dovrosenbaum, I’m not throwing that label around. If you do all your research on LT and look at the difference between a cult and a (lmoshol) chassidus, it’s very clear LT is a cult. And I do not “throw that term about”.
To pick but one additional example, they do not deny that if you leave LT for the normal chareidi world, you’ll be cut off from your family. No chassidus would do this. A cult does.
I hope Lev Lachim are on their case, as they are as bad as any missionary group and are taking yidden away from yiddishkeit into the religion of Helbrans and his deputies. At least Lev Lachim can distinguish brainwashing from frumkeit and perishus.
@apushatayid, you’re misunderstanding cults as much as Frankfurter did. No, it’s possible those children were truly happy and carefree. The fact remains they are trapped inside a cult and observing practices made up by a meglomaniac, not from our holy mesorah.
Like many cults, LT have learned to modify many of their obviously extreme traits that would get them into trouble (like beatings, refusing to give kids toys, trying to be self sufficient economically and failing dismally) but they are still a cult and their members are trapped.