40 International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 9, 2018
the religion-and-belief sector is the French
Miviludes (Interministerial Mission of Vigilance
and Combat Against Sectarian Aberrations),
429F
12
which involves a comprehensive government
response to the phenomenon of what the French
term sectarian deviation. Both INFORM, which
is nongovernment but receives some government
endorsement, and Miviludes, which is an arm of
government attached to the Prime Minister’s
office, are attuned to nongovernment groups that
focus on cults, sects, and new religious
movements.
430F
13,
431F
14 Of the two, Miviludes exhibits
a greater emphasis on formal connections with
community groups, such as those operating
under the umbrella of FECRIS (European
Federation of Centres of Research and
Information on Sectarianism),
432F
15 which are most
critical of sectés (cults).
The history of the mobilization of the anticult,
countercult, and cult-watch groups that work in
collaboration with parents and friends of
individuals enticed into the clutches of
destructive cults is a particularly relevant
precedent for understanding what is needed to
combat the influence of narcissistic predators
parading as spiritual advisers, gurus, and other
guises. A thorough examination of the
movements’ successes and failures, along with
the impediments imposed by academic cult
apologists, cult harassment of critics (including
defamation proceedings), the constraints
imposed by human-rights regimes (Mutch,
2016), and legal and ethical impediments to
deprogramming, provides essential background
to understanding the crisis democratic societies
now face to again combat the forces of
totalitarianism that emanate in particular from
religious and ideological groups rather than from
the state.
In Australia we have taken some steps along the
way to more effectively regulate the sector of
12 Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les
dérives sectaires.
13 See Mutch, 2004, pp. 376–383.
14 See Fenech, 2011 (CIFS conference hosted by Senators Sue
Boyce and Nick Xenophon, Cult Information &Family Support
Inc.).
15 Fédération Européennedes Centres de Recherche Fédération
Européenne des Centres de Resherche et d’information sur le
Sectarisme.
religion and belief. The establishment of the
Australian Charities and Not-for-profits
Commission in December 2012 (based
somewhat on the Charity Commission for
England and Wales) is potentially a positive
step. But a generally benign oversight of not-for-
profit groups (often referred to as the third
sector) does not focus on the problems
manifested in the sector of religion and belief,
which may include both for-profit groups and
dubiously qualified pastoral advisers,
counsellors, and other individuals parading as
spiritual healers or therapists who might not
come under the radar of the regulator of the third
sector.
That is why, in evidence to the Senate
Economics Legislation Committee inquiry into
the Tax Laws Amendment (Public Benefit Test)
Bill 2010, I recommended that the government
examine the Miviludes model. Despite
unanimous support from the Senate committee
members for this simple proposition, the then-
government declined because of sensitivities
toward religious freedom (for a critique of this
reticence, see Mutch, 2011).
433F
16 When the
instigator of the Senate inquiry, Senator Nick
Xenophon, suggested again in 2016 that an
“agency mirrored on France’s Miviludes is
needed to crack down on groups using
psychological pressure on members”
(Gusmaroli, 2016), his suggestion was met with
journalistic ridicule (Blair, 2016). The same sort
of knee-jerk criticism can be levelled at any
serious attempt to rehabilitate and utilize former
jihadis (Maley, 2017), despite the common-
sense insight, reinforced by cultic studies, that
former adherents can be the most efficacious
counsellors in deradicalization programs.
Conclusion: Recent Developments “Down
Under”
To better target and deal with potential
perpetrators as a result of continuing attacks
from radicalized individuals, Australian
governments are adopting new approaches to
focus on particular aspects of the terrorism
16 CIFS conference hosted by Senators Sue Boyce and Nick
Xenophon, Cult Information &Family Support Inc.
the religion-and-belief sector is the French
Miviludes (Interministerial Mission of Vigilance
and Combat Against Sectarian Aberrations),
429F
12
which involves a comprehensive government
response to the phenomenon of what the French
term sectarian deviation. Both INFORM, which
is nongovernment but receives some government
endorsement, and Miviludes, which is an arm of
government attached to the Prime Minister’s
office, are attuned to nongovernment groups that
focus on cults, sects, and new religious
movements.
430F
13,
431F
14 Of the two, Miviludes exhibits
a greater emphasis on formal connections with
community groups, such as those operating
under the umbrella of FECRIS (European
Federation of Centres of Research and
Information on Sectarianism),
432F
15 which are most
critical of sectés (cults).
The history of the mobilization of the anticult,
countercult, and cult-watch groups that work in
collaboration with parents and friends of
individuals enticed into the clutches of
destructive cults is a particularly relevant
precedent for understanding what is needed to
combat the influence of narcissistic predators
parading as spiritual advisers, gurus, and other
guises. A thorough examination of the
movements’ successes and failures, along with
the impediments imposed by academic cult
apologists, cult harassment of critics (including
defamation proceedings), the constraints
imposed by human-rights regimes (Mutch,
2016), and legal and ethical impediments to
deprogramming, provides essential background
to understanding the crisis democratic societies
now face to again combat the forces of
totalitarianism that emanate in particular from
religious and ideological groups rather than from
the state.
In Australia we have taken some steps along the
way to more effectively regulate the sector of
12 Mission interministérielle de vigilance et de lutte contre les
dérives sectaires.
13 See Mutch, 2004, pp. 376–383.
14 See Fenech, 2011 (CIFS conference hosted by Senators Sue
Boyce and Nick Xenophon, Cult Information &Family Support
Inc.).
15 Fédération Européennedes Centres de Recherche Fédération
Européenne des Centres de Resherche et d’information sur le
Sectarisme.
religion and belief. The establishment of the
Australian Charities and Not-for-profits
Commission in December 2012 (based
somewhat on the Charity Commission for
England and Wales) is potentially a positive
step. But a generally benign oversight of not-for-
profit groups (often referred to as the third
sector) does not focus on the problems
manifested in the sector of religion and belief,
which may include both for-profit groups and
dubiously qualified pastoral advisers,
counsellors, and other individuals parading as
spiritual healers or therapists who might not
come under the radar of the regulator of the third
sector.
That is why, in evidence to the Senate
Economics Legislation Committee inquiry into
the Tax Laws Amendment (Public Benefit Test)
Bill 2010, I recommended that the government
examine the Miviludes model. Despite
unanimous support from the Senate committee
members for this simple proposition, the then-
government declined because of sensitivities
toward religious freedom (for a critique of this
reticence, see Mutch, 2011).
433F
16 When the
instigator of the Senate inquiry, Senator Nick
Xenophon, suggested again in 2016 that an
“agency mirrored on France’s Miviludes is
needed to crack down on groups using
psychological pressure on members”
(Gusmaroli, 2016), his suggestion was met with
journalistic ridicule (Blair, 2016). The same sort
of knee-jerk criticism can be levelled at any
serious attempt to rehabilitate and utilize former
jihadis (Maley, 2017), despite the common-
sense insight, reinforced by cultic studies, that
former adherents can be the most efficacious
counsellors in deradicalization programs.
Conclusion: Recent Developments “Down
Under”
To better target and deal with potential
perpetrators as a result of continuing attacks
from radicalized individuals, Australian
governments are adopting new approaches to
focus on particular aspects of the terrorism
16 CIFS conference hosted by Senators Sue Boyce and Nick
Xenophon, Cult Information &Family Support Inc.
