Does this sound like we were in a CULT?
1) We were told where to live.
2) We were told who we could date and marry.
3) We were required to work long, long hours.
4) We were not allowed to refuse an order.
5) We were punished.
6) We had to get permission to travel.
7) It was encouraged to make friends with those in the group only.
8) We were allowed to see our family, but contact with family was always a concern. WE WERE TOLD THE GROUP WAS OUR FAMILY.
9) One man had ultimate control over everyone and everyone seemed to be afraid of him.
10) Those who hated "the work" considered themselves as failures.
http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/
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There is a brief section on the exjewsforjesus.org website, at http://www.exjewsforjesus.org/j4jquestions/#cult where this issue of JFJ being a "cult" is discussed.
Different people mean different things when they use the term "cult."
Evangelicals generally mean "theologically-divergent" when they use the word cult. (Thus, in Walter Martin's Kingdom of the Cults, Mormonism is a cult. In an earlier edition of this book, 7th Day Adventism was considered a cult, although I think that has been taken out in recent editions).
Historians of ancient religions use the term in its technical sense, that is, cult is simply a system of worship.
A friend of mine recently pointed out to me that there is a big debate among scholars as to the use of the word "cult." Psychologists tend to see "cults" as harmful and thus use the term in a pejorative way. Sociologists tend to not like to use the word cult, preferring instead to use the term "new religious movement." Psychologists see the harm that authoritarian groups do to individuals. Sociologists like to think that they are objective in studying a new religious movement, and thus avoid using "loaded" terms like cult.
Anti-missionaries and others detractors used to harangue us on the streets with the phrase, "Jews for Jesus is just another cult." I think this was done for rhetorical emphasis; they probably had no idea that JFJ was authoritarian and used bullying tactics with its own staff (and thus was "cult-like" in its behavior).
That was an intelligent and helpful comment about the various meanings of cult depending upon the community using it. Just for the record, I view anti-missionary groups as also cultic in their conduct: and they deserve to be exposed. They routinely lie to the people they seek to dissuade from faith in Yeshua, excusing this behavior in the name of "pikuach nefesh"--the overriding imperative to "save a Jewish soul." This is an "ends justifies the means" ethic in the name of religion. If that is not cultic what is? Also, when softening up contacts to pry them lose from their faith in Yeshua, some if not all anti-missionaries manipulate their contacts into suspending or severing contact with the Messianic or Christian friends or contacts "while they think these things over." This limiting of social contact, this rearranging of social support systems is also cultic and would be publicly targetted by anti-missionary groups in their propaganda about others.. Third, anti-missionary groups cynically raise money from Jewish groups [Reform, Reconstructionist, Conservative] to whom they themselve would not even refer their dogs. In other words, they use the funds and good will of people they inwardly despise.
The anti-missionaries as a class, perhaps with some exceptions, are hucksters, fear-mongers, and skilled manipulators in the name of God. I recently spoke with a well-connected Orthodox Messianic Jewish believer [there are such, believe it or not] who remarked on one Orthodox educator who despises orthodox Jewish anti-missionary groups for their lying tactics. The educator says: "If we have to lie in the name of Torah in order to win in such situations, we have already lost." Now THAT is integrity!
But such is hard to find.
Some that were missed:
11) We were told what we could wear and what we could not wear.
12) We were not allowed to speak for JFJ in any official capacity,
except when using a pre-approved script during a church meeting.
13) We were forced to give away our money (in the way of FINES).
14) We were not allowed to have any outside income other than what they
gave us.
1 through 14 describes my time there.
1 through 14 describes my time there.
15) Leaving the group was an extremely difficult and demeaning process.
16) Common practice is to shun those who left the group.
17) Lies are told about those who leave in order to keep people in the group from contacting those who have left.
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