The Bait And Switch Method Of A DRG

"Savage wolves will come in among you, not sparing the flock"  Acts 20"29

Unethical businesses often advertise low-priced products to get consumers in
the door, once in, customers are subjected to manipulative sales tactics designed
to get them to leave with something other that what they came in for.  This bait-
and-switch tactic is also characteristic of dangerous religious groups.   For this
reason we cite some examples of what DRGs often promise and what the
members eventually get.   ETEC used all of the following examples on their
members.

Members of dangerous religious groups often disguise themselves as representative
of Christ.

Switch 1:
             From Christ to another.
                       
                       Bait (true)                                     Christ
                       Switch (counterfeit)                     Another

Dangerous religious groups often disguise themselves as representatives of Christ.
In time, however, they show themselves to be serving "another Jesus".  A former
member of a DRG says "I think the deception of the group is that they want to be known
as just another Christian denomination.   They're using the same terminology, so when
they're talking about God of Jesus we assume that they're talking about the God and
Jesus of the Bible.  And that, I think, is the number one deception,  because we don't
understand that their Jesus is not the Jesus of the Bible".

Switch  2:
              From the Word of God to the Word of Men.

                         Bait (true)                                      Word of God
                         Switch (counterfeit)                       Word of Men

Author and DRG expert Ron Enroth says, "Virtually all of these religious groups quote
the Bible and make reference to Jesus.  They will emphasize that their particular group
thinks very highly of the Bible.  What they usually do (however) is downplay the
significance of Scripture, distort Scripture, and sometimes, but not often, completely
dismiss Scripture.

They will take verses out of context. They will use proof-text, and they will very often
substitute of provide additional truth, additional Revelation from another source'.

Switch  3:
              From leadership to tyranny.

                        Bait (true)                                          Leadership
                        Switch (counterfeit)                          Tyranny

Dangerous religious groups emphasize separation not so much to protect the group
from error as to make sure they don't see the light.

In the beginning, in a DRG, the leader offers true leadership.  But somewhere the switch is
made to tyranny.  Instead of leading by example he leads by intimidation.  Instead of being
careful not to go beyond the Bible, he mixes his own opinion with Scriptures.   Instead of
helping members grow in maturity and discernment, he leader encourages them to regress
into childlike dependence on him.  Instead of recognizing that God provides many leaders,
for His Church, he claims to have the sole authority to speak on behalf of God.  Instead
of sacrificing his own interest for the group, the leader uses them to feed his insatiable
appetite for money, admiration and approval.

One former member of a DRG says, "I was very impressed when I first joined the group
because they kept emphasizing that we could do any kind of research or ask any kind
of question we wanted to have to have answered.   Everything was open and above-
aboard.   But after I was in for a few years, I discovered that wasn't the case.  People
who questioned their leadership or their authority were thrown out.   They were treated
like evil people.  They were slandered.  There was no freedom to ask questions once
you were a member, once you were in.  They demanded absolute loyalty to the
leadership".

Switch  4:
From separation to isolation.
                        
                   Bait (true)                                                     Separation
                   Switch (counterfeit)                                      Isolation

Dangerous religious groups emphasize separation not so much to protect the group
from error as to make sure they don't see the light.  One former DRG member
relates this kind of mind control and "information management" when he says,  "One
of the ways that they control you is through isolation of information.   You're not
supposed  to read certain things. Especially things from ex-members of the group.
That is 'apostate a literature'  That (they tell us) is hate literature.   So (through)
information control...they isolate you from certain types of involvements
in groups and friendships.   They isolate you in their own little world with
their five meetings a week.   They tell you that if you leave, your life is going
to fall apart and you're going to lose God in your life"

Again, in the beginning such separation sounds logical, and necessary to protect the
group from being pressed into mold of the existing social order.   Yet in time a subtle
often occurs.  In time the isolation is used not to protect the group from error but from
the truth. 

Right separation involves a separation from the sins of society, not from society itself.
Amen.