The Church of Bible Understanding (COBU) presents itself as a devout Christian community, but its foundation rests on a single, absolute claim: that its founder, Stewart Traill, is the sole vessel capable of interpreting God’s true word. This doctrine is not merely a teaching; it is the engine for a psychological process of “remove and replace” designed to completely reshape a member’s identity and faith.
The “remove” phase begins with isolation. New recruits, often young people searching for meaning, are subtly encouraged to sever ties with their families and former social circles. These outside relationships are framed as “worldly” or even “demonic” influences that threaten spiritual purity. This process, a slow burn rather than a sudden break, starts with Bible studies that sow doubt about a recruit’s past beliefs and escalates into communal living where outside contact is minimized. By the late 1970s, with over 10,000 members in 110 communes, this immersion was total, creating an environment where old ideas had no room to survive.
Once isolated, the “replace” phase begins. Members are immersed in Traill’s proprietary revelations through constant meetings and low-wage labor for church-owned businesses, which funneled the vast majority of earnings back to the group. Core beliefs about salvation and sin were systematically overwritten. Doubt was condemned as “unbelief,” and absolute loyalty to Traill became the ultimate measure of one’s salvation. This was not sudden brainwashing but a relentless drip-feed of praise for conformity and subtle shaming for resistance, until a member’s original faith felt alien and distant. The group’s persistence today, despite a much smaller membership, is a testament to the enduring power of this controlling dynamic, which builds economic dependence and enforces spiritual exclusivity to keep its ideology intact.