The differences between a religion and a cult can be somewhat subtle and even enigmatic at times, but to me the main difference is this - a religion is the worship of a supreme being (in my faith, THE Supreme Being) or at least an inspiring philosophy to further the enlightenment and betterment of spirit and mind for all in an egalitarian manner - an enrichment of all, equally. A cult promotes (and ultimately, forcefully demands) the worship of the organization, itself, and its leader(s), either indirectly or directly, to further the personal enrichment and power of the cult's leader(s) to the ultimate detriment of everyone else who are being used.
Obviously, any religion can be subverted by unscrupulous people to make it more cult-like in certain circumstances; however, I submit that islam is a strong example of a cult because its leaders (imams, mullahs, ayatollahs, shieks, etc. - Mohammed originally) have unquestioned power and all of the wealth - all of the other mooslims have to follow super strict rules of personal conduct on pain of death and pretty much live like they are still in the 7th century.
The essential American soul is hard, isolate, stoic, and a killer. It has never yet melted. ~ D.H. Lawrence
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