FREE ESSAY ON CULTS

CULTS

Cults Each year, hundreds of North Americans join one of the increasing, estimated 3000
unorthodox religions that exist across North America. The increasing number of cults, to
date in North America, is due to the fact that cults are a social movement that attempts
to help people cope with their perceived problems with social interaction. Cult
recruiters target those who perceive themselves as different from the rest of society,
and give these individuals the sense of belonging that they crave. Cult literature lures
potential cult members by appealing to their desperate need to socially fit in. Cults
provide a controlled family environment that appeals to potential cult members because it
is a removal from the exterior society. Cult recruiters prey on those who see themselves
as alienated from the rest of society, and give these people the sense of conformity that
they desire. A common method of recruiters, to obtain new members, is through chat lines
on the internet. A recorded conversation between a member of the Divine Light Mission,
Fire-Shade, and an 18-year old boy, Jay 18, was obtained off of the site, IRC Teen Chat.
Jay18: I am a really great poet, but all of the kids in my class are pretty warped about
it. I basically hide it from them because I don't need that hassle. Fire-Shade: My family
has a great respect for the artist inside us all. I know you live in Michigan, and our
family could always use new operatives all over the world. You have to understand what
our family is about, it is about always fitting in and never hiding the truth to be liked
or cool. Are you interested? Jay18: Well maybe Fire-Shade: Give me your phone number we
really shouldn't talk about this here. Jay18: I would rather not give my phone number
out. You give me yours, I won't be able to talk for long though. Fire-Shade: Trust is
very important in our group. Do you trust me? You can't call us, unfortunately because we
are not in a position to be accepting phone calls. Jay18: Well then you can just e-mail
me. OK. Fire-Shade: [disconnects]1 The cult member makes the young boy feel as though he
does care about his problems, and wants to make this boy's life better. Fire-Shade
conveys his family as an entity not as many different individuals. After feeling alone
for many years the only persuasion some individuals need is the assurance that they will
be part of a society and accepted unconditionally. Cult members know what type of
individuals feel most alienated and alone, says Dr. Lorna Goldberg, a New Jersey
psychoanalyst. No one plans to join a cult unless they see that cult as a possibility for
a family, or a better society. Cults target people in transition-- college students away
from home for the first time, people who have moved to new cities for jobs, those who
have just been divorced or widowed. Usually individuals 16 to 25 or 35 to 40. The vast
majority of members are merely looking for a sense of community and belonging, during a
difficult time in their lives.2 Cults provide an ersatz social unit, which takes them in,
nurtures them and reinforces the cult's worldview. By the time that most cult members
realize that this cult isn't what they had expected, it is too late, because they are
already too afraid to leave. Recruiters are not the only way that potential members are
enticed into cults, often their literature is powerful enough. Cult novels, pamphlets and
websites draw in potential cult members by appealing to their desperate need to socially
fit in. Often if a piece of cult literature is written correctly it convinces the most
logical mind of the most absurd reasoning, like this pamphlet by the Heavens Gate cult.
The generally accepted norms of today's societies - world over - are designed,
established, and maintained by the individuals who were at one time students of the
Kingdom of Heaven- angels in the making- who flunked out of the classroom. Legends and
scriptures refer to them as fallen angels. The current civilization's records use the
name Satan or Lucifer to describe a single fallen angel and also to nickname any evil
presence. If you have experienced some of what our classroom requires of us, you would
know that these presences are real and that the Kingdom of God even permits them to
attack us in order for us to learn their tricks and how to stay above them or conquer
them.3 This particular piece of heavens gate literature can be found printed in not only
their pamphlets and novels, but also on their website. In this single passage this cult
has enabled the alienated individual to feel accepted and feel that they are not the only
person who feels helpless, alone and disliked by society. It not only reassures the
potential cult member that they are welcome somewhere, but it makes them feel superior to
the society that they feel has betrayed them their entire life. Often, to fully convince
a potential recruit of their ideals, cult literature will diverge on continuously about
how society's ideas and morals are deranged and that the cults are reasonable. In other
words, they (these space aliens) don't want themselves found out, so they condemn any
exploration. They want you to be a perfect servant to society (THEIR society -- of THEIR
world) -- to the acceptable establishment, to humanity, and to false religious concepts.
Part of that stay blinded formula goes like this: Above all, be married, a good parent, a
reasonable church goer, buy a house, pay your mortgage, pay your insurance, have a good
line of credit, be socially committed, and graciously accept death with the hope that
'through His shed blood,' or some other equally worthless religious precept, you will go
to Heaven after your death.4 It is at this point that, through their literature,
unbeknown to the reader the cult begins to strip away at everything the individual
believes in. The cult starts to present the individual with the words that they want to
hear, which are; that they are normal, and that there is a place where they are wanted.
Although there are few distinct similarities shared between cults, the use of communes is
a remarkably common trait. Cults provide a separate society that appeals to potential
cult members because it is a removal from the exterior world. Usually when guests visit
for the first time to a commune they witness displays of unconditional affection and
kindness. In major cities across throughout the world, The Unified Family, sometimes
called the Unification Church, has houses which are typically both communal living places
for young, single members, and meeting places for a Sunday afternoon or weekday evening
meeting. A pleasant, lively circle of perhaps twenty or twenty-five people, mostly young,
will make the guest feel at home. He will be given a hymn book containing religious songs
in folk and popular style. Someone will play a guitar, and the circle will sing for some
thirty minutes.5 This tranquil, peaceful setting, purposely contrasts with that of the
world outside of the compound. In order for a cult member to be adequately convinced of a
cults merits they must see how much more pleasant life will be inside the compound.
Cults, like the Hare Krishna, remind members how chaotic the outside world is, and
maintain impeccable order inside their compounds to maintain purity. The details of life
are closely regulated by the Spiritual Master. He insists that each devotee take two
showers daily, and take a cup of warm milk before retiring; these customs are
scrupulously followed. Devotees live an idyllic rural, communal, devotional, and
vegetarian life.6 In cults an individuals daily routine is decided for them, their entire
life-style is chosen for them, this appeals to individuals because they can't make
mistakes if they just do as the leader instructs. In the society outside of the cult
decisions must be constantly made, and society's expectations are that those who can not
succeed in their decision making are failures. The complexity and ambiguity of life is
something that cult members do not want to endure. Different doctors have varying
opinions on why people join cults. Dr. J.Gordon Melton is attempting to prove that cult
members have not chosen to join cults, they have an actual medical disorder. Melton has
found that cult members are emotionally vulnerable and suffering from significant
emotional distress. ...the average cult member has been in three or four other groups, a
sign of what he calls the seeker syndrome, a spiritual quest among young people free to
experiment. These seekers generally move on as soon as they become bored or disenchanted.
Melton suggests cults serve as holding tanks for young people rebelling against
overprotective parents.7 Other experts believe that certain classes, races, and ages are
particularly susceptible to the allure of cults. A survey performed at the Bethany Hills
School found that when asked 'Would you join a cult if it would offer you what you
believed to be a better life?', 7 out of 24 respondents said that they would. Of these 7
respondents, 5 were between the ages of 16 and 198 This age group has been established as
susceptible to cults because of the pressure placed upon adolescents by their peers. 3 of
the 7 respondents were members of a single, employed, parent houshold.9 Stress on a
single income family can potentially be greater than that of a dual income family because
of the potential for a higher net family income, and possibly less financial
difficulties. This family stress could inherently cause an individual to search for a
more stable home environment, and find refuge in a cult. These are the lesser known, and
not as accepted theories on why people join cults. The idea that any specific
social-class is more susceptible to cult membership is false. As history has shown cult
members' social class can not be generalized. Social Status is no indicator of
susceptibility and no defense against it. For instance, while many of the dead a
Jonestown were poor, the Solar Temple favors the carriage trade. Its disciples have
included the wife and son of the founder of Vuarnet sunglass company. The Branch
Davidians at Waco came from many walks of life. And at Rancho Santa Fe they were paragons
of the entrepreneurial class, so well organized they died in shifts.10 The reason for
cult membership is obviously not entirely due to social class. Different people are drawn
to different cults, just as different cults prey on different individuals. The research
done at the Bethany Hills School is also not entirely accurate because the population is
so small that 24 surveys cannot accurately represent most cult members. Although Dr.
Melton's research provides an interesting viewpoint, his claims are still being
experimented and have never been fully substantiated. His claim that cult members are
young people rebelling against their parents is statistically inaccurate since 35 to
40-year-olds are one of the most common groups of cult members, and make up a large
portion of the hundreds of men and women who join cults each year. Cult enlisteers target
those who view themselves as a deviant from the rest of society, and give these
individuals a false sense of family. Cult literature lures potential cult members by
convincing them that society is an anomalous entity and that they are healthy and sound.
The controlled family environment of cults appeals to potential cult members because they
have all of their decisions made for them, and do not risk failure. No one is beyond the
possibility of joining a cult, applicants require only a hopeless feeling of social
inadequacy, a condition apt to strike anyone at some point in life. Undoutably, many
cults are malicious and violent, but they do send a clear message that something is very
wrong when sane, healthy people would rather burn, poison, and shoot themselves to death
rather than live another moment in society. 
Bibliography
Endnotes 1. Lacay, Richard. Macleans: The Lure of the Cult (March 22 1997) 2. Graebrener,
William. The American Record. Alfred A. Knoph, Inc. New York. 1982. 3. Applewhite,
Marshall Herff. Heaven's Gate, The Novel. Received off of their internet
site(www.heavensgatetoo.com) 4. Applewhite, Marshall Herff. Heaven's Gate The Novel.
Received off of their internet site(www.heavensgatetoo.com) 5. Bright-Paul, Anthony.
Stairway to Subud. Dharma Book Company, Inc. NewYork. 1965. 6. Swami, Bhaktivedanta A.C.
Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System. Iskcon Press. Boston. 1970. 7. Fennell,
Tom. Time: Doom Sects [False Prophets Attract the Vulnerable]. (April 7, 1997) 8.
Lamaadar, Alia. Cults:Questionair. January 12, 1998. 9. Lamaadar, Alia.
Cults:Questionair. January 12, 1998. 10. Muller, Bill. The Edmonton Journal: The Lure of
Cults [Why Ordinary People Join Cults]. (April 1, 1997) Bibliography 1. Applewhite,
Marshall Herff Heaven's Gate, The Novel. Received off of their internet
site(www.heavensgatetoo.com) 2. Bright-Paul, Anthony. Stairway to Subud. Dharma Book
Company, Inc. NewYork. 1965. 3. Bugliosi, Vincent. Helter Skelter. Bantam Books. New
York. 1975. 4. Fennell, Tom. Time: Doom Sects [False Prophets Attract the Vulnerable].
(April 7, 1997) 5. Graebner, William. The American Record. Alfred A. Knoph, Inc. New
York. 1982. 6. Lacay, Richard. Macleans: The Lure of the Cult (March 22 1997) 7.
Lamaadar, Alia. Cults:Questionair. January 12, 1998. 8. Muller, Bill. The Edmonton
Journal:The Lure of Cults [Why Ordinary People Join Cults]. (April 1, 1997) 9. Porter,
Anne. Farewell to the Seventies. Thomas Nelson and Sons. Don Mills. 1979. 10. Smith,
Michelle. Michelle Remembers. Pocket Books. New York. 1980. 11. Swami, Bhaktivedanta A.C.
Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost Yoga System. Iskcon Press. Boston. 1970.