Raelians, Religion or Cult?

What could possibly make someone want to join a group/cult that’s goes against thousands of years of writings that helped shape the morals and beliefs of millions of people? When we think of UFO cult members we instantly thinks that they are “crazy”, but there is more to it that that. It s hard to call a cult a religion or non-religion in my essay I will attempt to determine whether it is a religion or not and what techniques UFO cults use to get new members and make them maintain there membership for years.
A cult is a group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion (e.g. isolation from friends and family, debrilation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and sub service, powerful group pressure or critical judgement, promotion or total dependency on the group and fear of leaving it etc.) designed to advance to goals of the group’s leaders to t...