'How to Identify a Christian Cult.'

The following is a list of social-structural, social-psychological, and interpersonal behavioral patterns commonly found in cultic environments which may be helpful in assessing a particular group or relationship. Not all of these points apply to each person affected by a cult or a legalistic church but many of them will.

1 Church members think they are the only ones who understand Scripture, as interpreted by the pastor or group leader. They consider those who reject their version of the truth inept, unlearned and/or lost; flawed in their understanding of what they consider to be the “real” Bible.

2 Fellowship outside the church is discouraged.

3 A haughty spirit of superiority may exist toward those who reject the church’s teachings.

4 Reading Bible translations that the pastor (leader) does not approve of is discouraged or forbidden.

5 Church members are not allowed to question what is taught or the materials used. The leader’s belief system, ideology and practices are considered as the Truth, as law. Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged, even reprimanded.

6 Congregants become isolated from others and are watched over overtly or covertly.

7 Church members are discouraged or not allowed to read works written by those outside of the church’s belief system.

8 Church participants may become distant toward friends and family; church attendance and the pastor’s directives take first place.

9 Even when errors in Scripture are pointed out, church members will not reject the group leader’s flawed analysis. Spiritual blindness and spiritual stagnation take place.

10 The leader (pastor) is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).

11 The church leader acts as the sole authority of the group.

12 Church members become overly zealous in attending their church and adhering to its teachings and “rules.”

13 The guidance of the Holy Spirit is replaced with the guidance of the pastor/ministry claiming to be the voice of the Lord. Of course the church members are oblivious to this sleight of (spirit) and they mistakenly think they are being led by the Holy Spirit.

14 The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with family, friends and society as a whole.