I was part of a cult once. There was one warning sign that I missed—and I don’t want you to miss it. It’s not as easy to spot as you think.
I never thought I’d fall for something like that. When we think of cults, it seems obvious: they take your money, they isolate you, they talk about aliens or conspiracies, they make you wear pajamas. But this one was way different. It took me a long time to recognize I was being tricked and brainwashed. Because I was a people-pleaser, it was even harder to speak up.
If you’re at a church or workplace or student body or nonprofit or group that doesn’t allow for questions: you have to question if that’s a healthy place. The places I’m most worried about are not the weird ones, but the charming ones that get along too well.
In my book, I talk about how we can easily fall for hidden narratives, groupthink, and persuasive speech, and ways to proof ourselves.
Grab my book here: The Voices We Carry: Finding Your One True Voice in a World of Clamor and Noise
J.S. Park is a hospital chaplain, author, sixth degree black belt, ex-atheist, Korean-American, and follows Christ.
J.S. has a B.A. in Psychology from USF and a Master's from SEBTS. He lives with his wife, dog, and daughter in sunny Florida.
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One thought on “I Accidentally Joined a Cult: How a Cult Got Me and the Warning Signs”
Yes! We have to be careful, don’t we? Even in so-called “Christian” group settings.
I was invited to a group of Christian women who gathered once a month to cook and laugh and talk. Turned out, as soon as I talked too much about prayer or Jesus or questioned things that seemed fishy to me, they shushed me. They told me I could only affirm the other women, never question or offer to pray.
J.S. Park: Hospital Chaplain, Skeptical Christian 
Yes! We have to be careful, don’t we? Even in so-called “Christian” group settings.
I was invited to a group of Christian women who gathered once a month to cook and laugh and talk. Turned out, as soon as I talked too much about prayer or Jesus or questioned things that seemed fishy to me, they shushed me. They told me I could only affirm the other women, never question or offer to pray.
Yikes! Needless to say, I ran out of there!
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