TOXIC FAITH SYSTEMS AND MENTAL
PROBLEMS
TRAITS OF WBTS
• Control-orientated, arrogantly assertive, power-posturing leadership.
• Authoritarian and legalistic with dictatorial, dogmatic doctrines that are proclaimed to be ‘the Truth'.
• Claims of being the channel of communication between God and mankind; having unique knowledge that makes them special. If members do not submit to its dictatorial rule, the leaders emphasise that any waver of support to the organization or church is evidence of waiver of faith in God.
• Manipulation of members by guilt, shame, blame and fear.
• An "Us-vs-Them" view, a perception of being under persecution.
• Demanding, rigid lifestyles and overwhelming service requirements. Member's lives are controlled by both spoken and unspoken rules.
• Loss of focus on God, replaced by a complicated process of furthering the church or organization and its rules.
• Followers "in pain," hiding real feelings that oppose or disagree with the religious system.
• Intolerance of individual thinking, and of criticism of the religious system by its members. Fosters an unhealthy dependency by focusing on themes of submission, loyalty, and obedience to those in authority.
• Severe discipline of members.
• The religious system puts down other religions.
• Leaving the religious system is painful and difficult.
• Closed communication: information is only valid if it comes from the top of the religious down, and from inside the system to the outside of it.
• Labelling: a technique used to discount a person who opposes the beliefs of the religious system.
• What you do is more important than who you are.
• Love and acceptance are earned by doing certain things.
• Scripture-twisting.
• Scare tactics; focus on demons.
• Threats to remove members from the group.
• Members are misled into thinking that the only safety is in the religious system.
• A view that education is bad or unnecessary.
CHARACTERISTICS OF CULTS
• Members of the group must believe that the doctrines of the group are the one and only "Truth."
• Members must follow the doctrines even if they don't understand them.
• The doctrines form the basis of all thoughts, feelings, and actions.
• There is an "Us-vs-Them" belief that no outside group is recognized as godly.
• No independent thinking by members is allowed.
• It teaches that there is a huge conspiracy (actually non-existent) working to thwart the group.
• Teaches that spirit beings are constantly critically observing the members
• Members are made to feel elite, chosen by God to lead mankind out of darkness.
• The group looks down on other religious groups.
• Members are told if they don't fully perform their duties, they are failing humility.
• Members are required to render absolute obedience to their superiors.
• When members leave the group, the love that was formerly shown to them turns into anger, hatred, and ridicule.
• The group uses guilt and shame to control its members.
• Fear is a major motivator.
• Members feel a great sense of urgency about given tasks.
• May groups teach that the apocalypse is just around the corner, and have timetables for it's occurrence with dates near enough to carry an emotional punch.
• Members are kept extremely busy.
• The future is a time when members will be rewa