Warning Signs of a Potentially Unsafe Group/Leader Rick Ross gives us the 10 warning signs of a potentially unsafe group/leader.

1. Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.

2. No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.

3. No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget, expenses such as an independently audited financial statement.

4. Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.

5. There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.

6. Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.

7. There are records, books, news articles, or television programs that document the abuses of the group/leader.

8. Followers feel they can never be "good enough".

9. The group/leader is always right.

10. The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.

Let me add this: Bible cults take this one step further. They maintain that God himself directs their activities, and their activity alone. Whatever directions that the Bible cult leader(s) issue, these are said to come from God. Also, people who are in a cult do not think they are in a cult. As such, Maureen Griffo's words are good to consider:

"People in cults are not stupid. . . Who joins cults? They are anyone you could meet anywhere. . . So, the next time you are approached by someone whom you strongly suspect may be living in a far out commune somewhere, remember you are likely to be dealing with a highly intelligent person who was deceived into joining what may appear to us as a bizarre cult. Instead of looking at such people as freaks or crazies, keep in mind that if they had access to more information and saw that there was a life outside for them, they probably would leave." (emphasis mine)