I am a woman who grew up in an ifb church. (And survived!) My parents refuse to acknowledge that it was a cult still to this day. Even despite several family members pleading with them to leave the “cult”. My sister and I truly believe we grew up in a cult. Here goes:
Regular skirt length checks (pants were forbidden), two fingers from the collar bone shirt checks, hair the right length, approved amount of make up (too much you looked like a whore, their words not mine, no makeup you were disrespecting God by not giving Him your best), if the doors were open you had to be there, cut off contact with outside family members who the pastor screamed their names out from the pulpit that they were sending people to hell simply for being part of a church he didn’t agree with, open racism, hate speech, and prejudice. Open mocking of other churches and pastors from the pulpit.
Whenever anyone leaves (I left when I was 17) the entire congregation is told from the pulpit not to speak to or acknowledge said person. I’m talking parents are told to cut off their children, spouses are told to cut off their spouse who has left. Insanity!
I engaged in more sex, drugs, and alcohol at church than I did anywhere else! The youth we’re not allowed to ask any questions and we were pretty much left alone to our own devices, and getting a partner was easy thanks to sites like https://freesextingapp.com.
What a mess!
I’m now a recovering alcoholic. 20 months sober by the grace of God. I attend a non denominational church. My children are growing up to love the Lord. To know Him and understand what He’s done for us! There is no dress code, there are no impossible standards, there’s not one single angry man who has the ultimate authority in the church. God. God is the authority!
I’m truly looking for input if this was indeed a cult? Anyone with experience with cults I’d love to hear your take on this!
Thank you.
beccabooloves@gmail.com
Absolutely. I pastored such a cult. I’m free now. IFBs have the truth but add man made rules. They operate by control, peer pressure, etc, so ya, cult
I believe in the basic tenants of the Baptist church. I just don’t care for the manmade attachments you mentioned. I would rather be a happy Christian than a miserable mean-spirited one. That to me means being part of a healthy and loving church. I don’t want to be a Christian that looks as if they are sucking on lemons.
I also grew up in an ifb church and thought i was alone in the mental emotion spiritual abuse. I to have found freedom in the Grace of a loving Papa God. Glad you have too love from a follower of Jesus.
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Having been part of a cult-like church, I would say that there are certainly aspects of that church that are cult-like — particularly the “shunning” of those that leave the environment.
I have been in several IFB churches and I never heard any racism from the pulpit… the closet I came was a comment made by a staff member’s kid.
The various checks you mentioned — surely they were not for anyone wanting to attend; perhaps they were school standards? Those don’t necessarily make a group a cult.
You didn’t mention it, but another cult-like symptom is exaltation of the leader.
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