The University of Texas, Texas A&M, Texas Tech, Ohio State, the Univesity of Oregon, etc., are all cults.
Am I right or what??
And the problem with the "modern definition" is that is so vague as to be virtually useless.
And while the list of general characteristics under which this thread was started we not all as vague as "cult," it is the fact of "general" characteristics that makes it difficult. Saying that 7/10 "whatevers" (elders, localities, average members, etc.) are anything is problematic to define. Even for an assembly (locality) that someone really knows well, the actual percentage that is exactly as stated is difficult to specify with enough accuragy to be helpful. Are particular elders 100% for Lee's teachings? Does that mean that they know that those teachings are actually bad and therefore are just trying to have a position by sticking with the LC? Or might it be that they really believe them? Maybe evidence of actual abuse of the members suggests that they have really bought into the worst version of some things. But even then . . . .