Marks of healthy faith
- Honesty
- Compassion
- Accountability
- Humility
- Respect for consent
- Questions welcomed
- Responsible leadership
- Protection of vulnerable people
- Transparency about money
- Appropriate boundaries
- Medical care when needed
- Freedom from threats and manipulation
Warning signs of manipulation or control
- A leader claims they cannot be questioned
- Pressure to give money you cannot afford
- Demands to cut off family or support workers
- Claims that medication always shows weak faith
- Claims that every illness is caused by demons
- Threats of divine punishment for leaving a group
- Secret teachings used to control members
- Sexual pressure or boundary violations
- Instructions to commit crimes or harm someone
- Claims that the group alone knows the truth
- Encouragement to act on frightening voices, visions or signs
- Attempts to stop someone from contacting emergency or medical services
Your rights
This site's positionNo pastor, teacher, online personality, or religious group should ask you to harm yourself, harm another person, abandon necessary medical treatment, surrender your basic rights, or keep abuse secret.