Some of the more highly publicized techniques for maintaining power over members of religious cults include repetition, sleep deprivation, fear of leaving, missing out on the rewards for the faithful, and the exposure of past sins committed.

Another not-s0-highly-publicized method is peer pressure, though not your garden variety of keeping up with the Jones’. In this case, my case, the pressure was somewhat of a role-reversal. Some background is necessary.

Many of the members of our local  little group of Smith Friend followers were directly recruited by me and my wife. Some had lived with us while they were “getting on their feet” and we had experienced births, house building, countless meetings, conferences, marriages, feasts, informal gatherings, very long and dangerous trips to visit other churches and just about anything life in such a group can offer.

However, after 10 or 12 years, things began to change. The current leader was determined to save the flock from my bad influence. Groups like our church, based in Brunstad, Norway have very few rules actually written down, yet have a very well-defined code of behavior that is enforced through fear of rejection.

In my case, I never wanted the church I helped to found to become a Smith Friends franchise. Yet, over time, things took on a life of their own and we were soon visited very often by many of the leading international brothers and treated as very hopeful young prospects.

This was a mixed blessing. On the one hand, we were now “on the inside”, or at least on our way there! On the other hand, the spontenaity was gone, as was the indigeonous authenticity. A good example is when I was advised to cease from writing Christian songs with my wife; we were to use the official songbook.

My “worldly” influence that was seen as a threat consisted primarily of such dangerous things as studying church history in Sunday school, dancing the Isreali folk dance known as the Hora with young people, singing “Froggy Went A Courtin’” to some pre-schoolers, reading the Christian Science Monitor newspaper, subscribing to National Geographic, associating with a home schooling group, and playing Celtic music on my guitar. I also occasionally drank beer and even dared to listen to NPR in my car and even knew what was going on in the world!

It is almost comical to watch the members talk about celebrities and world affairs with feigned ignorance, all the while knowing a great deal about the topic. This pretense is also obvious with most things that reveal a higher liberal arts education.

Back to my story though. Periodically, maybe every 2 months or so, the brothers gather for a brother’s meeting. These are part business, part edification, part get-together for “fun” and sometimes for dealing with troublesome members, such as I had become.

One Saturday morning we were summoned to the basement of a brother for a meeting. This was a peculiar time to hold a brother’s meeting, so I figured it must be important. Little did I know!

I noticed a tape recorder set up and asked the leader what that was about, since we never taped these meetings. He told me I would find out. Everyone was acting really weird, not friendly or happy to be together. Without warning, the leader began reading  one Bible passage after another about enemies of the cross. After reading enough to more than emphasize his point, he pointed at me and said “You are an enemy of the cross!”

I looked at him dumbfounded and what he was referring to. He told me something like “you know”.   I asked him what he was going to do now. This was a totally bizarre atmosphere, but the worst part was when I looked at the others. Some were glaring at me, others hid their face from me.

When I opened my mouth again to defend myself, I was told to be quiet, there would be no questions, no discussion, no help, no guidance, no brotherly love, no sharing of hearts, no praying;  just this unilateral decision from the leader and his power-mongering followers.

My sentence as that I could no longer start any meeting, no longer lead the Sunday school (children’s meetings), and basically was instantly reduced to the status of a little-better-than-an-outsider.  What this really meant is that I was now an outcast, officially.

Once the “meeting” was over, the host sat me down with his wife and told me how unjust that entire event was. I agreed and went home to ponder my new fate. True enough, I was now a little more than nothing, somebody to tolerate, somebody to be careful around, and who knows what else.

I felt a responsibility to speak with the main leaders in Norway, most of whom I had a good relationship with, so I  spoke with three brothers. The youngest, very obese and arrogant  leader pretended not to know what I was talking about, the oldest, more genuine man,  told me that the leader who banned me was immature and out of place, and the third, who seemed to always be posturing for position,  said the local  leader was wrong, but, because he was the leader the Norwegians had to support him.

My life continued in the church there for a while, but things were never the same. Eventually I moved to a new area, with the consent of the leaders from numerous other congregations.   I was determined to overcome this travesty of the spirit of life and eventually returned to visit these people with no grudge or blame.

This sort of control happens all the time, though usually not quite so dramatic. Everyone lives in fear of being wrong, and thus are compelled to conform, lest they be the next enemy of the cross, or maybe an opposer; or maybe just a half-hearted hanging on member with no authority whatsoever.

This stuff is classic abuse. Classic cult control where those in power, or those who wish to be in power, know how to push the right buttons, contact the right people, say the right things, quote the right verses; all to exercise power over others and propel themselves ahead. I’ve seen it a thousand times and even been guilty myself.

Can you imagine driving halfway across Canada without ever looking out the window to admire the scenic beauty of the land? Well, if you were a devoted member of the Smith’s Friends religious group you would be lauded  if you did such an unnatural thing.

In fact, you would be esteemed as extra spiritual and maybe even mentioned as a shining example of a cleansed soul.  I know this to be the case because I personally know the man who did this and attended the gathering in which he was exalted for such a deed.

Huh? Why would anyone want to do that and why would anyone else think this was worthy of anything other than weirdness? First you have to understand the mentality that drives such behavior.

From the viewpoint of this group, as well as most Christians, man is comprised of spirit, soul and body. Since we are here to become spiritual, believers must deny the pleasures of the body as well as the soul.

The body part is easy to comprehend, since many sinful acts are done by our bodies. That is another subject as well, but what this concerns is the soul.

The soul is our personality, the result of the spirit giving life to the body. It is what makes each one of us unique and special. If a believer were to live a soul-led life, he would be given to things like art, music, dance, literature, inventions, learning, enjoying nature (you know, the one God created), conversations, creativity, hospitality, cuisine, volunteering,  and all those endeavors that make us human beings.

Hence, the shunning of soulish desires is meant as a means of becoming spiritual. It is very similar to a Buddhist mentality of detachment and self-denial, except this is shrouded in Christian doctrine. This also explains why people in groups like this are so very similar wherever you go and why they are so indifferent to other people.

The esteemed brother accepted his praise with due humility and the congregation (they don’t call it that because it sounds like the religious world) all nods in agreement that this self-flagellation of the soul is truly remarkable and he must be growing in divine nature from such an experience.

How very telling this experience was and is. It is so warped that is doesn’t even fit in a normal head. This same mentality leads to a coldness, a lack of basic humanity, an indifference to the plight of others, and a narcissistic mutual admiration society of wannbes and mindless followers with an elitist mentality.

So, next time you see the beauty of the sun or the sky, the birth of a baby bird, the decaying leaves on the ground, or the howl of a coyote in the night, remember your creator and be glad.

Some might call it brainwashing, others indoctrination, still others see it as edification. Whatever you call it, repetition is central to gaining and retaining recruits and members.

Consider for a moment just how much indoctrination members of some cults, Smith’s Friends in particular, willingly subject themselves to. Most members attend several meetings a week, listen to messages on cassette tapes, cds, DVDs, during the day, spend many weekends in special event meetings, and use their summer vacation to attend a regional conference where there are at least 3 meetings a day.

These meetings can run from one hour to three or more hours, depending on the size of the congregation and esteem the main speaker carries. Just how long does it really take to learn Christian doctrine?

The result of so many meetings is that members cease to think independently. They certainly are good employees, students and such and often receive high praise for their work ethic, yet, critical, independent thinking just cannot co-exist with a never-ending drone of the same message over and over again.

No wonder university education is not encouraged! A liberal arts education basically serves no purpose for such people. Since literature is written by non-members it just cannot be trusted, so why should anyone read it? What good is art anyway, if the soul is the enemy of the spiritual life? The only music allowed is their own and a few sanctioned variants. Oddly much of their music is taken from other people and new words are added.

Can you really expect a musician at heart to be satisfied with playing simple melodies over and over again ad nauseum? I personally knew a member who was an outstanding musician and painter. He was reduced to painting Donald Duck “wet paint” signs at his local boat factory. There is no use for anything else artistic.

This repetition permeates every aspect of daily life. The noble desire to make ones words and deeds agree so there is growth and development becomes lost because there is actually very little real life. Conformity, group speak, and a self-centered preoccupation with one’s own thoughts replaces actually doing things that might be of benefit for others.

Even the seemingly selfless deeds done for others are constrained by the repetitious teachings. In fact, there are almost never any occasions when something is done for anyone outside of the group. When it is, there is a selfish motive, such as fund-raising to pay for very expensive building in Brunstad, Norway, the headquarters.

Small talk rarely happens because it is idle talk. Visits with relatives are kept to a minimum because they might influence the member in an ungodly manner. In the end, these people can be quite isolated, indoctrinated, self-serving and extremely self-righteous.

After all, if the leaders are the most spiritually developed men on earth, how can they be wrong? So many well-meaning and sincere people are swept up by the apparent community, fellowship, clean living, high standard of living and seemingly sound teaching. Only later do they realize they have lost their soul and missed out on most of what life has to offer for their own self and family.

Traits of a religious cult

Scholars have found numerous key features that most religious cults have in common, and, for the honest seeker of the truth, it is well worth examining your own faith and personal relationship to your church. After all, the truth should be able to withstand the closest scrutiny.

Of course, most  cults do not  have all the necessary traits to make it an absolutely clear cut case, but once you have experienced being in a one, you know the telltale signs well enough.As someone once said (I think it was Alexandr Solzhenitsyn, one of my favorite authors and one that I was reprimanded for reading while in Smith’s Friends), you only need one teaspoon of sea water to know how the entire ocean tastes.

Here is one characteristic of a religious cult, taken from my own experience. There are many more, and hopefully these will be covered later as well.

Characteristic of a religious cult: Group Speak

Group speak means that the members have developed a sort of private language that only the initiated would know. Sometimes this takes the form of odd sounding phrases taken from other languages, or it might stem from the literature that is used as a supplement to the Bible. Once a prominent brother, almost never sisters, has made a profound statement that the general leadership accepts, the rest of the flock more or less parrots the same words and the group speak language expands even more.

A good example of this is Smith’s Friends. If you visit a church in Norway, Toronto, Melbourne or Dusseldorf, you will find the same expressions being used. Mostly these result from the fact that the movement began in Norway in the early 1900′s and the members naturally want to be like those they admire. When a leading brother speaks and the next tier of leaders drink it in, the phrases are disseminated further down the line to the faithful followers at home.

Groups can have almost code-like terminology to describe events, people and doctrines.  While an outsider might think a word means what it normally means in “worldly” contexts, it might mean something quite different to the members of a cult. The Children of God were, and probably still are, notorious for this practice.

If an outsider were ever allowed to attend a brother’s meeting of Smith’s Friends (this is not going to happen, unless it is tightly controlled), he would be amazed at the level of submission the members demonstrate. Controversy is avoided because the one causing the controversy is very quickly ostracised and minimized to the point of becoming an outsider.  The fear of this rejection is powerful, and the members quickly fall into line, rarely daring to disagree.

When the intrepid does speak up and question the discussion or whatever is at hand, the others quickly look to the leaders to see their reaction. Everyone develops a sense of what is acceptable and rarely  ventures beyond an unspoken but very real limit of dissent. Of course, everyone in the group agrees that there is personal freedom and that it is good to be more than a well-meaning “yes-man”, but in practice things are much different.

After all, who wants to be labeled as an opposer or an enemy of the cross!

No matter if it is the 4th of July, or merely some other summertime day, odds are that someone in your area is barbecuing as it’s now a normal American tradition for entire families. The explanation is clear as to why, not simply does the food taste good, but cooking out provides a reason for families to gather together. A few of my more unforgettable experiences happened outside during one of the families many get-togethers.

Preparing A Barbeque

First, no barbecue would be full without the guests as well as a proper outdoor weather therefore make plans beforehand, checking with the possible guests for schedule inconsistencies as well as problems. Determining a date and a time which is suitable for everyone ought not to be incredibly difficult provided you give everyone adequate warning, also, be sure to check the weather for that time of year. If you reside within a climate which is unpredictable, then you may want to have an auxiliary plan in the event that unusual weather comes.

You cannot foretell events such as rain and thunderstorms ahead of time, but you could make certain you’d have your cookout at a time of year which would be good for your guests. A barbecue in cold temperatures may hold bad recollections of trying to stay warm instead of great memories of loved ones.

Cookouts provide an entire array of foods that should hugely hinge on your crowd as well as the event in which you are celebrating. With the wide array of options, you are sure to locate at the very least a couple foods which will appease the guests.

Ensure that you make preparations for [your] barbecue so 12 to 24 hours prior to planning on starting this party, ensure you thaw, prepare, and marinade any meat that you would be making. Once you get your meat stored away, soaking up the marinade, now you must start contemplating over which sorts of sides you will be serving. If you desire a completely traditional cookout, you might wish to stick with traditional side dishes, which means coleslaw, baked beans, potatoes and potato salad. Your standard topping bar should include onions, pickles and relish as these are typically served at cookouts since they’re easy to prepare and keep until the event happens. You may wish to prepare other items, but any cookout is complete with just the items listed beforehand.

A themed barbecue may present additional opportunities to hold a festive occasion as you may splurge on the setting and adornments. Coordinated table wear and plates can be obtained at any nearby store and you can additionally coordinate the decor to the event. For example, a luau might simply be innovative colored utensils, leis, and Tiki torches, all of these are extremely inexpensive and you can actually reuse the Tiki torches at a later time!

Your party area should be set up prior to the arrival of the guests. It only requires a few moments to get everything prepared, but the response you receive from your arriving guests may make you feel as if you were getting ready and decorating the entire day. Dependant on the circumstances, you may or may not wish to have the food ready on the grill although the smell will surely be alluring if you start preparing the food earlier!

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If you’re brand new to the world of barbecuing, chances are you’ve run into some issues and barbecuing, just like any other thing, requires practice. Discovering from your mistakes, in addition to the errors of other people will help you learn quickly therefore before you begin grilling, cover the cooking area with a nonstick cooking spray. This would prevent the meat from sticking when you are working with it because if your meat sticks and rips, you’ll lose a large amount of the goodness, and the meat may dry out.

Never place food upon the grill until the temperature is correct since the fluctuation in temps would force the food to dry out or even burn. If you’re using a charcoal grill, make certain that the coals are totally gray prior to putting the meat on the grill. That will allow the temperatures to even out, and the majority of your fluid to burn away.

Grilling with charcoal lighter fluid can be good or very bad as your fluid would cause the food you’re preparing to taste different then with other sorts of grilled food. Although on the other hand, not using lighter fluid may end in a ton of frustration due to the fact that charcoal can be difficult if not totally impossible to ignite devoid of fluid.

You have to adequately ready that meat you are going to cook, before actually cooking it therefore you should never try to prepare the meat on a grill when it’s currently frozen, or actually partially frozen. Thaw the meat by placing it out around twelve to twenty four hours prior to grilling it, or by thawing it in the microwave. If the meat is thawed out, though in your fridge, set it on the counter enough for your meat to become room temperature.

When meat is cooked, never put it back onto that same plate you put it on at the time it was completely raw as that could cause the spread of numerous undesired illnesses. Similarly Don’t touch cooked meat with the same utensils that you utilized when it had been raw. Never poke the meat as it is cooking since poking holes in meat will cause the juice inside to spray out to the bottom of your grill. This won’t just this make the food dry and tough in the end, but it also could potentially damage your grill. At a minimum, it will make a buildup of messy elements on your grill, that will render it much harder to wash.

Once your meat is placed on the grill, don’t open the lid to many times since each instance you remove it’s lid, you adjust the temperature within your grill. The constant alteration in temp and the air flow would make your meat to dry up quickly, and don’t forget that great temperatures do not necessarily equal better tasting food. While it is ok to prepare food fast, turning the heat up would just make your meat dry up and maybe burn.

While utilizing foil will make cleaning simpler, it’d make the food have a more fried taste then a grilled taste. If you’re wanting to use a favorite barbecue sauce, be sure to wait as long as you can to apply it to the meat as putting sauce on to soon will not just potentially make the meat dry, but it could also become burned.

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Let us all face this verity. Most of our appreciations in style further outperform the deepness of our bags. Alternatively instead of falling deep into obligation by adding designer dream adorns to your closet, be fashionable about buying! Why not proceed to a wholesale fashion dresses supplier and bargain in good deal alternatively shopping single.

On That Point is a distinct amount of various pieces of clothing around the world today and because of the request of dressing in the world business there is a certain number of masses who were prosperous in the occupations of dressing and sale of the products that citizenry will buy. When you reckon all the fashion clothes shops, which take position round where you live, it turns rather easy to reckon that enclothe is a very large business on the worldwide phase.

The practice of designer fashion clothes is possibly one of the newest businesses in the planet nowadays. If you are curious by receiving enclothe for individual role or instead to make a study on the masses which buy the designer fashion clothes, 1000′s of selections are visible in the market.

There are a positive number of distinct fashions that the garments business would be further dispensed by the many flavours of apparels visible today

If you weigh on your next house members they can be at least a few number of them and from each one one if purchasing single is expending virtually 5 to 8 times the value of wholesale.

There are deals to be found around all corner on dependable, wholesale fashion dresses. The all-important to getting amazing deals when it comes to buying details for a fraction of their mind blowing cost tag is to do your research! By being able to describe bulk style items by their aspect, feel, and materials, you will be efficient to reach a deal price.

It always enjoyable for the family to meet together and relax in the open on warm summer evenings but what can you do in the fall or spring when evenings are cool but you still want to be outdoors? You could put up a backyard fireplace but this can be quite a big undertaking and you can’t take it with you if you move. One solution could be to use an outdoor fire pit. Fire pits bring about the appearance and warmth of a campfire to your patio or garden but in a very controlled and safe way. Additionally a lot of fire pits are moveable, so you can take them on to the beach or if you move house, or move them around on your courtyard or garden to a more fitting position.

Firepit Designs & Styles

Fire pits come in a selection of different styles including table top, chimney style, camping rings or fire bowl design fire pits. In addition they come in a variety of sizes from around 20 inches in diameter, intermediate up to 35 inches, and extremely large up to 50 inches which are nearly as large as a patio table! Of course your budget and the area where you are going to position your fire pit will decide which size you should purchase. Low-priced fire pits for around $99 are to be had but they may not last very long, two or three seasons at the most. Metal in these low-cost models tends to be thin and prone to rusting and many screens are not very strong and can fall apart. At the other extreme there are fire pits powered by gas from approximately $500 to over $2500 which will keep going for many years.

Fire Pit Accessories

In addition to your outdoor fire pit you may also want to obtain some accessories. The majority fire pits are supplied with a screen to stop sparks from being a hazard but they regularly become crooked and broken down through usage. An added accessory that is useful is a grill so you can cook on your fire pit! If you are going to leave it outside then you really ought to have a fire pit cover to shelter it from the elements. Some also come with tables.

Fire Pit Security

Always look at the manufacturers directions before you make use of your fire pit. It is not a good proposal to use an outside fire pit on a wood deck, a cement or tile flooring or outside on the ground is much safer. You ought to also make sure you don’t use it near to anything that is flammable such as fences, trees or other wooden objects. Piles of dry grass or other dry plant material is also ignitable so be careful if you have recently mowed the lawn!

Fire Pit Portability

When you choose the type of outdoor fire pit to buy consider if you want it to be portable. Some of the outdoor gas fire pits are weighty and not really simple to move. Smaller, lighter fire pits can be transported around or taken on trips or to the beach

There are a lot of different types of garden hammocks to buy and moreover many parts and accessories. To ensure you buy the very top hammock for your needs as far as size, intended use, comfort and the assembly fabric are concerned you will require to do some research and planning. For open-air use you should be careful that the one you acquire will be made of the correct materials to survive when left in the open for any length of time.

Hammock Length

Though the bed measurement lengthwise is somewhat standard widths differ a great deal. Bed distance end to end refers to the length of the actual hammock cloth and is not the whole length. You have to find out the area free in the position you aim to hang up the hammock to be sure to purchase the exact size. Overall length of most hammocks, including the supports and/or frame is approximately 13 feet so consider this when planning where you will hang up the hammock.

Hammock Weight Capacity

You additionally should look at the weight of those who will be using the hammock. A usual highest capacity is in the region of 450 pounds, adequate for nearly all people. A few bigger hammocks even go up to in the region of 600 pounds. For double hammocks to hold two people particularly be aware of the highest weight capacity.

Materials of Hammocks

Hammocks are finished in two major materials. Fabrics include cotton, polyester or canvas, and ropes may be cotton or polyester. One of the most lush and comfortable is a quilted hammock which is usually prepared from cotton or cotton/polyester blend. For sleeping, the majority recommend a cloth hammock as it will be more comfy than the traditional rope hammock. Classic rope hammocks have been in use for many, many thousands of years and are almost certainly what most people think of when they hear the word ‘hammock’. Rope hammocks are undeniably not as relaxing as textile hammocks and necessitate some extra padding if you want to use them for any length of time! If the hammock will be kept outside for lengthy periods you should select a polyester fabric or rope to stand up to the elements better. Even though cotton is more comfortable it will not last for long if left outdoors for a few months.

Types of Hammocks

Hammocks come in a extensive assortment of types including portable, rope, swing, baby and chair hammocks . Make certain before you purchase exactly which type you require by doing some research first.

Pest control is not simple, and it requires lots of effort and care to get rid of them, either indoor or outdoor. No body likes the sight of rodents, ants, mosquitoes, ladybugs, spiders and other such pests in their homes or offices for comfort and health reasons. It is best to deal with them as soon as possible, else the problem keeps getting bigger.

There are many ways to get rid of pests, and the products used are either chemical based, or chemicals free.

Using Professional Pest Control Products

Before using any professional pest control products, it is important to identify the target pest accurately. Wrong use of pesticides makes them ineffective. Internet is a good source to get any kind of information regarding pests or pesticides. When buying professional pest control products, use the right kind for right kind of species.

Though professional pest control products must be used only by the professional experts, it you plan to use them, be very careful in handling and application. Professional pest control products are very effective in case of severe infestation in the wider areas.

There are many chemical based professional pest control products available in the market, but it is advisable to use them with utmost care so that there is no harm caused to other humans, environment and your property. Most of the chemicals used in professional pest control products are poisonous, so make sure that you know about their safe usage before starting the application.

Before using the professional pest control products, it is important to wear the protective gear such as full pants, full sleeves and gloves. Read the label carefully, and make sure that you know what to do in case of emergency.

To avoid the side-effects of chemical professional pest control products, you can use organic or biological killers, as these are harmless and safe to use. If you have kids or pets at home, choose the home pest control products that don’t have any offensive odor. In case you know someone who had been suffering from the similar kind of pest problem and managed to eradicate it, talk to them, as they can be great source of relevant and reliable information.

When it comes to pests, prevention is definitely better than cure. Eliminate the sources that can be breeding space for insects. Keep your house clean, and seal any cracks to keep pests out. In case of accidental exposure, immediately contact local Poison Control Center. If you need medical assistance, carry the product container or label so that the physician can identify the appropriate treatment.