This interesting piece out of Brisbane, Australia, highlights a fundamentalist church that actively recruits teens and young twenty-somethings, and then requires them to put religion over family needs or risk excommunication. The Sunshine Coast Christian Fellowship has a high membership of people in the 17 - 25-year-old range, and they are required to sign a "commitment form" or be cut off. A number of older adults have complained that they've lost family members this way; when they've expressed concerns about what's happening in the church, their teen children are basically turned against them, according to a former member.
The reason I bring this story up is because no matter what religious doctrine a group follows -- Christian, Pagan, or Flying Spaghetti Monster -- once people start operating their group on a basis of fear, it's time to rethink whether or not it's a group you should be part of. If a priest, High Priestess, or other Grand Poobah says, "Follow our teachings or else..." that's what we call a Big Red Flag. Cult behavior is rampant, and sometimes it's not as obvious as it seems. While there are cases that make the news, in which cult behavior is clearly taking place, in many cases it's far more subtle. It's little things like demands on your time, money, and so forth that creep in slowly and gradually, until suddenly you realize that what you thought was a fellowship of like-minded people is really anything but that.
This is also one of the reasons why many reputable Wiccan and Pagan groups are reluctant to allow minors membership. No adult High Priest or High Priestess wants to find an angry parent on the doorstep, screaming that we've been indoctrinating their little darling into a cult without permission. Running a coven has plenty of drama on its own, so the last thing a HPs wants is drama that's based upon misconceptions about what exactly it is that we do.
If you're thinking about joining a group, coven, church or any other organized sort of spiritual collective, before you do so, read up on Recognizing Cult Behavior. It could save you and your family a lot of heartache in the future.
The reason I bring this story up is because no matter what religious doctrine a group follows -- Christian, Pagan, or Flying Spaghetti Monster -- once people start operating their group on a basis of fear, it's time to rethink whether or not it's a group you should be part of. If a priest, High Priestess, or other Grand Poobah says, "Follow our teachings or else..." that's what we call a Big Red Flag. Cult behavior is rampant, and sometimes it's not as obvious as it seems. While there are cases that make the news, in which cult behavior is clearly taking place, in many cases it's far more subtle. It's little things like demands on your time, money, and so forth that creep in slowly and gradually, until suddenly you realize that what you thought was a fellowship of like-minded people is really anything but that.
This is also one of the reasons why many reputable Wiccan and Pagan groups are reluctant to allow minors membership. No adult High Priest or High Priestess wants to find an angry parent on the doorstep, screaming that we've been indoctrinating their little darling into a cult without permission. Running a coven has plenty of drama on its own, so the last thing a HPs wants is drama that's based upon misconceptions about what exactly it is that we do.
If you're thinking about joining a group, coven, church or any other organized sort of spiritual collective, before you do so, read up on Recognizing Cult Behavior. It could save you and your family a lot of heartache in the future.
*Sigh* There are far too many of these new christian cult sects (as well as other faiths) that utilize this tactic for recruitment, and it is sad indeed…no one should renounce their family for the sake of religion. It is wrong, and it is even moreso for any religious vultures to even have the audacity to ask someone to do such a thing.
Now, if the normal (?)fundamentalists wanted something to pick on, perhaps they should look into their own faith backyards, instead of chastising other religions, such as ours. These cult-ish sects are popping up all over the place, but yet they seem to have nothing to say against them.
It’s very important to recognize that these tactics are used not just on a large scale like in the article. There is a certain group (I won’t mention any names) that would never claim to put religion before family but when it comes right down to it that’s exactly what they demand. I know this because I was raised this way. It may not be obvious to the onlooker but when a member of this religion has a choice to make that involves family not associated with the religion they are EXPECTED to choose the religion. My father himself told me that it always goes like this: God, blood family (that are members), spiritual family (other members) then blood fammily that are not members. He told me this in response to why my older brother would not spend time with me any more.
It is not always obvious that religions exclude family so one must be careful to see these things before you get sucked in!!