WHICH OF THE FOLLOWING APPLY?

Ten warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader:

1.  Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.

2.  No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.

3.  No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.

4.  Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil cօռspιʀαcιҽs and persecutions.

5.  There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.

6.  Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.

7.  There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that docuмent the abuses of the group/leader.

8.  Followers feel they can never be "good enough".

9.  The group/leader is always right.

10.  The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.


Ten warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader.

1.  Extreme obsessiveness regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.

2.  Individual identity, the group, the leader and/or God as distinct and separate categories of existence become increasingly blurred. Instead, in the follower's mind these identities become substantially and increasingly fused--as that person's involvement with the group/leader continues and deepens.

3.  Whenever the group/leader is criticized or questioned it is characterized as "persecution".

4.  Uncharacteristically stilted and seemingly programmed conversation and mannerisms, cloning of the group/leader in personal behavior.

5.  Dependency upon the group/leader for problem solving, solutions, and definitions without meaningful reflective thought. A seeming inability to think independently or analyze situations without group/leader involvement.

6.  Hyperactivity centered on the group/leader agenda, which seems to supercede any personal goals or individual interests.

7.  A dramatic loss of spontaneity and sense of humor.

8.  Increasing isolation from family and old friends unless they demonstrate an interest in the group/leader.

9.  Anything the group/leader does can be justified no matter how harsh or harmful.

10.  Former followers are at best-considered negative or worse evil and under bad influences. They can not be trusted and personal contact is avoided.

In a cult which is spread far and wide, don't you think that sub-cults could also exist, with their own leaders, as long as the supreme leader is not challenged, neither the general rules of behavior? I take just this point raised by the OP:


(Ten) warning signs regarding people involved in/with a potentially unsafe group/leader.

1.  Extreme obsessiveness regarding the group/leader resulting in the exclusion of almost every practical consideration.

In a sub-cult this could also happen as when the (sub-cult) leader shoves bundles of money into the hands of his Man/Woman Fridays, and these latter are prepared to kill for the leader ( and the money).