Cult Danger Evaluation Frame

With Apologies To P.E.I. Bonewitz

Rate these 15 criteria according to the amount of it you perceive in a given group/religious organization. Higher scores usually mean a higher danger of mind control or brainwashing.

1.) How much control do the leader(s) of the organization have over its membership?
___________

2.) How much wisdom and/or infallibility is claimed by the leader(s) of the organization?
___________

3.) How much wisdom and/or infallibility do the members of the organization credit to their leader(s)?
___________

4.) How inflexible is the organization on interpretation of doctrine/reality concepts?
___________

5.) How important is recruiting/proselytizing to the organization?
___________

6.) How many front groups does the organization operate under?
___________

7.) How much emphasis does the group place on donations? How is money used within the organization? Are the leader(s) visibly wealthier than the rank-and-file members of the organization?
____________

8.) How much political power exists within the organization or is desired by the organization?
____________

9.) Is there sexual manipulation being used in the group? (harassment/leader(s) asking or getting sexual favors from the members)
____________

10.) How much access to and tolerance of other ideas do the leader(s) accord members? How much do members know of outside opinions of the organization?
____________

11.) How intense are efforts directed at preventing or re-indoctrinating dropouts?
____________

12.) Does the organization endorse violence on behalf of it or its leaders?
____________

13.) How much paranoia does the organization exhibit towards the "outside world?"
____________

14.) How much disapproval does the organization have of jokes about it, its doctrines, or its leader(s)?
____________

15.) How tight is discipline inside the organization? (for example, are those who disagree with doctrinal points or leadership decisions ostracized or shunned?)
_____________

Questions number 9 and 12 are pretty much yes or no questions, so give a 1 if no, a 10 if yes. 7 is an iffy one, if it looks like the leader or leaders of the group are living a lot higher on the hog than their "flock", or that the leader(s) skim liberally from the "collection box" and use that to live in luxury, then you should give the group an automatic 9 or 10 in that department.

I hope this is of use to all in regards to figuring out whether or not a group is truly a "cult" or not. It's YOUR mind. USE IT!