For the past few months, my girlfriend has been hanging out with a friend from work and her church group on the weekends. She says she has been learning a lot that has changed her views on things, but doesn't go into a lot of details. She says the things she has been taught would "sound crazy" if she told me because she isn't well versed enough to really back them up with evidence but that she is impressed with how much this church seems to have answers to questions. She also has not told her parents about these things. Strange, but no biggie. I try to be open minded about things as I am not religious at all, but I don't claim to have any big answers either about god or anything like that.
Tonight I found out she has some "special meeting" with someone important in the church. With further probing I found she is meeting with someone from Korea in the World Mission Society Church of God. I know very little about this group, but from what I can tell they are relatively culty and tend to aggressively recruit young vulnerable/lonely women going through a big life change. There are some past controversies with the group possibly being a doomsday cult, but idk how big that plays into their belief system really, they seem far less scary of a group than Scientology but something gives me the impression that they are manipulating her. I am already trying to tow a fine line of not pushing her away as we have been struggling with other relationship/mental health issues, but I really don't want to let her go deep down a rabbit hole here if it is something that is dangerous. FWIW, it also looks like this group does a decent amount of legitimate charity work.
I think the 1st step is finding out what kind of itch exactly this group is scratching. Young vulnerable women can be anyone really. Find out what she finds attractive about them without blaming her. Whom exactly are they trying to help? What do they want to achieve? How? You don't have to be blunt about it, just ask what they wanna do, maybe you want to help even. The more information you have the more room for the argument you have, if it's inconsistent of course.
Just to piggyback a bit, this is to the OP, don't underestimate the idle hands theory. Maybe you can redirect this into a book club or exercising group. Alot of people really long for just any kind of community. Also, might be hard to hear but this might be her way of exiting the relationship. Sometimes people can't be straight up and then they come up with convoluted ways of making life moves that maybe partially true but also down play their responsibility in simply advocating for an ending.
Brilliant point! Please read OP! Try reaching out to your gf, see what she is quote unquote 'lacking' in her life, and try to help her fill that void minus cults!