Sunday, July 6, 2008

You Know Your In A Cult When:

The question has arose many times within my circle of friends about the Texas FLDS Cult and how do you KNOW when your in a CULT?

I have seen many vague answers and wish to pass on the valuable information I found from a group called: Let Us Reason:

They have a whole plethora of information, but in a nutshell, this could apply to ANY of us, in a church, or even in a internet chat group. These are just some signs to look for. Here is the web address if you would like to bookmark it:

http://www.letusreason.org/cults.htm

While most conservative churches of Christian denominations are full of good people, it only takes one crazy leader and a batch of kool-aid to turn the whole thing into a disaster. Cults ruin lives and keep people FROM Jesus, rather than KNOWING Jesus. It may not be you that is in a cult...it could be a family member or friend. Or, someone who is just being controlled by an individual, telling them lies, and trying to persuade them into cult-like activity to keep their own ego inflated from the unknowing individuals allegiance to them. Sound familiar? Read on:


HOW TO RECOGNIZE IF YOU ARE IN A CULT:





Are you told not to question what is being taught because the leaders are honest and want the best for you so you must trust them. Has someone replaced your own choices in life.





Are you told not to ask questions why anyone left, your to accept the answers the leaders give you such as: they fell into sin, they didn’t receive correction, they weren’t open or they had a bad heart and didn’t want to be disciples...


Are you told that you must be with their certain church or group to be saved and not by Jesus Christ.


If you want to leave are you being told their is no other church that practices truth, you will go to hell.



Are you made to feel your failures, that your performance is not up to par for the bibles standard
Are you being rebuked for things such as the way you say hello or how you respond to being asked to do something for a leader or disciple. Do they tell you its a matter of the heart how one complies.




Are they putting down other church’s and building themselves up. Do they sometimes use people as examples of what you are to be doing and others on what you are not to be doing.
Do they bring attention to what they do, and ignoring others that may be doing the same things outside their church.





Do they put down others to make themselves look better, calling themselves righteous and others unrighteous.



Do they call those who leave fall away’s and enemies, dogs returning to their own vomit, using the examples of Korah or Judas.



Do they stop you from reading anything negative about themselves calling it spiritual pornography or recommend you not to read it for your own spiritual protection.



Do they recommend for you to be around their people expecting you to be at all the group activities. If not you're spirituality and dedication are questioned.



Do they defend all that they do even though it can be harmful or wrong.



Do they operate by humility or are they arrogant and demand you to obey if you are considering otherwise??




Or is it done subtly by manipulating you into obeying by statements such as, real Christians obey their leaders or if you were following Jesus you would see what I’m saying is right. true disciples did not question Jesus. (???)



Theses are just some of the signs of a Cult Leader. Please see the website for more details. If you know someone who is in a cult, reach out to them gently, as they can become defensive. Pray for them and having a willing heart to help them if and when they reach out. Never ridicule.

We witness the women and men of the FLDS who do not see ANYTHING wrong with the way they live, and many small groups of polygamists defending their faith,,, we have to remind ourselves that they are delusional. They have accepted a lie from Satan. It is a Satanic Brainwashing that is keeping them from walking in Grace and Faith with Christ.
Be their defender, and pray for the Cult Leaders as well. No one is more brainwashed than the one in charge of the lies.
Blessings,
K.

4 comments:

Wendy J. Duncan said...

In Margaret Singer’s book, Cults in Our Midst, she wrote: The issues they (cults) represent are basic to our society, to our understanding of each other and to our accepting our vulnerabilities and the potential for abuse within our world.”

It took me awhile to acknowledge that I had been a member of a Bible-based cult in Dallas. I was a seminary graduate from a conservative theological seminary, a licensed social worker, and had many years of experience in the mental health field. I should have been the last person to join a cult!

Thank you for posting this information about cults. The largest number of cults in our society today is Bible-based cults. It is so important that we teach the church and especially our young people, the warning signs of a cult, as well as how they recruit and why they appeal to individuals.

Wendy J. Duncan
Author: I Can’t Hear God Anymore: Life in a Dallas Cult
Website: www.dallascult.com

Unknown said...

wonderful post :)

God bless

Unknown said...

Wendy,

You have a great website! I too was a member of a cult-church for about seven years. Additionally, I attended my Grandmothers church that is also a cult.
http://www.gospelassemblyfree.com/personal/journal.htm Please copy and paste this if it doesn't come through. It's Wanda Mason's story. Her church was a sister-church to my Grandmothers.

I wonder how did this happen in the first place? For me, I think it is my desire to radically seek God. The term radical can place you in an vulnerable state. So I am cautious now, and steer away from whatever looks like a cult or smells like a cult.

Thanks for stopping by!! May I add your link to my blog?

Blessings,

Kelly

Bernadette said...

i was surfing for information on "Christian" cults and your blog came up-- i nearly fell over when i realized you are none other than my sweet fb pal!
after a profound conversion experience, i *wish* i had returned to the Church i grew up in; instead, unfortunately, i ended up suffering greatly at the hands of a cult (more accurately, what experts term a "totalist aberrational 'Christian' organization"), and one day i would like to write about my experiences, in the hope of helping others escape.