Although it is amusing to draw parallels , I don ' t think jiu jitsu can truly be called a cult . The most immediate refutation is to look at the various definitions of ' cult '. any of which will inevitably entail some element of religious worship or idoltry . While the Gracies are certainly held in high regards , I wouldn ' t say anyone is considering them to be truly Godlike . In fact , the status of the Gracies has been on a steady decline across the entire modern era . Most lineages nowadays are only loosely tied to the Gracies , if not separated entirely . No AOJ or 10 P student is going to have a shrine to Helio in their closet . Given that there is no longer centralized leadership in jiu jitsu , it becomes impossible to label the entire art a ' cult '. Only certain gyms can be considered as varying degrees of cultlike . Having uniforms , rank hierarchies , set class times , gym practices . while these elements could be construed as cultlike , I think that is to portray them in an overly sinister light . What this actual shows is that the structure of Jiu Jitsu is becoming increasingly rationalized . Having instructors , rank hierarchies , set class times , etc . these are all done for the sake of effeciency . Almost every industry on Earth is experiencing some form of rationality , with BJJ being no exception and this school of thought has come to be termed ' McDonaldization '. Running gyms like an actual business is both a financial and educational necessity in this day and age . These immediate needs are perhaps the most defining factors in how jiu jitsu gyms are structured . appearing more like a cult is just an unhappy coincidence .