Cult Math - When Things Don't Add Up

 

 

I never tested well when it came to math. Even if I studied, I would get to the test and I could never get the numbers to add up just right. I remember the distinct feelings of being in a math exam, knowing something was wrong, nut just not able to put my thumb on it. If I had, the answer would have been right!

Sometimes we find ourselves in situations in life where we have that pit in the stomach feeling that we can't get rid of. Everything seems to be working, but something is just off an we can't get our minds wrapped around it. This is often the case when it comes to being in churches that are toxic or cultish. How could anything be wrong? I've been told we have the best and highest level of teaching, and if I do what I'm supposed to I'll be the 1% of believers at the end of days. 

When you grow up in a system like that that seems normal. When you don't know what different is you just keep on going like nothing is wrong. That is until you start to notice stuff just doesn't add up.

What about those people that recently left the church? "well...they got bitter and left", or "they took up another person's offense and left because of it." These phrases and many others like it are often paired with language of warning to not become like that person lest you "miss God's highest for your life"

Maybe you find yourself in a situation like this and you don't even know where to start. My suggestion, start with math!

Christian Cults do 4 things:
1. Add to God’s Word
2. Subtract from the person of Jesus
3. Multiply the requirements of salvation
4. Divide their followers loyalty 

(from https://www.brentcunningham.org/)

 Keep your eye out and you will be surprised by what you see. Fudamentalism and legalism in different way find a way to implement each of these math fundamentals (see what I did there). It may not be obvious at first (it wasn't for me), but you will begin to realize what is wrong. Things have been taken out of balance. The truth of who God is has been removed from the love and mercy of who He is and utilized as a tool to keep people in their place, and order their lives how the leaders wants them to be. The math of Christian cults is used to force people to stay with their adulterous and abusive spouses, keeping people in shame for their habitual sins with no way to find freedom, keeping people in immaturity unable to make basic decisions without feeling guilty of "not seeking counsel" and the list goes on. 

The gospel is different. In Jesus there is freedom and new life from whatever was before. There is a new day that has dawned because of King Jesus, and He's offering it to each and every one who says yes.

If things don't add up, come to the one who said "it is finished!"