I've been fascinated with cults since I was a kid and saw Moonies handing out flowers at the airport. As an adult, I've read some really good books on the topic, such as, Under the Banner Of Heaven, by Jon Krakauer, Escape, by Carolyn Jessup, and Going Clear, by Lawrence Wright, as well as some books about Amish communities. The most amazing part of these stories is not how people can be sucked into them, but that they are allowed to thrive and survive in the good old U.S.A. There should be more of a distinction between 'freedom of religion' and 'abuses by cults' than there presently seems to be.
If you are wondering, Just what is a cult?, here are some identifying characteristics:
1. Seclusion: An attempt to separate you from 'outsiders' of the religion.
2. Money: They want all of yours! Will demand that you either tithe a huge percentage of your income (and reveal your work stubs to prove it) or force you to work for the church for no wages.
3. Secretive: Only reveal certain doctrine to members as well as keep certain parts of their churches off-limits to outsiders.
4. Disassociation/Disfellowshipping/Shunning: If a member leaves, he/she is cut off from those still inside the church. This means parents lose contact with children, siblings disconnect, etc.
5. Authoritarianism: Members are told exactly what to do as far as lifestyle (how to eat, sleep, where to live and shop, etc.)
6. No Questions Allowed: Members are not permitted to question doctrines, leaders, or anything else regarding the religion.
7. Exclusion: Group leader/founder states that he has exclusive knowledge of truth.
I'm sure there are more, but these are just some of the warning signs I've put together from my reading. If you are interested in the topic, like me, I'd suggest the aforementioned books as well as catching up with the Scientology series on A&E.
Ugg yep, one big cult. Always said, if you want to get rich, invent a "religion"
ReplyDeleteThey take people being sheep to a whole new level. It's one thing to believe everything famous nutballs tell you, but its another to believe some idiot who says he or she knows the truth and tells you how to live every moment of every day.
Such looney tunes need to be cracked down on.
It's frightening how far people will go to be a member of some of this nonsense. But, it's even more difficult for them to leave.
DeleteI didn't see the series, Bijoux, but Scientology creeps me out big time. Those are warning signs are so serious, yet people see to join groups like Scientology over and over. Many of these poor people feel isolated and the cult gives them a sense of belonging--but they invariably take more than they ever give back.
ReplyDeleteLeah describes them as victims, which is really what she was, as well. Most were seeking to make the world better or to improve themselves. It's really sad to hear their stories and how they feel as though they wasted most of their lives in Scientology.
DeleteTough one! Agree cults are horrible, but defining and prosecuting might deny rights of legitimate religions. I'm afraid one of the things freedom gives us is freedom to be naive.
ReplyDeleteDenying tax breaks to some of these cults that can not prove their legitimacy might be a good start. They may have dropped the ball on that one with Scientologists.
DeleteI'm not 100%, but I think the series may follow what Leah and some of the others do in court at a later date. And some of the ex-leaders brought up that Scientology really gained momentum once they got the tax-exempt status.
DeleteLike you, I have always held an interest/fascination in cults and how/why people become a part of them. I've not seen or heard of this documentary but I have every intention of searching for it online tonight, so that I can watch it because it sounds like something I would REALLY enjoy!
ReplyDelete...as well as some books about Amish communities."
Funny you said that because last night (I kid you not) I watched a very interesting 1 1/2hr documentary on You Tube entitled: The Amish: Shunned. It was very good.
Thanks for the documentary recommendation, my friend. Can't wait to see it. Have a FAB week! X
You will love this, Ron! Some of it is unbelievable, especially one of the last episodes where journalists talk about how their families were harassed by Scientologists, all because of stories they were working on. Crazy, crazy stuff!
DeleteI hesitated to mention the Amish, as they have many different sects, but some of them certainly fall under the cult category. A leader of one in a neighboring county here was sent to jail for attacking members by breaking into homes and cutting off beards of people who questioned him. Really creepy!
Please let me know how you like the document-series!
Interesting. . . I've been part of an intentional Christian community for 40+ years, since my college days. And even tho we didn't really meet any of your seven points, we skirted kinda close to a couple of them, on various occasions, and the sheer intensity of our life together, especially in the 'early days', got a lot of people to call us a cult.
ReplyDeleteA big part of the problem with 'cracking down' is over the question of where lines get drawn - what's 'cultic' and what's just 'intense'? Plus, when you've got adults making free choices to join these groups, where does that fall, relative to 'Freedom of Religion'.
Not sayin' that these outfits are OK, just that it's harder than it might seem to distinguish between what's OK and what's not. . .
But yeah. . . ol' L-Ron was a true piece of work. . .
I think some things are black and white in this country. You don't force women to have abortions, you don't force people to abandon their minor children, you don't beat people up who disagree with you and you don't force people to work without pay (slavery), all in the name of religion. While you can't stop people from joining in the beginning, from what I've read, they make it very hard to leave, and some people are being kept under tight security to keep from leaving.
DeleteI tried to think of the seven warning signs in terms of Christianity, and the only me that comes close is #7, because Jesus said, "I am the way, the truth, and the life . . ." But, I'd be very wary of any Christian denomination that claims to be the only true form of Christianity.
This sounds interesting. Not sure if we can get A&E or this series on one of the apps where we watch TV, I'll have to ask my husband.
ReplyDeleteHope you can watch it!
DeleteI saw a little bit of the Leah Remini series. It was scary stuff indeed! I heard a long time ago if someone is trying to figure out if a religion is a true religion or even a denomination within a religion as one that might be Christian, the litmus test was "if they say Jesus and....." then you can be sure it is more likely a cult, i.e., Jesus is the way to heaven and you must give all your money to us (you get the idea). Cults are scary things. Sometimes easy to get snagged into and then impossible to leave.
ReplyDeletebetty
Probably a pretty good test, Betty!
DeleteI studied Cults a bit, the best information was found in a book titled Cults and Consequences: The Definitive Handbook by Rachel Andres and James Lane. I found the book at my library. It's still available for purchase on line, well worth a read.
ReplyDeleteThank you for that recommendation.
DeleteI have not seen the series with Leah Remini yet. I am, however, fascinated with how these cults can get away with it. Scientology is all about the money and power that comes from that money. The other cult that really upsets me is the Mormon multiple wives thing. They live in compounds and have numerous children with many wives. Many of whom are children themselves. That's just wrong on so many levels.
ReplyDeleteDefinitely read the Krakauer and Jessup books as they are about the FLDS, one of the most disturbing cults in the U.S. I can never get past more than 5 minutes of that show with the guy with multiple wives. He's a complete WACK job!
DeleteI did watch the series and was really surprised that so many intelligent people are in this church and pay so much money to be a part of it. It sure seems like they are abusive to me and you'd think people would see that they're getting taken advantage of and get the heck away from them.
ReplyDeleteOh, I'm so glad to find another viewer! Wasn't it fascinating? I guess even smart people can be brainwashed and taken advantage of. It's still shocking that it's able to happen so freely in our country. Sad!
DeleteI've always been fascinated by cults, too. I lovedUnder the Banner of Heaven. Just the other day a patient mentioned that Leah Remini movie to me. But I don't get A&E. :(
ReplyDeleteDarn! She wrote a book about her experiences called Troublemaker. I'm going to see if my library carries it.
DeleteI am scared of cults. I pray for all parents that their kids be saved from cults. Nice points especially #5. Thanks for sharing.
ReplyDeleteCults are indeed scary.
DeleteWhat's scary is that from the outside these cults are so obviously just exploitative rackets, yet thousands of innocent people get sucked into them and somehow justify all the exploitation and dogma as something liberating. You'd think they would collapse in a matter of months but they endure for decades.
ReplyDeleteI guess it's like a lot of abusive situations where people are either afraid to leave/fear of what's out there or maybe they enjoy the abuse?
DeleteWe've watched a couple of episodes, and I have to admit, it's oddly fascinating. I have long been interested in what happened at Jonestown, too. Cults are pretty creepy and, yet, interesting as hell!
ReplyDeleteDon't drink the Kool Aid, Mark! I remember watching a Jonestown movie or documentary years ago. Chilling, but hard to look away.
DeleteYeah, with the good-old separation of church and state the country would go absolutely bonkers if the government went whole-hog after abusive cults.
ReplyDeleteSeems to me that when women and children are abused, the world finds any excuse to ignore it.
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