House Church Talk - Cults: Works of the Devil and Works of the Flesh

[Claire Bennett]

I thought there was an interesting comment here about abusive religious groups (ARGS) how's that for an acronym?  What about those who honestly believe they are servants following their vision?  I've seen a lot of varieties of ARGS.  Some appear to be purposefully and diabolically designed to recruit, retain, exploit and spit out.  L.. Ron Hubbard and Herbert Armstrong set out to create a religion as a business enterprise.  Then I have seen good works that are not God's. I'm sure the Florida Five and those involved believed they were benefiting the churches they dragged into submission. Also, works that begin in the ways of the Lord, but fail to purge out the leaven through self-inspection are doomed to be led astray through pride, greed and lust.

My experiences in being in the inner circle of a ministry and discussions with others reveals that so-called servants are merely self-serving.  The only unforgivable sin is to reveal the sins of the leadership to the rank and file sheep.

So, I see the only hope is truely participative relational faith.  That is our only protection against being again subject to a yoke of bondage.  Thoughts?