“God Said So”: The Cult Playbook Behind Religious Extremism
- Renee Spencer
- Aug 1
- 4 min read
~ Unpacking Abrahamic Religions
PART 1 OF 4
If you've ever been part of a cult, religious movement, or spiritual community, you're probably familiar with the notion that "God" or "the divine" told someone in a position of authority that what the group stands for has supernatural approval. From ISIS to Christian nationalists to hardline Israeli settlers, extremist movements across the three Abrahamic faiths share something disturbingly familiar:
A belief that they alone are chosen by God, and that this divine status grants them the right—sometimes even the duty—to dominate others.
This isn’t just religious conviction. It’s totalistic thinking, weaponised. And when you peel back the sacred vocabulary, what’s left looks an awful lot like a cult.
The Core Claim: “We Are Chosen. You Are Not.”
At the heart of extremist ideologies lies a simple, seductive message:
“We are God’s true people ... The rest of you are misguided, inferior, or enemies of truth ...Therefore, we have the right to rule—and you have the duty to obey.”
Across all three traditions, this belief manifests in distinct—but strikingly parallel—ways.
Islamic Extremists: The Caliphate and the Sword
Groups like ISIS and Al-Qaeda claim divine authority to establish a global Islamic caliphate. Their interpretation of Islam leaves no room for pluralism:
Takfir: declaring fellow Muslims apostate for not conforming
Jihad as warfare: not inner struggle, but violent conquest
Reward for martyrdom: violence framed as sacred duty
They claim Allah’s favour while labelling everyone else—Muslims and non-Muslims alike—as enemies. This is more about power and purity than spirituality.
Jewish Extremists: Divine Real Estate and Racial Supremacy
Radical Zionist movements—including Kahanists and some settler ideologues—believe Jews have a God-given right to all biblical land, regardless of who lives there:
Palestinians are viewed as obstacles to prophecy
Non-Jews are sometimes taught to be lesser beings
Violence and dispossession are justified as holy acts
These beliefs are a distortion of Judaism, replacing the moral burden of chosenness with a theocratic entitlement to power—and often echoing ethno-nationalism more than religion.
Christian Extremists: Dominion, Rapture, and Holy Warfare
From American Christian nationalists to fringe end-times cults, some Christians believe:
They must “take dominion” over government, media, and law
The rapture will soon remove them from a sinful world
Only their version of Christianity deserves legitimacy
This theology often fuels resistance to democracy, women’s rights, LGBTQ+ inclusion, and multiculturalism. It presents the world as a battleground where only the “saved” should lead.
How This Mirrors Cult Thinking
All three forms of extremism operate like macro-cults—spiritual movements that drift into authoritarian control and coercive ideology.
Here’s how:
1. Exclusivity and Elitism
Cult logic: Only we know the truth. Everyone else is blind or evil.
Extremists claim to be God’s elect, inherently superior. This reinforces us-vs-them tribalism, making dialogue, compromise, or empathy nearly impossible.
2. Totalistic Control
Cult logic: Our truth governs every part of life—thought, behaviour, belief.
These movements demand full obedience, not just religiously but politically, socially, and even psychologically. Doubt is betrayal. Dissent is sin.
3. Apocalyptic Urgency
Cult logic: The world is ending. You must choose a side—now.
By framing everything as an existential war or cosmic battle, extremists justify violence, persecution, and authoritarianism as “necessary” or “divinely ordained.”
4. Charismatic or Ideological Leaders
Cult logic: Our leader speaks for God.
Whether it’s a caliph, messianic rabbi, or evangelical prophet, these movements elevate leaders who claim divine insight, demand loyalty, and often display narcissistic or messiah-like behaviour.
5. Moral Inversion (DARVO & Victim Blaming)
Cult logic: We are the persecuted ones—even while we harm others.
Like many cult leaders, extremists often frame themselves as victims of persecution—even while they promote supremacist ideas or engage in violence. They Deny, Attack, and Reverse Victim and Offender (DARVO), a classic abuse tactic.
The Danger: From Thought to Action In Religious Extremism
Religious extremism theology isn’t just abstract—it spills into real-world harm:
Suicide bombings and mass killings
Settler violence and ethnic displacement
Insurrections and domestic terrorism
Anti-democratic policy and religious repression
Each of these is justified by the same dangerous logic:
We are chosen. You are not. Therefore, your rights, freedom, and even life may be sacrificed.
Reclaiming Faith from Extremism
It’s important to be clear:
These ideologies do not represent Islam, Judaism, or Christianity.
They represent cult-like perversions of those traditions.
Most believers across all three faiths oppose such extremism. Many are working courageously within their communities to promote peace, pluralism, and compassion.
But to counter extremism, we must recognise that:
It’s not just about bad theology.
It’s about control, supremacy, and power.
And those are the hallmark goals of cults—not faith.
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If you’re healing from a controlling group—religious or otherwise—you’re not alone.
Check out Renée's Cult Ranking Criteria for more insights on cults and their coercive control dynamics. You can also sign up to the newsletter for more support on your journey to reclaim your voice, your values, and your life.
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