 E13 - 11m 55s

    Atheism is far from new, but the various ways that people say “no thank you” to belief in gods, deities, or particular religions are so diverse that they’ve had a huge impact on world belief systems. In this episode of Crash Course Religions, we break down the different flavors of atheism and nonbelief and ask the question, “Is atheism a religion?”

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