The role of mysticism in cults and religion
South African Journal of Philosophy October 14, 2025 Damon Mackett
Mystical experiences in religious and cultic contexts differ in how the divine is understood: as uncontainable in religion or as contained within a human leader in cults. Using Mormonism and Happy Science as case studies, the article argues that Joseph Smith's vision exemplifies traditional religious mysticism with transcendent, self-dissolving elements, while Ryuho Okawa's experience remains within the physical realm and emphasizes the divine within the individual. The distinction hinges on whether the divine is seen as beyond or within human boundaries, offering a philosophical tool for differentiating religions from cults.