"Cult" is a scary word. When one things of it, the dangers of pain, loss of freedom, and terror come to mind.

What exactly is a cult though?

To be fair, I won't name any specific religious group as a cult here today, but I will lay down some principles that I think our good from telling what a cult like organization looks like.

1. They tell you that your relationship with God is between them and you.

I'm not saying they are telling you to read the Bible to learn about God or that the Bible says this so you should do this. I'm talking about people who will tell you, "You need the church to be forgiven of sins," "You need church permission to go to college, start a business, etc." "I know what God's will is for your life, you need to just trust me." Nobody knows what God's will is for someone accept God and that person, and though people can give logical advise, no one should personally stand between you and God.

1 Timothy 2:5 - For there is one God, and one mediator between God and men, the man Christ Jesus;

2. They add to the Bible.

Anyone saying they received a new revelation, a new gospel, a new vision, or new books that are add on's to the Bible or on equal footing with the Bible is leading towards a cult. The Bible was finished with Revelation, and anyone claiming that the Bible is corrupt or incomplete and that there is something new is not from God.

Galatians 1:6-9 - I marvel that ye are so soon removed from him that called you into the grace of Christ unto another gospel:Which is not another; but there be some that trouble you, and would pervert the gospel of Christ. But though we, or an angel from heaven, preach any other gospel unto you than that which we have preached unto you, let him be accursed.As we said before, so say I now again, if any man preach any other gospel unto you than that ye have received, let him be accursed.

3. They use manipulation to get you to do what they want.

A cult will hurt you to get you to do what they want. They may humiliate you or make you feel bad personally. Some cults may even physically beat on people or forbid them to speak to people. Now, preaching from the Bible that something is a sin and pointing it out to you is not the makings of a cult. What makes something cultish is when they personally humiliate you, such as preaching using specific people's names, or preaching because they are mad at someone rather than because God gave them a message.

(Referring to pastors) 1 Peter 3:5 - Neither as being lords over God's heritage, but being examples to the flock.

4. They refuse to be in the world.

God says that we are not to be of the world but that we are to be in it. Basically, we don't do sinful things, but that doesn't mean we have to hide away from anything that isn't explicitly Christian. Even if we don't drink and have pre-marital sex, that doesn't mean we can't talk to people who do or learn from them in some ways. A group that discourages reading, seeing, or doing anything non-Christian or that frowns upon talking to non-Christians is dangerous. The most extreme cults take this to the level of hiding themselves away in communes, almost completely cutting off contact with the outside world.

1 Corinthians 5:10 - Yet not altogether with the fornicators of this world, or with the covetous, or extortioners, or with idolaters; for then must ye needs go out of the world.

Now, just because you went to a church were women wear skirts, people don't listen to rock music, and Jesus is the Son of God does not mean you are in a cult. There are a lot of churches that teach these things as true and are kind, loving places. There are though places that teach these things as true that hurt people. If you were in a cult, not necessarily everything they taught was wrong, it was merely the methods they used to make you do them that was. So, carefully examine the Bible and see what it says yourself. Don't do or not do something as a reaction to your past.

Finally, if you are in a cult and you can... GET OUT! You're hurting yourself the longer you stay and if you have a family, you're hurting them too. Pray for guidance and do what you know is best for you and your family.