After the N-Word: Is “Cult” Next Term to Be Banned?

Words kill: Religious freedom journalist calls us to reject religious slurs like the word “cult”, just like society has largely removed racial slurs like the “n-word”

The Fragile Balance of Press Freedom and Religious Liberty

High Time to Challenge the Cult Narrative

Part 3 (final) of an article by Peter Zoehrer, journalist and Executive Director of FOREF Europe, originally published 7th May 2025 by Forum for Religious Freedom Europe (FOREF), republished 9th May 2025 by Human Rights Without Frontiers, and by Bitter Winter on 16th May 2025. 

See also Landmark 2025 Ruling: “Cult” Label Is Defamation

See part 1: Media: Harmful Impact of Stigmatizing Language

See part 2: Media as Weapon: Deadly Echoes of Bias on Air

A digital age of echo chambers – and resistance

In our hyper-connected world, disinformation spreads fast – and stigma spreads faster.

In Bangladesh, a false social media post about a Quran desecration during Durga Puja in 2021 triggered deadly riots. The line between rumor and journalism collapses quickly.

Yet resistance is growing. Platforms like “Bitter Winter”, FOREF Europe, CESNUR, HRWF, and independent scholars continue to challenge false narratives, document abuse, and defend conscience.

Courts are taking note. In 2022, the European Court of Human Rights ruled in “Tonchev v. Bulgaria” that derogatory language by public authorities can violate religious freedom under Article 9 of the ECHR.

Recommendations

To safeguard both freedom of the press and freedom of religion or belief, the following actions are urgently needed:

1. Eliminate stigmatizing language such as “cult” or “Sekte,” unless supported by objective, legal evidence. Just as society has largely removed racial slurs like the “N-word” from responsible discourse, we must also reject religious slurs that dehumanize entire communities. Use accurate, neutral terms such as “faith community” or “new religious movement.”
2. Provide training for journalists on FoRB [Freedom of Religion or Belief] principles, religious literacy, and cultural sensitivity to prevent the spread of harmful stereotypes.
3. Ensure media accountability through ombudspersons, independent press councils, and public responses to unbalanced or defamatory content.
4. Support independent journalism and watchdog organizations that uphold both press freedom and the rights of religious minorities.
5. Urge governments and international bodies to refrain from adopting or promoting anti-cult narratives that violate international human rights norms.

As UN Special Rapporteur on Freedom of Religion or Belief (FoRB) Nazila Ghanea warned in 2023, “direct violence against marginalized religious communities often goes hand in hand with legally mandated discrimination” – much of it fueled by biased media.

Conclusion: A test of integrity

World Press Freedom Day is more than a tribute – it is a test. Will the press stand with the voiceless, or with the mob? Will it defend Articles 18 and 19 of the UDHR – or betray them in pursuit of sensationalism and scapegoats?

In this fragile global moment, integrity matters more than ever. We must demand a journalism rooted in truth, not tribalism; in context, not caricature. Only then can freedom of expression and freedom of belief coexist – not in conflict, but in common cause for justice.

See also Landmark 2025 Ruling: “Cult” Label Is Defamation

See part 1: Media: Harmful Impact of Stigmatizing Language

See part 2: Media as Weapon: Deadly Echoes of Bias on Air

Peter Zoehrer is a journalist and the Executive Director of FOREF Europe (Forum for Religious Freedom – Europe), an independent Vienna-based NGO advocating for religious liberty, pluralism, and the protection of conscience across Europe and beyond.

Featured image above: From a demonstration organized by the Family Federation in the Japanese city of Koriyama 24th May 2025, against religious persecution. Photo: FFWPU

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