UBFism: A Guide to the Beliefs and Practices of UBFIn these pages I have made an attempt to codify the beliefs and practices of UBF. I have attempted to group them thematically and to order them according to importance. Also, it should be noted that in these pages I present an idealization of UBFism. Reality will match the ideal to a greater or lesser degree depending on the chapter. |
Testimony: A Personal Testimony of Spiritual and Psychological Abuse in UBFIntroduction: First, I have to explain why UBF was attractive to me at the time I joined, which was in the late 1990s. I was in my first week of college. About half of my friends had moved away for college. I had also broken up with my girlfriend a couple weeks earlier. It was difficult for me to make friends, so losing these friends had a magnified impact. UBF appealed to me because it seemed to provide an instant set of friends. I was also searching spiritually during that time. |
Glossary: UBF Loaded Language Translated and ExplainedAs a UBF survivor, I prefer to avoid using UBF's own special loaded jargon (UBFspeak) to refer to their activities. I have found it psychologically useful to translate the UBFspeak into more semantically accurate words. Thus, for the definitions of UBF jargon words, you will often be redirected to my translation of the jargon. |
Characteristics of CultsBrainwashing, mind control, thought reform, coercive persuasion and totalism are synonyms referring to the psychological environment present in cults. UBF is not alone in employing manipulative and coercive tactics to deceive and ensnare unsuspecting recruits. In this page I present an eight-point description of characteristics common to cults. |
Resources for UBF SurvivorsI have compiled books, websites and media of potential interest to UBF survivors. Topics include thought reform, spiritual abuse, theology and mental health. |
About UBF SurvivorIn a sense, work on UBF Survivor began even before I left UBF. I had been keeping a list of things that I thought were not right about the group. Most of these critiques are now listed in my testimony. I believe that the majority of UBF members agree with my critiques, but they have been trained to think that any negative opinion of their organization must be from the devil. |
UBF y las sectas(Versión española) En esta página, se puede encontrar información sobre la historia de la Fraternidad Bíblica Universitaria (UBF), y sus prácticas extrañas o sectarias. También se puede leer sobre las características de las sectas en general, y sobre las experiencias de un superviviente de la UBF. Finalmente hay una lista de otros recursos sobre la UBF y la reforma de pensamientos en español y en inglés. |
"Beware to those who load people down with the crushing burden of laws and regulations but do nothing to help them. You have taken away the key of knowledge, but instead of unlocking the door, you have blocked the way for those trying to enter." Q44, from The Lost Gospel Q: the Original Sayings of Jesus, Marcus Borg, Editor.UBF Survivor was last updated on April 12, 2008.