Over the past 70 years, some of the world’s leading psychologists, psychiatrists and sociologists have studied how cults and other high-control groups influence people’s thinking and behaviour. Although each expert approached the subject from a…
One of the most common questions people ask online is: “Are Mormons a cult?” The answer is not straightforward. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints is one of the world’s largest Christian restorationist…
“Are Jehovah’s Witnesses a cult?” is one of the most frequently searched questions about any Christian denomination. The answer depends largely on how the word “cult” is defined. Some researchers, former members and cult experts…
How to deprogram from cult influence Rick Alan Ross is an American deprogrammer, cult specialist, and founder and executive director of the non-profit Cult Education Institute, and author of the book “Cults Inside Out: How…
At a glance: How Experts Define Cults The word “cult” is highly controversial, and many academics prefer expressions such as high-control group, destructive religious movement, or new religious movement. However, organisations such as the International…
This cult church checklist can be used to examine any church or organisation’s ideology, environmental controls, social structures, and persuasion tactics, to evaluate how cultish they are. It uses insights from 4 top cult experts,…
Brainwashing, thought reform, and mind control are all coercive techniques used to make someone lose their freedom of choice to an external entity. Is brainwashing exclusive to cults? Some would argue that everyone is brainwashed;…
Enter by the narrow gate; for wide is the gate and broad is the way that leads to destruction, and there are many who go in by it. Because narrow is the gate and difficult…
No, religious cult leaders are not perfect; their perceived infallibility is a tactic used to maintain control over followers, allowing them to demand absolute obedience, and discourage critical thinking. The bible clearly says that “all…
Like it or not, all humans are always submitting to something. The enemy of our souls will often try to present us with a false choice: Option 1: Manmade Religion The problem with manmade religions…
People who are not part of a Christian cult (or high-control Christian sect), may assume that if people inside the cult don’t think the teaching is sound, they should simply leave. However, for those trapped…
Few topics in modern Christianity are as sensitive or as complex as cult churches. The cult label is often used as a warning, or even a weapon, by critics of a church. But what does…