#control tactics

[unwelcome-ozian]

[shadowsofcontrol]

Abusers will often be emotionally distant, unavailable, cold, or barely respond to you, leaving you questioning if everything is OK. You may inevitably comply with their wishes or demands because it is the only way to get any warmth or connection from them. Eventually, this creates a dynamic where you will work really hard to cater to their needs and wishes, while your needs are completely ignored and neglected.

[unwelcome-ozian]

[unwelcome-ozian]

Is the Salvation Army a cult?

The Salvation Army has 'cult like' tendencies. For example:

On joining the Salvation Army members pledge "unquestioning obedience and sacrifice" to their church. Internal dissension is tightly controlled.  William Booth described this as "God's own system" Young people are expected to marry only within the Army. Officers are only allowed to marry other officers - they have to leave if they marry "civilians" (people outside the church). Members have to get Army permission to go on dates.  To sum it up, the Army has an unhealthy degree of control over their followers' lives.

Salvation Army material constantly refers to William Booth almost as if he was a saint or prophet. The question is often not what's the right thing to do, or what would Jesus have done - but what Booth would have done. This is very similar to cults with their worship of their 'gurus'. For example the Army rejects smoking. They admit that the Bible doesn't refer to smoking, but because Booth said it's immoral, it becomes "unchristian behaviour".

If someone doesn't follow the Salvation Army's religious rules they are no longer allowed to be in the group.

It is well know the Salvation Army is not welcoming to LGBTQ individuals.

As I said these are 'cult like' as they are controlling the individual and if you don't follow the belief system you can't belong.  What keeps the Salvation Army on the cusp of not being a 'full cult' is people can leave, the Salvation Army doesn't have any 'secret keeping' (confession) style of beliefs.

Oz

[unwelcome-ozian]

[unwelcome-ozian]

[unwelcome-ozian]

[hinterlandliving]

Freedom Comes Unexpectedly

Not for me…yet. However, for someone I love dearly. My son Illyan. I had no idea the amount of control Paul exerted over his life through technology. Paul did so by setting himself up as “the authority” that my son must turn to every single time he needed help with anything…from his computer to a phone. This made it possible for Paul to change passwords on a whim, deny access to his email, shut…