How about a PG rating system to protect against
Singaporean cults like CHC, NCC or FCBC?
A motion picture rating system is designated to classify films
with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as
sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types
of mature content. A particular issued rating can be called a
certification, classification, certificate or rating. Basically,
the PG rating is designed to help parents decide whether a movie is
suitable for their children.
So how about a PG rating system for cults?
Under the cloak of being a church, cultic movements like CHC,
NCC and FCBC are drawing large crowds of young people with only one
purpose: Filling the pockets of the leaders.
The methods used by these so called "Christian churches to
attract and keep the young and innocent Singaporeans in their claws
are not magical. The tricks and methods have been identified and
published (go google "cults"), so ignorance is no
defence.
Why is our government letting this happen right under
their noses?
It is one thing to abuse charity funds, yet a complete other matter
if the future of young Singaporeans is at stake.
Are young Singaporeans not worth the
effort?
If your child is in danger of being sucked in by a friendly
schoolmate, following summary of the methods used by CHC, NCC and
FCBC might help you to identify and prevent worse. More information
can be read under my other post, which will be updated regularly.
(http://sgforums.com/forums/4163/topics/448542)
What are the Characteristics of a
destructive Cult?
1. Self-appointed messianic leader(s) who focuses followers’
veneration upon him or her, claims divine selection, and exercises
autocratic control over members’ lives.
2. Use of deception and misrepresentation for purposes of
recruitment, retention and fundraising.
3. Techniques aimed at controlling individual thought and
personal privacy that frequently lead to a coerced reconstitution
of personality.
To be considered a destructive cult, a group must have all of
the above to one degree or another. Looks familiar?
CHC, NCC, and FCBC qualify to the above criteria. Next time your
child is going to "Church service" - THINK AGAIN!!!
More characteristics:
A destructive cult is an organization whose followers have been
deceptively and unethically recruited and retained. They use
manipulative techniques, which are imposed without the informed
consent of the recruit and are designed to alter personality and
behavior. These groups are only concerned about advancing the
mission or business of the group, and not the well being of the
individual members. The leadership is interested in control, power,
and self-aggrandizement.
A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO:
- Give total and unquestioning loyalty to a leader as a living
deity or prophet.
- Use deception and manipulation to recruit and keep
members.
HAS A LEADER (OR LEADERS) WHO:
- Is charismatic.
- Holds a uniquely exalted position.
- Claims an exclusive relationship or direct contact with
God,
THE LEADER EXPECTS:
- Complete and total loyalty and obedience to the leader.
- Complete and literal acceptance of the leader’s teachings.
- Unquestioning devotion to the group and its leader.
CULTS ARE:
- Unethical in their practices.
- Designed to advance the goal of the group’s leader ("Arise and
Build"), often to the detriment of its members.
- Dangerous because they separate people from their families,
friends and other support networks. In this way, cults foster in
their members feelings of complete dependency and sometimes
isolation from outside influences.
CULTS WILL USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MANIPULATIVE TACTICS:
Deception.Cults do not tell potential members
what they actually believe, and only reveal their true doctrine to
members gradually, as the member is able to accept it. Church
services are organized to perfection using cardiovascular music,
speaking in tongues, video-screens, camera's, peer
pressure,... all aimed at numbing the
rational part of the brain to increase susceptibility. It becomes a
feel-good experience. And if it feels good, it must be good.
Psychology 101.
Remember: If something is true it can stand being questioned, if
it is not true it needs to be questioned. Deception has no place in
the Christian church.
Exclusivism. Cults will create the
impression and seed the belief that only they have the truth and
the correct path to salvation. No good Christian church claims that
they are better than others. Leaving the cult is equated with
leaving God, and members really believe that leaving the cult means
they can never be saved.
Guilt and Intimidation. Disagreeing with
the leadership (or even just questioning it) is akin to disagreeing
with God. It becomes a one way communication. Bible study schools
and cell group meetings are used to smutter resistance, where
members have their motives and character attacked until they fall
into line again.
Information Control. Members are discouraged,
or simply have no time left to, read or watch any material not
published by the cult. This includes newspapers, TV, radio, and
even the Bible outside of the cult's own Bible studies. All
criticism is viewed as an attack to the group.
Loaded Language. The cult uses its own language
and terms, with common words having quite different meanings to the
members. (For example, the Holy Spirit to a CHC'er is a force like
electricity.) Attempts by non-members to reason with cult members
is reinterpreted since cult members are taught to expect
opposition, such as their group being called a cult, or claims that
it is harmful, etc. (Closely related to thought stopping - see
below).
Love Bombing and Conditional Love. New
members are almost smothered in love, acceptance, etc - a process
known as love bombing. The new member has instant friends and all
emotional needs are met. This normally lasts a few months - a
honeymoon period - and then love and acceptance is turned on and
off to control.
Personality Replacement. Close friends or
family notice the member's personality changes from what they were
like before joining the group. The member is then indoctrinated
with the cult's new doctrine. The old life becomes "evil". CHC uses
"Bible" studies, cellgroup meetings, services and events to do
this, resulting in cult members appearing to know their Bible
better than many Christians - unfortunately with the cult's
theology underlying their knowledge. It can take years to eliminate
all this false doctrine. While this indoctrination is happening the
member is adopting the accepted cult personality, which may be
markedly different to the personality they had beforehand.
Relationship Control. Reduces the time spent on
relationships with people outside the cult or those who would tend
to draw the member away from the cult. Members are often employed
in cult-owned or affiliated businesses. Members are motivated to
date and marry within CHC. This means that after being in a cult
for a few years, members have no friends or family outside the cult
- it can make leaving a very bleak prospect.
Reporting Structure. Any indiscretions,
however minor, are reported back to the leadership, with members
being encouraged to report "struggling brothers." In CHC, this can
result in "blindly trust thy leaders" sermons, where the leader
preaches a sermon directly aimed at what a particular members are
currently struggling with - and has talked about in confidence with
someone else. When members hears this they think that God is
speaking directly through the preacher to them.
Shunning (a part of relationship control).
Members are discouraged from talking to or associating with former
members. In other words, former members are "shunned" (completely
ignored) by present members. The fear of being shunned helps keep
present members within the group.
Thought Stopping. Step by step, members
are indoctrinated (normally over years) to have thoughts stopped or
reasoning processes interrupted when they hear a certain phrase or
even a word CHC's favorite: "Do not let them hijack your faith").
For example, when a CHC member is talking with a non-member about
Jesus wanting us to be rich, and the latter mentions that such
doctrine is not sound. The CHC member thinks "Aha! We were warned
about this!" and immediately starts to reinterpret everything
he/she hears according to the cult teachings (see loaded language
above). Reasoning processes are instantly affected and strong
resistance to rational thought is triggered in the member. CHC
members are not aware yet they do this constantly.
Time Control. Keeps the member so busy
with cult activities they have no time to think deeply about their
involvement or pursue activities that might lead them away from the
cult. The member might have cult meetings or Bible studies several
nights a week. The large amount of both single young adults, with
no time to find a bf, as well as high number of divorces in CHC, is
a sad example of time control. No time left to live a life.
