What are the characteristics of a "cult?"

IMO borrowing from several sources, common cult characteristics include the following:

1. A charismatic, articulate, intelligent, energetic and persuasive leader (Jones, Hitler, Hubbard, Erhard, Smith, Mohammad etc.)
2. Big big lies about the nature of the world and the leader’s authority to speak above others
3. Attempts to control and dominate every aspect of member’s lives including financially, diet, clothing, speech, behavior, meetings, progression
4. Secret rituals and ceremonies that one is allowed more of as loyalty is demonstrated.
5. Restriction of information, news, and reading. Read a limited and focused supporting library. “Shouldn’t” read this or that or be in certain channels of news.
6. Repeated channels, meetings, instructions that reinforce the core tenets of the cult. Daily, weekly, monthly, quarterly, semi-annual and annual structures and repetitions.
7. Repeated pressure to memorize various aspects of the cult—passages, quotes, scriptures, secret rituals, concepts. Tests to confirm one’s dedication to “learning” the tenets of the cult.
8. Pressure to engage in unorthodox sexual activity including sex with the leader/founder.  
9. Difficulty in leaving the organization. Threats, intimidations, refusals to acknowledge desires to leave, promises of dire consequences, fear mongering. (damnation, excommunication, physical and financial decay, etc.)
10. Demand the sacrifice of members to prove their loyalty and devotions. Money, time, energy, volunteer work, you must sacrifice to prove loyalty.
11. Have a central place or facility seen to be the gathering place or core of the organization and to which members are encouraged or required to visit. Temples, sacred sites, founding locations, etc.
12. A hierarchy of tests of behavior as one moves toward the center of the organization.
13. A group of “scholars” who spend their time justifying and “validating” the wild claims made (see #2 above) made by the founder/leader/ using pseudo-scientific methods and channels.
14. A sense of superiority as if membership in the cult makes one special, better than others, more “blessed”, more informed, and entitled to secret and restricted knowledge and understanding.
15. The idea that “normal” society is evil, misguided, savage, unrefined, ignorant, or in some other way below or beneath the cult therefore interaction with the rest of society is discouraged.
16. Insights that disagree with the cult leadership are discounted and ostracized.

This is not a comprehensive list and IME the characteristics that “cults” display but the ones that come to mind from my experience and reading.