Some cults are more mysterious than others. While certain ones try to keep their activities a secret, others are pretty straightforward with what they believe in, as well as what they require from their members. In some instances, such requirements can get pretty strict or oddly specific, as a list recently shared on Twitter showed.
User Degen Dilly shared requirements from a cult that tried to indoctrinate his friend who was volunteering at a soup kitchen. The extensive list of dos and don’ts covered everything from clothing, to parking, even playing imaginary instruments. It received over 2.7 million views on the platform and was retweeted by more than 2.6k people, with quite a few of them expressing their views in the comments as well. If you want to see what caused such a buzz, scroll down to find the cult’s requirements below.
Image credits: DegenDilly
The cult’s list of dos and don’ts was pretty extensive
Do's-
1. You will be required to attend every service. If for some reason unforeseen at this time, you miss a service; you will be required to listen to the tape at the church. (Death, severe illness and surgery may be considered excused absences.)
2. You will be required to tithe (10% of your gross earnings) and give offerings. Jane will check your records from time to time.
3. You will be required to smile on command. This is called "keeping your happy face".
4. You will be required to participate in group work projects. Enjoy it. We have need of many skills.
5. After each service, you will be required to clean the church and fellowship hall on a rotating basis.
Don'ts-
(this is a partial "living" list... at times, it takes on a life of its own, continuing to grow..)
1. Don't drink alcohol. (includes beer, wine or liquor)
2. Don't cook with alcohol.
3. Don't eat at places that serve alcohol.
4. Don't drink "Root beer".
5. Don't drink Cheerwine®.
6. Don't drink diet Cheerwine®.
7. Don't drink ginger ale.
8. Don't smoke cigarettes.
9. Don't dip snuff.
10. Don't use chew tobacco.
11. Don't associate willingly with those that do use tobacco.
12. Don't watch movies. (Unless Jane gives approval.)
13. Don't watch videos in your cars!
14. Don't enter a movie theater- (unless Jane gives approval.)
15. Don't read newspapers. Not even the headlines.
16. Don't listen to the radio.
17. Don't read or handle magazines.
18. Don't watch television. (except when allowed at church)
19. Don't read books that are not approved by leadership.
20. Don't read your Bible, too much. (Amplified version is acceptable)
21. Don't take notes during the services. Only record scripture references.
22. Don't forget to go to bathroom before the service.
23. Don't get up to go to bathroom during a service.
24. Don't bring knives of ANY type on church property.
25. Don't be late for a service of function.
26. Don't park alongside the left side of the sanctuary unless you are approved.
27. Don't park in the spaces closest to the back steps. Those are reserved for parents with infants.
28. Don't park in the first spot along the front sidewalk. That is reserved for those on watch.
29. Don't park along the street. Use the field only when not raining.
30. Don't park on the drive to the school. (unless approved for that service.)
31. Don't park in the first handicap space unless approved.
32. Don't park under the awning and leave your car running.
33. Don't speed when driving around the church.
34. Don't go opposite to the accepted traffic flow of counter-clockwise. It causes confusion.
35. Don't be on your cell phone when approaching the school.
36. Don't drive your car with expired tags. You will be reminded.
37. Men: Don't wear a color of dress shirt except white or light blue.
38. Women: Don't get your heart set on a dress until you check with others to see of anyone else has that dress. You may need to return yours.
39. Don't "check out" during the singing.
40. Don't look around at others when you are supposed to be singing.
41. Don't close your eyes when singing. You could give over to a "religious devil".
42. Don't stare at visitors.
43. Don't bring your cell phone into a service. Exceptions are rare and you will be told when you can bring your phone into the service.
44. Don't take pictures during a regular service.
45. Don't make your own recording of a service.
46. Don't bring visitors unless you tell someone in the office so they can tell Jane.
47. Don't take pictures of Jane of other members unless you are given permission.
48. Don't be loose with your camera at any time.
49. Don't put large amounts of cash in the offering unless it is in an envelope.
50. Don't complain when the offering plates are passed more than once.
51. Don't allow your toddlers to eat in the sanctuary.
52. Don't bring snacks of dark drinks or chocolate.
53. Don't chew gum in the sanctuary..
54. Don't fall asleep during the services. If you get tired, take your Bible and stand-up in the back of the sanctuary.
55. Don't wear muddy shoes or boots into the sanctuary, leave them at the door-outside.
56. Don't leave your tissues after services. Place them in the trash.
57. Don't leave coats, Bibles or personal belongings in the sanctuary. It gets locked after each service.
58. Don't touch the thermostats in the church unless you are approved.
59. Don't wear jeans. (exception may be for construction work..maybe..)
60. Don't wear shorts.
61. Don't wear sleeveless dresses or tops.
62. Don't wear dresses above the knees.
63. Don't wear a bathing suit without having it covered with long shorts (below the knees) and a dark t-shirt.
64. Don't wear cargo pants.
65. Don't wear or own anything with Nike® on it. Nothing.
66. Don't wear black tennis shoes.
67. Don't wear high-cut, boot-like tennis shoes.
68. Men: don't wear solid white tennis shoes...
69. Don't wear a baseball cap sideways or backwards.
70. Don't wear t-shirts with slogans or pictures.
71. Don't wear "muscle t-shirts".
72. Men: Don't leave the house without a white t-shirt on under your top shirt.
73. Don't go swimming with boys and girls together.
74. Don't leave the pools toy out when you are done using the pool.
75. Don't go outside without sunscreen. (daily)
76. Men: Don't allow facial hair to grow. No beards, of any type. No "pork chop" sideburns.
77. Men: Don't let your hair get long or unkempt.
78. Don't interview for a job unless it is "under authority".
79. Don't accept a job unless you check it out with authority.
80. Don't make plans for college unless you have Jane check it out.
81. Don't sign-up for classes unless Jane Whaley or leadership checks out your schedule
82. Don't buy a house unless Jane Whaley can check it out.
83. Don't even make an offer on a house unless Jane can "checkout" and "get a feel" for the neighborhood.
84. Don't decorate your house unless Jane or her helper can help you.
85. Don't buy a car without checking with Sam first.
86. Don't sell a car or truck without checking with Sam first..
87. Don't get major repairs done without checking with Sam.
88. Don't buy insurance without checking with the approved church source person for insurance.
89. Don't plan a vacation or time away with your family unless you check-it out with Jane.
90. Don't assume you can go to the funeral or a wedding of a family member without checking it out and/or someone from the church going with you.
91. Don't celebrate Christmas.
92. Don't give gifts to others unless you are "under authority".
93. Don't celebrate Easter.
94. Don't celebrate other holidays.
95. Don't eat turkey on Thanksgiving.
96. Don't celebrate your birthday or others in your family or group of friends or co-workers.
97. Don't celebrate wedding anniversaries.
98. Don't go hunting.
99. Don't go fishing. (well unless it is on an approved "ministry" trip)
100. Don't hunt or fish just for sport.
101. Don't have bumper stickers on your car. (Political season is an exception.)
102. Don't have "dingle dangles" hanging from your rearview mirror.
103. Don't have a slogan license plate on the front of your car.
104. Don't buy or drive a "race car" looking car.
105. Don't play games on your computer. Erase/delete the games.
106. Don't play games on your cell phone. Erase/delete them.
107. Don't own or use a "game boy" or other hand held electronic game device.
108. Don't play with regular playing cards.
109. Don't play "hide and go seek".
110. Don't play Monoploy®.
111. Don't play football.
112. Don't ride in the back of a pick-up truck.
113. Don't play ping pong.
114. Don't play pool.
115. Don't play or imitate an "air guitar".
116. Don't play music without singing the words.
117. Don't whistle.
118. Don't let WOFF children play with children outside of WOFF.
119. Don't let children make animal sounds. (maybe,,)
120. Don't let children play toy musical instruments. (maybe...)
121. Don't forget to read your Bible before you go to bed.
122. Don't let children play with camping toys.
123. Don't let children play with "play tools".
124. Don't let children have Bibles with stories and pictures of Jesus. (maybe..)
125. Don't be late for anything. Be early.
126. Don't iron double creases in your pants.
127. Men: Don't use urinals that are not enclosed.
128. Don't store personal garments unless they are folded neatly in the drawer.
129. Don't go to tanning beds.
130. Don't ride motorcycles.
131. Don't ride ATV's or dirt bikes.
132. Men: African American- Don't shave your head bald.
133. Don't start a relationship without checking it out with Jane Whaley.
134. Don't decide who you will marry without checking it out with Jane.
135. Don't talk to the other person who you are in relationship with unless someone is listening and "guarding the conversation".
136. Don't talk loose and joke around. Don't be foolish.
137. Don't complain about the list of "don'ts".
138. Don't place the toilet paper on the roll unless it rolls over the top.
139. Don't speak to those who have left unless you ask Jane.
140. Don't ask anyone but Jane about those who have not been seen lately in services.
141. Don't go in the sanctuary with "sin in your heart", deal with
142. Don't expect someone else to clean-up your mess.
143. Don't back-talk or give excuses for your sin.
144. Don't attack those in authority.
145. Don't question Jane's authority to run WOFF.
"We hope you will be with us for many years to come. Don't worry about memorizing this list. When you violate a "don't", you will be told-"We don't do that"."
Typically guided by a charismatic leader, cults often isolate their members from the outside world
A cult is typically considered to be a group of people centered around veneration of a person, an idea, or certain beliefs. Research into cults pointed out that since the early 20th century, the term has often been used to describe a religious movement of some sort, teachings of which might seem bizarre or even dangerous for people outside the group.
According to the study, the religious movements that are often referred to as cults can be departures from specific doctrines or a combination of several religions together. It also emphasized that some cults are not related to religion after all, and can be based on humanistic psychology or meditation. The research also noted that a cult typically has an influential charismatic leader and creates a strong distinction between members and non-members, often by categorizing people into “us” and “them”.
According to MasterClass, most cults share at least some common characteristics; these often include authoritarian control, extremist beliefs, isolation from society, and veneration of a single individual, which is typically the aforementioned charismatic leader. All of these characteristics create a bubble around the member that isolates them from the outside world and encourages them to blindly follow the cult’s doctrines. Not only do they have to follow certain rules, they are taught not to criticize or even question them either.
Image credits: Josh Sorenson (not the actual photo)
There are certain characteristics that can help distinguish a cult
An article in The New York Times suggested that there are currently between 2,500 and 3000 cults in the US, adding up to roughly 300,000 to three million members. It pointed out that the latter are often manipulated by cult leaders and trainers who use techniques resembling brainwashing that can evoke behavioral changes.
Hyperfixation on a certain person, for example, often completely disregarding any practical consideration, can be one of the warning signs that someone is involved with a potentially unsafe group or leader. Cult Education listed such warning signs, which also include dependency upon the leader for problem solving, isolation from family and old friends, and obsessiveness over the group or the leader that supersedes personal goals and individual interests, among other things.
The list shared on Twitter ticks numerous boxes of characteristics specific to cults. In addition to having to check with their leader Jane about everything from watching a movie to buying a house, it also restricts a multitude of other activities (it even prohibits people from enjoying a game of Monopoly or playing an imaginary guitar), which would most likely weird out anyone outside the group. And people replying to Degen Dilly’s post showed that it did.
Image credits: RDNE Stock project (not the actual photo)
People on Twitter replied to Degen Dilly’s post with jokes and other remarks
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