How to recognize a sect? 10 signs that should alert you

It is difficult to define a sect; experts themselves argue on this point. In general, a sect is a separate religious group of people with teachings and practices that differ from the main existing world faiths. Despite different approaches, among researchers of this issue (and the topic is studied by sociologists, religious scholars, historians, cultural experts, etc.) one can identify key characteristics characteristic of most sects.

1. Marketing . Sectarians try to attract as many adherents as possible, so sect members are usually actively involved in promoting their teachings. You should be alert to annoying calls, letters and messages with offers to attend a free seminar on spiritual growth or awakening. Charity concerts, festivals for children, and psychological trainings also often hide pseudo-religious movements.

2. Hierarchy and double doctrine . Typically, sect initiators disguise their teachings as generally accepted values. The whole truth about the true ideals of sectarians is never told to newcomers. Often, to become “initiated” in the affairs of a community, one must occupy a high place in the hierarchy. Hierarchy is one of the main properties of building a religious sect. Such a device allows you to keep the entire organization under strict control, as well as encourage participants to be active in order to get to the next level.

3. Contributions . Most sects exist at the expense of their adherents. At some certain stage, contributions, donations and contributions to the common cause begin to be demanded from the sect member. Sometimes sects inform from the very beginning about the fees for their seminars and trainings, but often the newcomer learns that he will have to pay after “initiation” into their ranks. In order to dispose of the funds and property of their followers, sectarians can use various methods of suppressing consciousness, hypnosis and psychological pressure, even threatening life and health.

4 . The Infallible Leader . Sectarian teachings usually claim to be unique and indisputable. Moreover, the movement has a leader, from whose biography only those individual facts are known that confirm his “sacredness.” All knowledge that comes to the “supreme teacher” is usually obtained in a supernatural way - through communication with spirits, nature or alien intelligence. His level of "enlightenment" is unattainable for his followers, and his orders are not discussed. This is a kind of “dictator”, and subordination to him through the hierarchical levels is totalitarian in nature. Even if at the initial stages it seems to newcomers that participation is voluntary and democratic, in fact, everything in the structure is strictly regulated.

How to recognize a sect and not become a sectarian yourself

Books and brochures with bright covers, on which, like a slogan, are the words: “God loves you. What do you know about God?”... They can be found in a clinic, in a club where you brought your child to classes, in a store on a table for packing groceries, even in your own mailbox... Smiling young people near the metro hand out leaflets inviting them to lectures , in which the meaning of life will be revealed to you... And around the corner you will be offered not a thin brochure, but a weighty volume about yoga... But it could also be like this: they will come up to you and simply ask: “Are you happy? Do you want to be happy? There are many sects and all kinds of religious communities operating in Russia today. How do people get into them? What should you do if they try to lure you or your loved ones into a sect or some seemingly Christian community? How can you tell if you are dealing with an adherent of a dubious teaching? We are talking about this with cult expert Roman Mikhailovich Kon.

Mormon preachers

– Since the beginning of the 1990s, since the laws on freedom of religion came into force, the activities of various sects and the so-called have intensified in the country. Protestant denominations. They became popular among young, active people doing business... Please tell me why sects turned out to be so attractive?

– There will most likely not be a clear answer to the question of why this or that person became a member of a sect. Every occasion is always special. But if we talk about the early 1990s, then the general reasons why sectarianism attracted people at that time can be named.

The early 1990s were a time of religious vacuum in the former Soviet Union. Many people were in search of the meaning of their existence, looking for God, and they perceived anyone who, with a Bible in their hands, preached about God, almost as Jesus Christ Himself or His messenger. Religious searches were also facilitated by external reasons: the destruction of the usual way of life, the curtailment of social and medical programs, the dismantling of communist ideology, which was the ideological guideline for many.

– Did everyone who followed the newly-minted preachers become sectarians?

A person becomes a sectarian not when he attends sect meetings, but when he encounters the Truth, but chooses error

– If a person who is not a believer, or does not have religious knowledge, or is a seeker, heard a sectarian sermon about God and became carried away by it, then he has not yet become a sectarian. Until the moment the Truth was revealed to him, one can speak of a person as a sectarian only formally, but he is not yet a real sectarian. He will become a sectarian when he encounters evidence of the Truth, but chooses error.

- Clarify please.

– When a person was converted to Baptism, Adventism, Pentecostalism, became a charismatic, Jehovah's Witness, Hare Krishna, Mormon or follower of another sect, then a sectarian view of Orthodoxy was imposed on him, representing our faith in a distorted form. Sectarians told him that, for example, the Orthodox veneration of icons is idolatry, the priesthood is a barrier between God and man. But as soon as a person comes into contact with Orthodoxy and hears that the sectarian understanding of the Orthodox teaching about icons or the priesthood is distorted and does not correspond to what the Church actually teaches, then he is faced with a choice: to remain faithful to the sectarian interpretation of Orthodoxy or to reject sectarian errors and choose the truth .

The Holy Fathers note stubbornness of will, conscious resistance to the truth, defense of lies as a distinctive feature of heresy and sectarianism

The right to choose belongs to the rational will of the individual, but the will in the current fallen state is prone to sin, therefore irrational actions are possible. All the holy fathers note stubbornness of will, conscious resistance to the truth, and defense of lies as a distinctive feature of heresy and sectarianism.

If a person has the courage to admit his error and accept the truth, then he takes a decisive step and leaves the sect.

– Are there statistics showing how many people left sects?

– It’s not easy to answer this question, since there are no end-to-end statistics on the number of sectarians. We can talk about dynamics within individual sects. For example, during the period of the sectarian boom in Russia in 1992–1994, the number of Moonies who had the status of full members ranged, according to various sources, from 2 to 6 thousand people. In those years, to become a full member of this sect, a probationary period of seven years was required; therefore, the number of adherents striving for this goal was several times greater. In 2012, after the death of the founder of the Moon sect, in Russia there were, according to the Moonies themselves, about 1 thousand members, but it was not specified who was included in these statistics.

Meeting of Moscow Moonies. 1997

People who have left sects do not always consider it necessary to declare this. But some of them considered it their duty to publicly announce their departure and began to fight against sects in order to warn others from sectarian errors.

– And if we ignore the situation of the 1990s, which was still special, why do people end up in sects in other times? And why do they stay there?

The enemy of the human race has one task - to distract people from Christ and His Church. And all techniques are suitable for this

– There is an opinion that the reasons for the passion for sectarianism are rooted in the social, political conditions of life and the psychology of the person himself. If this were so and sectarianism were a natural stage in the development of man and society, then with the disappearance of socio-political problems and psychological problems it would also disappear. In fact, these circumstances are external factors that contribute to the emergence of sects and people falling into them. Without denying their influence, it must be said that the main reason for ending up in sects is the choice of the person himself under the influence of unreasonable zeal for salvation, pride, vanity, the desire to justify carnal lusts and passions - and the evil will of demons who choose those who are subject to passions , and through them they begin to preach false teachings. After all, the enemy of the human race has one task - to distract people from Christ and His Church. And for this, all techniques are suitable.

If it is difficult to persuade a person to renounce faith in the Holy Trinity, then demons contribute to the emergence of false teaching, where there is faith in the Trinity God, but there is no Church. For those who want to follow the moral commandments of the Gospel and are confused by the dogma of the Holy Trinity, who think that this paganism is supposedly three Gods, the doctrine of one God is being created. For those who want there to be a doctrine of the Trinity, but it is also desirable that a Christian should not look like a marginalized person, but be a prosperous person, there are charismatic sects. And they will explain why a person should be healthy and live in abundance. It turns out that the crucified Lord Jesus Christ nailed all infirmities and sufferings to the Cross: poverty, misery, illness... And those who consider themselves a Christian are simply exempt from the effects of poverty and other misfortunes.

There are a number of sects where the Eucharist, the Lord's Supper, is supposedly celebrated. At the same time, the Eucharist is perceived only as a remembrance of the meal that Christ served with His disciples on the eve of the Passion of the Cross, but this rite does not communicate grace and has nothing to do with salvation.

– What human passions do sects indulge?

- Everyone. For example, in the Vissarion sect in the 1990s, the doctrine of the family as a union of a man and a woman, based on mutual love, was spread. Simultaneously with the preaching of this teaching, Vissarion had many mistresses, and he had to somehow justify his debauchery. Then he began to teach that a husband’s love for his wife is selfish love, and true love should extend to many women, so a man should have not one wife, but two, three...

Vissarion's sect

There is nothing new in this justification of human passions. The Apostle Paul in his Epistle to the Romans says that people have fallen so far from God that they began to sanctify and deify their passions. And today, if a person seeks to justify some of his passions and infirmities, he often receives religious sanction for them in sects. Callousness, conceit, pride, vanity, indifference, etc. are justified.

– What social and psychological dangers do sects pose?

– When it comes to the danger posed by sects, as a rule, they cite facts of destructive influence on the individual and society without any connection with the teachings of sects. It is believed that sects are dangerous due to the destructiveness of the psychological atmosphere that has developed in them. However, its root is in the creed of the sectarians.

Sectarians commit crimes, but not all crimes committed by them are specifically sectarian. Sometimes they commit a crime not because they are Hare Krishnas, or Scientologists, or representatives of other sects, but because of corrupt human nature, like those who profess other religions.

But there are a number of crimes that sectarians commit due to the fact that the doctrine to which they are committed makes their antisocial and criminal acts legitimate.

– Please give examples.

– Hare Krishnas teach that an effective means of getting rid of karma is devotional service to Krishna, and one who devotes his life to this service can perform any actions that do not lead to worsening karma. Therefore, Hare Krishnas can lie, steal, and engage in fraud - but on one condition: this is done in a state of devotional service to Krishna. Thus, criminal acts receive religious justification. Another example. Jehovah's Witnesses have a ban on blood transfusions. And if a Jehovah’s Witness finds himself in a situation where a blood transfusion is necessary to save a person’s life, then his refusal to do this procedure is actually a deliberate suicide. But for a representative of this sect, this is not suicide, but the fulfillment of a falsely understood prohibition on eating blood - that is, virtue.

Hare Krishnas and the idol of Swami Prabhupada

– How is the ban on blood transfusions motivated?

– In the Holy Scriptures there is a prohibition against eating blood. Jehovah's Witnesses interpret it broadly - as a ban on blood transfusion, considering this procedure as a way of nutrition. However, in our body, the digestive system and the circulatory system are not directly connected: blood does not participate in the digestion process.

Sects are dangerous because they legitimize criminal, administrative, and antisocial acts, filling them with religious meaning.

So the danger of sectarianism, first of all, is that sects legitimize criminal, administrative, antisocial acts, filling them with religious meaning. Thus, the destructiveness of sects is determined by their teaching. It should be taken into account that sects in which a creed has not yet been formed and many provisions are not clearly stated, have the theoretical possibility of a very broad interpretation of the creed, including to justify various kinds of acts.

– What do we, Christians, as well as all other people, need to remember so as not to be drawn into sects?

– Christians, first of all, need to know the teachings of the Church and exercise sobriety. If a Christian hears a sermon that goes against the fundamental tenets of his faith, then this should immediately alert him. For example, if someone claims that the Second Coming of Christ took place in 1914, then someone familiar with the Gospel will immediately react to this, to put it mildly, a strange statement. The Gospel clearly states that the Second Coming of Christ will be visible to everyone and will be accompanied by signs on a cosmic scale. This was not observed in 1914. If Vissarion claims that he is Christ who came a second time, but under a new name and in a new body, then it is obvious that this teaching has nothing in common with the Gospel.

Secondly, in order not to fall under the influence of sectarians, you must try to determine which teaching is in front of you. If you are offered a scripture study course, you should ask the person offering to introduce themselves. If he does not want to clearly indicate his religious affiliation, then we are dealing with something dubious. It should be remembered that sectarians like to introduce themselves as an Orthodox bishop, priest, hieromonk, monk...

- Even so?

- Yes, even so. For example, the now famous “god Kuzya” began his activities in the Orthodox environment. He showed up at the Orthodox parish and introduced himself as a monk. The abbot showed promiscuity and accepted him as a monk without requiring any documents from him. Then this “monk” revealed to the abbot that he was supposedly a hierodeacon, then - that he was a hieromonk, appointed by the late Metropolitan Pitirim, was tonsured in his home church, no documents were preserved. He was allowed to perform divine services. But in the end he was exposed and expelled from the Orthodox parish.

"God Kuzya"

Having gained some experience, in Moscow he began to introduce himself as Bishop Roman. But no one was embarrassed that the bishop was without a pulpit.

How should an Orthodox person act in such a situation? If he hears that there is some kind of ascetic, especially a bishop, he needs to make inquiries. Find out which diocese. Currently, information about the clergy of the Church is available to almost everyone. If the name is a diocese, then in the end you can call that diocese and inquire there. Just ask yourself a question: what is this “bishop” doing in our city, in our area? Why did you leave your diocese? And it is imperative to inquire about extraordinary elders and ascetics who suddenly appear.

– What is important to pay attention to if a person comes up to you, introduces himself, and says what religious organization he is from?

Newly formed Christian groups with a short history should make you wary

– Be sure to pay attention to the time of the establishment of this organization. If this organization calls itself a “church,” but arose 10 years ago, 20, 30, 40, 50 years ago, the question is quite logical: “What does this Christian group have to do with the Church of the Apostolic Age, created in the year 33 after the Nativity of Christ? What have its communities been doing these almost two thousand years?” Newly formed Christian groups with a short history should be wary. It has been noticed: sectarians do not like questions about their history, about their origin, they will try to evade answers, they will simply say: “We are a Christian church,” insist that the time of appearance is not important, and the main thing is faith.

– What else do sectarians not like?

“They don’t like it when they ask critical questions and compare their teaching with the Orthodox.

- People are gullible...

- Yes, people are gullible. But first of all, we must trust the Church, and as soon as a person does not trust the Church, he finds himself in danger.

– Why don’t they trust the Church, do you think?

– The reasons for mistrust are usually subjective. Someone did not like the priest in the temple he entered. Someone was offended, something harsh was said - this happens. But we must always separate the personal from the teachings of the Church. And if a person does not trust the Church, then this testifies to his conceit and pride, and this leads to delusion. Demons use this passion as an effective means of attacking humans. Sectarians play it skillfully.

You can often hear on the street how Jehovah’s Witnesses or representatives of Protestant communities recruit a person: “We don’t drink, we have strong families. For us this is good, this is good – but for them, the Orthodox, everything is bad, bad and bad.” This is a typical example of how they try to exploit human discontent. And this dissatisfaction can lead a person to a sect. And the atmosphere in the sect immediately fascinates many people, because newcomers are immediately shown attention, they are made to feel welcome, and they are taken care of. And the person naturally likes this, he begins to go to meetings of the sectarian community more and more often. He gets used to it, and after some time it is difficult for him to part with this environment.

Roman Mikhailovich Kon

“They knocked on our door and asked: “Do you want to know about God?” How should we respond? How to proceed?

- Depends on who opens the door. If these are Orthodox people, then they must say that they know the true teaching of God. They can offer their teaching to those who come, so that they too can become familiar with the truth that the Church possesses, or offer to attend theological courses at the parish or communicate with a priest.

Ask those who approach you what the main tenets of their faith are

If the door is opened by people who are unchurched, have little church, or are hesitant, then, first of all, they need to ask who the people who come represent. If a request to introduce themselves is followed by a refusal, then they are clearly sectarians. If sectarians name their organization, we must try to find out what the main tenets of their dogma are and ask how they differ from the teaching of the Orthodox Church. If those who come cannot or do not want to do this, this should be alarming. If people are not embarrassed by sectarian teachings, then they must be prepared to bear all the consequences of their choice.

– In our mailbox we found books that were clearly sectarian: Jehovah’s Witnesses or another sect... What should we do about this?

– Throw it in the trash chute or burn it. Inform the parish priest and catechist (missionary) that sectarians are operating in the parish and distributing propaganda materials. It is advisable to mobilize parishioners so that not only sectarian literature appears in their mailboxes and that residents of their homes, entrances, and streets can find out that in addition to sectarians, there are Orthodox parishes where they are welcome and where classes are held for them in the study of the Holy Scriptures, in the study of biblical history, where lectures on theology are given, where you can learn about God and salvation.

Late questions

In most cases, a person’s membership in a sect is obvious, and the signs of sectarianism lie on the surface. For example, a Hare Krishna will get up at five in the morning every day, chant mantras, and worship the deities standing in the home altar. Your kitchen will be saturated with the smell of curry and other Indian spices.

Actually, the non-standard, often inadequate, behavior of sectarians that contradicts generally accepted norms is one of the reasons why society perceives sects negatively and fights against them. Society is not interested in increasing the number of people who find it difficult to survive in it.

Statement that your loved one ended up in a sect is generally useless.

It’s like witnessing that a vase has broken: the fact has been established, but it will be very difficult to glue it back together. If a person has already become a member of a dubious organization, accepted its ideology, changed his worldview and lifestyle in the appropriate direction, it is extremely difficult and almost impossible to correct the situation.

Do you want your wish to come true? We invite you to a transformational psychological game that will make your dreams come true!

Have you tried to convince a pensioner that communism is a utopia and Marxism is a pseudoscience? Were you trying to prove to a young libertarian that the state should still intervene in the economy? Then you know how difficult it is for a person to abandon attitudes that he considers the fruit of his free choice and part of his own “I”.

Signs of a person who has fallen into a sect

Now let's turn to the question of what signs will help determine that a member of your family or another person whom you know well has become involved in an illegal religious organization.

Take a closer look at the person’s behavior and statements:

1. he disappears for several hours - attends events (“gatherings”, meetings, seminars);
2. the organization’s literature appears in the house, special “spiritual” music sounds, oriental-style incense or images of patron saints revered by the community are burned;
3. he immediately makes many new acquaintances - the effect of “entering a circle”, he talks about them, they come to visit or call;
4. he begins to observe unknown rituals during everyday actions (ablutions, gestures, prayers, singing), observes unusual fasts and holidays;
5. begins to educate and correct you, and may directly accuse you of the sinfulness of your lifestyle, simultaneously declaring that he has become a new person;
6. preaches, tries to convert, condemns your “ignorance”;
7. the facial expression changes, it becomes as if enlightened, the gaze is immersed in itself;
8. becomes withdrawn and refuses to communicate.

If valuables disappear from home, he quits his job (secretly or openly), goes to live in an organization, turns off his mobile phone, then the influence of the organization is very strong, the requirements for members are radical and dangerous.

Double teaching

A sect often has a “double bottom”. At the advertising stage, not everything is said about the sect leader, the rules, and living conditions in their society. At first, the recruited adept sees a beautiful picture and hears only about future improvements in his life. Only later does it become clear that the leader may have been previously convicted of crimes or simply does not believe in what he is inspiring to others. And all this was created only for his own enrichment.

At first, nothing is required from the newly elected person - except participation in the life of society, studying the principles of their faith and morals. Only later does it become clear that in order to continue existing in the sect, you need to pay with something (everything you can) and give up your previous life. Usually, by this point, the adherent has already become involved in the sect in every sense: psychologically, possibly medicinally, and could also be subjected to physical violence.

Chosenness

At every step of the sectarian hierarchy, they appeal to the deepest experiences of a person, as well as to his ambition and curiosity. Usually they try to remove the adherent from their previous connections, explaining this need by the “chosenness” of the sectarians and their “difference” from the bulk of people who do not believe in the same thing as they (now).

They can even convince an adherent of the community that he is the messenger of God, and only he has the power to change this world. Without him and, of course, the spiritual leaders of the sect, who will help and guide him on the right path, humanity will be mired in chaos.

Religious Marketing or Religious Advertising

The sect's propaganda is usually very persistent. Advertising calls for adherence to supposedly universal human values ​​(hospitality, mutual assistance, good nature, group cohesion, etc.). Propaganda materials (leaflets, posters, etc.) promise benefits that everyone needs, but not everyone has enough:

• Love;
• happiness;
• material well-being;
• respect and acceptance of others.

Afterword

Faith is important for every person. But the most useful version of faith from the point of view of psychology is faith in yourself, in your own strengths. A rational explanation of surrounding phenomena, the ability to establish cause-and-effect relationships, knowledge and acceptance of oneself, working on oneself are more beneficial for psychological health and self-realization than faith in a higher power or hope in other people. Man is the author and manager of everything that happens to him.

For information on how to help a victim of sectarianism, read the article “Why people join a sect. How to avoid becoming a victim and ending up in a sect. Help for someone who has fallen into a sect."

Presence of an infallible guru and tenets of teaching

If in religion God is something unearthly, sometimes embodied in people or animals, and sometimes appearing to people to convey truths, then the sect has a total spiritual leader.

God loves all people, punishes for serious sins, but can forgive even this. To forgive, you need to repent, pray, correct your behavior, and live with the benefit of others. With sectarian gurus everything is different. This requires submission, renunciation of family, loved ones, and previous interests.

One could argue that in Orthodox monasteries there are also hermits who have renounced worldly connections and benefits. However, the difference is significant - before becoming a monk, you need to go through several stages, just try yourself in the role of a worker at the monastery. People are literally lured into a sect and their will is suppressed in a short time.

In addition, religious activity in general brings good, monks are not forced to go from house to house, recruiting people into their organization for the sake of profit. Excursions to famous monasteries give a feeling of awe and reverence. It is not for nothing that many pilgrimage trips around the country are made every year. The same cannot be said about sects.

Do you have developed willpower?

To find out how strong-willed a person you are and how to develop willpower specifically for you, draw up a natal chart. You will see your weak points and understand how to influence them.

First, study the characteristics of the first house.

• The sun gives self-confidence, but often also self-confidence. It is difficult to lure such a person into a dubious community. But if he is interested in some teaching and firmly believes, it will be difficult to convince him.
• Jupiter makes a person kind, open and receptive. He may miss the moment when they begin to deceive him and lure him into a cult.
• Mars gives an assertive character, a punchy personality, as well as irritability for any reason. This person can become an ardent follower of the sect and its active agitator. But if he doesn’t like something during the acquaintance stages, he will instantly lose interest in the movement.

You should also look at the planets in the 4th and 9th houses. They will show whether you have enough happiness and luck in life so as not to encounter destructive cults. Also study the 6th house, which is responsible for enemies and obstacles in life.

Join us! Add the number of the founder of the Institute, Sergei, on Whatsapp to your contacts using this link and add him as a friend on VKontakte. Write him a private message with the code word “LAKSHMI BLOG” to find out more and receive a gift guide on drawing up a personal horoscope.

Friends, have you or someone you know ever encountered sects? What do you think, besides willpower and good karma, can protect you from a dangerous cult? Let's discuss this in the comments.

What is “mind control”?

Mind control is the deliberate forced control of a person’s psyche and behavior in order to achieve the manipulator’s selfish goals using behavior modification techniques without the meaningful consent of the controlled people.

The mechanisms of consciousness control in such groups are the same. It may vary a little, swap phases and settings, their sequence, but their essence and goal are the same - the reformation of consciousness under a cult personality, an iconic figure of a given organization. The technique for modifying the behavior of the neophyte in such groups consists of:

1. isolation from former friends and family;
2. bringing to physical exhaustion with a strict diet and psychological stress;
3. the use of means and methods of increasing suggestibility and obedience;
4. turning on powerful group pressure;
5. information flow management;
6. leveling of individuality;
7. encouraging complete dependence on the group.