Major Warning Signs of Religious Cults

With the rise of false prophets and false Christs in the world as prophesied by Jesus, there is a need to know what signs to look out for to identify cults and cult leaders. Although this is not a complete list, it is a pretty comprehensive one. One sign in isolation does not mean a group is a cult, but a cult will tend to have most, if not all, of these.

1. The leader is the only one with the TRUE message from God in the whole world.
2. The leader is worshipped on almost equal status to Jesus. Pleasing the leader is equated to pleasing the God.
3. You can’t understand the Bible without the leader.
4. Not allowed to question anything, especially the chosen leader.
5. No accountability around the pastor. He is the be-all and end-all; he is accountable to no one.
6. The leader cannot err; he is God on earth and the voice of God.
7. The leader lives a mysterious life and is not in a community with members, meaning he doesn’t visit members in their homes socially or invite them to his house like a normal person would. He must be mysterious and unreachable.
8. The leader has materials, books, and messages that are the only ones that members can read. No one else in the cult is allowed to teach or write, and members cannot read or listen to other Christian ministers.
9. An unhealthy overemphasis on one doctrine of Scripture above others (e.g., end times, deliverance, rapture, holiness, dressing, healing, etc.) and using this to control members.
10. Too much focus on revelations, visions, and dreams above scripture.
11. Submission is abused to mean slavery to the leader.
12. Manipulation and guilt trips to give money and all your time and life to the group.
13. Group and gang mindset: You have no independent thought and are not allowed to make decisions by yourself concerning your own life. Everything is done as a group. Outliers are bullied and expelled.
14. Members cannot exercise their God-given spiritual gifts and ministries or make independent decisions; only the leader can use his/her spiritual gifts completely.
15. Manipulation, gaslighting, love bombing, and control.
16. Isolation and separation from family and other Christians.
17. Members cannot attend other churches.
18. The group believes that they are the only ones in the world going to heaven.
19. Elitism and us vs. them mentality: Cult members are made to feel special and the only ones chosen by God. They therefore tend to look down on fellow Christians.
20. The leader will often preach water and drink wine. He will preach morality, but be living in sin.
21. Prevalence of sexual sin in the group and/or sexual abuse by the spiritual leader.
22. Infighting within the group: jealousy, envy, competition, backstabbing, gossip, tattle-telling.
23. A trail of broken marriages and family relationships in the group.
24. Fear of leaving and missing out: Threats of eternal damnation, missing out on heaven, or something bad happening if you leave. Hell is used as a control and manipulation tactic to not leaving the group.
25. No real love: There is often distrust and suspicion among members, and those who leave are usually completely cut off.
26. Threats of death or curses if you leave the group.
27. Those who leave are branded backsliders and reprobates.
28. Fear, fear, fear, fear—Fear underlies the cult to ensure members remain loyal and do not expose cult secrets.

Also read 7 Signs of Cults & False Prophets

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