I would say that many Evangelical Christians have been brainwashed and so are in a cult. They do not seem to understand to read the Bible to see what it says. They simply follow what they are told by other Evangelicals without any thought of what is truly Biblical. They do not know what Jesus said but will say that they are Bible believing Christians without any actual understanding of Jesus.
That is where I started in life, evangelical. My parents were baptists but got involved in an evangelical type church. I went to a small christian school sponsored by the church and sat including school chapel about 3-4 sermons per week for many years. I later left, went to a baptist church about a year....then converted to the christadelphians who are somewhat similar to JW's and to Church of Christ but not the same. I have also spent a year with some liberal quakers. I've also met various kinds of Christians, pagans, Jews, Muslims, couple of Vedics (Hindus), lots of atheists, some witches, some satanists, some gang members etc. I've met homeless people, been homeless, been many things none very lofty or successfully. When they passed out the pranks they must have thought I said "Thanks!" Anyways I've had my brushes with cults.
Families are cults. Everything else builds on that, and you can't live without a family. Even an orphan has some kind of a family, even if its just an administrator shuffling their file or clicking 'Status'. We start out looking at grownups as if they are gods. They're so tall and strong. They seem like everything they do is better than what we do when we're small. Its so easy to believe and so comfortable. I can't even be honest with myself about whether I'd go back. I say I wouldn't, but its like a drug. Its like a great big chair made just for you, and believing you sit back and are held. That's childhood, and that's how childhood ought to be at least at first. It should be so soft and wonderful, and you should have everything you need with some minor challenges of course.
Children should have little problems not big ones.
The trouble comes when children are kept immature. When they're not given responsibility and not taught anything or played with, then there are problems that stem from that. Its especially bad when they are bred to be dependent. That is a favorite tool of slavers throughout the millennia. The enslaver works to convince the slave that the enslaver is an essential part of life. Sometimes the enslaver believes their own lie, too. When I was a child I really needed parents, but I'm not a child now. I need to take responsibility for my own life.
"You are IN now." Most groups have joining rituals. Its all about sweaty palms. They trot you up front to cement your membership and make you feel like you are responsible to keep showing up. Its not good. If you're a member its obvious. There's no need to play limbo. You just fit in. Now...if you want to work in the nursery or serve then of course there needs to be some kind of check, such as a criminal background check. That is administrative though. They take donations from anybody, and that should be more than enough of a joining ritual for most purposes. What's with all the pressure?
