[Vision2020] Characteristics of Christ Church

[Kai Eiselein, editor]

Ahoy, Popeye, whoever you may be. Its not that I don't believe cults exist, its that the list can be used to describe nearly any organization, including businesses, churches or your local Boy Scout troop.
For example, teen cliques more often than not exhibit the following:
Strict dress codes, everyone looks alike;  
Suppressing legitimate feelings when they do not fit the group's mind set;  
The need to be like leaders or like others in the group
Scapegoating within or outside the group;
Secrecy between members or between different levels of a group's structure
Public humiliation or embarrassment in any form
Peer pressure: non group ideas receive icy silence, ridicule, or condemnation
Loaded language: the group has its own clichés, jargon and slogans that become simplistic explanations for complex situations
Labeling: Dissenting members, other groups, and different belief systems are given negative labels/names
Effusive praise and flattery for leaders;
Enemy making, a common enemy outside the group: other business groups, other religions, other countries, other life styles, other races;
Fear (or feelings of guilt) about the prospect of leaving the group;
Feelings of superiority and exclusiveness
Competition with other members or with outsiders;
Conflicting opinions viewed as moral assaults and disloyalty; 
Control of information within group environment;
Criticism of group, system or leaders is discouraged;
Different beliefs or ideas are perceived as threatening
Authoritarian hierarchal control;
Black and white thinking: either or, we they, us them;
Centralized power structure
That is 21 of the 40 characteristics, according to the minister a cult will have "many" of these characteristics. Is 21 enough to be considered a cult? If so, schools around the globe are loaded with cults.
  ----- Original Message ----- 
  From: Popeye Landscape 
  To: vision2020 at moscow.com 
  Sent: Monday, December 10, 2007 12:35 PM
  Subject: Re: [Vision2020] Characteristics of Christ Church


  Kai,

  If these cult identification factors don't  uniquely identify then they are certainly at least IMPORTANT identificatory factors to consider in cult spotting. 

  Perhaps you don't believe in cults, Kai, since you didn't propose any additional uniquely identifying characteristics. I

  f the factors Robert Dickows referenced insufficient they surely go along way. Are you suggesting that they don't do a lot of identificatory work here?

  Perhaps you would prefer to start from an established concrete example of a cult and extract the extra factors from the example.

  Starting with Christ Church and Doug Wilson one could probably get a spot-on ID. 

  I'm sure even Kai would agree with that.

  Popeye.



  Kai Eiselein
  Gheez, if you you that list you could describe:
  A: Your average group of teenagers.
  B: Political parties.
  C Unions.
  D: A professional sports team


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Kai Eiselein
Editor, Latah Eagle
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