The Fool wrote:
For example, does your group discourage ideas such as the validity of religious or spiritual beliefs because those beliefs differ from your own belief system?Are you "UNDER THE INFLUENCE" of a destructive group or belief system? Find out with this SELF QUIZ:Does your group discourage doubts, criticism or ideas that differ from their belief system? Yes____No____
For an alternate view, try checking out
http://www.religioustolerance.org/
[snip]
Sounds like any number of business or sports teams, or any profession that uses profession-specific jargon.Does your group have its own unique words, clichés, slogans, chants, prayers and doctrinal phrases that reinforce the group viewpoint? Yes___ No___
Management of lots of companies (fortunately, not the one where I work) view doubts in exactly the ways listed.Are doubts viewed as a lack of faith, dedication, commitment or disloyalty? Yes___ No___
[snip]
This could describe high school, the business environment at many businesses, and even home life (peer pressure from siblings, cousins, neighbors, etc.)Do you often find yourself doing more and more things in the group or because of group peer pressure that you would not have done on your own? Yes___ No___
Alternate question: Does your group publicly humiliate or criticize members of other groups, for example does your group attempt to humiliate or criticize religious or spiritual people?Does your group publicly humiliate or criticize members? Yes___ No___
??? Let's see... Yep, the U.S. Government sure does have a system of punishments for behavior (ever get a speeding ticket?). Yep, the U.S. Government also has rewards for certain types of behavior (ever hear of tax breaks for redeveloping "blighted" areas of a city?).Does your group have a system of punishments and rewards for behavior? Yes___ No___
[snip]
Do you follow a particular individual or belief system that requires unquestioning obedience and loyalty?
Or paraphrased, "Have you ever been in the military?"
Were you ever on the honor roll? In high school, were you ever on a sports team where there were others who didn't make the team? Were you ever selected for State Band, State Choir, or State Orchestra?) Do members of your group feel specially chosen, superior, exclusive, elite?
Have you ever tried to convert a religious or spiritual person into being a non-religious or non-spiritual person? Have you ever tried to convince a communist/socialist that democracy and capitalism are better systems? Have you ever tried to convince anyone that copyright and patents are ridiculous concepts?Do you feel the need to save or convert others to your belief system or ideology?
Have you ever been involved in government? Have you ever been involved in a company that kept a new product secret until it was ready to hit the market?Is your group secretive to outsiders about its inner workings, teachings, activities or beliefs? Yes___ No___
Have you ever accused someone of being evil because they were religious or spiritual, or accused a religious or spiritual group of being evil? (And how do you define "evil" under those circumstances?) Have you ever accused someone of being intellectually impure because they were spiritual or religious?Does your group equate purity and goodness to being in your group, and impurity or evil to those outside your group? Yes___ No___
Have you ever been willing to sacrifice your life for your spouse/children/parents? Have you ever been willing to sacrifice your life for your country?Do you place your group’s mission or agenda above your own goals and ideals? Do group interests come before your own interest Yes___ No___
Do you find yourself thinking in a we-they, us-versus-them mind set?
This one's just *too* obvious.
Does your group/system have a clear outside enemy?
Ditto.
Have you ever been in the military? Have you ever had to be away from you family for a business trip? Have you ever had to be away from your family for an extended period of time for business, or in order to, oh, I don't know, attend college?Do you see less and less of your family and friends who do not belong to your group or who do not subscribe to your group’s belief system?
Have you ever been to a corporate annual meeting for employees, commonly known as a "rah-rah session?"Does your group use frequent public testimonials, confessions, or sharings that reinforce the group’s mission or agenda?
Have you ever worked for a company that had any priviledged information that was not meant for general distribution? Have you ever had access to data that the government deemed "top secret?"Is communication within, into and out of your group controlled or censored in any manner?
Have you ever been in the military? Have you ever looked down on anyone because they were a deserter from the military? Have you ever called someone who left a sports team a "quitter?"Does your group criticize, shun, abandon or demean individuals who leave the group?
[snip]
Do you feel pressured to attend meetings, events, lectures, seminars? And do you feel guilty if you don’t attend?
Have you ever worked for a corporation?
Have you ever paid taxes to your government? Have you ever taked a class to improve your job skills at your own expense?Do you feel pressured to give a portion of your income to the group, or spend money on courses, books or special projects?
Does your group discriminate against anyone regarding race, gender, belief, or sexual orientation?
In this context, The Fool, are you sure you want to ask this question?
[insert your own cheap-shot against the Bush or Clinton administration here, depending on your political affiliation]Does your group have a totalitarian structure: a strict, top-down centralized control? Yes___ No___
-------------------------------------------------------------------------- ------ Do you wonder if you have been in a destructive group? Do you... ...have difficulty forming new friendships and intimate relationships? Yes___ No___ ...have low self-esteem, poor self-image or loss of identity? Yes___ No___ ...have difficulty making simple decisions and choices? Yes___ No___ ...often feel depressed, anxious and nervous? Yes___ No___ ...feel isolated, lonely, guilty, cynical? Yes___ No___ ...feel like you are just now growing up, becoming a mature adult? Yes___ No___ ...have short-term memory difficulties? Yes___ No___ ...feel you have nothing to believe in? Yes___ No___ ...often feel anger and rage towards the group? Yes___ No___ ...have nightmares or unpleasant dreams? Yes___ No___ ...find it difficult or impossible to stop mental or other group ritualistic practices? Yes___ No___
Have you ever been a teenager?
This quiz has no scientifically predetermined number of "yes" answers to indicate a destructive group. However, answering "yes" to any of the
above
questions means you may need to examine your group and its influence in
your
Really, I'm offended by the tone of these questions. "The unexamined life is not worth living," but insinuating that answering yes to the questions above means that you are "under the influence of a destructive group or belief system" is just ridiculous and offensive.life in those areas.
Reggie Bautista
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