Cults: Damaging To Society Essay, Research Paper

On March 29th, 1997, thirty nine men and women took their own lives in

the belief that they would travel to a space ship hidden behind the Hale-Bop

comet. The “Heaven’s Gate” cult planted these beliefs within their members,

resulting in a mass death. It is cults such as these that weave a sense of panic

through society. What defines a cult? A cult is a group that has an intense

devotion to a person, object, or set of usually new ideas. Cultus is a Latin word

translating into “to cultivate” or “to plant”. A seed is planted in a garden, as is an

idea in a member’s mind, and cared for and cultivated until something, whether it

be a plant or a belief, flourishes. A cult will have two main characteristics. Firstly,

it often does not tell the truth about itself, or has an extremely altered perception

of reality. Secondly, by means of psychological and social control techniques, it

makes it’s members virtually unable to resist it’s influence and authority. Cults are

often isolationists, to gain and maintain control over members physically,

intellectually, financially and emotionally. Deprivation in the form of sleep or

food is often used, and is sometimes combined with constant indoctrination to

alter a new recruit’s belief system to match that of the cults. Problems with cults

occur not so much in what is taught, but the often dishonest methods used to

recruit and retain followers as well as to raise funds. Cults, because of

manipulative and untruthful processes, are damaging to society. Cults endanger

society because of the techniques used to attract and gain control over members.

Once one is involved with a cult, often as a result of manipulation, it is extremely

difficult to leave. Lastly, thought reform (brainwashing) is used, which is

damaging to the individual as well as to society in general.

Everyone has various needs to be satisfied. Cult leaders find ways to fulfill

these needs through the cult, attracting members. Because of this, almost

everyone is vulnerable. Whether one is rich, poor, educated, uneducated, old or

young, a cult leader is often charismatic and manipulative, and has ways of

deceiving people into following his or her ideas. He or she will use numerous

techniques to attract new cult members. These methods, though not physically

harmful, lead to a misconception of reality, which may result dangerously. A

method known as love-bombing is often used. This is when positive affection is

constantly offered to a new recruit through word and action. The leader will

compliment them, reassure them and make them the centre of attention. Often,

cults use the influence of the Bible to add validity to their philosophy. Then, using

verses taken out of context, they are mixed with the cults beliefs, creating a

system members believe is valid. Another way a cult leader will recruit a new

member is by gradualism, which, through repeated teaching, slowly alters one’s

belief system. These new beliefs are constantly reinforced by other members. In

the “Heaven’s Gate” cult, the recruitment of new members was done skillfully.

The group would post flyers advertising a discussion about UFO’s. They would

discourage recruits from joining on the spot, and insist they come to another

session before making a final decision. A way of keeping members involved in

the cult was by pairing them up. Robert Rubin, who once attended a presentation

given by Marshall Herff Applewhite (the leader of the cult) said “The partner was

there, if you were falling out of what you had to do, so you wouldn’t fall out. It

was part of the mind control.” This somewhat comforting recruitment technique

gave the member a false feeling that they were in complete control, and would not

have to forfeit that control to be part of the cult.

Once a member has been induced into the cult, it becomes very difficult,

and sometimes even virtually impossible to leave. Members become dependent on

the cult and other members within. The cult meets their psychological,

intellectual and spiritual needs. As a member plunges further and further into the

cult, contacts to people outside of the cult are gradually reduced. This eventually

results in complete isolation, and if a member had the desire to leave, they’d have

nobody to turn to. Often, a cult leader will replace an important figure, such as

mother, father, priest or teacher, facilitating a strong power over the approval

seeking member. Brainwashing awards the cult leader almost complete power

over a member, another reason why leaving is so difficult. Sometimes the member

becomes indebted financially, and despite all will to leave, the member cannot

afford to live outside cult support. Very rarely, a physical threat will prevent a

member from leaving but threat of destruction by God, missing the apocalypse or

being judged on judgment day are presented if a member wants to leave, often

causing this person to reconsider. These tactics, used by cult leaders, are clever

techniques to keep the member involved with the cult.

Finally, cults use thought reform (commonly known as “brainwashing”) to

attract and maintain members, which can be damaging to society. Brainwashing

came into use in the early 1950’s, during the Korean War. Korean and Chinese

military practiced an intense kind of psychological and physical torture when

questioning American Prisoners Of War. The prisoner would be insulted, slapped,

shouted at and beaten. He would not be given adequate amounts of food or drunk,

nor sleep. Although, on a general basis, this is not the definition of

“brainwashing”, as used by the cult, thought reform is a very damaging process to

society. In theory, “brainwashed” people will do anything their “brainwasher” tells

them to. The aim of thought reform programs is to change the personality of an

individual. Dr. Margaret Singer, an American psychologist, has listed

characteristics of thought reform that are applied by cults to their members. The

first is to gain social control over the member. The leader will often convince

them to come to more and more events being given by the cult. The member will

be encouraged to attend long seminars, where there is little allowance for quiet

time or time to think by one’s self. The final aim is to gain control of the amount

of time one spends inside one’s mind. By the leader gaining this control, once a

member is free from the cult, they may find that they are unable to think for

themselves. The second tactic is to reduce a member’s self esteem. The person

will be indoctrinated until they see their own lives as less valuable, their life

experiences and values as futile, and to doubt the truth of what they’ve learned in

the past. They will feel as though the group knows them better than anyone else.

This deconstructs one’s personality. Thus in the event that the member leaves

thought reform may result in one of many problems someone with low self esteem

are vulnerable to. Thirdly, cult leaders reduce old ways of functioning, choosing

and behaving, and induce new ways, practiced by the cult. As the individual

begins to think of the cult as powerful, and as a result, themselves powerless, past

ways of acting are heavily discouraged. Models of proper behavior are presented

by older members, and often rewards are granted for new behavior, punishments

given for failure to conform. This tactic is damaging to society because one’s

behavior has been entirely altered, and if a member leaves the cult, this behavior

may no longer be acceptable. Once a member has undergone these techniques,

their thinking processes are reconstructed to be consistent with the beliefs and

behaviors of the cult and to be submissive to its leader.

Rev. Wm. Kent Burtner, O.P. theorizes; “If the ability to use one’s gift of

reason is what makes us human, then these groups rob their members of their

basic humanity.” Due to the manipulative manner in which a cult operates, such a

group is very damaging society. There are five to six hundred cults in the United

States alone, with an estimate total of 150 000 – 200 000 members. Initially,

compared to population statistics, this number appears small and somewhat

insignificant. However, if one pauses to consider the families affected, and the

larger amount of people who participate in some cult activities but do not join, the

impact on society seems to increase. Cults have left scars throughout the world.

*From the mass suicide of 911 people in Jonestown to the murders of seven

innocent victims by Charles Manson’s “Frigate Family”, cults have been a

disadvantage to society since their creation. The number of cults has been rapidly

increasing in the past fifty years, and while some do not cause suffering and

appear beneficial, the amplitute in which the cults are emerging is somewhat

disturbing. It is our duty, as part of society, to prevent others from being

manipulated into joining a cult, as well as to be aware of the tactics used, as to

protect ourselves.

Cults:

Damaging To Society

For: Ms. Hatzifotis

Due: December 18, 1998

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List Of

BOOKS

Barden, Renardo. CULTS. Florida: The Rourke Corporation Inc, 1990.

INTERNET SITES

Burni, Frank. A Cult’s Two-Decade Odyssey Of Regimentation. New York Times

Co, 1997. www.rickross.com/reference/gate2.html

Burtner, Kent. Outline For Cult Talk. Trinity Com, 1994.

www.ewtn.com/library/NEWAGE/CULTTALK.TXT

Shick, Matt J. Cults. Christian Apologetics and Research Ministry, 1990.

carm.org/cultic.htm

Stanley, Ronald. About Cults. Catholic Center At Rutgers: 1997. www.catholic-

center.rutgers.edu/FrRonStanley/cult-rtg.coc.html