- Addition: Adding man-made rules or new scriptures to existing religious texts.
- Subtraction: Subtracting from the central figure of faith (e.g., denying the deity of Christ).
- Multiplication: Multiplying the requirements for salvation (making it impossible to achieve without the group).
- Division: Dividing loyalties, where the leader acts as the sole mediator, separating followers from standard doctrine
Historical “Math” Cults (The Pythagoreans)
- Mystical Numbers: They believed all things could be understood through numerical patterns and that the soul could be perfected through math.
- Bizarre Rules: They were forbidden from eating fava beans and maintained intense secrecy
Psychological and Social Structure
- Totalitarianism: Cults create a “we vs. them” mentality, often separating members from their families and previous lives.
- Charismatic Leadership: The group revolves around a central figure who is seen as infallible.
- Identity and Belonging: Cults often thrive by offering intense, seemingly unconditional acceptance that feels lost in modern society
Common Indicators of a Cultic Group
- Control: The group is preoccupied with making money or recruiting new members.
- Isolation: Members are isolated from friends and family.
- Hostility: The group is highly hostile to anyone outside their circle.
