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WHAT IS A CULT? - Key Facts You Should Know About Cults and Mind Control

- A concise definition of a "cult," Dr Robert Lifton's 8 Criteria of Cultic Mind Control with Questions you can ask to test a group for cultic tendencies

A cult is any group that sets itself up as the supreme authority between God and Man. Cults claim the following:

1. The Bible is seen as an insufficient guide for spiritual truth. Cult members are told to use the cult’s literature for the proper understanding of God’s truth.
2. Group leaders are seen as God’s “channel of communication” to man. They equate loyalty to the group as loyalty to God.
3. They foster a “we/they” mentality to the world, claiming that only inside the group can one find truth and ultimate salvation, and that outside the group is “Satan’s world.”
4. Doubt and criticism of the group or leaders are disallowed. They often claim that “independent thinking” is evidence of “pride,” and is seen as questioning God and His arrangement for life.
5. Adherents dispense personal identity for the group mold and take on the personality and characteristics of the totalistic environment of the cult.

Chart: Four Ways Cults Manipulate Followers: **

** This chart was developed from secular cult exit-counselor Steven Hassan’s BITE (Behavior-Information-Thoughts-Emotions) model found in his book Releasing the Bonds—Empowering People to Think for Themselves, Freedom of Mind Press 2000.

.:Dr Robert Lifton's 8 Criteria of Cult Mind Control - Questions You Can Ask:

ARE YOU “UNDER THE INFLUENCE” OF A DESTRUCTIVE GROUP SYSTEM?

A group starts with two people. Individuals can find themselves embroiled in many of the fundamental destructive group dynamics that large organizations and cults fall pray to.

NOTE: This quiz has no scientifically predetermined number of “yes” answers to indicate a destructive group. However, answering “yes” to any of the above questions means you may need to examine your group and its influence in your life in these areas:

MILIEU CONTROL: Control of internal and external information, isolation from society, non-members and ex-members are considered unspiritual and even Satanic.

• Is your group secretive to outsiders about its inner workings, teachings, activities or beliefs?
• Does your group withhold information from new converts?
• Is communication within, into and out of your group controlled or censored in any manner?
• Do you see less and less of your family and friends who do not belong to your group or who do not subscribe to your group’s belief system

MYSTICAL MANIPULATION: Leaders claim to be the agents “chosen” by God to carry out the “mystical imperative” (group purpose), the pursuit of which must supersede all other needs.

• Does your group have a totalitarian structure: a strict, top-down centralized control?
• Does your group or belief system think they have (or are) the only or highest “truth,” or have the solution for the world’s problems?
• Do members of your group feel specially chosen, superior, exclusive or elite?
• Does your group use frequent public testimonials or confessions that reinforce the group’s mission or agenda?
• Do members seek approval or get permission from group leader(s) for personal life choices?
• Do you feel pressured to give a portion of your income to the group, or spend money on courses, books or special projects?
• Are the group’s financial needs more important than your own economic well-being?
• Do you put-off or ignore your personal needs in order to meet the needs of the group?
• Do you place your group’s mission or agenda above your own goals and ideals? Do group interests come before your own interests?

DEMAND FOR PURITY: The experiential world is sharply divided into two categories—good and evil as defined by the group. The control devices of guilt and shame are employed to bring the subject into strict conformity to the standards and ideals of the group.

• Does your group equate purity and goodness to being in your group, and impurity or evil to those outside your group?
• Do you find yourself thinking in a we-they, us-versus-them mind set?
• Does your group/system have a clear outside enemy?
• Does your group discriminate against anyone regarding race or gender?
• Do you feel pressure to attend and participate in group meetings, events, lectures and seminars? Do you feel guilty if you don’t attend?

THE CULT OF CONFESSION: Forced confession of sin (as defined by the group) becomes a means of exploiting, rather than consoling the individual.

• Does your group have a system of punishment and reward for behavior?
• Does your group publicly humiliate or criticize members?
• Does your group criticize, shun, abandon or demean individuals who leave the group?

THE SACRED SCIENCE: Group doctrine is considered the ultimate “Truth” beyond any doubt or criticism.

• Are your leader’s ideas or belief system considered beyond reproach or sacred?
• Do you follow a particular individual or belief system that requires unquestioning obedience and loyalty?
• Does your group discourage doubts, criticism or ideas that differ from the belief system of the group?
• Do you tend to rationalize whatever the group does even when it goes against your sense of right and wrong?
• Are doubts viewed as a lack of faith, dedication, commitment or disloyalty?
• Have “your thoughts” become “the enemy?”

LOADING THE LANGUAGE: Cults develop language terms unique to the group and only understood by those inside the group. Pseudo-Christian cults use Christian terminology with a twisted meaning.

• Does your group have its own unique words, clichés, slogans, chants, prayers and doctrinal phrases that reinforce the group viewpoint?

DOCTRINE OVER PERSON: A member’s character and identity is reshaped – not in accordance with the person’s unique gifts and abilities – but to comply within the rigid contours of the uniform doctrinal mold.

• Do you feel the need to adjust your “thinking” in accordance with the group’s standard answers?
• Do you often find yourself doing more things in the group or because of group peer pressure that you would not have done on your own?
• Do you often feel exhausted from lengthy group activities, meetings and projects?

DISPENSING OF EXISTENCE: An atmosphere where non-members or ex-members are considered worldly, unspiritual and Satanic, whose chief goal is to “persecute” those remaining in the group—the fount of all “existence” and salvation.

• Do you feel the need to “save” or convert others to your group?
• Does the prospect of leaving your group seem scary, difficult?
• Have you been told something bad might happen if you leave?
• Do you feel the need to leave in secret?
• Group paranoia: Does your group obsessively think other groups or people with different beliefs are out to get them?

HAVE YOU BEEN IN A DESTRUCTIVE GROUP? You can tell if you…

• Have difficulty trusting others and forming new friendships and intimate relationships
• Have low self-esteem, poor self-image or loss of identity
• Have difficulty making simple decisions and choices
• Feel like you are just now growing up, becoming a mature adult
• Suppress emotions or have difficulty expressing them properly
• Often feel depressed, anxious and nervous
• Feel isolated, lonely, guilty, cynical
• Have short-term memory difficulties
• Feel you have nothing to believe in
• Often feel anger and rage toward the group
• Have nightmares or unpleasant dreams
• Find it difficult or impossible to stop mental or other group ritualistic practices

VERSES TO HELP RECOVER FROM THE CULT

God pursues a personal relationship with me

• Revelation 3:20 - "I will come in to him and dine with him."
• Luke 15:1-7 - Shepherd leaves the 99 to find the 1 lost sheep
• Luke 15:11-32 - Father runs after (pursues) His prodigal son

God cares about all the details in my life

• Psalm 33:13: "From heaven the Lord looks down and sees all mankind; from his dwelling place he watches all who live on earth--He who forms the hearts of all, who considers everything they do."
• Philippians 4:6-7 - Do not be "anxious" but pray about "everything." (So he doesn't need to feel guilty for praying about "little" things -- God cares.)

I am secure in the hands of Jesus (John 10:28-29)

• John 10:27-28 - Jesus sheep follow Him – will "never" perish
• John 6:68 - To "whom" shall we go? = Jesus for eternal life
• John 6:37 - "All" Father gives come to Jesus – not cast out

I am pure / righteous in Christ

• 2 Corinthians 5:21- Jesus became "sin" for me
• 1 Peter 2:24 - He carried my personal "sin" in His body

If Jesus paid for ALL of my sin, what sin can I commit that He didn’t pay for and would cause me to loose my eternal life?

• Philippians 3:9 - I am righteous "in Him"
• Romans 8:1 - No condemnation for me since I'm "in Christ"
  God's Love for me is unconditional
• Romans 8:38-39 - Nothing can "separate" me from His love
• 1 John 4:18 - Perfect "love" casts out "fear"

My life "in Christ" is "filled" with hope, peace joy

• Romans 15:13 - "God of hope fill you with all joy and peace"
• Romans 14:17 - Kingdom of God = righteousness, peace, joy
• Joel 2:25 - God will "make up" (restore) lost years

For more information on Cults see:

• 3 Reasons Why People Leave Cults - What You Should Know When Talking To Them
• Are Mormons a Cult? A Mormon Response to our "What is a Cult?" Article
• Are Jehovah's Witnesses (Watchtower Followers) and Mormons (LDS or Latter-day Saints) Cults?
• Does the Bible support the Jehovah's Witness Practice of shunning family members who leave the Watchtower?
• Article on Mind Control Used by the Watchtower - This article was written by David Grossoehme who is an experienced cult exit-counselor with 9 years background in deprogramming former cult members. Email David at: This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it.
• Are Jehovah's Witnesses allowed to read and study the Bible by itself without Watchtower literature? (www.4jehovah.org)