Snyder’s 3 P’s Test
to see if you are in a cult.
1. Profit/Prophet, there is a false prophet conning the clueless out of all their money because, “god said so.” He makes ill gotten profit from the members, and becomes rich. Think Kenneth Copeland, Jesse Duplanits, Andrew Wommack, Benny Hinn, Joyce Meyer and the ilk.
2. Promiscuity/Perversion, the cult will promote sexual immorality, perversion, and promiscuity for the leadership, or a group of cult members. Thin Allison Mack from the NXIVM sex cult, or Warren Jeffs from the Reorganized Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (RLDS Church), now known as the Community of Christ.
3. Power, the leader/leaders of the cult will exercise total power over the members. The members will see themselves as virtuous for their obedience. Think Heaven’s Gate cult where they were waiting for the Hale-Bopp comet to take them home so they committed mass suicide.
If your group meets these 3 qualifications, you are in a cult. If it meets one of them you are at least in a false religion, and in danger of being spiritually abused.
Snyder's Soapbox 
While manipulating folks for money, committing sex crimes, and abusing your power are all harmful things to do, I don’t think that your three requirements here are enough to classify a true cult. Cults can be blaringly obvious, but they can also operate more subtly. Abuse of power may not always look like a coerced mass suicide or child brides; it may look like shunning members for their criticisms or isolating folks over time. In fact, one of the main elements of a cult is the isolation, the discouraging of members to associate with people “on the outside,” or manipulate how they are perceived by the members. The first “P” about financial control speaks more to prosperity preaching than it does to actual financial abuse, which is important to distinguish, because if Joyce Meyer is on television, I can simply change the channel. If my leader is threatening my stability in my community if I don’t surrender all of my resources to him, well, that’s a much more harmful and difficult situation, more cult-like. I don’t think that these three things, and in the way that you describe them, are enough to fully classify something as a cult, and in fact, I think that you’ve even left out some key details. I would implore you to reconsider your 3 P’s and cite more studies on this if you’re going to be giving people this kind of guidance, as cults can be very dangerous spiritually, and misguiding someone with well-intended but ill-researched advice could be detrimental.
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This wasn’t mean to be a comprehensive standard to determine if you are in a cult. It was a short little witty way to sum up some dangerous characteristics of a cult, that someone could remember easily. I didn’t want to take the time to write a comprehensive book on the attributes of a cult. I have a family member who is in the trans cult, and since we are not allies, she isolates herself from us. She knows she is welcome, and that we love her, but due to her own cult indoctrination, she keeps her distance. My mother-in-law has been slavishly giving money to Kenneth Copeland for decades. Don’t tell me she hasn’t accepted a cult mentality towards the man. Remember, there were 3 P’s in this article. I also remember the Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh who took all of his followers money, and wealth. That was a cult. Again, this was a short, quick way to consider. The truest meaning of a cult is one that denies the word of God, both the incarnate, and progressive revelation. If you really want a comprehensive work on the topic, I recommend;
1. The Kingdom of the Cults by Walter Martin
A classic work first published in 1965 and continually updated. It surveys major cults such as Jehovah’s Witnesses, Mormonism, Christian Science, and the New Age Movement. Martin critiques their teachings in light of historic biblical Christianity. It’s considered the standard evangelical reference on the subject.
2. Confronting the Cults by Gordon R. Lewis
Concise and accessible, this book introduces key doctrinal errors of several cult groups, then shows how to answer them with Scripture. It’s especially useful for laypeople and church groups who want a straightforward resource without being overwhelmed by detail.
3. Cults and the Occult by Edmond C. Gruss
Written from a conservative evangelical standpoint, Gruss explores not only pseudo-Christian cults but also occult movements. He explains their theological deviations and spiritual dangers while grounding his response in biblical doctrine.
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