Groups Targeted by the CCM

As described in our essay on cults, sects and denominations the word cult has been used to refer to many different styles of worship or religious groups. We will deal with four meanings of "cult" - the ones attacked by the Counter-Cult Movement:

	Christian faith groups whose beliefs deviate significantly from historical, mainline Christianity. For example: The Jehovah's Witnesses is a Christian group that has unique beliefs concerning the Trinity and the battle of Armageddon. The Mormon Church is a Christian group with unique beliefs concerning the ancient history of America and of the nature of heaven
	Established non-Christian faith groups. For example: Wicca is a non-Christian religion, derived from ancient pagan beliefs and practices of Northern Europe Santeria is a syncretistic religion centered in the Caribbean which combines elements of Roman Catholicism and of ancient African aboriginal religions.
	New or emerging religion or faith groups. For example: The Church of Scientology was founded in 1954 and is based on the writings of L.R. Hubbard. Eckankar is a religion with ancient roots which was established in its current form by Paul Twitchell in 1970.
	Covenantal or Spiritual Communities. These are intentional communes formed by people following a single religious or philosophical system.

There in excess of 1,000 Christian denominations, sects and other faith groups in North America. The exact number can never be determined because new groups are continually being created even as older groups disbanding or merging. Some groups hold novel beliefs which put them outside of the main thrust of Christianity in North America. Some non-traditional beliefs are:

	People can become Gods.
	The organization's leader is considered a modern day prophet with a direct channel to God
	They deny the Trinity
	They deny the Godhood of Jesus; they consider Jesus to have been just a good man
	They deny the personhood of the Holy Spirit; they consider the Holy Spirit to be an impersonal force
	Personal salvation is achieved through good works, or by a combination of faith and works
	Hell does not exist as a place of eternal torment
	They add new scriptures to the Bible
	They maintain an isolation from other Christian groups

In common with other Christians, they frequently teach that:

	Their faith group is the only true church.
	They are a Christian group.

These have often been targeted by the CCM and others as mind control cults. Many Child Protection Service workers have raided intentional communities, assuming that child abuse is rampant. These are "live-in" communes, primarily located in rural areas. Their purpose is to promote a specific religious or philosophical belief system. They often isolate themselves from mainstream society. Many of their members enter as young adults. Like religious communities throughout history, (convents and monasteries) many require their members to adhere to a onerous schedule of work and/or prayer, to keep to a strict diet, and to conform to other strict rules of the group. Some are organized along democratic lines; others are autocratic. Member's parents, relatives and friends may become alarmed at their participation in the group. These concerns can be aggravated by:

	lack of information about the group's beliefs,
	breakdown of communication between the member and family,
	misinterpretation of the member's devotion to the group
	alarming information in the media about other unrelated groups which use dangerous mind control techniques.

Members often stay for a few months or years and then leave the movement when it ceases to be a positive experience. Some exit gracefully and move on with their lives. Others leave on bad terms, having concluded that their time in the commune has been wasted. A few of the latter go public with their criticisms.

What a CCM group thinks about this web site

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