Signs to avoid High Control Groups

Faith 

1. Strong or unshakable belief in something, especially without proof or evidence.

2. A specific system of religious beliefs

3. Complete confidence or trust in a person, remedy etc.

4. Any set of firmly held principles or belief.

5. Allegiance to a person, cause or group.

Why am I sharing the meaning of faith with you?

This is one of the main things that is manipulated by high control groups. Having spent a lot of time in the spiritual new age movement, I have come into contact with a lot of these groups, and how they operate, and they don't just exist in this world, there are also corporate high control groups, and  political high control groups.

I grew up with one of these groups circling around me and my family my whole childhood, so as such have developed a spidey sense for these groups, and over the last few years I have seen this more and more in the political world.

Why is it important to be aware of these groups?

The majority of people who get caught up in these groups are just seeking, truth, knowledge and answers to things such as faith, life and love etc, and as such unfortunately it makes them vulnerable to these high control groups, so to avoid these groups it is in everyone's best interest to recongnise the signs and get out before it is too late.

What are the signs of a High Control Group?

1. Opposition against critical thought.

The group will not have an official forum to voice your critics, raise concerns or concerns. When there is a forum that allows you to question leaders, you will be encourage to check things out, but they will steer you to approved sources that create the impression of the doctrine of the group having a wider recognition, and acceptance, than they actually do. More so the leaders will discourage you reading from anything that discredits the group by claiming them as false and unreliable.

2. Self Doubt is encouraged.

By encouraging self doubt, this helps high control groups to reinforce any critical thinking. You will be told things such as doubt you doubt, or that these doubts are temptations and need to be ignored, or you'll be questioned who in your life outside the group is causing these doubts. The dogma you are taught undermines your confidence in yourself. 

3. Leaders will claim to have special insight or knowledge.

The leader of the group is quiet often very charismatic and narcissistic, they will often have some sort of special title such as prophet, enlightened teacher etc. They are confident, talk in an emotive, powerful and poetic way, using a lot of  colourful metaphors, and superlatives. They use drama and theatrics, with rhetorical skills in their speeches, in order to circumvent people's critical faculties, persuading people to follow the company line or dogma.

There is a strict hierarchy in which leaders that are more dogmatic in their beliefs, and show steadfast loyalty to the leader are promoted and included in the inner circle, with others who are not kept at arms length. 

The leader will also distance themselves from authorities, institutions, that would hold them accountable.

4. There are draconian, and intrusive rules for members.

High control groups will have rules or guidelines set forth by the leader regarding all aspects of life, from dating, marriage, diet, lifestyle, raising children, work etc.

In fact you will be encouraged to seek answers from the chain of command within the group rather that any outside sources, to further brainwash you and keep you in control of the group, from any problems that arise within your relationships, you will also be encourage to restrict your diet in someway from calorie restrictions, to mandated fasting days and more.

If member break rules or decide to leave, they are shunned, and you are encouraged to also shun them.

There are many more signs and I'll break these down over the next few weeks.