Whenever you get into a new church or a religion, you are usually looking for guidance and a higher authority that will lead you into something greater. However, while you’re in this quest there are very many things that may lead you into something that is misleading and a bit odd.
Image source: Patheos
It is always exciting whenever you’re trying a new religion or you want to try out something new.
Whenever you get into a new church or a religion, you are usually looking for guidance and a higher authority that will lead you into something greater. However, while you’re in this quest there are very many things that may lead you into something that is misleading and a bit odd. You may never know that you are in a cult but there may be very many signs and here they are.
1.You’re never allowed to think outside the box.
You always have to think according to the leader and nothing else. You are not allowed to ask questions because that means you are questioning authority while you are meant to be well indoctrinated.
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2.Isolating people from the rest of the world.
When you are in a cult you sort of live in a small community kind of setting. You do not interact with other religions because you may expose yourselves but you think it’s for your own good.
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3.Penalizing them for leaving.
Leaving a cult is very hard. From the minute you threaten to leave a cult you are in immediate danger and this is because when you got in you probably signed a contract or took an oath to be there. You should never be in anything that binds you to the point that you cannot leave.
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4.Emphasizing special doctrines that are odd.
These are the most obvious signs. Being told to drink blood, get naked or sleep with a pastor for blessings sake is not okay.
5.Having very strange loyalty to leaders that leads you to doing peculiar things.
Peculiar things like giving your land, house or entire wealth to a leader because they said so is insane. Leaders in cults started the cult so that it is beneficial to them and so that you are ripped off thoroughly. Unless you want to give a gift willingly then you are never obliged to give anything that you cannot afford to.
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6.Members are not allowed to grow intellectually.
People in cult groups are not allowed to learn anything more than their own leaders, this limits your intellectualism in all areas. All knowledge is meant to come from the leader and if anyone tries to show that they know too much they become an outcast. Keep in mind that authentic leadership allows you to grow, to be inquisitive and to be stable emotionally and spiritually.
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7.Literally control every part of your life.
They don’t give advice, instead, they tell you to live your life and you must abide by it. They keep tabs on you and make sure that you follow the odd doctrines that are in the cult. If a religion is too invasive then it is not right, you look for advice, seek it and then implement it.
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8.Cultic churches are super secretive.
If your church is in a hidden place and everything you do is secretive then it means that it lacks transparency. Authentic religions have nothing to hide but cult leaders never want people to know what they are doing. No real religion should be private, a religion usually wants to go for outreach and wants more people to get in.
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9.The church desires its membership to become more like themselves.
The final sign of a cultic church deals with the end goal. What do the leaders desire? Cultic leaders want to make their members more like themselves. Coercive and manipulative measures are used.
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Source: https://omgvoice.com/lifestyle/signs-cult-not-church
