Evangelical Rhetoric; Final Essay

Modern evangelicalism was formed around three centuries ago and has deep roots formed in classic Christian Orthodoxy and is shaped by the Protestant understanding of the gospel (Sweeney, 2005, p.23). Evangelicals take pride in their commitment to spreading the “good word” of Christ and their dedication to missionaries around the globe. The evangelical movement has been adaptive and ever-changing, and as a result, there are not any formal rules or regulations that govern evangelicals as a whole. Modern evangelicalism surely looks different than it did three centuries ago but most core beliefs remain the same. As the evangelical movement has grown, it has seen hundreds of schisms and modifications leading to new denominations, churches, and deviant adaptations such as cults. When delving into the history of evangelism and it’s core beliefs, we can find similarities within the movement and non-evangelical cults such as Nxivm (NEX-ee-um). As many cults are rooted in betterment, self-help, the prosperity gospel, and worship, it is important to discuss whether the persuasive rhetoric of evangelicalism and non-religious cult activity blur the lines between religion, social movement, and cultism.

Arising out of the Great Awakening in the eighteenth century, evangelicalism quickly spread from the middle of Europe to the British Isles, Britains' North American Colonies, and into the West. Before the Great Awakening, Protestant Europe had been fighting over biblical interpretation and control of the evangelical church’s resources leading to schisms within the church. The Great Awakening began in the eighteenth century and it brought a sense of gospel urgency into the faith, which emphasized rededication to the faith and changed the practices in the church but after the Great Awakening, the evangelical church slowed down (Sweeney, 2005, p.29). Due to the slow decline of the church, evangelicals planned a Second Great Awakening to encourage a spiritual revival of the religion. This Awakening did not turn out as planned, in turn, separating the church even more.

By the end of the eighteenth century, evangelicals decided to take advantage of their niche position in the religious sphere to infiltrate the West with their ideals and beliefs. During this time, the fall of Christendom was in full swing which allowed the modern evangelical movement to rise. Despite all of the rise and fall of the evangelical movement during these times, evangelicals were able to build communities outside of the formal boundaries of the church and make religious rhetoric more accessible than it ever had been before. Fast forward to current day evangelicalism, where we are still witnessing splits in the church and younger generations beginning to lead evangelicalism in new directions. Evangelicalism has become increasingly political and has attempted to escalate inclusivity within the church, regarding race, gender, sexuality, and socioeconomic status.

With help from celebrities like Justin Bieber, Kanye West, and Demi Lovato, evangelicalism is being promoted through music, social media, and various news sources. Megachurches are taking advantage of platforms like Instagram to gain new members and attract a younger audience, even though their beliefs and messages remain the same. Many of these churches are giving off the impression that they are more inclusive and progressive, yet underneath the facade, they still hold tightly to anti-LGBTQ beliefs and the belief in the prosperity gospel despite the marginalization of minority intersectional bodies. “New Age” evangelical culture focuses on pastor representation, making sure that the pastor is not only relatable but someone who followers can model themselves after. Pastors are being idolized for their fame and fortune and are using their platform to encourage people to continue to follow God and the church. If the pastors can do it, the congregation can too.

As evangelism is continuing its attempt at reformation, followers must be aware of the underlying beliefs of the church. The progressive evangelical churches have mastered rhetorical persuasion by using celebrities as models of the “ideal” follower of Christ. They preach about acceptance, a word that pulls people into the church while remaining ambiguous about specific beliefs and practices. It can be and has been, argued that New Age Evangelicalism is just old evangelicalism with nicer facilities, fancier pastors, and ambiguous rhetoric, but it still holds the same traditional beliefs. Of course, there are progressive evangelical churches out there that truly preach inclusivity in its purest forms but still, many of these reformed churches are disguised by material wealth and persuasive language.

A cult is defined as “a system of religious veneration and devotion directed toward a particular figure or object.”. According to Robert J. Lifton, there are three identifying characteristics of a cult. The first characteristic is a charismatic leader who becomes an object of worship. Second is the process of coercive persuasion or thought reform and last but not least, is the economic, sexual, and other exploitation of group members by the leader and ruling inner circle (Lifton, 1981). Cults are typically associated and applied to social movements more often than traditional religion, as many groups reject the label due to negative connotations of the word. However, well-known religions such as Mormonism and the Seventh Day Adventists were considered cults at the beginning of their creation. As for evangelicalism, it is not outwardly considered a cult or a social movement but some certain practices and traditions mirror specific activities such as that of Nxivm and Mormonism.

A social movement “… is an organized, uninstitutionalized, and large collectivity that emerges to bring about or to resist a program of change in societal norms and values, operates primarily through persuasive strategies, and encounters opposition in a moral struggle.”(Stewart, 2012). Social movements are large in scope, have minimal organization, and propose or oppose a change in societal norms. They are not traditionally associated with religion but instead, focus on societal issues such as racism, sexism, or labor. There are current religions, such as Mormonism, that were once considered deviant social movements, bordering on cult-like behavior (Rodia, 2019). Whereas Nxivm was labeled as a cult because the emphasis was on the following of a leader and the coercive persuasion and exploitation of members, not based off of pervasive religious ideology. With that being said, we can see how social movements can quickly turn into organized religion or on the other side of the spectrum, cults.

In 1998, Keith Raniere and Nancy Salzman created a personal development company based in Albany, New York called Nxivm (NEX-ee-um). Nxivm offered Executive Success Programs for self-improvement with the main emphasis on giving people joyful and fulfilling lives. Raniere and Salzman created seminars that were designed to break down their ‘students’ self esteems and lift them back up by using positive affirmation. A testimony from a member even says that these classes helped him clear feelings of claustrophobia and because the system worked, he continued to purchase Nxivm’s classes. These courses were typically twelve hours daily, for sixteen days long and they cost thousands of dollars. The students taking these classes were pressured to continue to take the courses and recruit others to join. The cult’s 12 point mission statement was considered a guiding framework within the group and it touched on topics such as interdependence, integrity, and ethics. The last line was as follows “ I pledge to share and enroll people in ESP and its mission for myself, and to help make the world a better place to live.” (Raniere)

Within the Nxivm community, Raniere was seen as a genius. He was looked up to by his students and the effectiveness of the courses was the reason why many people continued to follow Raniere’s path. As time went on, people started to see Raniere’s true colors. In the early 2000’s he began recruiting women from Nxivm and bringing them into a secret “sex-society” called ‘DOS’, short for Dominus Obsequious Sororium (meaning Master Over Slave Women in Latin). This group was advertised as a way for women to have their society where men could not interfere, yet Raniere was in control of the whole operation. The women in this group viewed Raniere as their “master” and were subject to physical, sexual, and mental abuse for years. Women were starved, branded, and assigned to have sex with Raniere. They were forced to take nude photographs, record incriminating videos, and give DOS access to their bank accounts.

Viewing this cult from an outside perspective, it may seem perplexing as to why anybody would join such a manipulative and harmful environment. Yet, Raniere and his colleagues’ persuasion methods and scheming tactics were what convinced the women to not only take part in the group but stay in the group for prolonged periods. In the beginning, these women were lured into Nxivm under the impression that their lives would be improved by the self-help courses. The courses promised opportunities to earn income and build careers. Students were told that Nxivm had the power to change their lives and it could even cure medical conditions such as Tourettes syndrome and Obsessive-Compulsive Disorder. Raniere had extreme persuasive power, especially since many group members saw him as the ‘smartest man in the world’. He gained credibility and trust from all of the members, so much so that they were willing to endure abuse and manipulation.

The four qualities that mark the evangelical religion are conversionism, activism, biblicism, and crucicentrism. These qualities are directly linked to the evangelical church and most modern-day evangelicals follow these properties regularly. Most churches do not outwardly list these qualities but their mission statements clearly show direct ties to these ideas. Conversionism is the belief that lives need to be transformed through a “born-again” experience and a life long process of following Jesus. Evangelicals believe that it is their job to find healing through Christ and they must trust that God will transform them. The Nxivm cult’s way of conversionism was a bit twisted compared to the traditional evangelical beliefs. Members of Nxivm joined the group for their lives to be transformed, not through Christ but the Executive Success Programs. They were told that they could change the course of their lives by directly following Raniere, his colleagues, and the teachings provided to them. Once Nxivm members began to trust in Raniere, they moved onto the activism aspect of the cult.

In the evangelical church, activism is “the expression and demonstration of the gospel in missionary and social reform efforts”(Sweeney, 2005). Evangelicals are taught to spread the “good word” of Christ by going out into the world and preaching what they believe. Historically, evangelical churches have looked at vulnerable populations for new members in their church such as, those who are sick (with cancer or other illnesses), those who have endured a recent loss and are looking for answers, or those who need community support (recovering addicts or lower class individuals). We still see evangelical churches targeting these groups today but it is often done over social media or targeted advertising. Instead of targeting just these vulnerable populations, these new advertisements aim to reach anyone they possibly can with colorful ads and interactive activities for children. In an article by Slate, the author mentioned that he “…heard from one church communicator who targeted minivan owners (i.e., families) with ads, and another who used geofencing to target a particular location at a particular time: an elementary school between the hours of 3–4 p.m., when moms and dads wait in a long line of cars to pick up their kids, killing time on social media.”(Wilbur, 2019). Technology and social media have impacted the way that these churches seek to gain new members.

As for Nxivm, the students were forced to recruit potential members who would be perfect for the cult. They were told to look for “trust fund babies” and Hollywood actors because Raniere was looking for people who would be able to invest and put money into the group. They also searched for people who were survivors of sexual assault, as the leaders would use this information against the member if they tried to leave. The students were forbidden to tell those they were recruiting about anything that was learned in the training sessions. The way that Nxivm’s activism was framed inside the group is very different from the way that the outside viewed the group.

The third quality of evangelicalism is biblicism, which according to Bebbington means having high regard and obedience for the Bible. Evangelicals view the Bible as the highest authority and believe that it is God’s way of revealing the universal and eternal truth to mankind. Evangelicals reference the Bible very often, especially in difficult times or when certain principles are being challenged. For example, the Bible is constantly referenced when there are questions about LGBTQ+ inclusion. Evangelical churches are known for quoting Leviticus 18:22 when asked if homosexuality is sinful and immoral, “ You shall not lie with a male as with a woman; it is an abomination”. There are quite a few evangelical churches that counter this argument with other biblical references, but most ‘traditional’ evangelicals do not believe in the homosexual “lifestyle”. The Bible is a concrete source for all evangelical churches which they cite during all sermons and look to for guidelines and assistance. When it comes to biblicism within the Nxivm cult, they often cited their ESP lessons, their 12 point mission statement, and the words of the leaders. Although, the members looked toward Raniere for guidance more often than the written word and they viewed him as their main source of guidance.

The fourth and final quality of evangelicalism that Bebbington mentions is crucicentrism. Crucientrism puts stress on the sacrifice of Jesus Christ on the cross as making possible the redemption of humanity. This pillar reiterates that humans are sinful and the belief in Jesus Christ is not only the acknowledgment of that fact, but belief in God is how evangelicals can confess and overcome that sin. Nxivm doesn’t quite focus on the sacrifice of any figure in their teachings however, they did emphasize that members should sacrifice their current lives for the good of the movement. They believed that their current lives were flawed and that with help from Raniere and the ESP courses, they could reach success (financial prosperity and happiness). Evangelicals are taught that by following Bebbington’s four pillars and by giving to the church, they will move up in the church, gain material wealth, and hopefully, reach heaven.

The prosperity gospel is fairly well known in the evangelical community. It is the idea that you can transcend poverty and/or illness by devoting yourself to God, and the success and wealth that you have accumulated in your life has a direct correlation to how strong your belief and faith are in Christ. If you are a devout Christian and you follow the word of God, everything you are given in life is due to this. Many evangelicals also believe that you should leave your life up to God and if you are sick, poor, or struggling, He will help you if you’re worthy. In a Vox article, stats from 2005 say, “A full 61 percent [of American Christians] agree with the more general idea that “God wants people to be prosperous.”(Burton, 2017). More recently, megachurches like the Lakewood Church run by Joel Osteen have been adopting the prosperity gospel. Osteen not only has a net worth of fifty million dollars but he admittedly has no formal theological education. Meanwhile, Osteen is preaching the prosperity gospel to not just the middle-class white evangelicals (most of which are born privileged) but the underprivileged and marginalized groups within the church. He uses himself as an example as someone who has given his life to the Lord and received material wealth in return, even though this type of material wealth is not possible for a majority of his congregation.

The prosperity gospel was utilized similarly by the Nxivm cult. The ESP classes created by Raniere and Salzman were based on a set system of reward and punishment. Students were told that they could only reach success if they followed the courses closely and carefully. They were under the impression that if they continued to work hard and listen to Raniere, they could achieve the success they were looking for. Little did they know that the programs were fixed so that only a small fraction of participants reached the point where they could receive an income and make money. The students continued to purchase classes and recruit new members hoping that one day they could be wealthy and successful. This only puts more money into Nxivm, leaving the participants poor and frustrated. Some students were even told that the programs could cure illness and disease, which gave them hope that if they continued to take classes and trust in the process, their illnesses would disappear.

Tithing is a practice in the evangelical church that encourages followers to pay 10% of their monthly income to the church. Members continue to support the church in this way because they are told that if they give money to the church, the church will reward them with even more wealth in return. This practice is directly connected to the prosperity gospel and of course, it’s success rate cannot necessarily be calculated, so churches continue to use it as a way to fund their institution. Minorities and historically marginalized people do not have the ‘head start’ like most white evangelicals do, therefore we can see how tithing can be used to keep money coming into the church. It is more unlikely that minorities will reach the fame and fortune that white evangelical leaders tell them to strive for but devout evangelicals continue to follow these leaders' beliefs about the success of the prosperity gospel. In turn, marginalized people are continuing to pay the church in hopes that one day, God will reward them, even if that happens to be in the afterlife.

For Nxivm, members were told that if they continued to pay for classes and follow Raniere’s instructions, their lives would improve because of their dedication. Women who joined DOS, Raniere’s secret sex society, were persuaded into sexual activities and suffered from abuse, solely because they thought it was their duty as an Nxivm member to do everything in their power to improve their life. Many of the women were scared to quit the cult because they had invested so much time and money into the group, just as many evangelicals feel that because they have invested so much of their money into the church, they must stay as they are bound to be rewarded eventually. These manipulative practices convince members to continue investing so that the organizations can continue operating as they wish.

Religion is the belief in and worship of superhuman controlling power, especially a personal God or gods. Nxivm members believed in the true power of Keith Raniere and his programs, so much so that they were lead blindly into an abusive and manipulative space. By the downfall of the cult, their money was gone, years of their lives were wasted, and their belief in Raniere as their higher power was shattered. Upon looking at stories from ex-evangelicals, most of these individuals would say a similar thing. Some were turned away from the church because they experienced misogyny, homophobia, and racism. These exvangelicals previously devoted time, money, and energy into a church that betrayed them. Stories say that once you have left the evangelical church, you are often shunned and looked down upon. Community members cut ties and offer no help to the ex-believers. These anecdotes are comparable to how Nxivm members are treated after leaving the cult. They are shunned, blackmailed, and forgotten. The aftermath of being a part of a community like these can often be isolating and freeing at the same time.

After a full analysis of the evangelical movement, the Nxivm cult and the comparison between religious beliefs and cult activities, it is impossible to deny that there are not any underlying similarities between their actions and ideals. When viewing the four pillars of evangelicalism, crucicentrism, conversionism, biblicism, and activism, it is obvious that the Nxivm cult mirrored most of these qualities as the basis for their practices. There is no denying that Raniere and Salzman used manipulative and persuasive rhetoric to fuel their movement to keep members in their group. However, modern evangelicalism uses many of these same ideas such as tithing, worship, and the prosperity gospel to similarly gain followers. When it comes down to it, similar rhetoric is difficult to ignore. Of course, religiosity is not considered a deciding factor of what a cult looks like but we have seen with regards to Mormonism and the Seventh-day Adventists, cases where former cults and social movements have turned into concrete religious states. I am by no means saying concretely that evangelicalism is a cult or a scam. I am simply encouraging those who follow the movement and take part in the congregation to take a look at the similarities. I want people to be careful about which ideas they welcome into their lives and which belief systems they fall for. There is a fine line between evangelicalism and cultism, one which can be easily crossed by the persuasion tactics of the leaders and their inner circle.