What are you talking about? BALG complies with none of the criteria of a cult.
Alright, let’s analyse this sensibly for a minute. Using the criteria for a cult and look at how BALG firs or doesn’t fit.
A cult needs:
- Submission. To a charismatic leader that requires unquestioning trust in thier leadership
NOT PRESENT
Unless there’s someone trolling around that I had no idea had an ‘unquestioning following’, or wanted one, and I can’t think of a single BLAG member that has that, your “cult” just fell over into butthurt bullshit right there.
- Leaders are often seen as prophets, apostles, or special individuals with unusual connections to God. This helps a person give themselves over psychologically to trusting someone else for their spiritual welfare.
- Increased submission to the leadership is rewarded with additional responsibilities and/or roles, and/or praises, increasing the importance of the person within the group.
THE ENTIRE POINT OF THIS SITE TO TO HELP PEOPLE LEARN HOW TO NOT GIVE AWAY POWER LIKE THIS
Do you own inner work, your own divination, trust yourself. I sound like a cracked record saying this over and over to the people asking others to interpret thier dreams, thier experiences, instead of figuring it out.
- Exclusivity
- Their group is the only true religious system
BALG IS NOT A RELIGION, ASKS FOR NO DEVOTION, MAKES NO CLAIMS TO BEING THE ONE TWUE WAY
It’s just a social forum.
Persecution complex
- Us against them mentality. Therefore, when someone (inside or outside of the group) corrects the group in doctrine and/or behavior, it is interpreted as persecution, which then is interpreted as validation.
THERE’S NO ONE CONSENSUS OF OPINION HERE. WE DISAGREE ALL THE TIME, AND THAT’S OK
What doctrine? Oh right, there isn’t one.
Control
- Control of members’ actions and thinking through repeated indoctrination and/or threats of loss of salvation, or a place to live, or receiving curses from God, etc.
BALG HAS ZERO CONTROL OVER ANY MEMBER.
You don’t like it here, feel free to never launch this website again, no-one will say a dicky bird to you.
Isolation
- Minimizing contact of church members with those outside the group. This facilitates a further control over the thinking and practices of the members by the leadership.
YOU’D BETTER NOT BE TALKING TO YOUR ACTUAL FAMILY AFTER YOU JOINED
Said no-one ever.
Well… I PERSONALLY say, “no pearls before swine” - not don’t talk to people. Also, what those pearls are, is your business. That’s LHP in general, not a BLAG thing. See the no-doctrine entry.
Love Bombing
- Showing great attention and love to a person in the group by others in the group, to help transfer emotional dependence to the group.
Cos we’re all so fluffy and sweet here? Right. 'Nuff said.
Aw, are you emotional about BALG @Rav? Say it ain’t so and stop being a pussy.
Special Knowledge
- Instructions and/or knowledge are sometimes said to be received by a leader(s) from God. This leader then informs the members.
- The Special Knowledge can be received through visions, dreams, or new interpretations of sacred scriptures such as the Bible.
THERE’S NO LEADER
But in any case, since every member IS a god, and can do this equally, this is moot.
Indoctrination
- The teachings of the group are repeatedly drilled into the members, but the indoctrination usually occurs around Special Knowledge.
AND THERE’S STILL NO DOCTRINE
Salvation
- Salvation from the judgment of God is maintained through association and/or submission with the group, its authority, and/or its Special Knowledge.
NO!
DO AS THOU WILT IS THE WHOLE OF THE LAW
Salvation is made up xtian bullshit, it doesn’t exist. Neither does damnation, repentance or sin.
Group Think
- The group’s coherence is maintained by the observance to policies handed down from those in authority.
- There is an internal enforcement of policies by members who reward “proper” behavior, and those who perform properly are rewarded with further inclusion and acceptance by the group.
THERE’S. NO. DOCTRINE.
Keeping the forum rules isn’t a big ask and doesn’t get you any rewards other than not getting banned. Healthy boundaries that maintain the site’s very culture are not doctrine. Having a culture is not bad.
Cognitive Dissonance
- Avoidance of critical thinking and/or maintaining logically impossible beliefs and/or beliefs that are inconsistent with other beliefs held by the group.
OH WE’RE ALL CRAZY ACCORDING THIS THE GUY THAT WROTE THESE CRITERIA.
I got nothing
- Avoidance of and/or denial of any facts that might contradict the group’s belief system.
THERE’S NO DOCTRINE!
Gender Roles
- Control of gender roles and definitions.
- Severe control of gender roles sometimes leads to sexual exploitation.
STILL NOPE.
Appearance Standards
Often a common appearance is required and maintained. For instance, women might wear prairie dresses, and/or their hair in buns, and/or no makeup, and/or the men might all wear white short-sleeved shirts, and/or without beards, or all wear beards.
ER…
See what I mean? Where’s the cult at, again?
How about we don’t bandy around serious accusations without even understanding what they mean?