Baivayle Malan conversation #4

Summary

If I had to create a cult, it will be a cult where we communicate and help others personally and professionally.Everyone will be welcome but no foolish behavior will be allowed.We need to respect everyone whether young or old, poor or rich, men or women and children. Any profession will be also welcomed. Even if you do not have any hobbies or activities you will still be welcomed. We will create a web, network where everyone can help others at their level. We will separate each occupation into sectors.For examples farmers will be together and sellers will be in another sector.Each sector have his or her own leaders and their role will be a way of mediation between each sectors . For example farmer will sell their crops to buyers by contacting their leader. Just to help the business inside the cult going with each parties on the same pedestal.My cult will be more like a recreation place than a cult. It will be a place where you can take a breather when everything around you suffocate.You will be your own king and servant.
Recently I was told by one of my friend about TB Joshua, a Nigerian evangelist pastor who gaslight millions of people by faking miracles and drew them to his church.He told me about a documentary about him that he saw and left him astonished but the most interesting fact was that even Europeans left their country in order to attend his church. Curious about him, I went to see his documentary on YouTube but also read some articles on google. One of an article about bbc reveals six ways in which TB Joshua deceived his followers.First he puts up a specialized team who would screen and select individual with fabricated illness to be filmed and prayed by TB Joshua. Second he used drugs in a way where he would tell their followers to stop taking medication.Then he would secretly give it them and making them believe to divine power.Third he uses brainwashing by manipulating his followers into exaggerating their problems and healings.Fourth he uses low means such as bribes in order to pay people in need of money to fake scenes of healing. This way is still use nowadays even in some evangelist church in my country. Fifth, him and his team faked medical certificate to confirm miracles.Finally sixth, he uses video manipulation to create illusion of miracle and spread it all over the world through internet.
There is easy steps such as critical thinking, research or report suspected abuse.We need to stop being passive in our life and ask more questions about the world we are in.In those kind of situation the first reflex is to question claims and seek evidence before believing any miracle in our present world.We also need to do a background check to know where we put our foot in.We need investigate the credibility of any religious leaders or organizations especially those coming from evangelist.Finally not be afraid to report any suspicious activity. As I heard everyday when I take my train in New York: if you see something , say something.
I chose the article "Dysfunctional churches(cultic)".The author, Ronald Enroth, talks about the fact that some churches can be harmful. He also says that some church leaders become dictator by being controlling and order their followers to be loyal. Those leaders do not hesitate to use low means such as fear and guilt to make their followers obey. Young families are often the target of those kind of churches.Finally Ronald Enroth advise us to choose a church wisely with good morals.Plus he emphasizes that not all churches want the wellness of their followers.