Cults Essay, Research Paper

Cults

Types of cults

Two main kinds of cults exist today:

Messianic Cults

This is a cult that has a leader. Whatever the leader orders his

members to do must be done, whether it would be sacrifice or murder, it must be

done. In return the leader of the cult would “save” his followers.

Mellenarian Cults

This is a type of cult that refers to the 1,000 year reign of Christ.

These groups believe that dramatic events, such as the end of the world or

judgment day, will occur at the turn of the century.

Traits of cults

A feeling and a certainty of belief.

A single strong and powerful leader.

A tendency to control communication.

A totalistic outlook; a view that spiritual life in the group must be

present 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This would not

allow a member to do any hobbies, work or interests outside

of the cult.

People who join cults

There are four different types of people who participate in cults. The

first type of people are normal people who come from intact families and turn to

cults at a moment of difficulty in there life. These people haven’t had any

other problems previously. The second group of people are people who had

problems in there past in development and emotion. The third and smallest group

of cult members are psychotic individuals. The fourth group of people feel as

if they don’t fit into society.

Different cults

Charles Manson was never close to his parents, for he never met his

father and his mother was an alcoholic. This lead Manson through a confusing

age. He was always getting in trouble with the law. After he got out of prison

he began to experiment with the psychedelic drug LSD. In San Francisco he

learned how to talk like a hippie and sounded very wise, to lost and confused

young men and woman. He always looked for sad or disordered young women. As he

found them he talked to them, and they quickly trusted him deeply. In a short

time he had gathered up enough young women to be his slaves and do whatever he

asked. This is were Charles Manson began his cult leadership. Manson told four

of his followers to break into a wealthy home in Los Angeles and kill everyone

in it. The followers armed with knives and guns obeyed there master and

murdered five innocent people. The next night Manson lead six of his followers

to the LaBianca house a rich couple lived together in. Manson tied the

LaBianca’s

up and ordered three cult members to execute them. Now the Manson family fled

to a remote part of Death Valley in Southern California. There the family

stole cars and continued to take drugs. Eventually the Highway Patrol spotted

the stolen cars outside and linked them to the murders.