I found this at a Christian site, but I would agree with the main points on how to recognize a cult. The CoC as a denomination DOES match certain of these - but not all. I'll comment on the ones I see as characteristics of the CoC - see if you agree:Social aspects of cult-like behavior
For a group to be a cult in the social sense, many of the following characteristics would have to be present. For a group to be a cult in the doctrinal sense, essentials (in this case of the Christian faith) would have to be violated. Some of the characteristics are listed below.
No, or at least, only somewhat. The CoC does give heightened respect to elders and preachers, but not to the extent of seeing them as having prophetic abilities, or special connections to God. The CoC does attract and reward authoritarianism, and the rank and file to tend to be very respectful of authority because of THAT aspect, rather than attributing special holiness or Spiritual Connection to the leadership.Submission:
Complete, almost unquestioned trust in the leadership.
Leaders are often seen as prophets, apostles, or special individuals with unusual connections to God. This helps a person give themselves over psychologically to trusting someone else for their spiritual welfare.
Increased submission to the leadership is rewarded with additional responsibilities and/or roles, and/or praises, increasing the importance of the person within the group.
Oh absolutely yes on that one. Totally agree.Exclusivity
Their group is the only true religious system, or one of the few true remnants of God's people.
Again, absolutely yes. Totally agree.Persecution complex
Us against them mentality. Therefore, when someone (inside or outside of the group) corrects the group in doctrine and/or behavior, it is interpreted as persecution, which then is interpreted as validation.
To a degree. But the CoC ALSO teaches that people should do their own investigation and make up their own minds - which I will completely agree results in a remarkable level of cognitive dissonance. Still - it's there. So this one gets a solid 'not exactly'.Control
Control of members' actions and thinking through repeated indoctrination and/or threats of loss of salvation, or a place to live, or receiving curses from God, etc.
you know what? Not really. Not as much as we might think. The CoC does demand a fair amount of 'in group' meetings which TEND to limit the time people have for socializing with non-members, but it doesn't stop that, or actually police it much.Isolation
Minimizing contact of church members with those outside the group. This facilitates a further control over the thinking and practices of the members by the leadership.
Heh. No.Love Bombing
Showing great attention and love to a person in the group by others in the group, to help transfer emotional dependence to the group.
No on that one. CoC leaders don't typically preach to the congregation about getting messages directly from God. That's too Pentacostal for the CoC.Special Knowledge
Instructions and/or knowledge are sometimes said to be received by a leader(s) from God. This leader then informs the members.
The Special Knowledge can be received through visions, dreams, or new interpretations of sacred scriptures such as the Bible.
Visions? dreams? Hah - no way. Too much 'Holy Spirit' going on there, and everybody knows the HS stopped talking to people as soon as the NT was available.
Mixed. Repeatedly drilled? yes. indoctrination around those 'special knowledge' from dreams and visions of the leadership? Nah. no way.Indoctrination
The teachings of the group are repeatedly drilled into the members, but the indoctrination usually occurs around Special Knowledge.
Ok, that one is a yes. But not 'special knowledge'.Salvation
Salvation from the judgment of God is maintained through association and/or submission with the group, its authority, and/or its Special Knowledge
Kinda sorta, right? Or a flat yes.Group Think
The group's coherence is maintained by the observance to policies handed down from those in authority.
There is an internal enforcement of policies by members who reward "proper" behavior, and those who perform properly are rewarded with further inclusion and acceptance by the group.
Yes.Cognitive Dissonance
Avoidance of critical thinking and/or maintaining logically impossible beliefs and/or beliefs that are inconsistent with other beliefs held by the group.
Avoidance of and/or denial of any facts that might contradict the group's belief system.
Sometimes but not consistently. Sometimes there's just a congregational split (the CoC is GREAT at this). Sometimes people just leave and go somewhere else. Shunning is inconsistent and overall, rare.Shunning
Those who do not keep in step with group policies are shunned and/or expelled.
Yes, or kind of - I think that 'gender roles' in religions GENERALLY is very common, so I don't think the CoC is doing something particularly differently from, say, Southern Baptists or LDS or just about any other Christian denomination on the traditional/fundamentalist end of things. So - that one is very iffy as a 'cult sign'.Gender Roles
Control of gender roles and definitions.
Severe control of gender roles sometimes leads to sexual exploitation.
No. Really not.Appearance Standards
Often a common appearance is required and maintained. For instance, women might wear prairie dresses, and/or their hair in buns, and/or no makeup, and/or the men might all wear white short-sleeved shirts, and/or without beards, or all wear beards.
