Cults and Their Consequences
After listening to Constance Cumbey today on Zephnet, I started doing a little WWW surfing and came up with some interesting sites.
Church Universal and Triumphant:
Some Strategies for Dialogue with Disenchanted Members
By Rick Berchiolli
http://www.irr.org/cut2.html
Main site: Institute for Religious Research
http://www.irr.org/
An excellent article describing the clinical process of what Zeph calls "mind control" by a religious cult, in this case, Church Universal and Triumphant. Now in decline, the church has had quite a history, moving from California to bomb shelters in Montana.
More here:
http://www.rickross.com/groups/cut.html
http://www.rickross.com/ also has an extensive database on modern cults, including the Kabbalah Centre
http://www.rickross.com/groups/kabbalah.html
After looking at only two examples, I already see a pattern:
* Devotees are taken advantage of by the organization. They "volunteer" their lives and live in poverty while those at the top live like kings.
* People who are desparate for a medical cure or weak in self-esteem are frequent victims.
* After sucking disciples dry, emotionally and financially, the organizations have no further use for them.
* The organizations abandon their own leaders and founders when illness and old age make them less "fruitful" for the organization.
* The founders may go through several marriages, abandoning their first spouse and children and starting new "dynasties" with the new mate involved in making the organization grow.
* The organizations are chaotic, sometimes violent, disorganized, irrational.
* When the founders retire, die suddenly, become incapacitated, the cult tends to fall apart at the seams, runs into financial difficulty, sells off property, etc.
IN CONTRAST
In the LORD and Yeshua, we retain the function of our emotional and mental capacity. We are not mindless robots, chanting all hours to drown out our ability to discern the truth.
We have the free will to follow the LORD, or to make our own mistakes. The learning process is Tough Love. Experience teaches!
Our talents and energies are given so that we can make our own contribution. To shine our light in our own special way. Individual and special. Each one finds their mode of expression.
To find out God's Will for us is the adventure of a lifetime. Never boring. Full of vitality. We can talk and pray in our own words.
We are free and bound in Love at the same time. The reward is tremendous strength and the ability to endure incredible hardships and challenges. No matter what we face, a REAL BIG GUY is standing right behind us!
Shalom to you all,
Frances
Church Universal and Triumphant:
Some Strategies for Dialogue with Disenchanted Members
By Rick Berchiolli
http://www.irr.org/cut2.html
Main site: Institute for Religious Research
http://www.irr.org/
An excellent article describing the clinical process of what Zeph calls "mind control" by a religious cult, in this case, Church Universal and Triumphant. Now in decline, the church has had quite a history, moving from California to bomb shelters in Montana.
More here:
http://www.rickross.com/groups/cut.html
http://www.rickross.com/ also has an extensive database on modern cults, including the Kabbalah Centre
http://www.rickross.com/groups/kabbalah.html
After looking at only two examples, I already see a pattern:
* Devotees are taken advantage of by the organization. They "volunteer" their lives and live in poverty while those at the top live like kings.
* People who are desparate for a medical cure or weak in self-esteem are frequent victims.
* After sucking disciples dry, emotionally and financially, the organizations have no further use for them.
* The organizations abandon their own leaders and founders when illness and old age make them less "fruitful" for the organization.
* The founders may go through several marriages, abandoning their first spouse and children and starting new "dynasties" with the new mate involved in making the organization grow.
* The organizations are chaotic, sometimes violent, disorganized, irrational.
* When the founders retire, die suddenly, become incapacitated, the cult tends to fall apart at the seams, runs into financial difficulty, sells off property, etc.
IN CONTRAST
In the LORD and Yeshua, we retain the function of our emotional and mental capacity. We are not mindless robots, chanting all hours to drown out our ability to discern the truth.
We have the free will to follow the LORD, or to make our own mistakes. The learning process is Tough Love. Experience teaches!
Our talents and energies are given so that we can make our own contribution. To shine our light in our own special way. Individual and special. Each one finds their mode of expression.
To find out God's Will for us is the adventure of a lifetime. Never boring. Full of vitality. We can talk and pray in our own words.
We are free and bound in Love at the same time. The reward is tremendous strength and the ability to endure incredible hardships and challenges. No matter what we face, a REAL BIG GUY is standing right behind us!
Shalom to you all,
Frances
posted by Frances McKenzie at 10:52 PM
1 Comments:
Hey Frances, this is Rebecca. Not sure what is going on at the Lamb Cafe, I was just banned from there.....Not sure what I did other than make a stand for God's word. I believe that God's word is our only road map for us to follow, without it, anyone can get caught up in a cult and not even know it. Not sure if this banning is permanant or not. I wanted to let you know that you have been a blessing to me and I have enjoyed your posts. May God bless you.
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