1. Personality Changes
Relatives will say they no longer recognize the person. The cult member sees himself as righteous in comparison and this comes across in their attitude toward all outsiders.
Anyone who decides to become a Christian knows that they must follow the example of Christ, which means to imitate the behavior of Christ.
Colossians 3:5-8 Put to death, therefore, whatever belongs to your earthly nature: sexual immorality, impurity, lust, evil desires and greed, which is idolatry. Because of these, the wrath of God is coming. You used to walk in these ways, in the life you once lived. But now you must rid yourselves of all such things as these: anger, rage, malice, slander and filthy language from your lips.
2. Loss of Identity
They cannot see themselves as individuals apart from the group. Some even change their name as a rejection of their former life.
This claim doesn’t apply to the World Mission Society Church of God, for I have never met anyone who has changed their name once entering the Church.
3. Paranoid – We Are Being Persecuted
Any time you say anything negative about the group, whether justified or not, it is regarded as persecution. Any criticism of the individual is also seen as persecution only because they are the true believers or enlightened – not because they, as an individual, have done the wrong thing.
In criticizing this, we are criticizing Christ himself:
John 15:25 But this is to fulfill what is written in their Law: ‘They hated me without reason.’
2 Timothy 3:12 In fact, everyone who wants to live a godly life in Christ Jesus will be persecuted.
1 John 3:13 Do not be surprised, my brothers, if the world hates you.
4. Social Disorientation
They gradually lose their ability to socialize outside the group. This can go so far as to not being able to structure their time or make simple decisions for themselves when they leave.
Their world-view alters and they perceive the world through their leaders eyes. They become very naive about life in general.
This has always been the history of Christianity. Christianity was always persecuted and despised. Let us see an article from the BBC about Christianity during the Roman Empire:
Why were Christians persecuted? … Pagans were probably most suspicious of the Christian refusal to sacrifice to the Roman gods. This was an insult to the gods and potentially endangered the empire which they designed to protect. Furthermore, the Christian refusal to offer sacrifices to the emperor, a semi-divine monarch, had the whiff of both sacrilege and treason about it.
Thus the classic test of Christian faith was to force him or her, on pain of death, to swear by the emperor and offer incense to his images, or to sacrifice to the gods.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/history/ancient/romans/christianityromanempire_article_02.shtml
Thus Christianity has always had a history of not associating well with the worldly practices.
5. Severe Guilt Complexes
They are made to feel guilty of everything they did before entering the group and are to strive to be good and worthy for eternal life. Misdemeanors are made into mountains so that members are in a constant state of guilt for infringing even the most minor rules. Guilt comes because they aren’t doing enough; entertaining doubts or questions; even thinking rationally for oneself.
This guilt is piled upon pile with new rules constantly being laid down about what is sinful and what is not. Illness may be seen as lack of faith – more guilt. Emotional illness may be seen as proof of sin in your life – more guilt.
Every Christian knows that the way of Christ is the way of repentance. When Jesus Christ came he preached the message: “Repent for the Kingdom of Heaven is near.” For that reason the disciples always spoke about the way of repentance.
Galatians 1:13-14 For you have heard of my previous way of life in Judaism, how intensely I persecuted the church of God and tried to destroy it. I was advancing in Judaism beyond many Jews of my own age and was extremely zealous for the traditions of my fathers
Philippians 3:4-7 though I myself have reasons for such confidence. If anyone else thinks he has reasons to put confidence in the flesh, I have more: circumcised on the eighth day, of the people of Israel, of the tribe of Benjamin, a Hebrew of Hebrews; in regard to the law, a Pharisee; as for zeal, persecuting the church; as for legalistic righteousness, faultless. But whatever was to my profit I now consider loss for the sake of Christ
Romans 7:23-24 but I see another law at work in the members of my body, waging war against the law of my mind and making me a prisoner of the law of sin at work within my members. What a wretched man I am! Who will rescue me from this body of death?
Please do not be deceived, the Church of God is not a cult according to the Bible, this accusation is only made by the opinions of men. Believe the Bible and you can receive eternal life.
