Have you ever said this
or heard it said by others.
RED FLAG.
We need to pray for more of Jesus and to know Him.
Not to simply know "truth."
We could become someone who is "always learning and never coming to knowledge of the truth."
The desire for more knowledge can puff us up...."Knowledge puffs up, but love edifies."
Sunday, March 10, 2013
Sunday, November 25, 2012
Hello and welcome!
Whom the Son sets free is FREE INDEED.
May the Lord Jesus Christ minister to you, heal your heart, and restore your trust.
You are not crazy or rebellious, that still small voice speaking to you that SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE...is in fact, correct.
This blog is based on the fact and my personal experience that Unleavened Bread Ministries is at the present time, a Bible based cult. This blog is encouraging you to test all things: teachings, teachers, and ministries with the unchanging Word of God.
Deception begins, ironically, with but a little leaven. We all have had the phrase drilled into us "a little leaven leavens the whole lump..." What truth!
If you are just beginning the healing journey, be encouraged and be strong in the Lord!
You will grieve. You will be angry. You will be hurt. You have been hurt in a very personal way but take heart....it gets DOES better. There is real healing and real hope available in the REAL Jesus Christ and the REAL gospel.
Don't except any substitutes!
May He lead to you to green pastures and still waters. (Psalm 23)
A fellow pilgrim
Whom the Son sets free is FREE INDEED.
May the Lord Jesus Christ minister to you, heal your heart, and restore your trust.
You are not crazy or rebellious, that still small voice speaking to you that SOMETHING IS WRONG HERE...is in fact, correct.
This blog is based on the fact and my personal experience that Unleavened Bread Ministries is at the present time, a Bible based cult. This blog is encouraging you to test all things: teachings, teachers, and ministries with the unchanging Word of God.
Deception begins, ironically, with but a little leaven. We all have had the phrase drilled into us "a little leaven leavens the whole lump..." What truth!
If you are just beginning the healing journey, be encouraged and be strong in the Lord!
You will grieve. You will be angry. You will be hurt. You have been hurt in a very personal way but take heart....it gets DOES better. There is real healing and real hope available in the REAL Jesus Christ and the REAL gospel.
Don't except any substitutes!
May He lead to you to green pastures and still waters. (Psalm 23)
A fellow pilgrim
Friday, August 10, 2012
Dialogue welcome
Dear UBM friends,
I am happy to dialogged with anyone from the ministry provided it is done in a safe and mutually respectful manner.
I am choosing to remain anonymous as a form of self protection. I know your ministry has the ability to send out emails to hundreds of people and speak to hundreds via internet.
There has been a pattern of people being attack on air and by email, who have not had the ability to defend themselves, nor even present their perspective. I have researched many of these and found out that the persecutions, were indeed unfounded - and out of biblical order.
So- you are welcome to speak to me via this blog- which is a public forum.
I have no aught, offense, or bitterness against David or anyone else at UBM.
On the contrary, I care very deeply for all of them. God knows the prayers and tears I have shed for you.
Two thing that will not be tolerated:
1. Personal attacks against me.
2. Long dreams accusing other people of sin.
Other than that- honest questions are welcomed.
You don't like this blog?
You're welcome to express that opinion as well.
Monday, January 16, 2012
Unleavened Bread Ministries IS a cult
It is :
1) Spiritually dangerous. If your family member or friend are involved with this group- PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM. Ask others to pray with you. Pray and fast that God Himself would open their eyes and deliver them! There is probably some sort of check in your own spirit that something is "off." Yes, it is.
2) Not a five fold ministry- but a one fold ministry. It is Nicolaitan, even as it teaches against the Nicolaitan system. There is no opinion operating there that goes against David. The one time true elders attempted to bring correction to David, in public, in July 2011, they were refused. And at that time, three elders left UBM.They have since repented of partaking and promoting false doctrine. ( Email me for contact info. They are not involved in this website personally, however.)
3) Evil treatment of dissenters, critics, and ex-UBMers.
4) Spiritual control through fear of falling away, fear of becoming a Judas or a Jezebel.
5) Implication that if you leave UBM- you are no longer a Christian. This is the biggest and most dangerous part of the delusion. This false teaching keeps people yoked to a deceptive, and fallen away organization.
6) Many and consistent failed dates of judgment. From July 2010- September 2011 there was the teachings about Planet X coming...it of course, it did not. This is one in a long list of failed prophesies.
7) Reliance on dreams, instead of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthian 14 speaks of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These will always be ignored and discounted
if they contradict or rebuke David. While at UBM, you will receive the same religious spirit, receive many many dreams that agree with David. If you refuse this spirit, renounce it, and cast it out. The lying dreams will stop.
8) It is simply not what it appears to be. The image does not match the reality. Some UBMers know that, and are more guilty. Most, do not, and would not believe it. They would prefer to discredit the messenger.
And this is what Israel did, while in apostasy. They would kill prophets of God sent to bring rebuke.
Come out from among them and be ye separate.
9) One of the strongest elements of the deception, is the multitude of supernatural signs, wonders and "confirmations" to confirm the message, anointing, and 'apostleship" of David Eells. The signs are real...and if you get involved, they will probably happen to you. However, Jesus warns against LYING SIGNS AND WONDERS. A Lying sign and a lying wonder, is a supernatural event that confirms- gives evidence to- and supports- a lie.
10) Reliance on divination, numerology, and astrology.
In order to hear from God, we were taught to open our bibles, put our fingers down at random, and receive a voice from the Lord in this manner. I now believe this is a form of divination. Why do we need these devices when we have the Holy Spirit who speaks to our spirit? Why do we look for number so to speak to us? I was seeing 10:44 and 11:44 all of the time, and this was supposed to "confirm' that I was part of the Bride.
Saints, this is paganism. We do not see the church in the Book of Acts using these methods to hear from God and receive His guidance. After the Holy Spirit is poured out in Acts chapter 2, we no longer see the church using lots, to make a decision.
If you are an intercessor, pray against Jezebel, witchcraft, control, and spiritual pride.
I praise God for the people He will set free!!
There but the grace of God go I.
I write and warn, in a spirit of grace and love. I was once in your shoes, and by grace I have been set free. It was a free gift of God the deception and delusion that I was happily feasting on. And \the idols in my heart that brought me there. I was granted repentance. Hallelujah!!!
I have now seen and experienced a deception that could deceive "even the elect." This gives me fear of the Lord and appreciation for grace. I also have a strong incentive to not judge or accuse people, but rather to warn against spirits, ideas, and structures that the enemy to enslave.
The greatest desire of my heart is for everyone affiliated with UBM, from the head to the feet, to be set free.
1) Spiritually dangerous. If your family member or friend are involved with this group- PLEASE PRAY FOR THEM. Ask others to pray with you. Pray and fast that God Himself would open their eyes and deliver them! There is probably some sort of check in your own spirit that something is "off." Yes, it is.
2) Not a five fold ministry- but a one fold ministry. It is Nicolaitan, even as it teaches against the Nicolaitan system. There is no opinion operating there that goes against David. The one time true elders attempted to bring correction to David, in public, in July 2011, they were refused. And at that time, three elders left UBM.They have since repented of partaking and promoting false doctrine. ( Email me for contact info. They are not involved in this website personally, however.)
3) Evil treatment of dissenters, critics, and ex-UBMers.
- They are slandered on the radio and UBM website.
- They are shunned by former friends.
- Personal counseling emails are used to destroy the character of the witnesses, which is such a horrible abuse of confidence. I have found out that several of the people publicly crucifed during the UBM radio broadcasts are actually solid Christians....and in fact, victims of a wicked smear campaign. They have email proof of threatening, bullying, and intimidating emails. Jesus said To bless those who curse you. Bless them and curse them not. It is spiritual witchcraft to speak and say word curses over anyone...believers, non-believers, even enemies. It is an unclean spirit that does that.
4) Spiritual control through fear of falling away, fear of becoming a Judas or a Jezebel.
5) Implication that if you leave UBM- you are no longer a Christian. This is the biggest and most dangerous part of the delusion. This false teaching keeps people yoked to a deceptive, and fallen away organization.
6) Many and consistent failed dates of judgment. From July 2010- September 2011 there was the teachings about Planet X coming...it of course, it did not. This is one in a long list of failed prophesies.
7) Reliance on dreams, instead of the Holy Spirit.
1 Corinthian 14 speaks of the gifts of the Holy Spirit. These will always be ignored and discounted
if they contradict or rebuke David. While at UBM, you will receive the same religious spirit, receive many many dreams that agree with David. If you refuse this spirit, renounce it, and cast it out. The lying dreams will stop.
8) It is simply not what it appears to be. The image does not match the reality. Some UBMers know that, and are more guilty. Most, do not, and would not believe it. They would prefer to discredit the messenger.
And this is what Israel did, while in apostasy. They would kill prophets of God sent to bring rebuke.
Come out from among them and be ye separate.
9) One of the strongest elements of the deception, is the multitude of supernatural signs, wonders and "confirmations" to confirm the message, anointing, and 'apostleship" of David Eells. The signs are real...and if you get involved, they will probably happen to you. However, Jesus warns against LYING SIGNS AND WONDERS. A Lying sign and a lying wonder, is a supernatural event that confirms- gives evidence to- and supports- a lie.
10) Reliance on divination, numerology, and astrology.
In order to hear from God, we were taught to open our bibles, put our fingers down at random, and receive a voice from the Lord in this manner. I now believe this is a form of divination. Why do we need these devices when we have the Holy Spirit who speaks to our spirit? Why do we look for number so to speak to us? I was seeing 10:44 and 11:44 all of the time, and this was supposed to "confirm' that I was part of the Bride.
Saints, this is paganism. We do not see the church in the Book of Acts using these methods to hear from God and receive His guidance. After the Holy Spirit is poured out in Acts chapter 2, we no longer see the church using lots, to make a decision.
If you are an intercessor, pray against Jezebel, witchcraft, control, and spiritual pride.
I praise God for the people He will set free!!
There but the grace of God go I.
I write and warn, in a spirit of grace and love. I was once in your shoes, and by grace I have been set free. It was a free gift of God the deception and delusion that I was happily feasting on. And \the idols in my heart that brought me there. I was granted repentance. Hallelujah!!!
I have now seen and experienced a deception that could deceive "even the elect." This gives me fear of the Lord and appreciation for grace. I also have a strong incentive to not judge or accuse people, but rather to warn against spirits, ideas, and structures that the enemy to enslave.
The greatest desire of my heart is for everyone affiliated with UBM, from the head to the feet, to be set free.
Self censorship
You learn how to speak, how to think, how to write. There are certain "acceptable phrases."
And once you leave, these really jump out at you.
There is also a hyper-religious way of writing/speaking, that mimics the writing style of UBM's founder and Head teacher.
I can read old emails and see the same stilted writing style in my own writings.
For example:
I guess that's okay, if that is your voice, but it was not mine.
I am more likely to write,
Hi guys,
GBU. :) Hope you are well. Please keep me in prayer...I need it.
And yes I did the color thing. And used the ASV bible. And used the proper font- which is, in case you never noticed, Arial- in bold and italicized for Scripture.
In case you never noticed, what small things we can do to fit in, and convey an image of righteousness.
I know make a conscious effort to use my own voice...trusting the Holy Spirit to speak through me, and to listen for His leading. BUT to affect another's manerisms...in order to be accepted by the group.
That is part of erasing your own identity to assume that of another.
And the only life we want to put on- is that of Jesus Christ....not of a man.
If you read religious writings of other cults, and small spiritual groups, you will notice the mannerisms and affectations of the followers. If you are in UBM, or recently come out...it may sound familiar to you.
And once you leave, these really jump out at you.
There is also a hyper-religious way of writing/speaking, that mimics the writing style of UBM's founder and Head teacher.
I can read old emails and see the same stilted writing style in my own writings.
For example:
Greetings beloved,
I hope this email finds you in peace. I have endured many trials of late, and it is the manifest grace of God that helps me to endure this cross. I covet your prayers.
I guess that's okay, if that is your voice, but it was not mine.
I am more likely to write,
Hi guys,
GBU. :) Hope you are well. Please keep me in prayer...I need it.
And yes I did the color thing. And used the ASV bible. And used the proper font- which is, in case you never noticed, Arial- in bold and italicized for Scripture.
In case you never noticed, what small things we can do to fit in, and convey an image of righteousness.
I know make a conscious effort to use my own voice...trusting the Holy Spirit to speak through me, and to listen for His leading. BUT to affect another's manerisms...in order to be accepted by the group.
That is part of erasing your own identity to assume that of another.
And the only life we want to put on- is that of Jesus Christ....not of a man.
If you read religious writings of other cults, and small spiritual groups, you will notice the mannerisms and affectations of the followers. If you are in UBM, or recently come out...it may sound familiar to you.
If the shoe fits...
It becomes more and more clear that the C word really does apply,
Cult.
This word is offensive, humiliating, ugly.
It implies victimization and mind control.
But I thought I had a revelation to share with everyone else.
And there were signs and wonders to confirm it....
How in the world, was I sucked in? I read the Word, I'm college educated...
But it is pride and naivete to underestimate the weaknesses and needs in our own hearts
AND the wiles of our spiritual enemy.
I came to UBM with a lot of brokenness and need. Not spiritual brokenness, which is good, but
emotional brokenness, which not healed by Jesus Christ, is an open wound...that can fester.
When you are isolated...rejected....abused.....neglected....there is a great great need for connection.
Which is why the Word says "Guard your hearts." GUARD THEM. As in- heavy duty security system.:)
I don't think this means to be fearful, paranoid, or closed off to relationships but rather to be extremely cautious and discerning about WHO AND WHAT YOU GIVE YOUR HEART TO.
Jesus wants our heart. And we don't need to give our heart to a ministry, or a teacher, as an intermediary.
Even a teacher, who is teaching us to not give our heart to man or a ministry.
Did you know that multitudes of cults start out with some good understanding, intentions and revelation?
But so often they go astray.
Hundreds, or even thousands of them have.
Are you standing on the rock of Jesus Christ?
Or does something else have your heart?
Are you isolated?
Do you long for fellowship? Or are you satisfied with the fellowship of Jesus Christ?
I believe unsatisfied longings...of any stripe can be exploited.
Delight yourself IN THE LORD and HE will give you the desires of your heart.
I desired fellowship, companionship, company, and camaraderie.
I was also looking for identity. Who was I? I was outside the camp...in the wilderness...and I was lonely there.
So I became one of those who gave my gold ( sacrifice) to build a golden calf ( a religious structure I could see/touch) instead of being as Joshua to go up the mountain and commune with the Father.
(Wow this is coming to me as I write it- Thank you Lord!)
Cult.
This word is offensive, humiliating, ugly.
It implies victimization and mind control.
But I thought I had a revelation to share with everyone else.
And there were signs and wonders to confirm it....
How in the world, was I sucked in? I read the Word, I'm college educated...
But it is pride and naivete to underestimate the weaknesses and needs in our own hearts
AND the wiles of our spiritual enemy.
I came to UBM with a lot of brokenness and need. Not spiritual brokenness, which is good, but
emotional brokenness, which not healed by Jesus Christ, is an open wound...that can fester.
When you are isolated...rejected....abused.....neglected....there is a great great need for connection.
Which is why the Word says "Guard your hearts." GUARD THEM. As in- heavy duty security system.:)
I don't think this means to be fearful, paranoid, or closed off to relationships but rather to be extremely cautious and discerning about WHO AND WHAT YOU GIVE YOUR HEART TO.
Jesus wants our heart. And we don't need to give our heart to a ministry, or a teacher, as an intermediary.
Even a teacher, who is teaching us to not give our heart to man or a ministry.
Did you know that multitudes of cults start out with some good understanding, intentions and revelation?
But so often they go astray.
Hundreds, or even thousands of them have.
Are you standing on the rock of Jesus Christ?
Or does something else have your heart?
Are you isolated?
Do you long for fellowship? Or are you satisfied with the fellowship of Jesus Christ?
I believe unsatisfied longings...of any stripe can be exploited.
Delight yourself IN THE LORD and HE will give you the desires of your heart.
I desired fellowship, companionship, company, and camaraderie.
I was also looking for identity. Who was I? I was outside the camp...in the wilderness...and I was lonely there.
So I became one of those who gave my gold ( sacrifice) to build a golden calf ( a religious structure I could see/touch) instead of being as Joshua to go up the mountain and commune with the Father.
(Wow this is coming to me as I write it- Thank you Lord!)
Tuesday, September 20, 2011
Praying
Brethren,
I do not wish to sow strife. That is an abomination to the Lord. He hates it and I love Him
and you.
I have taken into account your comments and do repent of taking matters into my own hands.
I apologize for hurting anyone...or giving you cause to not examine the warnings presented.
My heart is to help you but I guess God can do that! I do believe there IS dangerous error...so that's not a personal attack- but a WARNING. Do not let my actions keep you from considering the scriptures presented. Regardless of whether or not I did this "right' or whether or not you know my name...there is a message here...and the purpose is to glorify God and to help you.
I do not wish to sow strife. That is an abomination to the Lord. He hates it and I love Him
and you.
I have taken into account your comments and do repent of taking matters into my own hands.
I apologize for hurting anyone...or giving you cause to not examine the warnings presented.
My heart is to help you but I guess God can do that! I do believe there IS dangerous error...so that's not a personal attack- but a WARNING. Do not let my actions keep you from considering the scriptures presented. Regardless of whether or not I did this "right' or whether or not you know my name...there is a message here...and the purpose is to glorify God and to help you.
REPOST: Please pray about it!
I am amazed that you are so quickly deserting Him who called you by the grace of Christ, for a different gospel (Galatians 1:6)
This blog is created to warn you to FLEE DECEPTION and to point you to Jesus Christ. If you are partaking of that bread- which is indeed leavened, you are in great spiritual danger, not to mention idolatry. This deception has literally killed people.
Any spirit, dream, vision or word that does not agree with the spirit, motive, fruit and goal of the Word- is to be rejected.
This warning is sent in love...love of God, love for my friends who are under this deception, and a love of Jesus Christ.
You have been programmed to refuse many warnings, both from the Holy Spirit, and from other people who have been set free. I hope to help you see the idolatry that has opened the door to this lying spirit...and point you to the Word- by which you may test ALL THINGS.
And Jesus answered and said to them, “See to it that no one misleads you. “For many will come in My name, saying, ‘I am the Christ,’ and will mislead many. (Matthew 4: 4-5)
“Then if anyone says to you, ‘Behold, here is the Christ,’ or ‘There He is,’ do not believe him. “For false Christs and false prophets will arise and will show great signs and wonders, so as to mislead, if possible, even the elect.“Behold, I have told you in advance. “So if they say to you, ‘Behold, He is in the wilderness,’ do not go out, or, ‘Behold, He is in the inner rooms,’ do not believe them. (Matthew 24: 23-26)
Mind Control Tool Box
Copyright © Cultwatch 1996 - 2001. Written by Mark Vrankovich
Important Note
Remember, all together these form Mind Control. Separately they are undesirable but they are not Mind Control.
Deception
A cult will use deception. The cult will not normally tell people exactly what they believe, their origins, what they practice, and what life is really like in the cult, because if people knew they would not join. This information is taught to the new recruit slowly and in pieces - a "frog in the pot" tactic.
Deception is a key pre-requsite to Mind Control. The cult must be willing to deceive people. The Bible teaches that Christians are not to use deception. Many cults know this and yet practice deception.
Deception is a very effective tool in the Mind Control Tool Box.
Exclusivism
A mind control cult will promote an "Us verses Them" environment. They will teach their members that their church is the only true church, the only church in which you can be saved. If you leave the cult then it is said you have "fallen away from God." This is done to instill fear in the members which can be expressed like this: If you ever think of leaving this body of true Christians or do something which forces us to expel you from this body then you will be losing your salvation and God will hate you. There is nowhere else you can go and still be a Christian. This is a powerful control mechanism.
Exclusivism is fear based control mechanism, the Bible tells us that we have no reason to fear except for a healthy fear of God. Exclusivism imposes false criteria on salvation - "If you do not join us and/or if you are not doing what we are doing you are not saved." This of course is a serious doctrinal error ingrained in the practice of the group. Remember, just because a group does not teach it officially does not mean they do not practice it.
Fear and Intimidation
Leadership is feared. To disagree with leadership is to disagree with God. If the leaders tell you to do something, you had better do it. Often intense breaking sessions are employed to destroy any supposed rebellion or threat to the leadership. These sessions can involve many people at once attacking the character and motives of the target.
The Bible tells Christians not to "lord it over people," but rather to be one another's servants. Jesus attacked the Pharisees who placed themselves between God and the people. It does not take much to realize that fear and intimidation is not the biblical model for Christian leadership. (Fear and Intimidation is very different from having respect for Christian leaders.)
Love Bombing
A mind control cult practices love bombing or false love. When you first join the cult you will gain instant friends, you'll be hugged and everyone will want to talk to you. For someone who is lonely or comes from out of town this is especially wonderful. However, after a while this "love" becomes conditional on your performance and/or you measuring up to the cult's unpublished standards. If you ever leave the cult then you know you will lose all of your new friends just as quickly as you gained them. Like an unhealthy marriage relationship, love is switched on and off to control. Of all of them, this is probably the most effective implement in the mind control tool box.
We are relational beings with the ultimate aim of regaining a relationship with the God who created us. It only requires common sense to see the power this "love bombing" tool could have on someone. We have all seen it at work in the cults, at work in manipulative relationships and at work as peer pressure in schools and society in general. This false love is a distortion of true love which is defined in 1 Corinthians 13.
Information Control
Those who control the information control the person. In a mind control cult any information from outside the cult is considered evil, especially if it is opposing the cult. Members are told not to read it or believe it. Only the cult-supplied information is true.
This technique is really a partner to deception. Common sense tells us that a person who does not consider all information may make an unbalanced decision. Filtering the information available or trying to discredit it not of the basis of how true it is, but rather on the basis of how it supports the party line, is a common control method used throughout history. A Christian should have nothing to fear from any source of information - after all "Falsehood runs from truth, but truth stands solid against falsehood."
Reporting Structure
In a mind control cult like in Nazi Germany or Communist Russia you must be careful of what you say or do; "The walls have ears." Everyone is encouraged to watch out for "struggling" brothers and report what they see to the leadership. Often information given in deepest confidence will find its way to leadership. Cult members are sometimes shocked to find their problems preached about in the cult meetings. People comment that while in a Mind Control cult they were acting, always being worried about people watching.
This is opposite to the biblical model. The Reporting Structure is an important fear producing method in the Mind Control Tool Box.
Loaded Language
The cult will have their own language and terms. These prevent people outside the group being able to engage in "dangerous" conversations with members and it gives the members a sense of belonging. It also allows a phenomenon known as thought stopping where a simple word can stop any thoughts in the member's mind which are against the cult.
Harmless by itself, "loaded language" is used in all areas of life from the computer industry to orthodox Christianity. Every group or specialist field develops its own words or meanings for words, and this is often called "jargon." However, when mixed in with the other Mind Control tools, "loaded language" can take on a threatening attribute which is unbiblical. For example, in the International Church of Christ cult "loaded language" is used throughout the world - a typical conversation might go like this...
"The Bible says that we are saved by grace, not by works. You are telling me that I must get people baptised or I'm not a real Christian," says the Disciple.
"I am more spiritually mature than you and you are questioning what I am saying. You are PRIDEFUL and REBELLIOUS, you need to get RADICAL about your SIN," replied his Discipler.
Prideful & rebellious = You are the problem, not the ICC teaching.
Radical = Plunge into obeying the ICC teaching.
Sin = Thinking or acting outside the ICC rules, often including disobeying your discipler.
Time Control
Mind control cults keep their members so busy with meetings and activities that they become too busy and too tired to think about their involvement.
Again, common sense allows us to see that this would be an effective tool for controlling people. The flip side to this is that if a person can get out of the cult's "time control" schedule then after a few weeks, in our experience, they can begin to contrast "normal" life with the controlled cult environment and often this results in them leaving. The ICC, in New Zealand at least, has preached that it is best to not have a holiday at Christmas because that is when most people fall away from God (leave the ICC).
Relationship Control
A mind control cult will seek to maneuver your life so as to maximise your contact with cult members and minimise your contact with people outside the group, especially those who oppose your involvement. Cult members will be moved into cult communities or cult flats where they can be watched more closely and immersed in the cult environment. The cult must cut off any contact through which information or reminders of your past life will come. You cannot marry or date anyone outside of the cult and often your spouse will be chosen.
Controlling relationships is a powerful Mind Control method. Friends and family are important influences on our lives. By controlling those who we associate with and those who we respect, a Mind Control cult can influence a person towards becoming like those people who are "good" to be around. The Bible tells us that those we associate with do effect us. Every parent knows that the peers their child associates with affects the child, moving them towards what the peers have as a norm. All people are affected by society and the groups to which they belong. By defining who is "good" and who is "bad" the Mind Control cult is attempting to move the subject towards the "group norm" that their group has. Often intense pressure is put on people to stay away from the "bad" people which are often friends, parents and their old church.
Personal Identity Replacement
Three stages are involved; breaking, indoctrination and finally refreezing.
Fear and intimidation are used to break a person. Often the cult calls into question a person's salvation, and in some cults a person is not truly broken until they are crying uncontrollably.
Next the cult indoctrinates the person by pumping them full of cult doctrine and systematically destroying anything which does not agree with the party line. If a person objects to anything, their sincerity, character and motives are questioned.
Finally the person is frozen into the cult member mold. They become like all the other cult members to a certain degree. Friends and family will complain that the cult member has become a different person. Often in the early stages the cult member will float between their true identity and their cult identity, but as their cult involvement continues their true identity becomes more and more repressed.
This is a well established method of changing how people act and think, to mold them into a team member like everyone else. The Armed Forces use this method in basic training and throughout the career of their soldier. The difference is, that unlike in a Mind Control cult, the Armed Forces recruits know what is going on; it is expected. The Mind Control cult recruit goes through this process covertly. The cult recruit does not lose his true personality but rather represses it. They realise that by conforming there is more acceptance and less pressure to change. This is why people in a Mind Control cult will often seem to think, act and sound the same, whereas in a normal church group individual personalities are more evident.
Summary
Mind Control is not what many secular authors have tried to portray it as - a magic method of controlling its targets against their will making them only victims. Neither is it what those in opposition to the secular Mind Control model have defined it as, in their reaction they let the pendulum swing to the other side saying that Mind Control does not exist and is a fable invented by anti-Christian secularists.
Cultwatch says that Mind Control is a suite of practices Mind Control groups use to influence their members and potential recruits, a real attempt to control their minds. There is an enormous amount of evidence that certain groups are employing the Mind Control methods.
Mind Control will fail or succeed to a certain degree depending on the many factors of its target. The target of Mind Control is always able to choose to stop allowing it to influence them.
Mind Control is a morally wrong, unbiblical and unethical practice for any group. All Christians and non-Christians should strongly oppose its use. Counter-cult groups should oppose its use, labeling correctly any group which has been proven to use it as a Mind Control cult.
http://www.cultwatch.com/mctb.html
Important Note
Remember, all together these form Mind Control. Separately they are undesirable but they are not Mind Control.
Deception
A cult will use deception. The cult will not normally tell people exactly what they believe, their origins, what they practice, and what life is really like in the cult, because if people knew they would not join. This information is taught to the new recruit slowly and in pieces - a "frog in the pot" tactic.
Deception is a key pre-requsite to Mind Control. The cult must be willing to deceive people. The Bible teaches that Christians are not to use deception. Many cults know this and yet practice deception.
Deception is a very effective tool in the Mind Control Tool Box.
Exclusivism
A mind control cult will promote an "Us verses Them" environment. They will teach their members that their church is the only true church, the only church in which you can be saved. If you leave the cult then it is said you have "fallen away from God." This is done to instill fear in the members which can be expressed like this: If you ever think of leaving this body of true Christians or do something which forces us to expel you from this body then you will be losing your salvation and God will hate you. There is nowhere else you can go and still be a Christian. This is a powerful control mechanism.
Exclusivism is fear based control mechanism, the Bible tells us that we have no reason to fear except for a healthy fear of God. Exclusivism imposes false criteria on salvation - "If you do not join us and/or if you are not doing what we are doing you are not saved." This of course is a serious doctrinal error ingrained in the practice of the group. Remember, just because a group does not teach it officially does not mean they do not practice it.
Fear and Intimidation
Leadership is feared. To disagree with leadership is to disagree with God. If the leaders tell you to do something, you had better do it. Often intense breaking sessions are employed to destroy any supposed rebellion or threat to the leadership. These sessions can involve many people at once attacking the character and motives of the target.
The Bible tells Christians not to "lord it over people," but rather to be one another's servants. Jesus attacked the Pharisees who placed themselves between God and the people. It does not take much to realize that fear and intimidation is not the biblical model for Christian leadership. (Fear and Intimidation is very different from having respect for Christian leaders.)
Love Bombing
A mind control cult practices love bombing or false love. When you first join the cult you will gain instant friends, you'll be hugged and everyone will want to talk to you. For someone who is lonely or comes from out of town this is especially wonderful. However, after a while this "love" becomes conditional on your performance and/or you measuring up to the cult's unpublished standards. If you ever leave the cult then you know you will lose all of your new friends just as quickly as you gained them. Like an unhealthy marriage relationship, love is switched on and off to control. Of all of them, this is probably the most effective implement in the mind control tool box.
We are relational beings with the ultimate aim of regaining a relationship with the God who created us. It only requires common sense to see the power this "love bombing" tool could have on someone. We have all seen it at work in the cults, at work in manipulative relationships and at work as peer pressure in schools and society in general. This false love is a distortion of true love which is defined in 1 Corinthians 13.
Information Control
Those who control the information control the person. In a mind control cult any information from outside the cult is considered evil, especially if it is opposing the cult. Members are told not to read it or believe it. Only the cult-supplied information is true.
This technique is really a partner to deception. Common sense tells us that a person who does not consider all information may make an unbalanced decision. Filtering the information available or trying to discredit it not of the basis of how true it is, but rather on the basis of how it supports the party line, is a common control method used throughout history. A Christian should have nothing to fear from any source of information - after all "Falsehood runs from truth, but truth stands solid against falsehood."
Reporting Structure
In a mind control cult like in Nazi Germany or Communist Russia you must be careful of what you say or do; "The walls have ears." Everyone is encouraged to watch out for "struggling" brothers and report what they see to the leadership. Often information given in deepest confidence will find its way to leadership. Cult members are sometimes shocked to find their problems preached about in the cult meetings. People comment that while in a Mind Control cult they were acting, always being worried about people watching.
This is opposite to the biblical model. The Reporting Structure is an important fear producing method in the Mind Control Tool Box.
Loaded Language
The cult will have their own language and terms. These prevent people outside the group being able to engage in "dangerous" conversations with members and it gives the members a sense of belonging. It also allows a phenomenon known as thought stopping where a simple word can stop any thoughts in the member's mind which are against the cult.
Harmless by itself, "loaded language" is used in all areas of life from the computer industry to orthodox Christianity. Every group or specialist field develops its own words or meanings for words, and this is often called "jargon." However, when mixed in with the other Mind Control tools, "loaded language" can take on a threatening attribute which is unbiblical. For example, in the International Church of Christ cult "loaded language" is used throughout the world - a typical conversation might go like this...
"The Bible says that we are saved by grace, not by works. You are telling me that I must get people baptised or I'm not a real Christian," says the Disciple.
"I am more spiritually mature than you and you are questioning what I am saying. You are PRIDEFUL and REBELLIOUS, you need to get RADICAL about your SIN," replied his Discipler.
Prideful & rebellious = You are the problem, not the ICC teaching.
Radical = Plunge into obeying the ICC teaching.
Sin = Thinking or acting outside the ICC rules, often including disobeying your discipler.
Time Control
Mind control cults keep their members so busy with meetings and activities that they become too busy and too tired to think about their involvement.
Again, common sense allows us to see that this would be an effective tool for controlling people. The flip side to this is that if a person can get out of the cult's "time control" schedule then after a few weeks, in our experience, they can begin to contrast "normal" life with the controlled cult environment and often this results in them leaving. The ICC, in New Zealand at least, has preached that it is best to not have a holiday at Christmas because that is when most people fall away from God (leave the ICC).
Relationship Control
A mind control cult will seek to maneuver your life so as to maximise your contact with cult members and minimise your contact with people outside the group, especially those who oppose your involvement. Cult members will be moved into cult communities or cult flats where they can be watched more closely and immersed in the cult environment. The cult must cut off any contact through which information or reminders of your past life will come. You cannot marry or date anyone outside of the cult and often your spouse will be chosen.
Controlling relationships is a powerful Mind Control method. Friends and family are important influences on our lives. By controlling those who we associate with and those who we respect, a Mind Control cult can influence a person towards becoming like those people who are "good" to be around. The Bible tells us that those we associate with do effect us. Every parent knows that the peers their child associates with affects the child, moving them towards what the peers have as a norm. All people are affected by society and the groups to which they belong. By defining who is "good" and who is "bad" the Mind Control cult is attempting to move the subject towards the "group norm" that their group has. Often intense pressure is put on people to stay away from the "bad" people which are often friends, parents and their old church.
Personal Identity Replacement
Three stages are involved; breaking, indoctrination and finally refreezing.
Fear and intimidation are used to break a person. Often the cult calls into question a person's salvation, and in some cults a person is not truly broken until they are crying uncontrollably.
Next the cult indoctrinates the person by pumping them full of cult doctrine and systematically destroying anything which does not agree with the party line. If a person objects to anything, their sincerity, character and motives are questioned.
Finally the person is frozen into the cult member mold. They become like all the other cult members to a certain degree. Friends and family will complain that the cult member has become a different person. Often in the early stages the cult member will float between their true identity and their cult identity, but as their cult involvement continues their true identity becomes more and more repressed.
This is a well established method of changing how people act and think, to mold them into a team member like everyone else. The Armed Forces use this method in basic training and throughout the career of their soldier. The difference is, that unlike in a Mind Control cult, the Armed Forces recruits know what is going on; it is expected. The Mind Control cult recruit goes through this process covertly. The cult recruit does not lose his true personality but rather represses it. They realise that by conforming there is more acceptance and less pressure to change. This is why people in a Mind Control cult will often seem to think, act and sound the same, whereas in a normal church group individual personalities are more evident.
Summary
Mind Control is not what many secular authors have tried to portray it as - a magic method of controlling its targets against their will making them only victims. Neither is it what those in opposition to the secular Mind Control model have defined it as, in their reaction they let the pendulum swing to the other side saying that Mind Control does not exist and is a fable invented by anti-Christian secularists.
Cultwatch says that Mind Control is a suite of practices Mind Control groups use to influence their members and potential recruits, a real attempt to control their minds. There is an enormous amount of evidence that certain groups are employing the Mind Control methods.
Mind Control will fail or succeed to a certain degree depending on the many factors of its target. The target of Mind Control is always able to choose to stop allowing it to influence them.
Mind Control is a morally wrong, unbiblical and unethical practice for any group. All Christians and non-Christians should strongly oppose its use. Counter-cult groups should oppose its use, labeling correctly any group which has been proven to use it as a Mind Control cult.
http://www.cultwatch.com/mctb.html
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