Q&A for How to Tell if a Church is a Cult

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I have a red flag. My adult daughter has taken her new church family as her only family. Her biological family is no longer part of her life. Doesn't sound right, does it?

Community Answer

No, removing followers from their outside relationships is classic cult behavior.

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Question

A church which members consist of family and few friends. Established in 1970 and has not grown in members. 50 members max.

Community Answer

You can't be certain just based on the size of the church. Think of other factors, like whether the membership is exclusive and if you're allowed to speak to other people outside of the church. Do a search online to see if you can find any negative testimonials from ex-members of the church.

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If a church wants you to convert people, is that a sign of a cult?

Community Answer

Not necessarily, many religions instruct members to spread the word of God and recruit new members to the church. It can be a sign of a cult, though, so keep an eye out for other suspicious practices.

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Question

If my church has a cult-like feel, could that mean it could be one?

Community Answer

Yes. Trust your instincts. If you feel like something is wrong, get out of there.

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Question

How do I get out of a cult?

Community Answer

Try the methods in Leave a Cult .

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What should I say to my family if I believe that their church has many of the characteristics of a cult?

Community Answer

Find a good time to tell them. It probably won't be the best time to tell them if they are in a bad mood or during a busy day. Make sure to plan out a way to tell them that won't make them defensive or aggravated. Yelling "Your church is a cult!" is going to make them defensive and angry towards you and they are less likely to believe anything you tell them. The best way is to go through it slowly. State your concerns in a calm manner and let them know you're telling them this because you care about them. Though, most people within cults are taught that anything against their religion is evil and it can be tough to get them to understand or even leave.

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If a church says the purpose of marriage is to have children to populate the church, is that a sign of a cult?

Community Answer

Possibly. Indoctrinating new members is easier the younger the prospective member is- children are incredibly susceptible to indoctrination due to their lack of critical thinking skills. If a church is trying to take advantage of the mental capacity of youths solely for the purpose of populating itself, then I'd advise you tread carefully if you are a member or are thinking of becoming a member of this church. Use outside sources (AKA not the church itself) to read more into it.

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Is the Jehovah's Witness church a cult?

Community Answer

Jehovah's Witness's doctrine requires you shun ex-members and that you don't get too close to anyone from the outside world. You're not supposed to read anything critical about the church, either. If you use the BITE model used to identify if a group is a cult, they check most of the boxes.

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If a dean at a religious college meets with you and tells you that the school likes to keep things internal, would this be a sign of cultivating behaviour?

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Community Answer

Yes, telling people not to reach out for help is a sign of cultish behaviour.

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If my church uses mind-control techniques like repetitive music and other things like NLP (nero languistics programing), does that mean that it is a cult?

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Community Answer

Yes, this is a disturbing sign of something sinister happening. Seek outside help from somebody you trust.

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Aren't all religions cults?

Ruby

Top Answerer

No. Not all cults are religions and not all religions are cults. There are so many different religions, as well as many smaller groups within religions. Some groups are cults, but it is impossible to generalise all religions as they are all very different to each other.

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Question

Why do they wear the same clothes?

Ruby

Top Answerer

Some cults require members to wear the same clothes as a sign of group affiliation. This makes members feel more strongly connected to the group, as well as creating an "Us vs. Them" mentality.

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