34 International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 9, 2018
italics added).
423F
6 An even more expansive
definition was earlier provided by the Indian
Supreme Court in which it noted that “religion is
not necessarily theistic, but undoubtedly has as
its basis a system of beliefs or doctrines which
are regarded by those who profess that religion
as conducive to their spiritual well-being” (The
Commissioner Hindu Religious Endowments
Madras V Sri Lakshmindra Thirtha Swamiar of
Sri Shirur Mutt, 1954, p. 1005 italics added).
Much effort has been made over the years to
differentiate between cults and what is seen to
be authentic religion although this endeavor
may be instructive from a sociological,
psychological, or theological perspective, from a
strictly legal perspective groups characterized as
cults would generally be entitled to the same
rights and privileges (or accommodations)
provided to any other religious group. The
International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)
has noted that a cult “is characterized by an
ideology, strong demands issuing from that
ideology, and powerful processes of
social/psychological influence to induce group
members to meet those demands” (ICSA, 2006,
p. 68). My comment on this is that
at the heart of groups most convincingly
described as cults is an element of blind
obedience by a group of followers to the
instructions of a leader (reinforced by
social/psychological manipulation)
because of a belief that the leader has
access to some supernatural power or
knowledge beyond the ken of others, or
is in communication with supernatural
forces. (Mutch, 2012, p. 4)
Cult Deprogramming and Subject-
Focused Deradicalization
The psychological and sociological processes
involved in terrorist groups, from deceitful
initial recruitment and conversion to the
subjugation of the follower’s thoughts and
actions to the will of the leader (often under the
close supervision of spiritual advisers), are not
just similar to, but in many important respects
6 Per Chief Justice Mason and Justice Brennan.
identical to dynamics present in cults. In
addition, the process of deconversion from cults,
or what has now evolved into exit counselling,
in an environment where the subject is somehow
constrained (deprogramming) or where the
subject voluntarily receives exit counselling, is
identical to the process of deradicalization in
those subject-focused programs in which the
objective is deconversion from an ideological
position that demands violent action. The
difference between the two is that lessons
available from the former have not been
adequately assessed for assimilation into the
latter.
Policymakers have made insufficient attempts to
thoroughly analyze cult deprogramming and exit
counselling in an effort to apply lessons learned
to the few extant subject-targeted, ideological
deconversion-centered, deradicalization
programs they are pursuing. One easy lesson is
that the most successful of the cult
deprogrammers (now exit counsellors) are
former cult members (apostates) who have both
a detailed knowledge of the theological
underpinnings of the cult, and also a knowledge
(based on their own experience, often as
perpetrators) of the sociological and
psychological tricks or methods employed to
indoctrinate members. While the involvement of
clerics in deradicalization programs can
sometimes be useful, it might also be
counterproductive if the clerics are not
thoroughly versed in the allegedly deviant strand
of theology to which the subject adheres in
addition they must be knowledgeable about
methods of psychological and sociological
manipulation. Furthermore, such programs
would likely never be as effective as
deconversion conducted by someone with the
intimate understanding gained by having
“walked the walk” in the shoes of the subject.
Another unresolved issue (quite apart from the
fact that programs often seem to be oversighted
by sociologists, and not psychologists or
psychiatrists) is the efficacy of using trained
psychologists in comparison to amateurs, such
as knowledgeable apostates (a combination of
both in the same individual is still rare). In this
context, perhaps further research is called for to
determine the potential effectiveness of using
italics added).
423F
6 An even more expansive
definition was earlier provided by the Indian
Supreme Court in which it noted that “religion is
not necessarily theistic, but undoubtedly has as
its basis a system of beliefs or doctrines which
are regarded by those who profess that religion
as conducive to their spiritual well-being” (The
Commissioner Hindu Religious Endowments
Madras V Sri Lakshmindra Thirtha Swamiar of
Sri Shirur Mutt, 1954, p. 1005 italics added).
Much effort has been made over the years to
differentiate between cults and what is seen to
be authentic religion although this endeavor
may be instructive from a sociological,
psychological, or theological perspective, from a
strictly legal perspective groups characterized as
cults would generally be entitled to the same
rights and privileges (or accommodations)
provided to any other religious group. The
International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)
has noted that a cult “is characterized by an
ideology, strong demands issuing from that
ideology, and powerful processes of
social/psychological influence to induce group
members to meet those demands” (ICSA, 2006,
p. 68). My comment on this is that
at the heart of groups most convincingly
described as cults is an element of blind
obedience by a group of followers to the
instructions of a leader (reinforced by
social/psychological manipulation)
because of a belief that the leader has
access to some supernatural power or
knowledge beyond the ken of others, or
is in communication with supernatural
forces. (Mutch, 2012, p. 4)
Cult Deprogramming and Subject-
Focused Deradicalization
The psychological and sociological processes
involved in terrorist groups, from deceitful
initial recruitment and conversion to the
subjugation of the follower’s thoughts and
actions to the will of the leader (often under the
close supervision of spiritual advisers), are not
just similar to, but in many important respects
6 Per Chief Justice Mason and Justice Brennan.
identical to dynamics present in cults. In
addition, the process of deconversion from cults,
or what has now evolved into exit counselling,
in an environment where the subject is somehow
constrained (deprogramming) or where the
subject voluntarily receives exit counselling, is
identical to the process of deradicalization in
those subject-focused programs in which the
objective is deconversion from an ideological
position that demands violent action. The
difference between the two is that lessons
available from the former have not been
adequately assessed for assimilation into the
latter.
Policymakers have made insufficient attempts to
thoroughly analyze cult deprogramming and exit
counselling in an effort to apply lessons learned
to the few extant subject-targeted, ideological
deconversion-centered, deradicalization
programs they are pursuing. One easy lesson is
that the most successful of the cult
deprogrammers (now exit counsellors) are
former cult members (apostates) who have both
a detailed knowledge of the theological
underpinnings of the cult, and also a knowledge
(based on their own experience, often as
perpetrators) of the sociological and
psychological tricks or methods employed to
indoctrinate members. While the involvement of
clerics in deradicalization programs can
sometimes be useful, it might also be
counterproductive if the clerics are not
thoroughly versed in the allegedly deviant strand
of theology to which the subject adheres in
addition they must be knowledgeable about
methods of psychological and sociological
manipulation. Furthermore, such programs
would likely never be as effective as
deconversion conducted by someone with the
intimate understanding gained by having
“walked the walk” in the shoes of the subject.
Another unresolved issue (quite apart from the
fact that programs often seem to be oversighted
by sociologists, and not psychologists or
psychiatrists) is the efficacy of using trained
psychologists in comparison to amateurs, such
as knowledgeable apostates (a combination of
both in the same individual is still rare). In this
context, perhaps further research is called for to
determine the potential effectiveness of using
