I dont know alot about churches or cults but I have a few friends in America, Aussie and NZ whohave visited 'christian churches' Some of my friends have found the Pastors and leadership to be quite controling. My friend who went to a newly esptablished church in Texas and she got hooked into their ways and initially believed it was a good church but then it got controlling - she managed to leave with a bit of a fight on her hands (she told me that she was the one who was treated as if she was somehow of the devil herself - and made her feel very bad though she had done no wrong. I am so glad she left and is now attending a lovely church not far from that cult one and am gonna go visit her soon - cant wait!, There are a few of our friends have attended a church in Wellington NZ and its a new church too I think they called it City church but its its mostly university students that go and so its not stable as students are very transient and my friend joy is a student and she said the leaders keep asking for money alll the time! She said the Pastor is a bit of a control freak once she got to know him, all they do is hook you in to helping the church and if you then decide to drop out of what they want you to do, they drop you like a hot potatoe and ignore you and treat you like nothing. So She said its all about them and what they can get from the people who go. I think that to me sounds controlling i.e do as we want or you'll be a nobody and we'll not include you in the inner groups kinda attitude - seems bit weird to me and am not sure where people draw the line as to whats controlling or whats a cult n whats not - Can a church be controlling without being a cult? Whats the difference?