Someone in the rules discussion posted this YouTube video. It's about three minutes long, and it's a clip of a teacher instructing young Mormons who are about to go out on their missions. It provides strategy for avoiding controversial doctrines and deceiving potential converts.
I don't want this thread to just be about Mormons, though... I've seen people get sucked into other cults, too. The cult-like behavior I'm interested in talking about is the practice of deliberately withholding potential off-putting information in order to gain a convert. This can be very, very effective, sadly.
So what do we as Christians do to counteract this kind of behavior? If we get shrill and hysterically angry, that's counterproductive. If we ignore it, that's irresponsible. So when it comes to behaviors that cult members do to bring in new people, what can we do to protect those they are going after? Any thoughts?
I don't want this thread to just be about Mormons, though... I've seen people get sucked into other cults, too. The cult-like behavior I'm interested in talking about is the practice of deliberately withholding potential off-putting information in order to gain a convert. This can be very, very effective, sadly.
So what do we as Christians do to counteract this kind of behavior? If we get shrill and hysterically angry, that's counterproductive. If we ignore it, that's irresponsible. So when it comes to behaviors that cult members do to bring in new people, what can we do to protect those they are going after? Any thoughts?