Government appeal: Please protect youngsters against cults
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How about a PG rating system to protect against Singaporean cults like CHC, NCC or FCBC?
A motion picture rating system is designated to classify films with regard to suitability for audiences in terms of issues such as sex, violence, substance abuse, profanity, impudence or other types of mature content. A particular issued rating can be called a certification, classification, certificate or rating. Basically, the PG rating is designed to help parents decide whether a movie is suitable for their children.
So how about a PG rating system for cults?
Under the cloak of being a church, cultic movements like CHC, NCC and FCBC are drawing large crowds of young people with only one purpose: Filling the pockets of the leaders.
The methods used by these so called "Christian churches to attract and keep the young and innocent Singaporeans in their claws are not magical. The tricks and methods have been identified and published (go google "cults"), so ignorance is no defence.
Why is our government letting this happen right under their noses?
It is one thing to abuse charity funds, yet a complete other matter if the future of young Singaporeans is at stake.Are young Singaporeans not worth the effort?
If your child is in danger of being sucked in by a friendly schoolmate, following summary of the methods used by CHC, NCC and FCBC might help you to identify and prevent worse. More information can be read under my other post, which will be updated regularly. (http://sgforums.com/forums/4163/topics/448542)
What are the Characteristics of a destructive Cult?
1. Self-appointed messianic leader(s) who focuses followers’ veneration upon him or her, claims divine selection, and exercises autocratic control over members’ lives.
2. Use of deception and misrepresentation for purposes of recruitment, retention and fundraising.
3. Techniques aimed at controlling individual thought and personal privacy that frequently lead to a coerced reconstitution of personality.
To be considered a destructive cult, a group must have all of the above to one degree or another. Looks familiar?
CHC, NCC, and FCBC qualify to the above criteria. Next time your child is going to "Church service" - THINK AGAIN!!!More characteristics:
A destructive cult is an organization whose followers have been deceptively and unethically recruited and retained. They use manipulative techniques, which are imposed without the informed consent of the recruit and are designed to alter personality and behavior. These groups are only concerned about advancing the mission or business of the group, and not the well being of the individual members. The leadership is interested in control, power, and self-aggrandizement.
A GROUP OF PEOPLE WHO:
- Give total and unquestioning loyalty to a leader as a living deity or prophet.
- Use deception and manipulation to recruit and keep members.
HAS A LEADER (OR LEADERS) WHO:
- Is charismatic.
- Holds a uniquely exalted position.
- Claims an exclusive relationship or direct contact with God,
THE LEADER EXPECTS:
- Complete and total loyalty and obedience to the leader.
- Complete and literal acceptance of the leader’s teachings.
- Unquestioning devotion to the group and its leader.
CULTS ARE:
- Unethical in their practices.
- Designed to advance the goal of the group’s leader ("Arise and Build"), often to the detriment of its members.
- Dangerous because they separate people from their families, friends and other support networks. In this way, cults foster in their members feelings of complete dependency and sometimes isolation from outside influences.
CULTS WILL USE ONE OF THE FOLLOWING MANIPULATIVE TACTICS:
Deception.Cults do not tell potential members what they actually believe, and only reveal their true doctrine to members gradually, as the member is able to accept it. Church services are organized to perfection using cardiovascular music, speaking in tongues, video-screens, camera's, peer pressure,... all aimed at numbing the rational part of the brain to increase susceptibility. It becomes a feel-good experience. And if it feels good, it must be good. Psychology 101.
Remember: If something is true it can stand being questioned, if it is not true it needs to be questioned. Deception has no place in the Christian church.
Exclusivism. Cults will create the impression and seed the belief that only they have the truth and the correct path to salvation. No good Christian church claims that they are better than others. Leaving the cult is equated with leaving God, and members really believe that leaving the cult means they can never be saved.
Guilt and Intimidation. Disagreeing with the leadership (or even just questioning it) is akin to disagreeing with God. It becomes a one way communication. Bible study schools and cell group meetings are used to smutter resistance, where members have their motives and character attacked until they fall into line again.
Information Control. Members are discouraged, or simply have no time left to, read or watch any material not published by the cult. This includes newspapers, TV, radio, and even the Bible outside of the cult's own Bible studies. All criticism is viewed as an attack to the group.
Loaded Language. The cult uses its own language and terms, with common words having quite different meanings to the members. (For example, the Holy Spirit to a CHC'er is a force like electricity.) Attempts by non-members to reason with cult members is reinterpreted since cult members are taught to expect opposition, such as their group being called a cult, or claims that it is harmful, etc. (Closely related to thought stopping - see below).
Love Bombing and Conditional Love. New members are almost smothered in love, acceptance, etc - a process known as love bombing. The new member has instant friends and all emotional needs are met. This normally lasts a few months - a honeymoon period - and then love and acceptance is turned on and off to control.
Personality Replacement. Close friends or family notice the member's personality changes from what they were like before joining the group. The member is then indoctrinated with the cult's new doctrine. The old life becomes "evil". CHC uses "Bible" studies, cellgroup meetings, services and events to do this, resulting in cult members appearing to know their Bible better than many Christians - unfortunately with the cult's theology underlying their knowledge. It can take years to eliminate all this false doctrine. While this indoctrination is happening the member is adopting the accepted cult personality, which may be markedly different to the personality they had beforehand.
Relationship Control. Reduces the time spent on relationships with people outside the cult or those who would tend to draw the member away from the cult. Members are often employed in cult-owned or affiliated businesses. Members are motivated to date and marry within CHC. This means that after being in a cult for a few years, members have no friends or family outside the cult - it can make leaving a very bleak prospect.
Reporting Structure. Any indiscretions, however minor, are reported back to the leadership, with members being encouraged to report "struggling brothers." In CHC, this can result in "blindly trust thy leaders" sermons, where the leader preaches a sermon directly aimed at what a particular members are currently struggling with - and has talked about in confidence with someone else. When members hears this they think that God is speaking directly through the preacher to them.
Shunning (a part of relationship control). Members are discouraged from talking to or associating with former members. In other words, former members are "shunned" (completely ignored) by present members. The fear of being shunned helps keep present members within the group.
Thought Stopping. Step by step, members are indoctrinated (normally over years) to have thoughts stopped or reasoning processes interrupted when they hear a certain phrase or even a word CHC's favorite: "Do not let them hijack your faith"). For example, when a CHC member is talking with a non-member about Jesus wanting us to be rich, and the latter mentions that such doctrine is not sound. The CHC member thinks "Aha! We were warned about this!" and immediately starts to reinterpret everything he/she hears according to the cult teachings (see loaded language above). Reasoning processes are instantly affected and strong resistance to rational thought is triggered in the member. CHC members are not aware yet they do this constantly.
Time Control. Keeps the member so busy with cult activities they have no time to think deeply about their involvement or pursue activities that might lead them away from the cult. The member might have cult meetings or Bible studies several nights a week. The large amount of both single young adults, with no time to find a bf, as well as high number of divorces in CHC, is a sad example of time control. No time left to live a life.
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If you are appealing to the Gov, why don't you submit this on the REACH portal.
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James_Tan_1983 I see you started your slander here as well. Did you think I would not notice?
Dear reader, please be informed that CHC is currently considering steps to sue this site and James_Tan_1983 for defamation of City Harvest Church. Please refrain from making any comments to avoid becoming an accomplice.
God bless!
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Dear reader, please be informed that CHC is currently considering steps to sue this site and James_Tan_1983 for defamation of City Harvest Church. Please refrain from making any comments to avoid becoming an accomplice.
Best. I hope it's true, because one should always tell the truth.
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Please prove that CHC is considering steps to sue this site and James
Please also prove the part of the law that says making comments will auto make you an accomplice
By making these two statements, i knew straightaway we are dealing with kids here...
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Zeeleewong,
It seems to be a new concept for you that outside the protective walls of CHC there are people who do not completely agree with everything your church is doing.
Freedom of speech means that every single human has the right to voice their opinion. Instead of bouncing up and down, you could put forward arguments supporting your disagreement. Of course this requires a certain level of maturity, confidence in your own beliefs and ability to reason. You create the perception that you lack this skills thus supporting my argument that CHC is not only producing "good fruits".
It was not my intention to offend CHC or yourself (is there a difference as you seem to take criticism to CHC very personal?) yet I will stand by my posts. Threatening with lawsuit does seem a bit childless and does not impress me in the least.
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Originally posted by James_Tan_1983:
Zeeleewong,
It seems to be a new concept for you that outside the protective walls of CHC there are people who do not completely agree with everything your church is doing.
Freedom of speech means that every single human has the right to voice their opinion. Instead of bouncing up and down, you could put forward arguments supporting your disagreement. Of course this requires a certain level of maturity, confidence in your own beliefs and ability to reason. You create the perception that you lack this skills thus supporting my argument that CHC is not only producing "good fruits".
It was not my intention to offend CHC or yourself (is there a difference as you seem to take criticism to CHC very personal?) yet I will stand by my posts. Threatening with lawsuit does seem a bit childless and does not impress me in the least.
Being human is having the right to speak out against anything.
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PG rating?
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Originally posted by charlize:
PG rating?
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Originally posted by Summer hill:
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school holidays...
haiz
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send fifi to spank those kids
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Originally posted by laurence82:
send fifi to spank those kids
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Originally posted by the Bear:
school holidays...
haiz
The school holidays have nothing to do with this thread. :)
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Originally posted by Summer hill:
The school holidays have nothing to do with this thread. :)
Damn lot of weird people in sgforums.
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Actually gov should protect youngsters from fb.
Everyday spend all their time playing restaurant city or farmville.
TV no more business liao.
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Originally posted by Zeeleewong:
James_Tan_1983 I see you started your slander here as well. Did you think I would not notice?
Dear reader, please be informed that CHC is currently considering steps to sue this site and James_Tan_1983 for defamation of City Harvest Church. Please refrain from making any comments to avoid becoming an accomplice.
God bless!
How all these threats of suing come from the sheep, but not the top management? Surely you would expect the geisha or her husband to post statements like these?
I read another well known website where it clearly states< 'Kong Hee doing the Ming Yi>. Well that site is still there today after 2 years, and no word of any lawsuit.