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A sect is a small religious or political group that has branched off from a larger established group. Sects have many beliefs and practices in common with the religion or party that they have broken off from, but are differentiated by a number of doctrinal differences. In contrast, a denomination is a large, well established religious group. A mass party typically tolerates a variety of views and interpretations, insisting only on a limited number of basic principles as a condition for membership.
The word sect comes from the Latin secta (from sequi to follow), meaning (1) a course of action or way of life, (2) a behavioural code or founding principles, (3) a specific philosophical school or doctrine. Sectarius or sectilis also refer to a scission or cut. A sectator is a loyal guide, adherent or follower.
Sociologists use the word sect to refer to a religious or political group involving a high degree of tension with the surrounding society, but whose beliefs are (within the context of that society) largely traditional.
A religious or political cult, by contrast, also has a high degree of tension with the surrounding society, but its beliefs are (within the context of that society) new and innovative. Whereas the sect is able to enforce its norms and ideas against members, a cult normally doesn't strictly have "members" with definite obligations, only followers, sympathisers, supporters or believers.
Sects, in the sociological sense, are generally traditionalist and conservative, seeking to return a religion to its (perceived) original religious or political purity of principle.
In European languages (other than English) the corresponding words for 'sect' (for example "secte", "secta", or "Sekte") are used to refer to a harmful religious or political sect, similar to how English-speakers popularly use the word 'cult'.
In Latin America, it is often applied to any non-Catholic religious group, regardless of size, often with the same negative connotation that 'cult' has in English.
Mass-based socialist, social-democratic, labor and communist parties often had their historical origin in utopian sects, and also subsequently produced many sects, which split off from the mass party. In particular, the communist parties from from 1919 experienced numerous splits; some of them, it is argued, were sects from their foundation.
One of the main factors that seems to produce political sects is the rigid continued adherence to a doctrine or idea after its time has passed, or after it has ceased to have clear applicability to a changing reality. sects are more accepting of other religions and there beliefes, however, cults believe that their view is the right view and are not accepting of others
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