Analysis of information sources in references of the Wikipedia article "Dị giáo phái trong văn hóa đại chúng" in Vietnamese language version.
As a plot device the idea of the cult is centuries old. What constitutes a "cult," however, has turned out to be variable. Seen from one perspective, most religions and faith groups can be defined as cults. Traditionally -- though not today – a "cult" has been defined as a non-Judeo-Christian religious group, with the word "cult" being used in a pejorative way. That this is insulting to worshipers of those groups has not been acknowledged; the producers of popular culture were usually marketing their work to a select group, usually white Anglo-Saxon Protestants, which did not include members of the "cult" groups. Modern authors tend to be more sensitive toward members of the "cult" groups and usually (though not always) create fictional cults for antagonists to be members of.
