The Gaming Den

I know someone who is in a cult, Eric for the sake of discussion, even by the standards of most Christians in Texas. The minister/preacher explicitly promotes women as property that the husband can do with as they please, they shouldn't wear pants, or let their hair down in public, etc. He preaches the evils of television, radio, newspapers; essentially anything that might expose them to other opinions. Encourages a level of homophobia that is borderline violent. The requested tithe is 30%, and will send a monthly bill for it; 60% for Eric because his wife doesn't attend and refuses to contribute her income to the tithing. The preacher keeps close enough tab to come out asking "where's our cut?" when a neighbor gives Eric a pile of deer sausage from a recent hunt. Except for the preacher (looks mid-40s), the youngest member of the congregation (of maybe a score) is in their mid-60s. The money grabbing is obviously heavy, since he's moved the congregation out of the garage thing and into a recently constructed temple.

This preacher is terrible, and his teachings encourage Eric to be a worse person. Is there anything I can do to tear down this church?

Might I also suggest contacting someone who works to combat elder abuse? If most of the congregation is mid-60s and up, I think it's a pretty clear case of conning old people, and there are laws against it which would be much more effective at taking the thing down than just trying to convince religious people they're in a cult (which never works well, regardless of how cult-like the religion is). It may not (or may, you didn't say how old Eric is) help your friend directly, but it has at least some chance of dismantling the cult which would still be to his benefit.

Eric is the youngest one, 66 or so.

Wow, ok, so yeah, it could help your friend directly too.

Here is the website for Adult Protective Services in Texas. Also contact the state police. You can give APS an anonymous tip, and they'll investigate. If/When APS finds something persecutable, they'll bring in the police. You'll need a victim of the abuse to press charges, which conceivably could be Eric's wife, as it's financially affecting her as well.

Eric's wife won't stand up to him on it (too passive), and will therefore be highly unlikely of being willing to press charges if given the offer.

Well, it's at least worth a shot. You might be able to get her to go to the police about it without him necessarily knowing.

Join the cult yourself and become a victim? Find an elderly friend/reporter/vigilante to break the cult as a victim?

Is there any grounds of claiming he's taking their medications? What about firearms? A call to the DEA or ATF could ruin their day, maybe. Then again, it could rapidly turn into another Ruby Ridge, so... yeah.