A Christian's Duty to be Above Manipulation

General Faith
1

In Mathew 10:16, Christ says to his followers,
“I am sending you out like sheep with wolves all around you. Be wise like snakes and gentle like doves.”

We live in a world that is full of lies, deception, and manipulation. And social media has made it worse. It is far easier for cult leaders to arise now and to trick others into following them into extremeism.

Even the Christian Church is succeptable to being taken over by those with nefarious agendas that lead to the harm and destruction of the Church and others. And when the Church goes astray, it causes those who were watching who may have come to Christ to run away. Maybe never to try again.

But would you know the manipulation if you saw it? Would you be able to walk away if the crowd around you embraced it and ran toward it?

Do you know that there are many books written on how to seduce women by using psychology? Mind tricks.

Do you know how hypnosis works? Or NLP (Neuro-Linguistic Programming)?

Did you know that amazing spirtual and emotional experiences can be simulated by a hypnotist simply by talking to you and making a subtle gesture off to the side, bringing to your mind positive memories and making an association to this trigger, building this sensation up of joy and pleasure, and then setting the trigger off?

The same thing can be done with hate, rage, and violence to set a crowd toward destruction. And we live in an age of unfiltered access to many hypnotists via social media.

All of this because the human brain can be manipulated.

What are you feeding yourself? TikTok? Twitter/X? Instagram? And a stream of images and videos, Feeds, of random scenes, with possible subliminals and sounds attached. Some with AI images or AI voices?

Have you noticed how news media picks a word and then continuously uses it? What word do you hear repeated again and again? How does that word make you feel? How does just that word make you feel? That is an emotional feeling attached to a word that has become a Trigger. Intentional manipulation.

Romans 12:2 says, “Do not be conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind, that you may prove what is that good and acceptable and perfect will of God"

But if you set your mind to any of these sources daily, even if it claims to be of God, are you truly renewing your mind? Or just following something that may he leadibg you away from God’s actual Will?

Have you made any attempt in your own life to understand manipulation methods so that you can rise above them? If so, what have you learned? What do you know that might save someone from the wolves? Share it. Share your experiences of being manipulated. What it looked like, felt like. Share the hard lessons learned. Encourage your brothers and sisters to rise above it.

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Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

It seems discernment requires exercise.

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That’s an excellent and much-needed reminder, especially in the times we’re living in. The scripture is very clear “The whole world lies in the power of the evil one” ~1 John 5:19. Deception is not new but the tools of lies have become much more available and are becoming very refined. That is why the Lord warns His people to walk in watchfulness. Jesus said, “Take heed that no man deceive you” ~Matthew 24:4. The only way we stay off of the smoke screen is to be anchored in the truth of God’s Word. The mind that is saturated with the Word of God cannot be easily manipulated by the ruse of the world. “Your word have I hid in my heart, that I might not sin against you” ~Psalm 119:11.

Romans 12: 2 gives us the recipe for defense: “Be not conformed to this world, but be transformed by the renewing of your mind.” The world is always at work molding thought patterns with emotion, repetition and fear. But the mind of the believer is renewed when it’s cleansed by the Word of God ~Ephesians 5:26. That means testing everything and measuring it against the Word, not feelings or social media. When Paul said, “We destroy arguments and every lofty opinion raised against the knowledge of God, and take every thought captive to obey Christ” ~2 Corinthians 10: 5, he was talking about what you wrote, exactly. Breaking mental manipulation by filtering every thought through the truth of Christ.

We are not to be naive or withdraw from the world but to see it as it is, through the lens of the truth. Jesus said, “Be wise as serpents and harmless as doves” ~Matthew 10:16. Wisdom protects us from being deceived and purity guards our motives. So yes, it is every Christian’s responsibility to know the enemy’s plans and to guard our heart and mind through the Word, prayer and discernment. “Above all else, guard your heart, for everything you do flows from it” ~Proverbs 4:23. When the Word reigns over the heart, manipulation is powerless.

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Here is a link for how to recognize a cult and how to protect yourself.

And here is a TED talk from someone who believed she was joining a personal development group but was instead lured into the now infamous NXIVM cult without knowing it. She recruited friends and family and many others before she finally realized, after she was literally branded like a cow, that the organization was a cult. She then became a whistleblower to help stop them.

Sarah Edmondson has dedicated herself to helping others to avoid the same mistakes she once made.

5

I appreciate the verses you brought in, especially Romans 12:2.
There’s something grounding in remembering that transformation isn’t passive. It’s something we actually participate in.

For me, one helpful reminder is that manipulation often works by rushing people into agreement before they have time to think. When I slow down, pray, reflect, and compare things to Scripture instead of reacting instantly, I’m less likely to get pulled into someone else’s agenda.

Staying rooted in truth feels less like “fighting the world” and more like choosing steadiness over urgency.

6

Interesting post..and thoughts! I know that feeling of being “triggered” and reacting rather than responding, so I changed my feed. I stopped following and engaging in those types of posts, following scripture based content, gardening, baking, funny animal content, and more positive content. I also post verses and devotionals, along with my sourdough bread, pictures of nature or berries from my garden. But, I’ll be honest, I still get content I don’t want, and am getting so much better at not reacting. Even when someone is mocking me, or being judgemental, I let them know I’m not perfect. In fact I’m broken but I’m honest about it. I don’t hide who I was, or when I fall down, or that I’m on my knees every day asking for forgiveness.

I’m trying. Every day I’m trying..and by His grace I’m learning and changing and being shaped by Him.

Such an interesting topic! And so on time!

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Hey Tillman, I believe the answer is the same for mature children of God and those who are newly born again. The best place to start is with the Bible. {Holding up the Bible}. If it is not in here or in line with its teachings, it is a lie. Additionally, if anyone or anything that speaks to you does not accept or believe that Jesus is Lord, then they are not of God and cannot be trustworthy.

“You know that when you were pagans you were led astray to mute idols, however you were led. Therefore I want you to understand that no one speaking in the Spirit of God ever says “Jesus is accursed!” and no one can say “Jesus is Lord” except in the Holy Spirit.” 1 Corinthians 12

Of course, as you grow in wisdom and truth, you will be less and less likely to fall for the lies.

PC

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Thank you, @PeterC , for reminding us all of the importance of knowing Scripture. Here is a link to an article on the infamous Rwverend Jim Jones who began his career as a Christian Minister. He and his congregation knew the Bible too. But that did not prevent what happened.

And here is a link to Gwen Shamblin, whose weight loss workbooks were taught innocently as classes in many Christian Churches throughout the United States. The last link is to an interview with her son. He talks about what it was like living in that cult. For more information, there was an amazing documentary that talks about her cult from many different perspectives. A child murdered by his parents. Parents who lose their daughter when she marries into the cult. And the people who left because they could not lose enough weight for Jesus. And more. It is called, the Way Down.

The sons interview:

Finally, I want to stress the importance of knowing the tactics of cults and the signs that you might be dealing with one.

It is not difficult for a “Christian Church” to be a cult in disguise. Any organization can be a cult. They are controlling, manipulative, sometimes bent toward violence and hate, sometimes under the guise of being heaven sent and holy. They know the Bible, like you do. And you could even be in one now. With it shaping how you read the Bible, telling you what to think and what not to think.

They seperate you from your loved ones, set you against your family and friends and community, and they use psychological tricks while also preaching how evil psychology is. It is a War on Wisdom, to make it easier to pull your strings.

Be leery, question the programming. I know I do. I question everything when the only answers I get are Bible quotes and redirection. I question everything when there is no clear sign of people living in Christ, no actual Testimony of any sort, no real life experience, no past, no journey had or sins overcome, and no example of actual transformation. There are just Bible quotes and this plastic mold everyone is trying to fill. A meme people for a world of memes. But that is not living in Christ. That is a Spirit of WitchCraft. Control.

To Live in Christ is to make His teachings the Way you walk. There should be questions, struggles, introspection, a time spent walking with God alone.

You are not suppose to have all the answers. They aren’t yours to have. Only God knows everything. No church, book, or person on this Earth can give you all the answers. And it is crazy to say otherwise. And there is something really really wrong with this need to answer questions with Bible quotes alone. You have a brain for a God given reaaon. Use it.

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Heb 5:14 But strong meat belongeth to them that are of full age, even those who by reason of use have their senses exercised to discern both good and evil.

Discernment seems to need to be exercised. It could also be advantageous to remove obstacles to truth. Pride and emotional investments in what is not true can make us more vulnerable.

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Indeed, brother, keep practicing.

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Anyone here claiming they have all the answers @Tillman ?

J.

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You tell me @Johann .

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This is deflective rhetoric-or tu quoque @Tillman

Can you answer my question? Who do you have in mind?

Letting of a bit of steam, perhaps?

J.

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Enjoy the changing of the seasons as you once did as a child before life became so complicated. And stop taking everything so personally. As someone once told me, it is not all about you. And I am not venting. I am concerned. And expressing my honest thoughts. Searching for signs of life. You know how it is living in a world full of people pretending to be something that they are not.

Btw, I did a google search on Christian Cults in Africa. You are in Africa right? I thought you might like this:

Notorious examples of Christian cults in Africa

Good News International Church (Kenya)

  • Led by Pastor Paul Mackenzie, this group gained international infamy in 2023 when more than 400 bodies were exhumed from mass graves in the Shakahola forest.

  • Mackenzie instructed followers to fast to death “to meet Jesus” before an alleged apocalypse.

  • Dozens of children were among the victims, with reports that some followers were strangled or beaten to death.

  • Many followers sold their worldly possessions and were kept isolated from society on Mackenzie’s property.

The Synagogue, Church of All Nations (SCOAN) (Nigeria)

  • Founded by the late T. B. Joshua, this charismatic megachurch was accused by former members of operating like a cult.

  • Allegations include the fabrication of “miracle cures” and that Joshua was a serial predator who subjected followers to physical and sexual abuse.

  • Former members described extreme indoctrination, physical exhaustion, and fear of retribution if they spoke out.

Rabboni Centre Ministries (South Africa)

  • Led by Pastor Lesego Daniel, this group gained notoriety in 2014 for compelling followers to eat grass and drink petrol to “get closer to God”.

  • Followers were seen on video dropping to the floor to consume grass during a service in Pretoria.

Church of God (Kenya)

  • This group rejects modern medicine and relies solely on faith healing. In 2018, it was reported that a single family in Kenya lost seven children over four years due to the church’s prohibition on using hospitals.

Legio Maria (Kenya)

  • This group is an African-initiated church that splintered from the Catholic Church and has been described as cultic.

  • It claims to have its own “African Messiah” and other uniquely African religious figures.

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Correct, @Tillman. I’m writing from Africa, where Google hardly exaggerates. Here, cults flourish that make people drink petrol and eat grass, false prophets perform staged “miracles,” and ancestral worship mingles with Marxist ideology until deception feels like culture and bondage looks like faith.

Stay strong in Messiah Yeshua, brother, sealed by the Ruach ha-Kodesh, for apart from the Spirit no one belongs to Christ Jesus, our great God and Savior.

Love you too.

From Lewis.

“What God begets is God; just as what man begets is man. What God creates is not God. That is why men are not Sons of God in the sense that Christ is. They may be adopted, as we are told, but not begotten. To be taken into the life of God is something far beyond what we can conceive. When you are connected with Him, then you share in the life of Christ, you become a ‘little Christ.’”

We don’t use the words begetting or begotten much in modern English, but everyone still knows what they mean. To beget is to become the father of: to create is to make. And the difference is this. When you beget, you beget something of the same kind as yourself. A man begets human babies, a beaver begets little beavers and a bird begets eggs which turn into little birds. But when you make, you make something of a different kind from yourself. A bird makes a nest, a beaver builds a dam, a man makes a wireless set-or he may make something more like himself than a wireless set: say, a statue. If he is a clever enough carver he may make a statue which is very like a man indeed. But, of course, it is not a real man; it only looks like one. It cannot breathe or think. It is not alive.

Lewis goes on to say that this connection, this sharing of divine life, is the work of the Holy Spirit:

“The Spirit of Christ, the Holy Ghost, is the instrument by which the whole Body receives life from Christ, its Head.”

J.

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Hello Tillman, where to begin? First, those false teachers are, well, false teachers. There are many today. Does that nullify God and His Word? Of course not. Bad doctors, police, etc. Not to mention the devil LOVES false teachers because they keep people from Christ.

Of course, this is why it is extremely important to read God’s Word for yourself. If it is not in there, or contrary to what it says, it is a lie.

Sometimes that is necessary. Remember what Jesus said?

"Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not come to bring peace but a sword. For I have come to ‘set a man against his father, a daughter against her mother, and a daughter-in-law against her mother-in-law’; and ‘a man’s enemies will be those of his [own] household.’ He who loves father or mother more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who loves son or daughter more than Me is not worthy of Me. And he who does not take his cross and follow after Me is not worthy of Me. He who finds his life will lose it, and he who loses his life for My sake will find it.” Matthew 10:34-39

Are you saying it is wrong to quote the Bible? Is it wrong when the Bible says, “Thou shalt not murder”? Is it ok to ignore that because you may not like it? Stay silent because it may offend someone? No. I believe it is the Word of God, and it is, “living and active, sharper than any two-edged sword, piercing to the division of soul and of spirit, of joints and of marrow, and discerning the thoughts and intentions of the heart.”

PC

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A lot of what you mentioned there was psychological manipulation. But Scripture has already revealed the reason for that susceptibility. The devil’s first weapon was manipulation. The very first recorded words of the devil were, “Yea, hath God said” ~Genesis 3:1. He distorted what God said. He sowed seeds of doubt and took Eve’s eyes off the truth and onto emotion. The pattern is the same then as it is now.

Scripture warns us that false prophets and deceivers come with “smooth words” to draw people away from Christ. Peter said that false teachers come with “feigned words” to ensnare people ~2 Peter 2:1 through 3. Paul said that they entice by appealing to the flesh with “enticing words” that deceive the simple in heart ~Romans 16:18. Scripture never tells us to study psychological manipulation. It tells us to guard our hearts by abiding in the Word.

The command to be wise as serpents and innocent as doves is not a command to learn manipulation techniques. It is a command to be watchful and innocent and grounded in truth. The wisdom is from God through His Word, not through a study of hypnotic cadence and anchoring. “The testimony of the Lord is sure, making wise the simple” ~Psalm 19:7.

The danger is not TikTok or hypnotists. The danger is when believers stop testing everything by Scripture. John said, “Test the spirits whether they are of God” ~1 John 4:1. Paul said not to believe a thing that is not in or does not agree with what is written ~1 Corinthians 4:6. When a believer fills their mind with God’s Word, the lies have no power.

The renewing of the mind in ~Romans 12:2 is not studying psychology. It is the sanctifying work of the Word re-shaping our thoughts. Jesus prayed, “Sanctify them through Thy truth. Thy word is truth” ~John 17:17. If something does not line up with the Word, it does not matter how exciting, emotional, or convincing it is. Truth is not defined by our feelings.

If someone asks how to rise above manipulation, Scripture has already laid out the path. Abide in the Word. Abide in prayer. Walk in the Spirit. Fix your eyes on Christ. Lies only control when we neglect the truth. A believer who clings to God’s Word is not easily swayed. “Great peace have they which love Thy law, and nothing shall offend them” ~Psalm 119:165.

Tell people to measure every message, every voice, every experience against Scripture. That is how we stay above the wolves.

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Only a cult would tell you to stay ignorant of their methods for getting inside your head. Of course they don’t want you to know. Its like the Screw Tape Letters by CS Lewis. They don’t want you to know how the devil works so you can be better prey.

Only a cult would tell you to turn your backs on your loved ones- Your parents, your children, your spouse, your family, your friends. They do this to remove your roots, your support, your connection with reality. To make it easier to warp your thoughts, to put their programming into your brain.

Jehovah’s Witnesses- cult?

Seven Day Adventists- cult?

Mormanism- cult?

Scientology- cult?

Apostolic Church- cult?