People who are desperate for relationships will compromise their beliefs

Women who want a relationship with a man, may date a 2x2 thinking they will have a relationship. But the relationship without God will not satisfy. Men who want to date a woman, may sacrifice their upbringing in Christ, thinking they will be satisfied with a wife. But a non-Christian, unequally yoked, relationship does not satisfy. Relationships should never be put before righteousness.

Children use the techniques that their parents use on them.

If they are not sound principles, then children will see that their parents were selfish and foolish and not respect them. Plus, when the kids use these techniques, they open themselves up to others using those same techniques on them. Like they say, a salesperson is the easiest person to sell something too. What are you selling your kids?

Believe Lie to Kill the Pain

People who are going through pain or loss in their life may turn to a cult for the mindless simplicity to try to kill the pain in their lives. They use is like an opiate or narcotic, addictive, to drown their pain like people may drink alcohol.

Poor Parenting

People who had abusive, absent, non-loving fathers or mothers are more susceptible to cults. They may crave a strong parent figure that makes them feel unique or special (sure, as special as the thousands of other cult members) and immune to faults and beyond not being accepted by the group. They find in the cult initially a strong sense of belonging, acceptance and specialness. But, however the cult fulfills the mirage that many seek for in life, it fails to meet their expectations. The cult gives incentive to put on appearances, but lacks the power to be righteous. Once they are hooked, it becomes very difficult to leave the group and admit their error. And if they leave on cult, they are very likely to join another or come to hate God altogether. People who were Christians and join cults, slowly lose the knowledge they once had of God, replacing it with error and lies.

I believe there are several bad reasons people become 2x2s. They are:

1. Don't know the truth and/or don't love the truth
2. Worshiping others more than God
3. Attaching God's name to a lie
4. Failure to take time to appreciate God and count the cost of joining a cult
5. They don't care about embarrassing their parents or ignoring the witness of others
6. Hatred for other people (cults often built on hating a common enemy)
7. Being deceived by lusts of their flesh: money, sex, control, power, pride, envy, hatred
8. Willingness to take from others what is not rightfully theirs (stealing)
9. Willing to lie about themselves and lie about others
10. Lust for power and wanting things that are not theirs

I believe some people raise their kids in a way that allows or encourages cult involvement

• Using mysticism to guide your decisions. Your kids will copy you.
• Making up scripture that suits your belief. Kids will copy and cults use that on kids.
• Distraction to get what you want. Kids will use distraction on you and cults will use it on your kids.
• Don't answer questions, avoidance. Kids will copy you and cults use this technique on people.
• Not knowing scripture. Kids will grow up ignorant and cults take advantage of this.
• Not teaching kids judgment. Kids won't know how to judge issues and cults take advantage of this.
• Not documenting things. Kids won't remember contradictions of cults and cults take advantage of people's tendency to forget their contradictions.
• Parents are not approachable or reasonable. Kids look for leaders who don't allow questioning.
• Parents shut kids up with "non-thought" reasoning. Kids become afraid to ask questions because they don't want to get shot down.
• Parents teach their kids to "be nice" instead of loving others as Jesus loves us. Result: Kids afraid to ask tough questions to find the secretive beliefs of cults.

How to cult proof yourself

1. Love God with all your heart, soul, mind and strength
2. Love people the same as yourself, not more or less.
3. When big events hit your life, be careful who you turn to for comfort. Don't make big decisions when you are feeling very unsettled. Wait til things are clear and your are in a sound frame of mind.
4. If you're going to be religious, then believe in God and at least get some benefit out of it.
5. Keep the sabbath. Take time to appreciate Jesus Christ and consider where you would be without him. If you don't dig deep to learn things, well, "a little knowledge can be a dangerous thing." Would you want to play around with radioactive material without much knowledge or experience?
6. Honor your parents. Listen to your friends. Listen to the witness of others who have left the cult
7. Don't hate people without a cause. Love those that hate you.
8. Know and understand that the lusts of the flesh will not save you or help you. Resist them
9. Don't take what is not yours
10. Tell the truth about everyone. Don't lie or deceive others to lie or join a cult
11. Don't covet your neighbor's things. If you want something, work for it and buy it yourself.

Having a college degree does not protect you from being involved in a cult.

Did people with college degrees exercise sound judgment and see past Hitler's brainwashing?

Other things to help cult proof yourself