Montell grapples with the definition of the word “cult” throughout the book. Based on the reading, how would you define the word “cult”?

What are the three steps to indoctrinate a person into a cult, and how do these steps work?

Based on the evidence provided in the text, analyze the history of the word “cult” and its relationship with the average American. During which time periods were cults most influential in the United States, and why? How has the connotation of a cult evolved over the years, and why?