Religion is for sheep, cults are for rebels.

This topic may not be very popular, or a common thought, but when have my posts ever been I ask you?! I believe I do have the experience and reasons to back up my statement that "Religion is for sheep, cults are for rebels" though, so if you would please keep an open mind that would be appreciated.

You may not have read my bio, but I had a very interesting upbringing as a nondenominational evangelists kid. In which I got to see the crowd in the mainstream churches up and personal. Traveling around 11 months a year, every year sense I was 6 until college, I got to see a lot. What I observed was that there were (mostly) woman, kids, busy professionals and (hate to say it but) poor, desperate or mental cases filling the many denominations of Christianity that my parents ministered to all over the continent. (With always a few exceptions in every church.)

 While later on in life in a search for camaraderie and fellowship, I experienced a very different crowd in a number of more extremely conservative denominations otherwise known as cults. What is a cult? One definition is:




 All of the cults I have experienced seemed predominantly full of, (or at least led by) strong, passionate, sincere and often intelligent freethinking people. I can honestly say that I never feel more at home then with the people of a cult background. They are the deep thinkers who not only talk the talk, but also live their religion, even when it hurts. These are the people of character, and sincerity that I love to call friends, even if their close-mindedness about atheism irritates the snot out of me!

Those Atheists who think all religion is about having a "sheep mentality" are simply showing their limited experience with religion if you ask me.

The ONLY reason that any seemingly "sheep-like" behavior would be associated with extremely conservative churches or cults, is because they all humbly and for consistency's sake, choose to take their orders from a higher source. (Like one charismatic or powerful leader, -dead or alive- or a voting conference they are told is lead of God.)

 Cult members are basically unable to question anything passed down from their leadership, as they would be not only questioning a directive that they were taught was guided by God himself, but they would be threatening their place in the group. To admit that they have a different "leading" from God would be to admit that they didn't belong in God's family, where everyone is led of God to the same beliefs. Furthermore, the admittance of being led in a contrary way to the rest only serves to prove to the rest that you are being controlled by Satan, and that you are arrogant and proud to think you know better then the group.

So with that programming and a long history of good, sincere, honest and helpful people in the numerous family and community oriented churches and cults, any humble member immediately concludes that they can't make wise choices without the help of other wise "brothers and sisters" of the church. (A very humbling mentality, and one that destroys self esteem and individuality if you ask me.)

 If it weren't for conservative church member's sincere belief in their denomination of church having the truth, or being the "one true church" though, they would never submit themselves to the groups authority. They justify the submission based on the wisdom of the group in the past, and somewhat present but also if they didn't believe that it was God's will to be teachable and "submit themselves one to another", they would never back down from anyone! They actually follow what the Bible clearly teaches on the matter! This is evidenced in their extremely closeminded, argumentative and unteachable ways towards anyone who is not in "the church". Just as it was evidenced in the church through the ages. . .

Not all cult members are wired that way though, even if it is their teaching, and a clear Bible principle. In my experience, some were unwilling or unequipped to show that dark side of the church. Some were taught not to discuss spiritual things with those out of the church who were blinded by the "gods of this world", or Satan himself. . .lest the member be swayed by their demented thinking! Pretty tricky teaching to lead them all into a fear based shunning of all culture and other denominations.

 A particular phrase the Holdemen Mennonites had to avoid all further discussions with outsiders and stop any possible conflict (which wasn't allowed) was the saying "I see". It meant, "I disagree, and I don't want to talk about it", but it took me years in the church to find that out. Thus on the surface, these people were a peaceable people. . .

Deep down though, just as any other member of the human race, the members of these very conservative churches are very proud people, as well as often very judgmental. . .most especially if they were a first generation member. It seemed that the people very schooled in the Bible with the elitist, proud, rebel mentality (the very one that brought them to the church in the first place) have a problem though. . . They want to fit in, and conform, thus prove themselves a worthy fit in God's perfect "Bride", but their intelligence, schooling in the Bible and rebel mentality as well as a distrust of authority from past experiences in churches run by idiots, doesn't allow them to submit as they are taught they should. Which is why most members of very conservative churches and cults are born into them.

If a new member actually comes "from the outside", they usually end up getting kicked out soon after for their "pride."

Some question why even those born into those churches would stay when grown though?  In the end, it becomes about fear. Fear:

•  that you might have been wrong in all your passion. 
• That you have led your whole family astray too. 
•  Or that you might be out of the church, and thus be shunned, loose your community, friends, and often fellowship with family. . .sometimes even a mate, if you question. 
• That you would have no where to go, or any chance of finding the "true Bride of Christ" if this group wasn't it. Many cult members have confided to me that there would be no better church to go to, and if they left they would be aimless in their beliefs about the whole Bible then, having to give up on God himself if they left the church! Well Great I say!

To humble themselves to that extreme, when they had been so sure and passionate about their church, God, and the lifestyle that went with it, would be very hard on those proud and stubborn people, so they usually don't leave. If anyone does leave the cults, they are usually a broken person, as their family rejects them, and they would rarely open themselves up to the mainstream religious folks. . .this gets back to the church as a victory and proof of how their soul was turned over to Satan "for the destruction of the flesh" to bring them back to the lord.

Why do they not open up to other religious folk or go to other churches? Because, if you have tasted the community, the fellowship, the honesty and the spirituality of a cult, you will always look at the rest as fakes. I'm sorry to say, but to this day, no open minded group or church, atheistic or Christian of any brand can hold a candle to what we had in the cults.


 I was reminded of this closemindedness and inability to open up to other outsiders again when the other day I had a few Jehovah's witnesses knocking on my door, and much as I tried to keep them here, pleasantly chatting of the deep things of life, they hurried off after probably less then 10 minutes. . .did I intimidate them I wonder, (as I have all the rest) with more knowledge of what they were trying to tell me then they had? It seems that there is an intentional avoidance of knowledge by cults. Some would call it a "cult of ignorance."




Were the Jehovah's witnesses scared I might change their thoughts on their religion if they stayed around I wonder? They probably felt that they had too much to loose to even consider what I had to tell them, so thought it best to leave. I guess I don't blame many of them who's lives and families are so tied up in the group. . .

It wouldn't be the first time I was avoided for fear of what I might say. . .sadly, even some of my kids best friends are not allowed to come to my house either to hang out, or sleep over, though the kids seem to love being around me and my hubby! Yet, they are allowed to go over to my in-laws house if my kids invite them over there. Why? Are we scary parents? Funny, both my husband and I have been Sunday school teachers, kids club leaders, and lastly youth leaders or pastor in many churches in the not too distant past.

Furthermore, we have a very kid friendly, fun house, with few strict rules that don't center around morality or manners, a relatively tidy and clean house and good healthy food at 3 (usually) hot meals a day. So what is left for reasons why our house would be rejected as a hang out place by parents who are good friends with both of us? (Especially with only a staircase and a door separating our condemned house from the in-laws allowed one!)

Likely answer: They know we were both strong Christians that turned Atheists, and they are conservative Christians. They don't want to change their beliefs or circle of friends for anything, and don't want their kids exposed to any of our thoughts lest they do either. They know that after years of indoctrination, all it takes many times for a child to turn away from it all is just one little doubt placed there by someone asking the right questions. . .that the parents don't want them asking.

 What's the point in allowing our kids to befriend closeminded people's kids then if that's their stance you might ask? As soon as they figure out that their kids are not swaying ours, and mine are instead starting to tell them why they are not Christians, and making a lot of sense to the kids, (as inevitably happens) the parents will not allow even my kids to be influencing their kids next. Sadly, the only reason my kids still have some Christian friends, is because they keep their mouths shut about being staunch Atheists. They know how Atheists are the number one distrusted minority in the world, and they have seen it! Is it any wonder that they, as well as many other young people, are still closet Atheists? I can't blame them too much really.

Getting back to the title though; I think the misconception that people in cults are passive sheep comes from a misunderstanding of why they often don't vote, can't be political, or activists, and are usually passifists. It is not wimps that stand for these convictions that are based in the Bible and trusting God. . .these people often die for these convictions! It is strong people who are willing to do what they believe is right, based on clear New testament teachings. . . not weak minded sheep. So, when you see a member of a cult out there, (whether they be the ones I have been a part of, like the "independent Fundamental Baptists", the "Friends" , the "Holdeman Mennonites" i.e.Church of God in Christ Mennonite, or the ones I have only knowledge of, like the Mormons, Jehovah's witnesses, etc.) please give them the respect they deserve.

On the other hand, any half-hearted, insincere, naive or idiotic person can be in an average Christian church these days. So, in my book, you can only respect them for their happy go lucky, blissfully ignorant and thankful to God attitude, classic of people clueless to any reality. Nice people, but generally the most shallow, naive, low IQ people I know. We all have our place though, and if you fit with that crowd, have fun, and enjoy the party. Just don't judge the good folks in the cults as stupid and controlled. They are controlled by themselves and their messed up following of the Bible alone.