Your point?
My point is that if it swims like a duck, quacks like a duck, flies like a duck, and smells like a duck then it’s probably a duck.
It’s been my experience that the only times I ever hear unprovoked defenses of someone’s particular faith is when that particular faith is not self-evident. Typically, I see that kind of thing from cults.
So if it sounds like a cult, acts like a cult, is paranoid like a cult, and has followers who behave like they’re in a cult, then it’s probably not a duck.