Is The Order A Cult?

  • Visitor
  • Visitor
    Public
4 years 2 months ago #348787 by
Replied by on topic Is The Order A Cult?
I am wonder why Geni Julius won't participate in discussion, his first brainstorm was great.
I would like to hear more details and informations, without him is this discussion dead. Because majority of us will claim
that TotJO is not a cult. (including me).

And even if the tojto would be marked as a cult, who cares? I am here because I like this place for it supports my grow,
reputation of totjo is not a big deal to me.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
4 years 2 months ago #348788 by Malicious
Replied by Malicious on topic Is The Order A Cult?

Br. John wrote:

Malicious wrote: To a dark place this conversation is going . Fear , fear of having ones account deleted for thinking differently than the rest . Fear leads to anger , anger leads to hate , and hate leads to the dark side . The dark side is emotional imbalance , having dark thoughts and emotions . We must keep ourselves balanced not only emotionally and physically but spiritually . A sound mind leads to a sound body and a sound soul .


Kindly do not put words in my mouth or ascribe motives to my actions. I try to limit myself to one good cussin' a day and what's his name just got one so ... when are you going to explain why a wall across the border of my state, Texas, and Mexico is such a good idea?



I'm sorry if you misinterpreted what I said , I was not putting words in anyone's mouths but my own . This was my general thought on how this conversation is going . Nor was I trying to ascribe a motive to your actions . I was merely saying that this forum post has the potential to turn into an argument . I highly value what you and the other leaders are doing here no matter how hard the decision is , what the outcome is , or how much scrutiny you get . Now that I will always support the leaderships decisions even when others scrutinize the same decision . And again I apologise for leaving a sort of cryptic message that could have been interpreted in multiple ways . And I will make a forum post about the boarder wall just like you asked .



=_= Malicious (+_+)

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • Visitor
  • Visitor
    Public
4 years 2 months ago #348789 by
Replied by on topic Is The Order A Cult?

Erinis wrote: I am wonder why Geni Julius won't participate in discussion, his first brainstorm was great.
I would like to hear more details and informations, without him is this discussion dead. Because majority of us will claim
that TotJO is not a cult. (including me).


because ive been offline. people have these things called offline lives they spend away from digital cults.

because i dont want to discuss it further. the same reason i didnt make a damn thread going into this.

because i have nothing further to add.

because speaking to brick walls are for crazy people.

because i dont care anymore. This gross overreaction is hilarious and disgusting at once. Yall are so determined to make an echo chamber to unanimously say 'we're not a cult' you have forgotten that non cults dont need to say that. Their actions prove otherwise.

but whatever. not like anyone cares.

Please Log in to join the conversation.

  • Neaj Pa Bol
  • Offline
  • Master
  • Master
    Registered
  • Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see...
More
4 years 2 months ago - 4 years 2 months ago #348791 by Neaj Pa Bol
Replied by Neaj Pa Bol on topic Is The Order A Cult?
Coming back out of retirement, this is one hell of a topic…

Cults have definitions in several ways, so I looked up stuff and thought it is time to take a more Mellow Road on this…. Religion from the beginning has always been looked at as “A Cult” from the beginning or Mans societal growth. Changes in the accepted Social following of “State” Religions (Those of the Times by mean of State/Ancient Locals) from Ancient Religions:
1 Hinduism 2300 BCE
2 Judaism 640 BCE
3 Zoroastrianism 600 BCE
4 Buddhism 563 BCE
5 Confucianism 551 BCE
6 Jainism 527 BCE
7 Shinto 300 BCE
8 Christianity 1 CE
9 Taoism 142 CE
10 Islam 570 CE

Anyone could say all religions, whether formed by humans ancient or past has a vast array of viewpoints. So, let’s stop with crass fire backs to each other and just calm down a few notches….

Too many times and too many similarities to past seekers of Knowledge here have done this too many times, always getting the dander up in some form or fashion from mild to heated. No finger pointing, etc., but this has a very familiar clamor of not just one past seeker or seekers, let’s just say inquiries…… The name(s) mentioned deal with recent events here of where members were Excommunicated, Suspended, Asked to take some time away from the Temple to regroup, Excommunications lifted, Re-instated members, ( Arisaig, the prime name entered in the conversation) and so on…

Banning, asked to leave, suspended even expulsion or excommunicated and removal of such, has had its issues in the past. Now, many things have their reasons and 99% of the time it has been dealt with in the manner of degree of what a person has done. Past times, the Council dealt with it, but not after lengthy discussions… (Then the Transparency stuff started) and those discussions brought on explanations to the Membership; then, in the last case, handed to the Knights to assist in matters, openness provided, and… They dealt with it. NO ONE or TWO or MORE HAVE EVER liked a(n) course of action take by anyone here that has been in an office, post or status of authority, etc. PERIOD!!! There has always been a naysayer, dissenter or small group of folks who do not like certain decision(s) here and that’s just a fact of life.

TOTJO has always been TAXED by folks who basically love chaos, plain and simple. Codes of Conduct, Use of Morality, Courtesy, Rules, TOS, even just plain Politeness, whatever has some that just love to make it a Challenge. It’s not just here at TOTJO, other Jedi sites, etc., it’s in life itself….

The Claim:
“Emotional control: Threatening people with being removed. This place has, many times, threatened people with bans, excommunication, or removal of knighthoods. It has been recorded that a current sitting councillor threatened another, at the time, sitting councillor to have their house raided and their kid taken away simply for taking a stand against injustices. They try to scare you or they try to make you think this place is your home. This is a website. Not a home. Its not a church, its not a school. There have been no new knights in a year. Their training is failing. And those that call themselves grandmasters are self assigned but yet say people must live up to their standards. This is abusive emotional control.

Informational Control: As we've seen of late, people have been removed, threads removed, comments removed. Why? Because they ask questions or make points they don't like. They hide things behind walls. They excommunicate long standing members without making any public notice, as they should. They release documents saying they're going to change things, but they don't. Its all smoke and mirrors. Its also been documented that current sitting councillors have coordinated with known trolls to coordinate trolling strikes in order to cause drama so they could then ban people for taking a stand against these trolls. Where is my proof of this? Hidden away because they can't have it getting out. They punish those that speak about it. Why do you think there are no active knights these days outside of council?

Finally, Behavioural control: They clear cut black and white 'acceptable' behaviour. Paired with the culture of fear they've cultivated around 'getting banned' (fun fact, the wider jedi community is seeing this place for what it is, and it is losing face quickly.). They vilify those that have done nothing wrong other than take a stand against trolls and injustices and even illegal actions taken by councillors, but congratulate and even memorialise trolls that were banned by Knights vote.

Thats why. This is after YEARS of watching this place, and years more of studying cults. This place has been a fascinating case study, but a disturbing one nonetheless.”
_____________________________________________________________________________________
Statements of:
because ive been offline. people have these things called offline lives they spend away from digital cults.
because i dont want to discuss it further. the same reason i didnt make a damn thread going into this.
because i have nothing further to add.
because speaking to brick walls are for crazy people.
because i dont care anymore. This gross overreaction is hilarious and disgusting at once. Yall are so determined to make an echo chamber to unanimously say 'we're not a cult' you have forgotten that non cults dont need to say that. Their actions prove otherwise.
but whatever. not like anyone cares.

In general, everyday persons are going to come back with “We’re Not” because they most likely look at this as an attack more than a discussion….

I find it interesting that the Model used was incorporated with TOTJO info, The posters observations, etc.

• Behavior Control: An individual’s associations, living arrangements, food, clothing, sleeping habits, finances, etc., are strictly controlled
• Information Control: Cult leaders deliberately withhold or distort information, lie, propagandize, and limit access to other sources of information
• Thought Control: Cult leaders use loaded words and language, discourage critical thinking, bar any speech critical of cult leaders or policies, and teach an “us vs. everyone else” doctrine
• Emotional Control: Leaders manipulate their followers via fear (including the fear of losing salvation, and the fear of being shunned, etc.)

The Claim:

This is a website. "Not a home. Its not a church, its not a school"...

Let's just say, this is that posters point of view, But...

TOTJO is an International Ministry and Public Charity; a tax exempt (donations are US income tax deductible) 501(c)3 non-profit organization, All Legal, Tax and Corporation filings have been done and constantly updated.

It's a pissing contest otherwise outside of an individuals point of view...
Some people will debate that the internet is not a "Place" is others say its virtual, etc.... It really is open to one's own perception or thought. No different than the age-old debate of Heaven, hell, purgatory, etc...

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________
I’m not going to say what individual I think is behind the subject, but I know of some that I can look at in the recent months/years or so that Writes in this format…

“I’m part of the IJF, the FA light aspect. Trained? not at all. Youve obviously missed my point of being here. I study cult formation. I’ve been looking into Jediism as a case study. This place is the cult. Jediism. in itself is not a cult. this place, however, engages in dangerous cult like practices. “
(From the original post)

So, lets just have a little info here to see the varies articles and definitions out there……

https://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Cult
A cult (not to be confused with occult) is any religious or political group too small to have its own army and navy or without political power. When used as a pejorative or snarl word, it can mean "a new religion, that isn't mine, which I don't like." In popular culture, the term is generally applied to religions that are controlling and extreme.
The media narrative is that cults are scary groups where lost children go to be raped and murdered, where the recruits wander through airports chanting various 'ohms', and of course, where people are (ooga booga) brainwashed.
A bit more formally, the term is usually used to refer to religions (or other movements) whose beliefs or practices are heterodox and regarded by the larger population as bizarre. In the academic discipline of religious studies, recently developed religions have been called "new religious movements," or "NRMs," as a scholarly attempt to avoid the pejorative connotations of "cult."
Usage in recent decades
The term "cult" gained currency — and deeper pejorative connotations — during the 1960s and 1970s due to the criminal activities of groups like the Manson Family. Outsiders considered that various NRMs exercised a coercive control over members' lives; on the other hand, such NRMs proved especially attractive to young people in search of meaning. Adherents often segregated themselves from society, including from prior friends and family, and adopted non-mainstream lifestyles. Recruitment tactics like love bombing and offering an environment of stability via identification with, and dedication to, the group aroused alarm in non-adherents.
Anti-cult hysteria during the 1970s and since has had an air of moral panic. In at least one case — the Branch Davidians — this unreasonable fear led to preemptive law-enforcement actions far out of proportion to any danger the group actually posed, if any, and ended in disaster. Moreover, the Satanic Panic mania of the 1980s and 1990s infected law enforcement and prosecutors, leading to wrongful convictions of many for supposed ritual abuse of children, events which in all likelihood never occurred.
On the other hand, some cults have posed a genuine threat to society or to themselves; well-known examples include the People's Temple and Heaven's Gate mass suicides, the sarin-gas attacks on the Tokyo subway by the Aum Shinrikyo cult under the orders of Shoko Asahara, the spreading of Salmonella at salad bars in The Dalles, Oregon by the Rajneesh movement in order to influence local elections and to take over the city, and criminal harassment of critics and ex-members by Synanon and by the Church of Scientology.
New religious movement
The term "new religious movement" is a euphemism for "cult." They are young and have a novel mix of teachings and practices.
The question what is new is not fixed. One rule of the thumb is that they came into a country after the second world war. New religious movements are very diverse. They tend to be small, unpopular and generally receive little support from society. A notable exception to this is the Sathya Sai Baba movement that is supported by many high-ranking Indian politicians. Japan has some large new religious movements.
Many of them were founded by living charismatic leaders, in the sense used by Max Weber. Living charismatic leaders tend to be unpredictable.
One important practical question is how to deal with a family member or friend who joins a movement. The degree of involvement may vary greatly for each individual: not all new religious movements demand strong commitment.
Individual problems with a movement may only appear on leaving for a committed adherent, especially when the adherent lives in an intentional community.
Some countries, like France and Belgium, have special laws against new religious movements. The UK has a government-sponsored public education institute, called Inform. Other countries like the USA and the Netherlands have no special laws or institutes at all.
New religious movements may become less radical and less demanding over time. For example, in ISKON/Hare Krishna, not so much pressure is put on converts to live in an intentional community anymore.
Warning signs of a potentially destructive cult
With that said, there are several warning signs that can be used to indicate when a religious group has gone from "harmless, quirky woo-meisters" to an active threat to its membership and even to others.
Warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader
1. Promises are made of a new life, a "spiritual resurrection," and a rejection of one's former life, which are simply irresistible to many desperate people. Therefore, it's easy to be pulled in.
2. There is no legitimate reason to leave. Former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative, or even evil. Therefore, it is extremely hard to leave.
3. The leader's authority is absolute, without meaningful accountability.
4. There is no tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
5. There is no meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget or expenses, such as an independently audited financial statement.
6. There exists an unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies, and persecutions.
7. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
8. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
9. Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
10. The group/leader is always right.
11. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation; no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.

Warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader
Rick Ross's Cult Education Institute lists the following warning signs for followers of a cult:
1. They are extremely obsessive regarding the group/leader, resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.
2. Individual identity, the group, the leader, and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused – as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.
3. Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned, it is characterized as "persecution".
4. They engage in uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, effectively cloning the group/leader in their personal behavior.
5. They are dependent upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyze situations without group/leader involvement.
6. They have a hyperactivity centered on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supersede any personal goals or individual interests.
7. They lose their spontaneity and sense of humor in dramatic fashion.
8. They are increasingly isolated from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.
9. They can justify anything the group/leader does no matter how harsh or harmful.
10. Former followers are at best considered negative, and at worst, they are considered evil and/or under bad influences. They can not be trusted, and personal contact is avoided.
The Cult Danger Evaluation Scale
Isaac Bonewits, a neo-pagan writer and magician, proposed the following 'Cult Danger Evaluation Scale' in the 1970s:
1. Internal Control: Amount of internal political and social power exercised by leader(s) over members; lack of clearly defined organizational rights for members.
2. External Control: Amount of external political and social influence desired or obtained; emphasis on directing members’ external political and social behavior.
3. Wisdom/Knowledge Claimed by leader(s): amount of infallibility declared or implied about decisions or doctrinal/scriptural interpretations; number and degree of unverified and/or unverifiable credentials claimed.
4. Wisdom/Knowledge Credited to leader(s) by members: amount of trust in decisions or doctrinal/scriptural interpretations made by leader(s); amount of hostility by members towards internal or external critics and/or towards verification efforts.
5. Dogma: Rigidity of reality concepts taught; amount of doctrinal inflexibility or "fundamentalism"; hostility towards relativism and situationalism.
6. Recruiting: Emphasis put on attracting new members; amount of proselytizing; requirement for all members to bring in new ones.
7. Front Groups: Number of subsidiary groups using different names from that of main group, especially when connections are hidden.
8. Wealth: Amount of money and/or property desired or obtained by group; emphasis on members’ donations; economic lifestyle of leader(s) compared to ordinary members.
9. Sexual Manipulation of members by leader(s) of non-tantric groups: amount of control exercised over sexuality of members in terms of sexual orientation, behavior, and/or choice of partners.
10. Sexual Favoritism: Advancement or preferential treatment dependent upon sexual activity with the leader(s) of non-tantric groups.
11. Censorship: Amount of control over members’ access to outside opinions on group, its doctrines or leader(s).
12. Isolation: Amount of effort to keep members from communicating with non-members, including family, friends and lovers.
13. Dropout Control: Intensity of efforts directed at preventing or returning dropouts.
14. Violence: Amount of approval when used by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s).
15. Paranoia: Amount of fear concerning real or imagined enemies; exaggeration of perceived power of opponents; prevalence of conspiracy theories.
16. Grimness: Amount of disapproval concerning jokes about the group, its doctrines or its leader(s).
17. Surrender of Will: Amount of emphasis on members not having to be responsible for personal decisions; degree of individual disempowerment created by the group, its doctrines or its leader(s).
18. Hypocrisy: amount of approval for actions which the group officially considers immoral or unethical, when done by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s); willingness to violate the group’s declared principles for political, psychological, social, economic, military, or other gain.


Groups considered to be coercive cults
Note: the groups listed below below are not necessarily cults, though they have been accused of being so.
Religious groups
Groups considered to be coercive cults
Note: the groups listed below below are not necessarily cults, though they have been accused of being so.
Religious groups
• Adnan Oktar (Harun Yahya) Community
• Al-Qaeda
• Alamo Christian Foundation
• Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps
• Aryan Nations
• Aum Shinrikyo
• Bhagwan Sree Rajneesh (Osho)
• Branch Davidians
• Children of God
• Church of God Restoration
• Church of Wells
• Christian Identity
• DAESH
• The Discipling and Shepherding movement, and denominations that practice it such as the International Church of Christ/ The Boston movement.
• Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints
• Heaven's Gate
• Hebrew Israelites
• House of Yahweh
• International Society for Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) (a.k.a. the Hare Krishnamovement)
• Jehovah's Witnesses
• Movement for Inner Spiritual Awareness
• Nation of Islam
• Nation of Yahweh
• Nuwaubianism
• Order of the Solar Temple
• Palmarian Catholic Church
• The People's Temple
• Quiverfull
• Raëlism
• Reyna Chicas
• Sathya Sai Baba
• Satanism
• Scientology
• Seventh Day Adventism
• Taliban
• True Russian Orthodox Church
• Twelve Tribes
• Unarius Academy of Science
• Unification Church (Moonies)
• Westboro Baptist Church
Political groups[edit]
• Hardline movement
• International Workers Party/New Alliance Party (see Social Therapy)
• Juche, the national "religion" of North Korea. Among other things, Juche features the worship of the father Kim Il Sung, the son Kim Jong Il, and the grandson Kim Jong-un, adding a strong religious component to the officially purely political and atheistideology
• Ku Klux Klan
• Lord's Resistance Army
• Lyndon LaRouche movement
• Men's rights movement
• MOVE
• Mujahideen-e Khalq (or People's Mujahedin of Iran )
• National Labor Federation
• Objectivism
• Shining Path
• Revolutionary Communist Party
• Workers Revolutionary Party
• Alex Jones's and Mark Dice's "Resistance" movement
• Tea party movement
Self-help movements
See the main article on this topic: Self help
• Alcoholics Anonymous
• Amway
• Avatar Course
• Chuluaqui-Quodoushka/Deer Tribe Medicine Society
• Kabbalah
• Erhard Seminars Training/Landmark Forum
• Falun Gong, which borders on a few catergories more.
• NXIVM
• Re-evaluation Counseling
• Scientology ("[any problem]? Scientology can help you with that.")
• Social Therapy
• Synanon
• some large group awareness trainings
• some forms of wilderness therapy
Criminal organizations
See the main article on this topic: Organized crime
• Cosa Nostra
• La Familia Michoacana
Accused by fundamentalists
According to many Christian fundamentalists, any sect that does not agree with their doctrines is a cult, though they are less pernicious than many of the above groups. Examples of such sects include:
• Church of the SubGenius
• Herbert W. Armstrong and Garner Ted Armstrong-related groups
• Jehovah's Witnesses
• Local Church
• Mormonism
• New Age
• Seventh-day Adventism
• Wicca
• The really wacky ones consider the Unitarian Universalist Church and possibly even liberal Protestant churches to be cults.
• A few, such as Jack Chick, might accuse the Roman Catholic Church of being a papal cult of some sort (see Anti-Catholicism). Catholicism circa (say) 1200 CE might seem more cultish than Catholicism circa 2015 CE.
• Darwin Fish regards any famous evangelist other than himself as a cult leader.
Cult of personality
See the main article on this topic: Personality cult
Soviet leader Nikita Khrushchev's 1956 secret speech "On the Cult of Personality and Its Consequences" was the outing of the late Joseph Stalin as being a cult figure. The unfortunate Mao Zedong was to suffer a similar fate a few decades later.

The Seven Signs You're in a Cult
https://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2014/06/the-seven-signs-youre-in-a-cult/361400/
1. Opposing critical thinking
2. Isolating members and penalizing them for leaving
3. Emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture
4. Seeking inappropriate loyalty to their leaders
5. Dishonoring the family unit
6. Crossing Biblical boundaries of behavior (versus sexual purity and personal ownership)
7. Separation from the Church

10 Signs You’re Probably In A Cult
https://medium.com/@zelphontheshelf/10-signs-youre-probably-in-a-cult-1921eb5a3857
Sam & Tanner
Jun 18, 2018 · 5 min read

Cults aren’t as easy to spot as you might think. Most cults don’t wear robes or live in communes. In fact, most cult members don’t even realize they’re in a cult.

During my 25 years as an unwitting cult member, I would often watch documentaries and read about other cults. As I researched, I noticed 10 specific patterns that helped me recognize that I myself was in a cult:

During my 25 years as an unwitting cult member, I would often watch documentaries and read about other cults. As I researched, I noticed 10 specific patterns that helped me recognize that I myself was in a cult:

1. The leader is the ultimate authority

If you’re not allowed to criticize your leader, even if the criticism is true, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults begin with a charismatic leader who claims some supreme knowledge. They may call themselves a prophet, messiah, messenger, or an enlightened teacher. They can also be CEOs, military officials, politicians, and self-help gurus.
Cult leaders convince members to forfeit their critical thinking ability in return for a sense of belonging, authority, and purpose. To members, it doesn’t matter what the evidence or logic may suggest, the leader is always right, and their misdeeds are always justified. Criticism of the leader is forbidden.

2. The group suppresses skepticism

If you’re only allowed to study your organization through approved sources, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults view critical thinking as an infectious disease and every effort is made to suppress it. Doubting members are encouraged to isolate themselves from outside influences and focus solely on the doctrine of the cult.
Criticism is forbidden. People who contradict the group are viewed as persecutors and are often given labels like “anti,” “apostate,” or “suppressive person.” Members are discouraged from consuming any material that is critical of the group.

3. The group delegitimizes former members

If you can’t think of a legitimate reason for leaving your group, you’re probably in a cult.
Because the cult considers itself the ultimate authority on truth, it can’t imagine anybody leaving it with their integrity intact. Thus, it has to perpetuate a false narrative that former members were deceived, proud, immoral, or lazy.
If former members speak out, they are dismissed as bitter, angry, dishonest or evil. Cults often impose some kind of shunning to shame former members and prevent them from infecting other members with the truth.

4. The group is paranoid about the outside world

If your group insists the end of the world is near, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults position themselves as the sole refuge from an evil outside world that is intent on their destruction. Cults thrive on conspiracy theories, catastrophic thinking, and persecution complexes.
In an effort to draw in more paying members, cults are often very aggressive in their recruitment efforts which are usually justified as “saving” people from the evil world. Those who reject the cult’s message are unelect, prideful, evil, or stupid.

5. The group relies on shame cycles

If you need your group in order to feel worthy, loved, or sufficient, you’re probably in a cult.
Cult leaders trap members in shame cycles by imposing abnormally strict codes of conduct (usually prescriptions about diet, appearance, sex, relationships, media), guilting members for their shortcomings, and then positioning themselves as the unique remedy to the feelings of guilt which they themselves created.
Cult members are made to believe they are insufficient or unworthy on their own and that the only way to become worthy is to confess their shortcomings to the group or leader. The leader then becomes the meditiator of worthiness and the foundation of the member’s self esteem.
Leaders who can make followers feel bad about anything can use shame to manipulate followers into doing anything, even if it’s against their own self-interest or better judgment.

6. The leader is above the law

If you’re held to a different moral standard, specifically in regard to sex, you’re probably in a cult.
A prevalent idea among cult leaders is that they are above the law, be it human or divine. This idea allows them to exploit their followers economically and sexually without repercussions.
When confronted, they do not confess, but create justifications for their impropriety. Sexual grooming of members is common. Loyal cult members will perform any amount of “mental gymnastics” to justify or ignore the leader’s behavior.
7. The group uses “thought reform” methods

If your serious questions are answered with cliches, you’re probably in a cult.
Indoctrination or “brainwashing” is the process through which a cult slowly breaks down a person’s sense of identity and ability to think rationally. Behaviors like excessive fasting, prayer, hypnosis, scripture reading, chanting, meditation, or drug usage can all be used to increase a person’s vulnerability to the leader’s suggestions.
The hallmark of indoctrination is the use of thought-terminating cliches. Platitudes like “follow the leader” or “doubt your doubts” are regurgitated over and over so that members don’t have to critically analyze complex issues.

8. The group is elitist

If your group is the solution for all the world’s problems, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults see themselves as the enlightened, chosen, and elect organization tasked with radically transforming individual lives and the entire world.
This elitism creates greater sense of group unity and responsibility centered on a united purpose. However, this sense of responsibility is often manipulated by cult leaders who coerce members into risky financial behavior, sexual favors, free manual labor, or heightened recruitment efforts in order to “further the cause.”

9. There is no financial transparency

If you’re not allowed to know what the group does with their money, you’re probably in a cult.
A group that refuses to disclose its finances is a huge red flag. Ethical organizations have nothing to hide. Cult leaders tend to live opulently while their followers are required to make financial sacrifices. Members are often encouraged to pay their offerings even if it means putting their families at risk.

10. The group performs secret rites

If there are secret teachings or ceremonies you didn’t discover until after you joined, you’re probably in a cult.
Cults use secret rituals as rites of passage that solidify a member’s loyalty to the group. Initiation into these rites usually only comes after a member has undergone certain tests or made adequate financial contributions.
Often, cult initiations are confusing, bizarre, or even offensive. This mental dissonance between their sense of confusion and their loyalty to the “inner circle” convinces the initiate to double their efforts in order to properly appreciate the proceedings. This only further entrenches them in a shame cycle, making them even more susceptible to manipulation.
WRITTEN BY
Sam & Tanner
Two millennial ex-Mormons who love mindfulness and handstands

Journalist Rick Ross has several; articles on Cults… Here’s a few links…
https://culteducation.com/warningsigns.html
By Rick Ross, Expert Consultant and Intervention Specialist

Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.
1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
8. Followers feel they can never be "good enough".
9. The group/leader is always right.
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
Ten warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader.
1. Extreme obsessiveness regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.
2. Individual identity, the group, the leader and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused--as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.
3. Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned it is characterized as "persecution".
4. Uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, cloning of the group/leader in personal behavior.
5. Dependency upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyze situations without group/leader involvement.
6. Hyperactivity centered on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supercede any personal goals or individual interests.
7. A dramatic loss of spontaneity and sense of humor.
8. Increasing isolation from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.
9. Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.
10. Former followers are at best-considered negative or worse evil and under bad influences. They can not be trusted and personal contact is avoided.
Ten signs of a safe group/leader.
1. A safe group/leader will answer your questions without becoming judgmental and punitive.
2. A safe group/leader will disclose information such as finances and often offer an independently audited financial statement regarding budget and expenses. Safe groups and leaders will tell you more than you want to know.
3. A safe group/leader is often democratic, sharing decision making and encouraging accountability and oversight.
4. A safe group/leader may have disgruntled former followers, but will not vilify, excommunicate and forbid others from associating with them.
5. A safe group/leader will not have a paper trail of overwhelmingly negative records, books, articles and statements about them.
6. A safe group/leader will encourage family communication, community interaction and existing friendships and not feel threatened.
7. A safe group/leader will recognize reasonable boundaries and limitations when dealing with others.
8. A safe group/leader will encourage critical thinking, individual autonomy and feelings of self-esteem.
9. A safe group/leader will admit failings and mistakes and accept constructive criticism and advice.
10. A safe group/leader will not be the only source of knowledge and learning excluding everyone else, but value dialogue and the free exchange of ideas.

https://www.aei.org/carpe-diem/the-climate-change-cult-10-warning-signs/
The climate change cult: 10 warning signs by Mark J. Perry
April 20, 2019
Earth Day 2019 is just a few days away (Monday, April 22) and this is the first in a series of CD posts over the next few days to help you observe (expose?) the 49th “green holy day.”
A few days ago on the CD post “Michael Crichton in 2003: Environmentalism is a religion” I provided a linked to an article on Medium.com titled “Climate Change and the Ten Warning Signs for Cults” that starts like this:
1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.
The leading advocates of the Climate Change movement are politicians, entertainers, and even children. Climate preachers such as Al Gore and Leonardo DiCaprio lack any formal scientific training whatsoever, and live personal lives of unparalleled luxury while prescribing carbon austerity for the masses. Yet no one is permitted to point out their scientific ignorance or call attention to their hypocritical lifestyles.
MP: Add Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez and 16-year old Greta Thunberg to the list of climate preachers without any formal scientific training (see videos below).
Child advocates such as Greta Thuneberg and the crudely indoctrinated children of the “Sunrise movement” are essentially sock puppets for their shameless activist handlers. Refuse to bend the knee to these tiny fascists, as Diane Feinstein most recently did, and the mainstream left will relentlessly attack you as an accessory to mass murder.
2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.
The conclusions of the Climate Change movement may not be challenged or questioned under any circumstances. Those who dare scrutinize the conclusions, methodology, or prescriptions of “climate scientists” are categorically dismissed as a “Climate Denierk” an excommunicated untouchable whose opinion is no longer valid on any subject.
3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.
Hardly anyone knows just how much money is spent on “Climate research” every year. The cost is spread out among laughably useless study grants, wind and solar farm subsidies, carbon offset credits, “green” building code evaluation and enforcement, salaries for bureaucrats solely dedicated to “climate concerns”……you get the idea, it’s a lot of hazy money.
4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.
This one is pretty obvious. The Climate Change movement always shouts out revised and updated apocalypse predictions, eerily reminiscent of the stereotypical bum on the sidewalk with that “The End Is Near” sign. “The world will end in X years if we don’t do X” is the constant refrain. The years always pass, and the apocalypse never happens. Interestingly, this is a characteristic of multiple religious cults (such as the Seekers of Chicago, and the Order of the Solar Temple). At the moment, we apparently have 12 years to nationalize the entire economy and phase out fossil fuels before we all die a fiery death.
5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.
Climate alarmists who leave, step back from, or even lightly criticize the movement are immediately subjected to vicious smear campaigns. Dutch professor Richard Tol experienced this phenomenon firsthand when he removed his name from an IPCC climate report and criticized the reports excessively apocalyptic predictions.
6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.
Professor Tol is not an anomaly. Dr. Richard Lindzen of MIT, Dr. Nils-Axel Mörner, and countless other former IPCC in-crowd climate experts were subjected to smear campaigns from their colleagues and the news media for the crime of throwing cold water on the outlandish predictions of the Climate Change movement.
7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.
The abuses of the Climate Change movement are loud and proud. They vociferously attack their perceived enemies for public consumption, and are cheered on by fellow travelers in the journalism class. Most recently they brainwashed a bunch of kids and marched them into an octogenarian Democrat Senator’s office to beg not to be murdered by a ‘No’ vote on impossible legislation.
8. Followers feel they can never be “good enough.”
The atonement process for Climate warriors always demands more. It started with using a recycling bin and grocery bags. Now, in 2019, being a good follower means imposing veganism on the masses and issuing fatwahs against innocuous objects such as plastic straws and grocery bags. Despite all the efforts of the faithful, Climate minions maintain a constant state of dread and despair, knowing they can never truly do enough to stop the coming doom.
9. The group/leader is always right.
When have the climate leaders been called wrong for their failed predictions? Regardless of the weather, they are always intrinsically correct.
Flood? Climate Change. Drought? Climate Change. No Snow? Climate Change. Too much snow? Climate Change. Hurricane? Climate Change. Lack of hurricanes? Climate Change.
See how this works?
10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.
The path to discovery for the Climate Change movement is an intentionally vague discipline referred to as “climate science.” Did you carry out a study on gender and glaciers? Climate Science. Did you think up the worst possible scenarios that have no actual chance of happening (actual portion of latest National Climate Assessment)? Climate Science.
Any “science” that confirms the tenets of the Climate Change movement is deemed “climate science,” while actual scientific research that disputes their conclusions is derided as “denialism.”
The Verdict: It’s a cult
According to the established, scientific guidelines developed by cult experts, the Climate Change movement fits the bill for a potentially unsafe group. Rather than debating Climate Change activists, it may be time to start staging interventions. If someone you know is a member of the Climate Change Movement, and you are interested in intervention strategies, please visit:
https://culteducation.com/prep_faq.html.
_____________________________________________________________________________________
https://carm.org/signs-practices-of-a-cult
What are some signs and practices of a cult? by Matt Slick

There have been many serious studies on the dynamics of cults and behavior of people within those cults. Following is a representative list of characteristics common in cult groups. Not all cults hold to every item.
We have to be careful when assigning cult-like behavior to any group. Just as beauty is in the eye of the beholder, so to, cult-like behavior is subjective. Generally, it takes a trained person who can identify unhealthy patterns and teachings as compared to healthy ones and can then identify a cult. Furthermore, cult-like behavior is more commonly identified through excessive control, manipulation, and esoteric teaching of a group where the group's members are often isolated and indoctrinated into special teachings and practices.
Social aspects of cult-like behavior
For a group to be a cult in the social sense, many of the following characteristics would have to be present. For a group to be a cult in the doctrinal sense, essentials (in this case of the Christian faith) would have to be violated. Some of the characteristics are listed below.

1. Submission:
1. Complete, almost unquestioned trust in the leadership.
2. Leaders are often seen as prophets, apostles, or special individuals with unusual connections to God. This helps a person give themselves over psychologically to trusting someone else for their spiritual welfare.
3. Increased submission to the leadership is rewarded with additional responsibilities and/or roles, and/or praises, increasing the importance of the person within the group.
2. Exclusivity
1. Their group is the only true religious system, or one of the few true remnants of God's people.
3. Persecution complex
1. Us against them mentality. Therefore, when someone (inside or outside of the group) corrects the group in doctrine and/or behavior, it is interpreted as persecution, which then is interpreted as validation.
4. Control
1. Control of members' actions and thinking through repeated indoctrination and/or threats of loss of salvation, or a place to live, or receiving curses from God, etc.
5. Isolation
1. Minimizing contact of church members with those outside the group. This facilitates a further control over the thinking and practices of the members by the leadership.
6. Love Bombing
1. Showing great attention and love to a person in the group by others in the group, to help transfer emotional dependence to the group.
7. Special Knowledge
1. Instructions and/or knowledge are sometimes said to be received by a leader(s) from God. This leader then informs the members.
2. The Special Knowledge can be received through visions, dreams, or new interpretations of sacred scriptures such as the Bible.
8. Indoctrination
1. The teachings of the group are repeatedly drilled into the members, but the indoctrination usually occurs around Special Knowledge.
9. Salvation
1. Salvation from the judgment of God is maintained through association and/or submission with the group, its authority, and/or its Special Knowledge.
10. Group Think
1. The group's coherence is maintained by the observance to policies handed down from those in authority.
2. There is an internal enforcement of policies by members who reward "proper" behavior, and those who perform properly are rewarded with further inclusion and acceptance by the group.
11. Cognitive Dissonance
1. Avoidance of critical thinking and/or maintaining logically impossible beliefs and/or beliefs that are inconsistent with other beliefs held by the group.
2. Avoidance of and/or denial of any facts that might contradict the group's belief system.
12. Shunning
1. Those who do not keep in step with group policies are shunned and/or expelled.
13. Gender Roles
1. Control of gender roles and definitions.
2. Severe control of gender roles sometimes leads to sexual exploitation.
14. Appearance Standards
1. Often a common appearance is required and maintained. For instance, women might wear prairie dresses, and/or their hair in buns, and/or no makeup, and/or the men might all wear white short-sleeved shirts, and/or without beards, or all wear beards.

Doctrinal aspects of a cult
Since CARM is a Christian-based ministry (statement of faith) it holds to the essential doctrines of the Christian faith. Therefore, deviation from any of the doctrinal essentials as defined by the Bible would qualify a group as being a cult. The essentials of the Christian faith, as revealed in Scripture, are as follows:

1. The Deity of Christ
1. Jesus is God in flesh (John 8:58 with Exodus 3:14). See also John 1:1, 14; 8:24; 10:30-33; 20:28; Col. 2:9; Phil. 2:5-8; Heb. 1:8
2. Salvation by grace through faith alone
1. Romans 3:28; 4:1-5; 5:1; Ephesians 2:8-9; Galatians 3:21;5:3-5
3. The physical resurrection of Christ
1. John 2:19-21; 1 Corinthians 15:14, 17; John 20:25-28; Luke 24:39
4. The Gospel, as the death, burial, and resurrection of Jesus
1. 1 Corinthians 15:1-4; Galatians 1:8-9
5. Monotheism
1. Exodus 20:3-6; Isaiah 43:10; 44:6, 8
6. Trinity
1. Though the Trinity is not explicitly defined in Scripture and stated to be a necessity, it is a logically necessary doctrine since it properly describes the true nature of God.
2. Matt. 3:16-17; 28:19; 1 Corinthians 12:4-6; 2 Corinthians 13:14; Ephesians 4:4-6
7. Virgin Birth
1. The Virgin birth is an essential to the Christian faith since without it, the true nature of the incarnation of Christ could not be scripturally maintained and it could not be said that Jesus is deity.
2. Matthew 1:23


https://medium.com/@zelphontheshelf/10-signs-youre-probably-in-a-cult-1921eb5a3857

Tell me and I forget, teach me and I may remember, involve me and I learn. Benjamin Franklin

Let the improvement of yourself keep you so busy that you have no time to criticize others. Roy T. Bennett, The Light in the Heart

Participated in the making of the book, “The Jedi Compass”with 2 articles.

For today I serve so that tomorrow I may serve again. One step, One Vow, One Moment... Too always remember it is not about me... Master Neaj Pa Bol

Faith is daring the soul to go beyond what the eyes can see...

Faith is a journey, not a guilt trip...

Quiet your emotions to find inner peace. Learn from ignorance to foster knowledge.
Enjoy your passions but be immersed in serenity. Understand the chaos to see the harmony.
Life and death is to be one with the Force.

Apprentice's: Master Zanthan Storm, Jaxxy (Master Rachat et Espoir (Bridgette Barker))

This message has an attachment file.
Please log in or register to see it.

Last edit: 4 years 2 months ago by Neaj Pa Bol.
The following user(s) said Thank You: J. K. Barger, Malicious

Please Log in to join the conversation.

More
4 years 2 months ago #348792 by Br. John
Replied by Br. John on topic Is The Order A Cult?

Malicious wrote:

Br. John wrote:

Malicious wrote: To a dark place this conversation is going . Fear , fear of having ones account deleted for thinking differently than the rest . Fear leads to anger , anger leads to hate , and hate leads to the dark side . The dark side is emotional imbalance , having dark thoughts and emotions . We must keep ourselves balanced not only emotionally and physically but spiritually . A sound mind leads to a sound body and a sound soul .


Kindly do not put words in my mouth or ascribe motives to my actions. I try to limit myself to one good cussin' a day and what's his name just got one so ... when are you going to explain why a wall across the border of my state, Texas, and Mexico is such a good idea?



I'm sorry if you misinterpreted what I said , I was not putting words in anyone's mouths but my own . This was my general thought on how this conversation is going . Nor was I trying to ascribe a motive to your actions . I was merely saying that this forum post has the potential to turn into an argument . I highly value what you and the other leaders are doing here no matter how hard the decision is , what the outcome is , or how much scrutiny you get . Now that I will always support the leaderships decisions even when others scrutinize the same decision . And again I apologise for leaving a sort of cryptic message that could have been interpreted in multiple ways . And I will make a forum post about the boarder wall just like you asked .


I apologize for not asking you what you meant and jumping to conclusions. I would like to discuss the wall because I've lived in Texas all my life which will soon be sixty years

Founder of The Order
The following user(s) said Thank You: Malicious

Please Log in to join the conversation.

Moderators: ZerokevlarVerheilenChaotishRabeRiniTavi