Here’s an interesting set of distinctions that delineate the difference between healthy and dysfunctional forms of religion, taken from Brother Anansi’s customer review of When Religion Becomes Evil by Charles Kimball:
Five warning signs of corruption in religion:
1. Absolute truth claims
2. Blind obedience
3. Establishing the “ideal” time
4. The end justifies any means
5. Declaring holy war
Five signs of integrity and dynamism in religion:
1. Dynamic and relational truth and ongoing learning
2. Critical thinking and honest inquiry
3. Making the best of every time and leaving the determination of the end time to heaven
4. Both means and end are important and linked
5. Declaring holy peace