Marks of a Cult • Authoritarian. There is almost always a central, • Charismatic, living human leader who commands total loyalty and allegiance. • Oppositional. Their beliefs, practices and values are counter to those of the dominant culture. • Exclusivistic. They are the only group that possesses the “truth.” • Legalistic. Rules and regulations abound governing spiritual matters and the details of everyday living. • Subjective. They emphasize the experiential, the feelings and the emotions. This is usually accompanied by an anti-intellectualism. • Persecution-conscious. The groups feel they are being singled out by mainstream Christians, the press, parents, and the government. • Sanction-oriented. They require conformity in practice and belief, and exercise sanctions against the wayward. • Esoteric. They promote a religion of secrecy and concealment. Truth is taught on two levels, inner truth and outer truth. • Anti-sacerdotal. There are no paid clergy or professional religious functionaries.
Posted on: Sat, 31 Aug 2013 01:27:43 +0000
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