Well, Mysha, it's been said a couple of times that cults generally have charismatic, controlling leaders with vile motives. I'd add something like that to your list of characteristics. Incidentally, Christian religions often tell their members that they're nothing special. We're all miserable wretches, born with sin and in need of salvation. I didn't accept that, so I left. There were no repercussions to my butting out. It's not the same with a lot of what we might call cults.