<p>I would be concerned about this group. It is good that you are not posting it’s specific name, because many destructive mind-control groups parading as religions do closely monitor the internet and could end up closing this thread down claiming ‘persecution’ or any other sort of nonsense. </p>
<p>Any group that refuses to allow dissent or open communication is a huge red flag. I think in an effort to be “open minded” and “accepting” it is easy to let harmful groups gain a foothold and it is extremely difficult to get out of their grasp. Cult leaders are psychologically savvy, they know how to manipulate people. </p>
<p>The goal of a cult is control. A cult is a horrible, cold, calculating organization. There is something called the “BITE model” that is useful to think about: BEHAVIOR control (how one dresses, where one goes, etc), INFORMATION control (what literature one may read and what is prohibited usually because it isn’t ‘faith promoting’), THOUGHT control (eek!), and EMOTIONAL control. Whether one agrees with the Steven Hassan’s other ideas, I think this model is very helpful in grasping why cults are so darn scary.</p>
<p>Cults focus on people in vulnerable situations, and college campuses are a prime target. Young people are figuring out who they are, and are looking for a support system. Often they are idealistic, and a world view being presented as ‘higher’ and ‘enlightened’ is very appealing. </p>
<p>Please be careful, newconmom. Hopefully your child has simply found a nice group of friends. Unfortunately, that funny feeling you have in your stomach makes me think that this is likely a cult. Do everything in your power to keep the lines of communication with your child open, do not allow the ‘group leader’ to cut your child off from his family. If after more research you do discover that it is indeed a cult, you will need a support system for yourself and your child. It may be a long process to get him to see what is so obvious to you, but with care and planning I think you will be successful. </p>
<p>Remember being temporarily ‘happy’ is not the same thing as being free.</p>
<p>Are the recruiters students? what grades? How long on campus? What other campuses? Do they have an advisor or membership in campus senate or Nything like that? Where so they meet? How did your son meet them? Do they have a Facebook account? Is the church who sponsors the group old? What does the sponsor churches website look like? What does their charity profile look like? Is there a school attached to church? what other outreach does church do? </p>
<p>Ill happily do reasearch if you want to messag me</p>
<p>When some Baptists tried to convert me, I was told that I needed to be baptized again, to be “born again.” As for putting God before your earthly family, Catholics are taught to make Christ the center of one’s life, i.e., to be Christ-like, thus it is not strange to hear other religious groups advocating the motto. </p>
<p>This reminds me of the Bible story when Jesus was 12 years old and his parents couldn’t find him for three days. His mother asked him why he disappeared, Jesus replied that he had to be in his father’s temple. I wonder if that is the basis for the religious group’s thinking of “putting God before his earthly family.” An acquaintance who did convert to Baptist did remove the religious statues in his parents’ home, which caused a rift between him and his parents. During a party when we were in our early 20s, there was heated discussion about the necessity of putting a crucifix in one’s home. There is also a charismatic group within the Catholic Church where people speak in tongues. I witnessed it though I believe they were just uttering random syllables.</p>
<p>That said, the negative effects of a fervent “religious group” on MaineLonghorn’s son is reason enough to be apprehensive and cautious.</p>
<p>ML, my hearts breaks for you and I wish your family strength.</p>
<p>Oh my goodness, MaineLonghorn, I had no idea your son was facing so many struggles. My heart goes out to him and to his loving family. I thought this was just about an aggressive campus group.</p>
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<p>That sounds textbook like the cultish group I knew in college. Very aggressive with the contact but then a willingness (maybe a legal obligation?) to stop completely once told to.</p>
<p>MaineLonghorn, it’s good to hear from you. Sorry things are still so rocky, but I’m happy there is some improvement. Blessings to you and your son.</p>
<p>I want to be clear that not all non-denominational churches are cults. We have non-denominational churches all over our area that are most certainly not cults. Also “believer’s baptism” churches are pretty widespread. What they believe is that you’re not really a Christian until you DECIDE to be…and then you’d be baptized. So that’s why they require rebaptism, and why they don’t recognize infant baptism as a decision that was made by the individual.</p>
<p>And that would be Baptists, Assembly of God, Church of Christ (the real one), Christian Church, Mennonite, Hutterites, The Amish, Restoration churches (Churches of Christ/ Christian Church), Hutterites, Pentecostals and most non-denominational churches.</p>
<p>I’m not saying the OP doesn’t have cause for alarm, I think the OP should definitely investigate.</p>
<p>…Just as an Episcobapticostal myself, I felt the need to say that.</p>
<p>Good point, cromette. We attend a non-denominational church ourselves. The red flag for me was that our son was baptized when he was fairly young, but he understood what he was doing. He even read a testimony he’d written himself. The religious group tried to tell him that that didn’t count, which was nonsense. They tried to make him feel guilty and doubt his beliefs.</p>
<p>Can someone explain how the other thread got deleted? It seems like it was good information, and no different than opinions on other things on this site. Was it because the name of the group was mentioned? </p>
<p>Why do these groups have more control over the information than the rest of us?</p>
<p>I don’t know anything about the other thread, but often these groups can get very aggressive on websites and basically cause the thread to close, although I don’t know why it wouldn’t just be locked. They can also harass individuals, and since we don’t know anything about the group that newconmom is referring to, it is probably best that she send PMs to people.</p>
<p>Cults would love to control the internet for their own individual agendas, but the best thing about the wildness of the internet is it cannot be contained. New recruits are often advised to stay away from the internet because it is not ‘faith promoting’ and they often try to prime new recruits that “people will say we’re a cult, but that only shows that they don’t have the truth/knowledge that we possess.” </p>
<p>That’s why it is important for newconmom - if she determines through research that her child is in a cult - that she not directly say to her child, “I think it is a cult” because that could start the divide in the relationship. The cult leaders are manipulators and they may have already planted the seed in the student’s mind that if the parents use the word “cult” then it shows that they (the parents) are part of the evil plot to take the child away from the “true way/religion” etc.</p>
<p>“that would be Baptists, Assembly of God, Church of Christ (the real one), Christian Church, Mennonite, Hutterites, The Amish, Restoration churches (Churches of Christ/ Christian Church), Hutterites, Pentecostals and most non-denominational churches.”</p>
<p>Add the Mormon church to this list (though that may not reassure folks that re-baptism is not a cult practice).</p>
<p>VAMom, I deleted the other thread, because a member of the cult must have googled the group’s name and discovered the thread. He or she registered on CC and posted in defense of the group. I was afraid that person would notify the local group as to the whereabouts of my son (my screen name gives away my location!). And yes, I know the horse was already out of the barn by that point, but I still felt better getting rid of the thread.</p>
<p>I’m sorry that happened with your son. I have to tell you that something similar would happen in most Baptist churches as well if he had not been “dunked” - because they only believe in immersion baptism.</p>
<p>I was baptised at 6 in the Episcopal Church, knew what I was doing just as much as any Baptist 6 year old does. But when I joined the Baptist Church I had to be baptised by immersion. I even went to speak to the pastor about it because I wanted to make it clear to him that I had made a decision when I was 6. It’s just a “dunker” thing. </p>
<p>Seems silly or superfluous to someone from some other traditions - but it’s serious stuff to them (being immersed). God and I were square. So I did what I needed to do to be where I felt like I was supposed to be. No biggie…not to me anyway.</p>
<p>EDIT TO ADD: But the people who were after your son, MLH were truly and sincerely off the charts. Tragic.</p>
<p>MaineLonghorn, you are a wonderful example of the good and courageous folks who post on CC with the hope of helping others. Many blessings to you and your family as you walk through these waters - know that you have company (at least virtually) on your journey.</p>
<p>yes I remembered that after I posted . that is why I edited my post . those people were just flat out dangerous and off base. I’m so sorry for what you’re going through .</p>
<p>once my niece from europe was visiting, she was 16 and helping us after i gave birth to our second child and she was having adventures, away from home and all that</p>
<p>one day she came home and said she met the NICEST people, they had tea and chatted, and she was going to mee them again tomorrow. Hm I said, the suddenly worried aunt, who are they, can I go with you to meet them again,etc.</p>
<p>She said, oh they have a business card…Unification Church Ministries!!!</p>
<p>yeah that would have gone over well with my sister-in-law</p>