What Religious Cults Have In Common:

• Their way is the only way. A "we alone are right" mentality.

• Their vague doctrine is to be accepted but not necessarily understood.

• Members are conformed by the group not transformed by God.

• They reject the One Triune God--the Christian belief in God as God the Father, God the Son (Jesus - John 1:1, 1:14), and God the Holy Spirit. As a result they worship "another" Jesus.

• Only their group knows and has the truth. They claim a "special revelation."

• Not even scripture is as powerful as the group's unwritten rules and traditions.

• Members distrust themselves but trust completely in the group's beliefs and leaders.

• Members are secretive about what goes on "inside" and "things" get protected behind walls of silence.

• Living a double life is common.

• A flaw in the group is viewed as a flaw in the member who sees it.

• Leaders brush off questions they don't have scriptural answers for.

• Authoritarian leaders reinforce blind obedience to the groups "standards."

• Individual interpretation or deviation is not allowed.

• There is a need to emulate the leaders. The group may have similar mannerisms, clothing styles, hair styles, modes of speech and attitudes.

• Any attack on the group simply verifies the group's importance to the members.

• Members who faithfully follow the group's beliefs and traditions are considered special, chosen, hearty "saints."

• There is no means by which a member can appeal a decision. The followers have no rights. Dissidents are disfellowshipped.

• Salvation by Grace is not preached. (Eph.2:8,9)

• Failing to remain faithful to the group is viewed as failing God or mankind.

• There is a feeling of humble superiority among the members.

• Members accept a counterfeit peace, joy and unity which, in reality, doesn't exit.

• Behavior is legislated. Obedience to the leaders is mandatory.

• Individuality is viewed as bad and conformity within the group is good. There is a dependence on the group.

• Leaders encourage members to work and produce "fruit", putting "their" people back under the law, from which Christ died to set us free.

• Lavish attention and love is shown to new or prospective members. Later, love is conditional; dependent on a member's good performance.

• There is an unwritten rule that members must not discuss any negative feelings they may have about the group.

• Members shun ex-members.

• There is instilled in the members a fear of "losing out", of suffering a lost eternity, should they ever leave the group.

• Members alternate between happiness at being chosen to know the "truth", and the crushing weight of guilt, fear and shame for "not measuring up."

• Adherents to these groups fail to realize that they are in a cult and under mind control. Often the leaders are the most brainwashed of all.

This is not a CULT like Heavenly Gate where people willingly lay down to die for what they believe in. The 2x2 CULT causes people "EMOTIONAL SUICIDE!" We are forced to commit suicide to who we really are! We become "clones" walking around!!! 2/98 C. Winberg