10 Warning Signs of Cult Recruitment

RaceRunner · Jul 8, 2023

Donald Trump promotes killing people through vaccines.
Donald Trump promotes LGBT.

ResidentAlien · Jul 8, 2023

If a person doesn't vote for one side how can that be a vote for the other? I've never understood this. If I don't go to the polls, no one is tracking me to see if I vote; and if I don't, they don't then go to the polls and cast a vote for the other side on my behalf. Doesn't make sense.

RaceRunner · Jul 8, 2023

Beckie said:

I have higher moral standards than that; I don't vote for liberals no matter what.

Cameron143 · Jul 8, 2023

RaceRunner said:

Your understanding of politics is flawed. Trump did make the mistake of listening to people like Fauci concerning the vaccine and should come out against it now.
Trump's position on LGBT is that they should be treated fairly. The Christian position is that they should be treated with love.
I don't believe Trump understands the spiritual aspects of LGBT or any other spiritual matter. This is where having good advisors is helpful. Trump has had good spiritual advisors as President and Roe v Wade was sent back to the states.
Change generally comes slowly in Washington. Trump actually accomplished much in 4 years.

The_Watchers_2017 · Jul 8, 2023

10 Warning Signs of Cult Recruitment

free candy sign on side of a van that looks like this?

RaceRunner · Jul 8, 2023

The_Watchers_2017 said:

Whatever you do, don't go inside that van.

JohnDB · Jul 8, 2023

RaceRunner said:

You have to look critically at the actions of those in office.

I've seen extremely liberal ideologies enacted with conservative presidents and vice versa. Meaning not a one of them is doing what they said they were going to do when elected. The hypocrisy is over the top with all of them.
Sure, Trump was the first one in a long time that actually did as he said he was gonna but the other stuff that went along with that was over the top nuts. I knew of him long before he ran for president...and he never wavered from his identity. He has always been a pig of a man long before he hit the WH....

Financially the Republicans used to be OK....not anymore but once upon a time they were.

Morally? neither has been great....both have horrible things going on.

So....
I've washed my hands of the lot of them and just let God set up the rulers we need vx the ones we deserve.

The_Watchers_2017 · Jul 8, 2023

look at our current president.
professing catholic and follower of God
Paul said, whenever the Government issues something against the Commands of God we are to obey God.
here's a President, professing follower of God, promoting Transgender, Same Sex, Abortion...all because he chooses his Political Party OVER God.
that is what LIBERALISM is, choosing your way OVER God's.

why would anyone support that?

Beckie · Jul 8, 2023

JohnDB said:

Every leader is set up by God. Yet we should remember God often uses people to do His work. After WWII Christians joyfully watching Israel stepped back from being political involved awaiting rapture . We did not occupy. We became like the third servant of Luke 19

Beckie · Jul 8, 2023

The_Watchers_2017 said:

My understanding is if one is not against liberalism they are for it. I do not see a middle road in todays world.

CS1 · Jul 8, 2023

ResidentAlien said:

Below is a list of common mind control techniques used by cultists. Maybe you have an experience or story of your own to tell about how a cult tried to recruit or keep you. In today's world, manipulation techniques have become so commonplace they may not be recognized. Sometimes, people or groups we may not even consider to be cults use these these techniques. Hopefully this thread will help.

https://thriveworks.com/blog/protect-yourself-from-mind-control-techniques/

Research shows that anyone is susceptible to joining a cult. “Not me!” you say. Yes, you. The self-serving bias that makes people think they’re the exception to the rule can make them feel invulnerable—and leave them unprotected from pathological salespeople. You don’t have to be particularly gullible, insecure, or emotionally needy to be successfully recruited. Cults exploit psychological elements that are hardwired in pretty much everyone. Here’s how they do it:

1. Social isolation. If you are seeing less and less of your family and peers in favor of your new best friends, ask yourself why. Cults gradually chip away at your community until only cult members remain. If the cult is your entire world—a closed system—then leaving it can feel really scary.

2. Cyber isolation. If all your Facebook friends agree with you, ask yourself why. Cyber isolation can lead to confirmation bias. That means you only see information that supports what you already believe. And your beliefs are also continually validated in the echo chamber of cyber isolation. The Facebook algorithm shows you things you want to see in a never-ending cycle of digital influence.

3. Promised rewards. If you find that you’re on the verge of amazing accomplishments or the fulfillment of your wildest dreams, ask yourself why. Cults promise gifts like a spiritual Wheel of Fortune: enlightenment, self-actualization, love, unlicensed psychotherapy, companionship, exorcism, peace of mind, perfect health, eternal life, great sex, a forever home, a loving family. Over-the-top rewards are part of the conversion process. How can anyone say no?

4. Phobia indoctrination. If you find that you have a lot of new fears, ask yourself why. Seeing threats everywhere? Cults use fear to induce people to stay within their ranks, where they’ll be safe. And naturally the only person who can truly protect you is the cult leader. Who is also responsible for punishing you. Their methods are effective because they alternate fear with love, leading to disorganized attachment.

5. Heightened emotion. If you find yourself feeling extremely happy, angry, or scared, ask yourself why. Cults trigger big emotional responses and then direct that emotion toward a strategic target when you’re at your least rational.

6. Love-bombing. If you find yourself feeling more loved than you ever have in your life, ask yourself why. This is a tactic that narcissistic manipulators use in interpersonal relationships, but it also applies to cultic attempts at thought reform. Cult members will spoil you with attention and affection in order to make you feel connected and important. And people keep coming back for the love drug.

7. Us vs. them mentality. If you find that you have a lot of enemies all of a sudden, ask yourself why. Cults invent enemies to help solidify the group identity. When you envision yourself as a missionary for good versus evil, there might be too much at stake for you to abandon your cause.

8. Social influence. If you find that everyone around you agrees on something, ask yourself why. Psychological studies show that compliance goes up with the number of people involved. Most people won’t reject an idea if the whole group supports it. And cult prospects are typically overwhelmed with group-ecstatic activities, which can lead them to poor information processing. Essentially, peer pressure makes it impossible for people to function at full capacity.

9. Intelligence-dampening. If you find yourself too tired or confused to make decisions, ask yourself why. Cults use techniques like sleep-deprivation, alternate states of consciousness, repetition, and thought-stopping to overwhelm someone’s cognitive resources and critical thinking skills. They destabilize your view of reality. And when your mind is under threat, you keep returning to the safety and love of your leader. It doesn’t mean you’re stupid, even if you develop false beliefs. All humans have false beliefs and a tendency toward magical thinking. But cult members depend on the cult for direction when their brains are disoriented.

10. Identity disturbance. If you feel like a new you–a better you–ask yourself why. Cults alternate reward and punishment to stress people out and disrupt their identities. From there, cults can inflict a new identity on a member, one that depends on submission and self-surrender. And it doesn’t help that other sources of identity, like work and school, are slowly taken over by cult participation.

Someones letting their mail be read.

VARob · Jul 8, 2023

Beckie said:

Do you think Kim Jung Un was set up by God? Hitler? Stalin? Putin? Pol Pot?

Beckie · Jul 8, 2023

VARob said:

Yes
Pro 8:15 By me kings reign, and princes decree justice.

Rom 13:1 Let every soul be subject unto the higher powers. For there is no power but of God: the powers that be are ordained of God.

Nehemiah6 · Jul 8, 2023

The_Watchers_2017 said:

It's actually worse than that. It is choosing evil and wickedness over truth and righteousness. Men loved darkness rather than light because their deeds were EVIL (John 3:19).

Nehemiah6 · Jul 8, 2023

VARob said:

God allows tyrants to take charge and wreak havoc. He does not necessarily "set them up", since God is Light, and in Him is no darkness at all.

ResidentAlien · Jul 8, 2023

Nehemiah6 said:

Just because you proclaim a certain political party or certain politicians "righteous" doesn't make it so.

Nehemiah6 · Jul 8, 2023

ResidentAlien said:

Let their record speak for itself. Every thing that is wicked, evil, and destructive is chosen by the so-called "liberals" and vigorously promoted. Every beautiful city in America has been trashed and converted into a third-world hell-hole because of so-called "liberals". And the USA itself is on the brink of total collapse because of these same "liberals".

ResidentAlien · Jul 8, 2023

Nehemiah6 said:

Let their record speak for itself. Every thing that is wicked, evil, and destructive is chosen by the so-called "liberals" and vigorously promoted. Every beautiful city in America has been trashed and converted into a third-world hell-hole because of so-called "liberals". And the USA itself is on the brink of total collapse because of these same "liberals".

Just your opinion.

VARob · Jul 8, 2023

Beckie said:

Do/did Kim Jung Un, Hitler, Stalin, Putin, Pol Pot decree justice?

I believe that's talking about types of government, and not individual governments, rulers, or kings. God wants order in society. You can have a godly society under any form of government, including dictatorships, if the government is godly. The men above are/were not godly.

Beckie · Jul 8, 2023

VARob said:

Lots of Christians adjust the Word of God to make it sound better to them.

10 Warning Signs of Cult Recruitment

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