what exactly defines our modern understanding of cults

Broadly speaking, a cult is a group or movement with a shared commitment to a usually extreme ideology that's typically embodied in a charismatic leader.And while few turn out as deadly
as Jonestown or Heaven's Gate,which ended in a mass suicide
of 39 people in 1997,most cults share some basic characteristics.
A typical cult requires a high level of commitment from its members and maintains a strict hierarchy,separating unsuspecting supporters and recruits from the inner workings.It claims to provide answers to life's biggest questions through its doctrine,
along with the required recipe for change that shapes a new member into a true believer.