Religious Neutrality
CLCI Hub rates control patterns, not religion. This page documents what that means in practice — what we evaluate, what we explicitly do not evaluate, and how the catalogue handles the distinction between high-control sub-branches and broader traditions.
What we evaluate
We evaluate the documented organisational and interpersonal conduct of specific groups against the BITE model: behavioural control, information control, thought control, emotional control, and modifiers reflecting documented harm or formal reform. These are structural and conduct-focused measures.
What we do not evaluate
- The truth or falsity of any religious doctrine.
- The legitimacy of any religious tradition.
- The personal sincerity of any believer.
- The validity of any spiritual practice.
- The moral worth of any tradition relative to any other.
Mainstream religious belief is not, in itself, a control indicator. A high score reflects documented coercive practices, not the content of the group's theology.
Sub-branch precision
Wide traditions encompass substantial diversity. A specific high-control sect within a wider tradition does not implicate the wider tradition; a mainstream congregation does not absolve a high-control sect within the same tradition. The catalogue records sub-branch relationships through canonical / branch / splinter entity types so readers can see the precise unit being assessed.
Mainstream reference points
For orientation, the catalogue includes a small set of explicit mainstream-tradition reference entries with low CLCI scores. These exist to make the spectrum visible — to show that being categorised within a tradition does not, by itself, produce a high score — and to discourage the misreading of CLCI as a verdict on tradition rather than on documented conduct.
What this means for readers
- Do not treat a high CLCI score for a specific group as a judgement of the wider tradition.
- Do not treat a low CLCI score for a mainstream reference point as approval of every congregation in that tradition.
- Where you are concerned about a specific local group, look at the specific group profile, not the tradition's category page.
- Disagreement with a group's theology is not, on its own, a basis for a high CLCI score.