
When a person follows a religious group, there are a number of things he or she must consider for his/her spiritual safety. Not all groups are cults and not all cults are bible believing groups. Unfortunately, thousands, if not millions of people fall pray to deceptive practices of many religious groups that are misrepresenting God, or Jesus Christ for that matter.
The person(s) who do fall victims tend to be those that are alone, depressed, have a lack of love, or are mentally challenged. For instance, any person that is willing to sacrifice his physical life at the costs of others to protect his beliefs, is a prime suspect of having mental
psychosis (actually clinically crazy for a lack of a better term). And just because a religious group does not show any abusive overtones like
Jim Jones,
David Koresh, or
Jose Luis de Jesus Miranda that does not mean it cannot be classified as a cult. I am here to say that,
yes it can be a cult! Below I list the characteristics that you must be on the lookout not only for your own spiritual safety but your own salvation.
1. Members swear total allegiance to an all-powerful human leader(s) who they are made believe is/are sent by God.
2. Rational thought is discouraged or forbidden.
3. The cult's recruitment techniques are often deceptive.
4. The cult weakens the follower psychologically by making him or her depend upon the group to solve his or her problems.
5. The cults manipulate guilt to their advantage.
6. Cults make most, if not all the career and life decisions of the members.
7. Cults exist only for their own material survival and make false promises to work to improve society.
8. Cult members often work full time for the group for little or no pay. Add to that the "keeping busy" therapy that all sects practice so perfectly, so that one has little or no time for one's own thoughts.
9. Cult members are isolated from the outside world or are discouraged from any reality testing it could provide.
10. Cults are apocalyptic and believe themselves to be the remnant who will survive the soon-approaching end of the world.
11. Many cults follow an "ends justify the means" philosophy.
12. Cults, particularly in regard to their finances, are shrouded in secrecy.
14. There is frequently an aura of or potential for violence around cults. Cults practice that for some offenses paying with your own blood is the only means to be forgiven or the shedding of other people's blood.
Yep! These guys look totally whacked out!The complete list and rationale was obtained from the
this link. I edited some of the content that I felt needed enhancing.
If you are looking to join a group, remember that you do the choosing, don't allow them to choose you!