07-26-2018, 10:17 AM
Warning signs:
1. Military symbolism or style. (I exempt the Salvation Army, which has social welfare through personal renovation as its objective, and is very conventional Christianity, and the use of the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers as used in the Churchill-FDR jihad against the demonic Axis powers). Dominionist churches use military-style regimentation and such heraldic devices as guns and swords. That is God as a drill sergeant, but over everyone. You think as you are told to think and believe what you are told to believe.
2. The Church dictates your vote. To be sure, all churches expect members to contemplate the teachings of the Bible, although most politicians are hybrids and cannot get endorsements. The anti-abortion dream of the Catholic Church is often contrary to the Church on economic issues. A Dominionist church expects one to vote for Donald Trump because one is a member of that church. Beware the church that sees great wrong in "greed, pride, pedophilia, poverty, racism, human rights abuses, adultery, dishonesty, or cruelty" that one might see wrong in Donald Trump.
3. Isolation from relatives and old friends. You are impressed upon the need to shun non-believing loved-ones. The Church of $cientology (which, strictly speaking is not a Dominionist church but is a dangerous and destructive cult that has analogies to Dominionist churches) does this. After all, outsiders might be in league with Satan -- you know:
![[Image: 220px-President_Barack_Obama.jpg]](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/thumb/8/8d/President_Barack_Obama.jpg/220px-President_Barack_Obama.jpg)
Some people are predestined to Hell, and one does not want to be associated with such people.
4. Seeking of signs and wonders. Miracles and other supernatural phenomena (like spontaneous healing) allegedly demonstrate the power of faith. But this is standard fare of Pentecostal churches that have existed before Dominionism. Dominionists often use New Age phenomena somehow grafted onto Christianity, with pastors even having claimed to have visited Heaven or Hell, if not both. If the practice does not have Biblical justification, then beware.
5. Highly-selective 'anointing' by God -- and guess who is anointed! The pastor as cult-leader, of course. Disobedience to this self-claimed prophet, apostle, or Holy Man is evil -- and if critical thinking runs afoul of this, then critical thought must be abandoned as a demonic practice. Furthermore, if the cult leader does exploitative acts (like insisting upon sex with the wives of male members), such must be excused.
6. Demand for uncritical obedience. Who could possibly disobey God or his anointed One? Only an evil, back-sliding sinner! Consider that even the military has its rules, and it has defined such things as 'illegal orders'... and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) specifically prohibits war crimes. But if the Anointed One demands that one keep one's children in a burning building, such must be obeyed.
7. The Prosperity Gospel. Note well that much of Jesus' ministry was the teaching that luxuriant excess was itself sinful, and craving for it was evidence of debasement of one's precious soul. Because most non-inherited prosperity is the result of a work ethic, skill, personal thrift and investment, and service, trying to get rich through the Blessing of the Almighty is suspect. The prosperity gospel offers wealth and income -- and luxuries that people seek -- on the cheap. Beware. Something for nothing is the appeal of most con-artists.
8. Emphasis on tithes and offerings. Remember that the Catholic Church has a vow of poverty for Catholic priests, monks, and nuns -- and that the vast majority of Protestant preachers live in near-poverty. But dominionist churches elevate the idea of God causing true believers to prosper after the appropriate sacrifices are made in tithes and offerings to the Anointed One who lives very well and is proud of it. If your pastor is living well for reasons not related to a side job, then beware; you may be getting fleeced in a profitable enterprise.
(to be continued)
1. Military symbolism or style. (I exempt the Salvation Army, which has social welfare through personal renovation as its objective, and is very conventional Christianity, and the use of the hymn Onward Christian Soldiers as used in the Churchill-FDR jihad against the demonic Axis powers). Dominionist churches use military-style regimentation and such heraldic devices as guns and swords. That is God as a drill sergeant, but over everyone. You think as you are told to think and believe what you are told to believe.
2. The Church dictates your vote. To be sure, all churches expect members to contemplate the teachings of the Bible, although most politicians are hybrids and cannot get endorsements. The anti-abortion dream of the Catholic Church is often contrary to the Church on economic issues. A Dominionist church expects one to vote for Donald Trump because one is a member of that church. Beware the church that sees great wrong in "greed, pride, pedophilia, poverty, racism, human rights abuses, adultery, dishonesty, or cruelty" that one might see wrong in Donald Trump.
3. Isolation from relatives and old friends. You are impressed upon the need to shun non-believing loved-ones. The Church of $cientology (which, strictly speaking is not a Dominionist church but is a dangerous and destructive cult that has analogies to Dominionist churches) does this. After all, outsiders might be in league with Satan -- you know:
Some people are predestined to Hell, and one does not want to be associated with such people.
4. Seeking of signs and wonders. Miracles and other supernatural phenomena (like spontaneous healing) allegedly demonstrate the power of faith. But this is standard fare of Pentecostal churches that have existed before Dominionism. Dominionists often use New Age phenomena somehow grafted onto Christianity, with pastors even having claimed to have visited Heaven or Hell, if not both. If the practice does not have Biblical justification, then beware.
5. Highly-selective 'anointing' by God -- and guess who is anointed! The pastor as cult-leader, of course. Disobedience to this self-claimed prophet, apostle, or Holy Man is evil -- and if critical thinking runs afoul of this, then critical thought must be abandoned as a demonic practice. Furthermore, if the cult leader does exploitative acts (like insisting upon sex with the wives of male members), such must be excused.
6. Demand for uncritical obedience. Who could possibly disobey God or his anointed One? Only an evil, back-sliding sinner! Consider that even the military has its rules, and it has defined such things as 'illegal orders'... and the Uniform Code of Military Justice (UCMJ) specifically prohibits war crimes. But if the Anointed One demands that one keep one's children in a burning building, such must be obeyed.
7. The Prosperity Gospel. Note well that much of Jesus' ministry was the teaching that luxuriant excess was itself sinful, and craving for it was evidence of debasement of one's precious soul. Because most non-inherited prosperity is the result of a work ethic, skill, personal thrift and investment, and service, trying to get rich through the Blessing of the Almighty is suspect. The prosperity gospel offers wealth and income -- and luxuries that people seek -- on the cheap. Beware. Something for nothing is the appeal of most con-artists.
8. Emphasis on tithes and offerings. Remember that the Catholic Church has a vow of poverty for Catholic priests, monks, and nuns -- and that the vast majority of Protestant preachers live in near-poverty. But dominionist churches elevate the idea of God causing true believers to prosper after the appropriate sacrifices are made in tithes and offerings to the Anointed One who lives very well and is proud of it. If your pastor is living well for reasons not related to a side job, then beware; you may be getting fleeced in a profitable enterprise.
(to be continued)
The ideal subject of totalitarian rule is not the convinced Nazi or the dedicated Communist but instead the people for whom the distinction between fact and fiction, true and false, no longer exists -- Hannah Arendt.