What is a Cult?
What is a Cult?
"A cult is a group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control (e.g., isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience, powerful group pressures, information management, suspension of individuality or critical judgment, promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of leaving it, etc.) designed to advance the goals of the group’s leaders to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community." (West & Langone, 1986)
What Are Some Characteristics of a Cult?
"A cult is a group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control (e.g., isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience, powerful group pressures, information management, suspension of individuality or critical judgment, promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of leaving it, etc.) designed to advance the goals of the group’s leaders to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community." (West & Langone, 1986)
What Are Some Characteristics of a Cult?
- Authoritarian in their power structure
- Totalitarian in their control of the behavior of their members
- Pyramidal structure
- Uses thought reform techniques
- Isolation of members (physical and/or psychological isolation) from society
- Uses deception in recruiting and/or fund raising
- Promotes dependence of the members on the group
- Totalitarian in their world view
- Uses mind altering techniques (chanting, meditation, hypnosis and various forms of repetitive actions) to stop normal critical thinking
- Appear exclusive and innovative
- Charismatic or messianic leader who is self-appointed and has a special mission in life
- Controls the flow of information
- Instills a fear of leaving the group.
Signs that an organization may have cultish characteristics
The following individual signs do not necessarily imply there is a cult problem with an organization, but if many are evident at the same time it may indicate that such a problem does exist.
· Has there been strong pressure for me to join or to stay?
· Am I being pressured to recruit others?
· Are my doubts and questions discouraged, avoided, or even forbidden?
· If I’m critical of the group, am I told there’s something wrong with me?
· Do I not have an opportunity to verify information provided by the group?
· Am I expected to reveal fears and secrets?
· Does the group’s leadership dictate how I should act, think, or feel?
· Do I not get enough sleep now or have enough time to devote to outside pursuits and responsibilities?
· Am I made to feel fear or guilt when I don’t do exactly as my leader or elders in the group told me?
· Have I lost my old friends?
· Have I missed important family occasions because I was encouraged to be with fellow group members instead or given an urgent task to complete?
· Is there a belief that the leader has special powers?
· Have I been promised things by the group that have yet to materialize?
· Was I told that joining this group was my only path to happiness, peace, God, or even prosperity?
The following individual signs do not necessarily imply there is a cult problem with an organization, but if many are evident at the same time it may indicate that such a problem does exist.
· Has there been strong pressure for me to join or to stay?
· Am I being pressured to recruit others?
· Are my doubts and questions discouraged, avoided, or even forbidden?
· If I’m critical of the group, am I told there’s something wrong with me?
· Do I not have an opportunity to verify information provided by the group?
· Am I expected to reveal fears and secrets?
· Does the group’s leadership dictate how I should act, think, or feel?
· Do I not get enough sleep now or have enough time to devote to outside pursuits and responsibilities?
· Am I made to feel fear or guilt when I don’t do exactly as my leader or elders in the group told me?
· Have I lost my old friends?
· Have I missed important family occasions because I was encouraged to be with fellow group members instead or given an urgent task to complete?
· Is there a belief that the leader has special powers?
· Have I been promised things by the group that have yet to materialize?
· Was I told that joining this group was my only path to happiness, peace, God, or even prosperity?
HOW DO RELIGIOUS CULTS DIFFER FROM ESTABLISHED RELIGIONS?
Difference between Cults and Religions
Cults:
1. Enforce compliance
2. Exploit spiritual needs
3. Discourage questions and independent critical thinking
4. Split members into "good cult self" and "bad old self"
5. Cultic conversion involves an unaware surrender to external forces that care little for the person's identity
6. View money as an end, or as a means toward achieving power or the goals of the leaders
7. Frequently subject members to the sexual appetites of leaders or regulate members' sexual behavior
8. Frequently intimidate critics with physical or legal threats
9. View the family as an enemy
10. Encourage quick decisions with little information
Religions:
1. Respect the individual's autonomy
2. Try to help individuals meet their spiritual needs
3. Tolerate and even encourage questions and independent critical thinking
4. Encourage psycho-spiritual integration
5. Conversion to religions involves an unfolding of internal processes central to the person's identity
6. View money as a means, subject to ethical restraints, toward achieving noble ends
7. View sex between clergy and faithful as unethical
8. Respond to critics respectfully
9. Cherish the family
10.Encourage careful thought before committing oneself to join
Article:What messages are behind today's cults? by Philip Zimbardo, Ph. D. from May APA Monitor.
Difference between Cults and Religions
Cults:
1. Enforce compliance
2. Exploit spiritual needs
3. Discourage questions and independent critical thinking
4. Split members into "good cult self" and "bad old self"
5. Cultic conversion involves an unaware surrender to external forces that care little for the person's identity
6. View money as an end, or as a means toward achieving power or the goals of the leaders
7. Frequently subject members to the sexual appetites of leaders or regulate members' sexual behavior
8. Frequently intimidate critics with physical or legal threats
9. View the family as an enemy
10. Encourage quick decisions with little information
Religions:
1. Respect the individual's autonomy
2. Try to help individuals meet their spiritual needs
3. Tolerate and even encourage questions and independent critical thinking
4. Encourage psycho-spiritual integration
5. Conversion to religions involves an unfolding of internal processes central to the person's identity
6. View money as a means, subject to ethical restraints, toward achieving noble ends
7. View sex between clergy and faithful as unethical
8. Respond to critics respectfully
9. Cherish the family
10.Encourage careful thought before committing oneself to join
Article:What messages are behind today's cults? by Philip Zimbardo, Ph. D. from May APA Monitor.
