How Cults and High Control Groups Recruit College Students

College students are on Holiday break currently, so we thought this was the perfect time to get the word out again about the common tactics used by high controlling groups and cults to recruit college students, either on or off campus. These tactics don't just apply to college students, anyone can be fall vulnerable to these tactics. However, a point should be made that cults and high control groups actually target young adults and college students because They Know this can be a likely vulnerable time in their life and they will prey on the fact that these young adults can and do make big decisions sometimes without talking openly with their parents or family.

College students can be very vulnerable to recruitment, for several different reasons. Some of which may be:

1. This may be the first time on their own as an adult away from their family and home. This can be a lonely, scary time and they may want to fill the void by being part of a close group of people, this can sometimes feel like an instant belonging and "family" type atmosphere.

2. They may come from a very dysfunctional family in which their emotional needs were neglected. Being part of a tight group of people who give them lots of admiration and attention (Love bombing) can be very appealing for a young adult who was neglected of such basic needs.  

3. Their world view sometimes can change being out on their own away from the safety and comfort of their home and family. They may want to be part of something "bigger then themselves", something that feels very important and that would or could make them proud of themselves. Helping others, changing the world for the better, these type of ideals are very appealing to most of us, who doesn't want to "help" ourselves, others or the world. High control groups and cults know the right buttons to push.

These are just a few examples of reasons young adults / college students can be vulnerable to recruitment. It is essential to educate our youth so they are armed with the knowledge and can protect themselves from manipulation and coercion.

Of course some of these tactics are popular marketing practices, with that in mind, not all groups who use these tactics are out to manipulate or take advantage of people. But it is a starting point in educating young adults about the initial process of recruitment and indoctrination by high control groups or cults. Our next blog post on this topic will cover what separates a healthy group from an unhealthy group and or cult. What are healthy boundaries when being involved in a group.


In the meantime please educate your children, share this blog post, our website, social media pages etc with family and friends, share in facebook groups and other social media outlets, share with educators and counselors etc. Help us educate society.

Our website has a wealth of preventative education materials that can be downloaded, printed and shared with others.  https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/Cult-Education/Fact-sheets/

As always Thank you for supporting our organization and the important cause we are tirelessly working for. Together we can make a big difference and save so many lives!

Sincerely,

The FACT Team
Families Against Cult Teachings, Inc   
 

Abuse in Group Settings - What Not To Do

Concerned about a friend or loved one who may be involved in a high control group? It could be a religious group, a gang, a new age self help meditation type of group, a guru that they seek counsel from constantly etc. Manipulation, exploitation, coercion and abuse happens in various kinds of relations. 

Often times an outsider can see things more clearly than someone who's involved heavily in a group setting. If you have a friend or loved one involved in a group that you are concerned about and you don't know exactly what to do yet or how to approach them, here are a few things to consider.

Until you educate yourself more and come up with a plan of action here is a few things you should consider Not Doing.

The most effective way to help someone who's involved in these types of groups or cults is to stimulate their Critical Thinking Skills. We all know and probably have experienced that when we feel the need to defend ourselves that stimulates our Defenses and the conversation tends to lean more towards an argument or disagreement, which is not going to help the situation. We want effective dialogue so the person we're seeking to help can actually think clearer and come up with their own answers, conclusions and "ahh ha" moments.

Before you have the conversation with your friend or loved one, do your homework. List out several thought provoking questions you plan on asking them. Try to do it in a non threatening manner, no raised voices, no heavy demands etc. Try to be as understanding as possible and ask specific questions that will get the person to think instead of reacting and defending their views.

Examples questions you may ask about the leadership of the church or group:

Who is the leader(s)?
What are their background and qualifications?
Do they have a criminal record, a legacy of allegations against them, or a history of misconduct?
Do they have emotional outbursts?
Do they physically abuse followers?

Do ordinary people find them inaccessible, unreachable, or elitist?

 Example questions you may want to ask about the transparency of the church or group:

Are there “in” groups and “out” groups?
Are there restricted teachings for initiates only?
Are there secret texts and publications “for your eyes only”?
Is there real financial accountability and transparency?
If a group says that you can look at its accounting records, does it actually provide access?
Does the group culture discourage you from asking questions?

Example questions you may want to ask about the groups claims and doctrine:

If “miracles” have been performed, can they be replicated under open observation and scientific conditions?
Are there other explanations for the “miracles,” such as magic tricks, hypnosis, etc.?
Does the group attempt to shift the burden of proof for extraordinary or unverifiable claims?
Are questions and doubts permitted within the organization?
Are all members expected to conform to group beliefs, or can they form independent belief systems?
What do former leaders and members say about the group?
Does the group claim to have access to absolute truth?
Does the group spread disinformation in promotional materials?

Example questions you may want to ask about personal time and resources:

Is the member being asked to give more and more of their time? For fellowship, helping to promote the group, "bible" study/classes etc?

Is the member being asked for donations and monetary support? If so, is it pressured, is it required, are they looked down upon if they don't want to or don't have the funds? 

Does the member have a balance of personal life, work life and life apart from the group/church?  In other words are other areas of life being neglected as a result of involvement in a group?

Does the member have re-occurring conflicts with a spouse over involvement with the group?

These are just examples of questions you may want to ask. It may take a few attempts at this topic of conversation with your friend or loved one before they are even willing to talk. Be patient and understanding, people don't knowingly get involved in high control groups or cults. They usually get involved as a way to try and resolve issues in their life or are seeking legitimate spiritual guidance or help. The last thing you want is for them to stop talking to you because you aren't being supportive or understanding. 

Be sure to visit our Education section on our website for more vital resources and information.
https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/Cult-Education/Cult-Warning-Signs/

Happy Holidays and Thank you for your Support

Dear Fact Friends and Followers,

We here at FACT want to Thank you for all your involvement and support in our mission; to Save children, adults and families from exploitation, manipulation, suffering and hardship from self serving predatory personalities and groups.

The year 2017 was very productive for us, we were able to help many victims and survivors of mental, sexual and monetary exploitation. However, due to our budget restraints we were limited to the number of cases we could attend to. The work we do involves a lot of darkness, investigative work, man hours and demands a plethora of truth be uncovered.

Feedback from a recent expose we conducted:

"You've done more investigative work on this place than any local authorities. It's awesome!" Emily 

Feedback from a father who is trying to determine if his daughter is involved in a high control group / cult:

"I have read most everything on your site. It is very informative and a great resource!" Steve

"Thank you for all you do to help families & spotlight awareness of religious abuse!" Sonya 

 One of our main goals in 2018 is to double the cases where we save lives.

We urge our supporters and friends to share our work, stories and mission with your friends and family and we ask that if you can, please donate to our life saving cause. No amount is to small.

Please donate what you can to help us, help others.

Click here to Donate Today 

  

On behave of all the victims who have experienced abuse, neglect and exploitation, and our entire team at FACT, we thank you for all of your support. We wish you and yours a Very Happy and Healthy Holiday Season.

Sincerely,

Tibor Stern

President of FACT

Dear Supporters,

FACT is featured in a full page article in the December issue of Apostate Monthly.

Apostate Monthly, is the only magazine written by, for, and about apostates, and those coming out of high-control, abusive religions and similar environments. With stories of survivors as well as columns and advice for how to rebuild and reclaim your life, this is a magazine anyone is sure to love! Be sure to subscribe and get your monthly issue! https://www.apostatemonthly.com/

We'd like to Thank the editor for her thoughtfulness in including our organization in the magazine and for helping us spread our message. Awareness is key to prevention!

Sincerely,

The FACT Team
Families Against Cult Teachings, Inc

THE HOUSE OF PRAYER EXPOSE (HOPCC): CONCLUSION

THE HOUSE OF PRAYER EXPOSE (HOPCC): CONCLUSION
Please Note: Our intention at FACT is never to libel or damage anyone’s reputation. The purpose of our work is to educate the public and also for HOPCC leadership to understand the severity of the allegations against them. Moreover, please know that all statements made in this expose are according to our opinion at FACT, based upon signed affidavits, complaints and evidence we received from alleged victims of HOPCC, family members of those involved, etc. and through our analysis of this information according to the B.I.T.E. model (developed by cult expert Steven Hassan).
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According to our analysis of the complaints, signed affidavits and evidence we have received from church insiders, ex-victims and families affected by the House of Prayer Christian Church, we believe Pastor Rony Denis, the leader of the HOPCC, is manipulating, controlling and exploiting the congregants of his church primarily for financial gain and free labor. We have been told by a few ex-members of the church that even though there are many poor individuals and families who are members of his church, Pastor Denis owns a home, in the Hinesville, GA area, that is estimated to be over 7000 square feet, in addition to a large beach home in Florida, two Rolls Royces and a Bentley, which we believe speaks volumes in light of all the above information and evidence.
In an effort to effect change, ex-church members have held protests and most recently conducted a town hall meeting in order to express their concerns and inform citizens about the HOPCC. Please see the attached article from the Coastal Courier.
We believe it is also very important to note that in some of the complaints Pastor Denis was compared to the infamous cult leader Jim Jones who coerced over 900 people in his congregation to commit suicide. Allegedly Pastor Denis has already forced all members of his congregation to get passports in preparation for a potentially move to Jerusalem before the rapture comes next year, which according to this pastor will occur on January 13th, 2018.
Some quotes from the complaints we received which support this line of thinking:
“He [Rony Denis] commanded all members to get passports, in preparing to move all to Jerusalem. Things are getting dangerous!”
“…if this man [Rony Denis] is not stopped his next venue will be killing people like Jim Jones has done. He has already taught the people that if he tells you to drink or eat something poisonous that you should obey him and only God can stop him!!!! Please someone help, before it's too late…”
“This is a cult! I’ve been in it for 15 years. I just "woke up" after he, Rony Jimmy Jones Denis, claimed he knew the date of rapture and said God was going to take him the night before... Among a million other things he is starting to say and do.”
“Yes this church is a cult. I was there from the beginning, Rony Denis is a very evil man. This man has the same attributes as Jim Jones. If you weren't involved with the them you have no way to make a proper assessment, as to what really goes in being closed doors. Anything can be made to look good on the surface. Check out www.hopcc.com to know the truth.”
When we discussed this with Rev. Yorke, he said he never witnessed any talk of suicide while being a member of the church, but believes it is certainly possible. We believe it is very important that all members of the HOPCC receive and read this expose. If you are able to share this with a member of the congregation, please do so immediately as it might save their life and additional lives as well.
Lastly, we contacted Pastor Rony Denis as part of our investigation in an effort to give him a chance to respond to the allegations against him. We were immediately met with a response from his lawyer, which stated, “I am the attorney for Reverend Denis and his church. You are hereby directed not to attempt any further communication with him or members of his church. All communication must be with me and me alone from this point forward. Additionally, please be advised that if you make any defamatory comments or remarks about Reverend Denis or his church, we will not hesitate to take appropriate legal action.” We believe this response speaks for itself. You be the judge.
Some final quotes from the complaints:
“Rony Denis always has a way of explaining why he acts the way he does, and treats people in the most abusive matter. He would always say it’s good for people not to have money, because all they do is waist it. It’s good for people to have bad credit because it stops them from making bills. Or I’m the only one who God can trust with money. This is why he can’t get saved, every place has done something wrong to someone, he gives himself an excuse of why it was OK to wrong someone. He once told me that one of the reasons he took up so much of my time is because if he didn’t I would use it to goof off. Notice the reasoning of a guilty conscience? He never will ever address if it’s wrong to take people’s money, ruin their credit, or make a slave out of them, but he will always say ‘I did it because’.”
“The mistreatment that I endured at times felt unbearable and the wounds are irreversible. My hope is that this man [Rony Denis] would be stopped before destroying more families.”
“I left that church, many of their members ex-communicated me. Looking back on it, I thank the Lord for allowing me to escape, because I myself would have been an active church member distancing myself from my family. I pray that love ones that are still involved in this church wake up & go back to their families while still continuing to serve God.”

If you have any additional information about the HOPCC that you would like to share, either positive or negative, please contact us at: https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/
To read our online expose, please visit: https://www.familiesagainstcultteachings.org/…/Expos…/HOPCC/