Church cults

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Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
11,769
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#61
Good article. The Vatican's pushing hard for globalism and ecumenism. But it's not true unity they seek, they want control of it all. Same thing they've always been about, just a new plan to bring it about.
Yep the idea is use the gospel to attract people, to make people think they work for Jesus but they work for lucifer anti christ government, and it is prophecy on the Bible, it will be one world antichrist government for 7 years
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
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#62
well the catholic church makes no secret of its plans who have been that way ever since it was founded by the roman emporers who call themselves pope.

Plus they were involved in 'crusades' that have killed millions of people.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
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#63
apparently there was something called 'The Donation of Constantine' which was a forged document claiming all power was given to the pope. Who was then starting to claim he was 'infallible'.
 

Jackson123

Senior Member
Feb 6, 2014
11,769
1,371
113
#64
apparently there was something called 'The Donation of Constantine' which was a forged document claiming all power was given to the pope. Who was then starting to claim he was 'infallible'.
Quote
Donation of Constantine, Latin Donatio Constantini and Constitutum Constantini, the best-known and most important forgery of the Middle Ages, the document purporting to record the Roman emperor Constantine the Great’s bestowal of vast territory and spiritual and temporal power on Pope

End quote

Catholic ~ forgery

That is why when I read about how catholic lie about Peter being in Rome I have no doubt
Catholic expert to make forgery document.
 

Lanolin

Well-known member
Dec 15, 2018
23,460
7,188
113
#65
like the shroud of turin and other countless relics...

sounds like the chicken guts thing all over again.
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,176
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Brighton, MI
#66
How can you tell if a church group has become a cult?

Just wondering. Any survivors want to tell their tale.

I was reading about Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple. That was some scary cult. And it had the veeneer of christianity. Jones was definitly a wolf in sheeps clothing.

For those that had no idea just google Peoples Temple, Guyana, mass suicide.

EEk.
https://vault.fbi.gov/jonestown/
https://jonestown.sdsu.edu/?page_id=13674
The Assassination of Representative Leo J. Ryan and the Jonestown, Guyana Tragedy: Report of a Staff Investigative Group to the Committee on Foreign Affairs, U.S. House of Representatives
http://onlinebooks.library.upenn.edu/webbin/book/lookupid?key=olbp56893

can download for free here: https://babel.hathitrust.org/cgi/pt?id=pur1.32754077268963&view=1up&seq=7
https://www.worldcat.org/title/assa...airs-us-house-of-representatives/oclc/6331602
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,176
1,573
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Brighton, MI
#67
1. Opposing critical thinking

2. Isolating members and penalizing them for leaving

3. Emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture

4. Seeking inappropriate loyalty to their leaders

5. Dishonoring the family unit

6. Crossing Biblical boundaries of behavior (versus sexual purity and personal ownership)

7. Separation from the Church

But when it’s your faith, your friends, your community, it’s not so obvious. For several years, roughly two dozen people, all younger
https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/06/the-seven-signs-youre-in-a-cult/361400/

https://dbts.edu/2018/11/16/what-is-a-cult/

Behavior Control: An individual’s associations, living arrangements, food, clothing, sleeping habits, finances, etc., are strictly controlled.

Information Control: Cult leaders deliberately withhold or distort information, lie, propagandize, and limit access to other sources of information.

Thought Control: Cult leaders use loaded words and language, discourage critical thinking, bar any speech critical of cult leaders or policies, and teach an “us vs. them” doctrine.

Emotional Control: Leaders manipulate their followers via fear (including the fear of losing salvation, fear of shunning, etc.), guilt, and indoctrination.

https://www.gotquestions.org/sect-cult.html
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,176
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Brighton, MI
#68
The group displays an excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader, and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, or debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).
The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (e.g., members must get permission to date, change jobs, or marry—or leaders prescribe what to wear, where to live, whether to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (e.g., the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
The group has a polarized, us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders, or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (e.g., lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and control members. Often this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
The group is preoccupied with making money.
Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave—or even consider leaving—the group.
http://cultresearch.org/help/characteristics-associated-with-cults/
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,176
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Brighton, MI
#69
Abusers:
 Insist that their own thoughts and feelings be respected, but are not respectful of
others' thoughts and feelings
 Blame the victim for inciting abuse: "You made me do it."
 Generally will not take responsibility—constantly blame everyone and everything
but themselves
 Keep people isolated by preventing or discouraging contact with friends or family
 Shove, push, block the way, or stand or behave in a threatening manner
 Threaten to hurt people or their friends or family
 Discount other people's worth and opinions
 Encourage dependence; tell others they cannot get along by themselves
 Control access to finances, telephones, television, computer, cars, and other
family resources
 Criticize, devalue, insult, humiliate, and otherwise make people feel small,
worthless, stupid, clumsy, helpless, unwanted, or inferior
 Use intimidation or manipulation to get their way and control people
 Abuse or threaten to abuse pets
 Destroy or threaten to destroy things other people value
 Act distrustfully; intrude on privacy (e.g., barging in, reading mail)
 Withhold conversation or affection to control or punish
 Exhibit jealousy; make unfounded accusations
 Have unpredictable outbursts of anger or rage
 Cite authoritative sources to justify their oppressive behavior (e.g., quoting a
religious text to justify physical punishment or assert superiority)
https://uucnrv.org/uucwp/wp-content/uploads/Cults-handouts.pdf
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,176
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Brighton, MI
#72
wasnt that like the SDAs or was it JWS who said the rapture happened in 1898 or something and. they all went out on a hill waiting for Jesus to take them but it didnt happen? Then they called it 'The Great Disappointment'. And everyone had sold up everything so they didnt even have homes to go back to.
It was closer to 1844 friend.
 

TheLearner

Well-known member
Jan 14, 2019
8,176
1,573
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Brighton, MI
#75
Oh yes their writings influenced the JWs...
I thought that was a given.

I was merely speaking of location.

Laurie White settled right in amongst those that had crawled away from the field. (It wasn't like they could afford to travel)

And she went a bit nuts about "personal vice" . I'm not sure if she caught her husband doing it or what was her issue with it. But she put it on almost every sermon and page of her writings.
The influence was primary from the Christian Connextion Movement among the SDA. They were an arian group that predates Miller.

https://core.ac.uk/download/pdf/212872735.pdf
https://adventistheritage.org/ahm-sites/william-miller-farm/history-place/
https://documents.adventistarchives...UnspecifiedConferences/AHeritageOfFreedom.pdf
 
Aug 4, 2021
586
185
43
#76
The group displays an excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader, and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.
Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.
Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, or debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).
The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (e.g., members must get permission to date, change jobs, or marry—or leaders prescribe what to wear, where to live, whether to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).
The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s), and its members (e.g., the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).
The group has a polarized, us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.
The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders, or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).
The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (e.g., lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).
The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and control members. Often this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.
Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.
The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.
The group is preoccupied with making money.
Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.
Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.
The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave—or even consider leaving—the group.
http://cultresearch.org/help/characteristics-associated-with-cults/
Correct
 

tourist

Senior Member
Mar 13, 2014
42,550
17,022
113
69
Tennessee
#80
Some were shot and injected with the poison.
Yes, I vaguely remember this following the news way back when. I believe some congressman who was investigating the cult was shot to death.