The World English Dictionary defines cult as follows
| 1. | aspecific system of religious worship, espwithreferenceto its ritesanddeity |
| 2. | asectdevotedtosuchasystem |
| 3. | a quasi-religiousorganizationusingdeviouspsychological techniques to gain and controladherents |
Recognizing devious/disfunctional/dangerous cults of Christianity is extremely important for Christians since Jesus himself warns us to beware of false prophets and false teachers.
Dr. Arthur Deikman, a psychiatrist and cult-expert in northern California, has identified...four basic behaviors found in extreme form in [destructive] cults: compliance with the group, dependence on leadership, devaluing the outsider, and avoiding dissent.
Timothy Conway, provides a lengthy list of warning signs of dysfunctional cults to watch for. Some of these include:
a. Legalistic obsession with myriad rules.
b. Excessive demands on the time and energy of the group members.
c. Trapping or holding onto members. People should be able to leave the group at any time for any reason without fear of damnation, reprisal, scorn etc.
d. Theological thought control.
e. Cultivation of childish dependency upon authoritarian leaders who require absolute, exclusive devotion.
f. Heavily polarized “us-them,” adversarial thinking,...(“they” are “bad” and “we” are “good”).
g. Targeting or isolating of anyone inside or outside the group as a source of evil or contamination...
h. Delusions of grandeur by the leader or group.
i. Orwellian system of informers who convey information to leaders about persons behind their back.
j. Ganging up on individual members to criticize or humiliate or coerce them; “working on them” to violate their own sense of conscience or autonomy.
k. Brainwashing or mind-control techniques or high-pressure group dynamics coercing members to conform to a worldview, agenda, or code of conduct.
i. Frequent testing of members for loyalty, commitment, or obedience.
j. Preventing contact with outsiders, ex-members, and even certain fellow members of the dysfunctional cult.
k. Breaking up couples and families to gain power over individuals and prevent coalitions that could more effectively criticize unsound, corrupt leadership.
l. Blind obedience to harmful or unwise directives from on high.
m. Suppression of dissent, doubt, critical thinking, sincere questions, discussion or independent judgment.
n. Intellectual parochialism or isolation from other worldviews; censorship or control of what people read
o. Enforcement of conformity in apparel and external behavior.
Many of these warning signs apply to Jehovah's Witnesses.
Vander
