What is the difference between healthy religious groups and high-pressure religious groups?

You'll find numerous religious groups among the clubs and organizations on campus. Some are well organized and some are very informal. Choosing a religious group is an important decision. We want to offer you some information that will help you make an informed, free, choice.
Healthy religious groups will tell you a lot about themselves: who they are, what they stand for, and what they expect from you. An open and responsible group will offer an easy entrance to their group and more importantly and easy exit from it. Within the healthy group you will find an appreciation of diversity, an openness to criticism and doubt, and affirmation of other religious traditions. Healthy groups encourage the individual's comfort and growth, and support the college experience.
However, there are some campus religious groups (both organized and informal) that use high-pressure recruiting tactics. Listing the names of these groups would be a waste of time, since the names change frequently. You can identify these groups by what they do.

How Can You Identify These Groups?

Observe the group's responses to you and how you feel about the group. If you can answer, "yes" to any three of the following statements, you should reconsider your involvement:

· The group seems to be perfect. Everyone agrees and follows orders cheerfully.
· The group claims to have "all the answers" to your problems.
· You are asked to recruit new members soon after joining.
· You begin to feel guilty and ashamed, unworthy as a person.
· The group encourages you to put their meetings and activities before all other commitments, including studying.
· The group speaks in a derogatory way about your past religious affiliations.
· Your parents and friends are defined as unable to understand and help you with religious matters.
· Doubts and questions about the group are seen as signs of weak faith.
· Leadership of tye group is mostly make, and males in general are believed to have different rights and abilities than females.
· You are invited on a retreat with the group, but they can't give you and overview of the purpose, theme, or activities before you go.,

Why are these groups so harmful?

· They isolate you from family, friends, and other groups.
· They ask you to give up control of your life, thoughts, and decisions.
· They fill you with guilty and shame.
· They may promote crises with school, your career, or your love life.
· They frighten you to the point that you stop making decisions and asking questions for yourself.

You are most vulnerable when:

You are living in a new place.
You're making new friends, some having different values than you.
You don't have the support of old friends and family.
Many New things are happening to you.
Trying to juggle changing responsibilities is a challenge.
Relationships are changing, both here and at home.
You may feel like a little fish in a big pond.
Competition is much keener than what you've faced before.
You may never have gone to school or lived with so many people
You are searching for something significant to do with your time.
It's harder to get good grades
The pressure to make good grades may be more intense.
You work load seems overwhelming

Remember-these challenges can be worked through with the proper perspective. It is difficult, however, and during the transitions you could be vulnerable to high pressure recruiters.