Calvi-cult's damage 2: What is a cult? Is Calvinism a cult?
What is a "cult"?
"Cult" is a difficult word to define. We all know what we mean when we say "cult," but it's hard to reach a definitive definition, a consensus on what qualifies as a cult. Some people use the word loosely, some strictly. Some count mild cult-like behaviors, some only count severe ones. And so what one person may call a cult, someone else might not. And some people use the word "cult" just to be harsh or mean, to denigrate, discredit, or dismiss a group of people, a set of beliefs. So I want to be careful with this word.
[This is not a scholarly or professional look at cults, just my own thoughts about them, based on other people's stories and on my own experience of watching a stealthy Calvinist pastor reform our non-Calvinist church right under our noses. So take it as you will. And I'm not using the word "cult" as an emotional outburst, to express strong feelings or disgust or frustration (though that will seep into my writing). But I want to explore what a cult really is and if Calvinism technically qualifies as one. And, for the record, I'm writing this series as I go, and so I'm not sure the course it will take yet. So it might be a little disorganized or repetitive. (But when am I not like that!😉) And I might spread these posts out quite a bit because of the busyness of the holiday season and new year.]
To start with a broad overview, the article "What is a Cult? 10 Warning Signs" from VeryWell Mind describes a cult this way: "Many definitions suggest that a cult is an organized group whose purpose is to dominate cult members through psychological manipulation and pressure strategies. Cults are usually headed by a powerful leader who isolates members from the rest of society. Experts suggest that this coercive control distinguishes these groups, not their connection to specific faiths, religions, or belief systems. Such groups demand excessive devotion from members. They utilize unethical and manipulative techniques to persuade and control members. Their primary goal is to advance the group leader's agenda, even though such goals may harm individuals, families, and communities.... Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on deceptive and authoritarian practices to make members dependent on and obedient to the group."
And it lists these additional "warning sings" of a cult (among others I skipped which don't necessarily fit the point of this post): "Absolute authoritarianism without accountability... Zero tolerance for criticism or questions... A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and [that] there is never a legitimate reason for anyone else to leave... Followers feeling that they are never able to be 'good enough'... A belief that the leader is right at all times... A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing 'truth' or giving validation... Most individuals don't recognize that the group they're joining is considered a cult... They are manipulated into joining... Once people join a group, they’re usually distanced from outside influences. After being separated from the outside world, leaving the group becomes difficult. They often grow dependent on being in the group and develop suspicions of anyone outside the group."
The article "10 things to know about the psychology of cults" adds that "Cults satisfy the human desire for absolute answers... Many people join cults because they believe they’re being offered solid, absolute answers for questions such as good vs. evil, religion, the meaning of life, politics, etc." And "When a cult is offering a unique religious movement that feels safe but also a way to find their inner worth, they are likely to believe every word they are being told."
And a Psychology Today article - Understanding Cults: The Basics - also shares some characteristics of cults and how they operate (I've condensed some of them to three main points):
1. No one knowingly, voluntarily joins a cult, but they are "recruited" into it by cult leaders who take advantage of the vulnerabilities of the recruits, using deception and manipulation to suck them in.
2. Cults use isolation, control, fear, coercion, mind-control, and thought-reform to enslave the members to the cult. The members' "inner voices" are suppressed.
3. Cults are authoritarian (disagreeing with or opposing the leader is not allowed), and cult leaders are malignant narcissists.
I think this is a good basic understanding of what a cult is. For me, a "cult" isn't about a particular set of beliefs that a group holds or about the fact that it's an organized group trying to spread its beliefs - because then any group that organizes around a common set of beliefs and tries to get others to believe it could be called a "cult," whether religious, political, educational, social, environmental, or whatever.
But I think a "cult" is more about how a group presents itself, how it makes its people feel, and how it controls their minds and lives. It's more about method than particular beliefs.
Religious Cults
Furthermore, the Billy Graham Evangelistic Association's article "How do cults differ from Christianity?" lists these as characteristics of a religious cult (my paraphrase):
(1) Cults reject the basic beliefs of the Chistian faith. (2) They act like they alone have the truth and that we must come to them to get it. They have their own writings which they add to the Bible or replace the Bible with. (3) They have a strong leader who demands obedience and claims to speak for God.
And the article "When faith turns harmful: Understanding cults and religious trauma" says this about religious cults: "What I am concerned about is when community, organised religion and spirituality are used in ways that create harm, fear, guilt, shame, or oppression. Whether it happens in a secluded compound or a mainstream church, spiritual systems that demand unquestioning obedience can leave lasting scars. Cult and religious trauma may appear in different settings, but both emerge when beliefs become a tool of control rather than a source of connection in a coercive spiritual environment.
... Psychological manipulation and brainwashing techniques are powerful methods used by coercive or high-control groups to dominate individuals’ thoughts, emotions, and behaviours. These strategies gradually dismantle personal autonomy and critical thinking, replacing them with dependence on the group or leader. By exploiting emotional vulnerabilities, social needs, and cognitive dissonance, manipulators, which could be a single leader or a group of leaders, create an environment where compliance feels like safety and questioning becomes taboo."
And it lists these, among others, as techniques for recruiting/brainwashing people into the cult: "deception... groupthink... repetitive messaging... guilt-tripping... control of information... gaslighting... cognitive dissonance." [Read the article for more explanation of all this.]
In general, I think that a religious cult (or "cult/false religion") would be a group that presents itself as the absolute "spiritual authority" who can't be questioned, challenged, or disagreed with. They present themselves as the only ones who properly understand Scripture - their twisted interpretation of Scripture, that is. (Or maybe they reject the Bible altogether and just use their own writings, as some cults/false religions do).
And so we feel like we need their help and their theology books to understand it too, especially the "mysteries" and "deeper truths" that they think us common people can't see or understand on our own. [And it's true: We can't understand their "mysteries" and "deeper truths" on our own... because they're not actually in the Bible. But they were created by the cult's own bad thinking and misinterpretation of Scripture. (Or maybe they got their "revelations" from extra-biblical sources or "prophets," like the Mormons with Joseph Smith.)]
And since they're the "spiritual authorities who can't be wrong" and we're just the common people who "can't understand the Bible on our own," we let our guards down and trust them to teach us to read the Bible their way. We're so thankful to be part of the group that has "The Truth" and that's teaching us the "deeper teachings" of the Bible that we hand our sense-making over to them and eagerly gobble up whatever "knowledge, truth, wisdom" they teach us, convinced we're going to "deeper levels of faith."
"Cults satisfy the human desire for absolute answers... Many people join cults because they believe they’re being offered solid, absolute answers for questions such as good vs. evil, religion, the meaning of life, politics, etc."
And while we're busy soaking up all their "wisdom," feeling like we're growing in faith and learning new and deeper truths, they're busy reeling us into the Borg Collective, systematically guiding us deeper and deeper into their belief-system one strategic or deceptive step at a time - teaching us to see things their way, to distrust ourselves, to ignore our alarm bells, and to feel afraid to disagree with them - through things like manipulation, shaming, gaslighting, deception, flattery, deflection, reframing bad things to sound good and good things to sound bad, controlling the language, controlling the resources and information we have access to, blocking or discrediting opposing views, and sometimes even outright lying.
To me, this is what a religious cult is.
Calvinism as a religious "cult"
And, yes, I'm describing Calvinism in particular. And it's the "cult" I'll be focusing on, even though there's many more out there. (My blog is called "The Anti-Calvinist Rant," so what'd you expect?😁)
Having deeply studied Calvinism and Calvinist churches for about 10 years now, I believe it fits the various descriptions of cults to certain degrees, falling somewhere on the spectrum of a religious cult because of how it presents itself, how it operates, and how it takes over minds and churches. (You can disagree with me if you want, but you might change your mind later.)
Calvinism presents itself as the only way to believe, as Christianity itself, as if we cannot disagree with it or interpret the Bible differently. And Calvinist leaders view themselves as the spiritual authorities who must teach us to read the Bible their way (while sometimes even hiding the fact that they're Calvinists teaching Calvinism, which is even worse, even more cult-like).
As they see it, we common people need their help and their Calvinist theology books in order to connect the dots to find Calvinism's doctrines and "mysteries" in Scripture, in order to properly understand God's Word, Truth, character, and the gospel. Because without their help or books, we wouldn't be able to find Calvinism in the Bible (at least not to the degree they say it's there) - which, according to them, means we wouldn't be able to understand the true gospel.
Charles Spurgeon: "Calvinism is the gospel, and nothing else."
Al Mohler (Christianity Today, "The Reformer") says that non-Calvinists "are not aware of the basic structures of thought, rightly described as Reformed, that are necessary to protect the very gospel they insist is to be eagerly shared."
Calvinist A.W. Pink says in Doctrine of Election: "Unless we are privileged to sit under the ministry of some Spirit-taught servant of God, who presents the truth [Calvinism's "doctrine of election"] to us systematically, great pains and diligence are called for in the searching of the Scriptures, so that we may collect and tabulate their scattered statements on this subject.... No novice is competent to present this subject in its scriptural perspective and proportions."
The 9Marks' article "Build Fences Around Your Flock" emphasizes the importance of keeping "the wolves" out of Calvinist churches, which (reading between the lines) means those who don't hold to Calvinism. It says "One of the first questions we ask each prospective member is: 'What is the gospel?' We want to make sure every member understands the gospel. If it becomes clear they don't understand it, we immediately pause the interview and move the candidate into a class called 'Christianity Explained.'" And - big shocker! - that class uses a book by Calvinist Mark Dever (head of 9Marks) to teach the Calvinist version of Christianity and the gospel, as if the Bible alone is not enough. (And this is true: The Bible alone is not enough to teach Calvinism. This alone should be very telling and alarming - a mark of a cult. And a reason for why cult-like tactics are needed in order to get people to believe it.)
And a different 9Marks' article ("Church Reform when you're not (necessarily) the pastor") also shows the necessity of using Calvinist books to push Calvinism, to teach people to find Calvinism in the Bible: "Church reform does not happen in business meetings... All the actual work of reform happened before the meeting—in conversations. That’s how church reform works. You change people’s minds and shape people’s views in private–over coffee, a good book, and a Bible... Read through [Calvinist] books with people and talk about them. Mark’s [Mark Dever] Nine Marks of a Healthy Church would be a good place to start."
"[Religious cults] act like they alone have the truth and that we must come to them to get it. They have their own writings which they add to the Bible or replace the Bible with."
Now, to be fair, I don't think most Calvinists intend to act like a cult.
But, to be accurate, some do, such as the more domineering, authoritarian pastors.
Like Joel Webbon (Right Response Ministries), who said this about his wife and the women in his congregation (see Faith on Fire's video "Pulpit Narcissism vs. Godly Women"): "Husbands, be very vigilant with your wives and what they are reading and what they are listening to... one of the primary and most common ways that good, godly women get derailed is women's Bible studies. They go to a study without men. And a woman is teaching this study, and she is not only teaching but also being taught... and little by little by little, the study is not sound. It's not faithful to the Scripture. And the husband thinks he's doing his duty because he's outsourced his wife's theological education. There are certain books that I just had to say (to my wife), 'Hey, I don't know if this is a bad book, but I don't have time to read it, and so you're not going to read it either."
Umm, okay, wow. Just wow.
So not only must the wives get their Calvinist husbands' permission for what they can read and study, but they're not even allowed to do Bible studies on their own or to study God's Word for themselves.
(Hmm, just wondering, but could it be because women, with our more sensitive natures and nurturing instincts, are more likely to be repulsed by and to resist Calvinism's "dreadful doctrines"... whereas men, because of their appreciation of and desire for strength, power, and control, are more likely to be impressed by and want to side with a strong, domineering Calvinist pastor because it makes them feel like they're joining the ranks of the powerful and intelligent spiritual-elites? Just wondering.)
This ensures that women will never become biblically-wise enough on their own to be able to discern false teaching from biblical teaching - because they'll always be filtering everything through what their Calvinist husbands and pastors teach them.
A sure way to lock people into the cult's mindset, to prevent them from thinking for themselves.
"Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on deceptive and authoritarian practices to make members dependent on and obedient to the group... A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing 'truth' or giving validation... Once people join a group, they’re usually distanced from outside influences. After being separated from the outside world, leaving the group becomes difficult. They often grow dependent on being in the group and develop suspicions of anyone outside the group... These strategies gradually dismantle personal autonomy and critical thinking, replacing them with dependence on the group or leader."
[Note: I hold the Calvinist teachers/leaders to a higher standard and am harsher with them than the Calvinist people in the pews.
Although to be fair, the teachers and leaders were also brainwashed into Calvinism themselves at some point as they tried their best to learn and apply God's Word as they were taught, so I have some compassion for them too. But of all people, they - being the most educated about the Bible - should have been the most able to correctly understand the Bible/the gospel and to have seen the errors and Scripture-twisting of a false theology like Calvinism.
But sadly, education is a two-edged sword. Education keeps some people from error, teaching them to discern truth from lies and deception. But it can educate other people into error, while solidifying them in it even more because they are so sure of themselves and their "wisdom and knowledge" because they "went to seminary," as if they couldn't be wrong because of all the education they've had (as is the case with Calvinist pastors and theologians).
Incidentally, do you know who were the most resistant to Jesus and the gospel back in the day? That's right: The most educated, religious ones, the ones who were so confident in themselves and their education that they thought they couldn't be wrong, confident that they alone understand the truth, sure that everyone had to go to them to learn it.
And yet they missed The Truth completely, even when He was standing right in front of them, teaching them plainly.
So while I do still have compassion on Calvinist pastors and teachers, the buck has to stop somewhere. And it stops with them. (Well, ultimately with Satan, the father of lies. But from a human standpoint, it's the false teachers.) And, biblically, the desire to learn truth, honor God, and spread the gospel doesn't excuse them from getting the truth wrong and spreading a false, twisted gospel, even if it's unintentional, even if their hearts are in the right place.
False teachers are still held accountable, extra accountable, even if they mean well. And this isn't my idea, but God's. James 3:1: "Not many of you should presume to be teachers, my brothers, because you know that we who teach will be judged more strictly."
And so - just a thought - but maybe those of us tender-hearted non-Calvinists who want to have so much compassion on Calvinist pastors/leaders that we don't hold them strongly accountable for the false doctrines they spread, maybe we're actually doing a disservice to them and to God's Word. Maybe we're excusing what God doesn't excuse. Maybe we're trying to let them off the hook when God is holding them extra accountable.
It doesn't mean we have to be harshly-condemning about them as people, but we should be harshly-condemning about the false theology they're spreading. Because if they're going to have to answer to God someday for the errors they spread, we do them no favors - and maybe even show them very little love - by being overly-gentle with it, by refusing to call them to the carpet for it, by not strongly and clearly exposing their errors and challenging them to rethink it and to correct it.
2 Cor. 11:13-15: "For such men are false apostles, deceitful workmen, masquerading as apostles of Christ... Their end will be what their actions deserve."
How joyful can we really be on that day when we watch them get punished for bad theology that we passively encouraged and allowed to spread by our tolerance and milquetoast reactions?
Sometimes being harsh and firm, mincing no words and pulling no punches, is the loving thing to do. That's why it's called "tough love."]
Anyway, so while there are some Calvinists and pastors that are more obviously and intentionally controlling and cult-like than others, I think most Calvinists really are just trying their best to be good Christians who honor God, remain faithful to His Word, and faithfully share the gospel with others.
Most Calvinists are Calvinists because their hearts are in the right place and they truly desire to uphold the Bible and bring God glory. They've just got no idea that they've been manipulated and educated into bad theology. (Those huge Systematic Theology books sure are impressive, aren't they? Very intellectual and intelligent-sounding. Persuasive.)
But that's the thing: "No one knowingly, voluntarily joins a cult, but they are 'recruited' into it by cult leaders who take advantage of the vulnerabilities of the recruits, using deception and manipulation to suck them in... Many people join cults because they believe they’re being offered solid, absolute answers for questions such as good vs. evil, religion, the meaning of life, politics, etc."
And, sorry to say, but having a good heart and good intentions doesn't make Calvinism correct. It doesn't make its cult-like tactics okay. It doesn't change its underlying attitude of "We are the spiritual authorities, and everyone must come to us to understand the Bible, and no one can disagree with us."
As A.W. Pink (Doctrine of Election) says: "those who continue to cavil against [Calvinism] and steadfastly refuse any part of the truth, are not entitled to be regarded as Christians."
And Robert Morey (in the "Does God love everyone?" video) says “If you’re not happy with biblical teaching [he means "Calvinist teaching"]… fine… go out and find your own religion. Leave the Christian church and go into the Unitarian of the new age. Stop cluttering up the pews. We who remain will be in revival the moment you hit the door - because the greatest hinderance to revival and reformation are the deadbeat unregenerate humanists who clutter up the church, shouldn’t be here because you don’t submit to the Scripture. Shouldn’t be here.”
"Zero tolerance for criticism or questions... A belief that the leader is right at all times... A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing 'truth' or giving validation... Cults are authoritarian (disagreeing with or opposing the leader is not allowed), and cult leaders are malignant narcissists... They have a strong leader who demands obedience and claims to speak for God."
In the next posts in this series, I'll share some preliminary notes and give a brief overview of Calvinism's various word-tricks, errors, and cult-like tactics that trap people into their theological beliefs. (I'm not sure yet if I'll do the preliminary notes first or the brief overview. We'll see.)
And then I'll cover some of their cult-like tactics more in-depth later in the series. I've already examined a lot of these in my "9 Marks of a Calvinist Cult" series, but in this "Calvi-cult's damage" series, I hope to present a shorter review of it all, especially to show why I think Calvinism is so damaging to our hearts, minds, faith, and churches. (See HVAC_MLG's story in part 1, the inspiration for this series.)
Plus, I'm hoping to get a couple friends to share their experiences of coming out of Calvinism and/or a Calvinist church, to personally show the effects it's had on them and their hearts and faith.
[But for now - coincidental timing - here's a new video from Alana L., explaining this very thing from her experience (I haven't yet watched it myself because I just found it, but I will soon): The Psychological Journey of Leaving Calvinism: 6 Years Later]
