Paul Martin dedicated himself to preserving and
protecting the most fundamental human right of
them all—the right to be free to doubt the right
of every person to be the owner of his or her
own mind and identity. For me, this right
precedes the First Amendment and becomes a
necessary precondition for its validity. It is the
right to be yourself.
I would like to close with another quote from
which I draw inspiration:
[F]aith and freedom are inextricably
linked: it is not for priests or pastors or
presidents or kings to compel belief, for
to do so trespasses on each individual’s
God-given liberty of mind and heart. If
the Lord himself chose not to force
obedience from those he created, then
who are men to try? (Meacham, 2007,
p. 5)
References
American Communications Association v. Douds, 339 U.S. 382,
438 (1950). (Justice Robert H. Jackson, concurring and dissenting
opinion.)
American Humanist Association v. United States, 2014 WL
5500495 (D. Ore., 2014).
Attorney-General v. Bains, Prec. Ch. 270, 24 Eng. Rep. 131
(1708).
Brown, D., Scheflin, A. W., &Hammond, D. C. (1998). Memory,
trauma treatment, and the law. New York, NY: W.W. Norton.
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., 134 S. Ct. 2751, 189
L.Ed.2d 675 (2014).
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579, 113
S. Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993).
Dukeminier, J., &Johanson, S. M. (1995). Wills, trusts, and
estates. New York, NY: Aspen Law and Business (p. 160).
Dulles, A. (1953, May 8). Brain warfare: Russia’s secret weapon.
(Speech delivered to Princeton alumni April 10, 1953, Hot Springs,
Virginia.) U.S. News &World Report, pp. 54, 56, 58.
European convention for the protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms. (1950). Available at http://human-rights-
convention.org/
Evans, B. (1946). The natural history of nonsense. New York, NY:
A. A. Knopf (p. 275).
Fautré, W. (2014). Cultic issues and religious freedom, 5(1), ICSA
Today, 11–15.
Footlick, J. K., Howard, L., &Monroe, S. (1975, October 20).
Bailey for the defense, Newsweek, p. 64.
Fraser, G. (2014, February 14). Religion’s conceptual shape-
shifting is maybe its survival mechanism at work. The Guardian.
Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/
belief/2014/feb/14/religions-shape-shifting-survival-mechanism-
work
Hamilton, M. A. (2014). God vs. the gavel: The perils of extreme
religious liberty (Revised Second Edition). Cambridge, England:
Cambridge University Press.
Harvard club drops much-criticized satanic event. (2014, May 13).
CBS News. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/
harvard-club-drops-much-criticized-satanic-event/
Hassan, S. (2012). Freedom of mind: Helping loved ones leave
controlling people, cults, and beliefs. Newton, MA: Freedom of
Mind Press.
Ingersoll, R. G. (1878). Individuality. In R. G. Ingersoll, The gods
and other lectures. Peoria, IL: C. P. Farrell. Also available online
at http://hermiene.net/essays-trans/individuality.html
In re Olson’s Estate, 19 Cal. App. 379, 386, 126 P. 171 (3rd Dist.
1912).
In re Rohde’s Estate, 158 Cal.App.2d 19, 323 P.2d 490 (1st Dist.
1958).
International covenant on civil and political rights (ICCPR)
(adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16
December 1966, and in force from 23 March 1976). Available
online at http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/
pages/ccpr.aspx
Irons, P. (Ed.). (2007). God on trial. New York, NY: Viking.
Jindal, B. (2014, May 10). Bobby Jindal: Government waging
“silent war” on religious freedom. CBS News. Retrieved from
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bobby-jindal-government-waging-
silent-war-on-religious-freedom/
Kim, K. (2011). The coercion of trafficked workers, Iowa Law
Review, 96, 409–474.
Lifton, R. J. (1989, 1961). Thought reform and the psychology of
totalism: A study of “brainwashing” in China. Chapel Hill, NC:
University of North Carolina Press.
Lunde, D., &Wilson, T. (1977). Brainwashing defense to criminal
liability: Patty Hearst revisited, Criminal Law Bulletin, 13, 341,
354–355.
Madoff, R. D. (1997). Unmasking undue influence, Minnesota
Law Review, 81, 571–629.
McConnell, J. V. (1974, June). Letter to the editor, APA Monitor.
McConnell, J. V. (1970, April). Criminals can be brainwashed—
now. Psychology Today, 3(11), 14, 16, 18, 74.
Meacham, J. (2007). American gospel: God, the Founding
Fathers, and the making of a nation. New York, NY: Random
House.
Moyers, B. (2012, February 16). Essay: Freedom of and from
religion. Moyers &Company. Retrieved from
http://billmoyers.com/content/bill-moyers-essay-freedom-of-and-
from-religion/
Mutch, S. (2014, July). Religious cults, human rights and public
policy: The secular perspective. Paper delivered at the
International Cultic Studies Association Conference, Washington,
DC.
Partsch, K. J. (1981). Freedom of conscience and expression, and
political freedoms. In Louis Henkin (Ed.), The international bill of
rights (p. 209).
International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 6, 2015 81
protecting the most fundamental human right of
them all—the right to be free to doubt the right
of every person to be the owner of his or her
own mind and identity. For me, this right
precedes the First Amendment and becomes a
necessary precondition for its validity. It is the
right to be yourself.
I would like to close with another quote from
which I draw inspiration:
[F]aith and freedom are inextricably
linked: it is not for priests or pastors or
presidents or kings to compel belief, for
to do so trespasses on each individual’s
God-given liberty of mind and heart. If
the Lord himself chose not to force
obedience from those he created, then
who are men to try? (Meacham, 2007,
p. 5)
References
American Communications Association v. Douds, 339 U.S. 382,
438 (1950). (Justice Robert H. Jackson, concurring and dissenting
opinion.)
American Humanist Association v. United States, 2014 WL
5500495 (D. Ore., 2014).
Attorney-General v. Bains, Prec. Ch. 270, 24 Eng. Rep. 131
(1708).
Brown, D., Scheflin, A. W., &Hammond, D. C. (1998). Memory,
trauma treatment, and the law. New York, NY: W.W. Norton.
Burwell v. Hobby Lobby Stores, Inc., 134 S. Ct. 2751, 189
L.Ed.2d 675 (2014).
Daubert v. Merrell Dow Pharmaceuticals, Inc., 509 U.S. 579, 113
S. Ct. 2786, 125 L.Ed.2d 469 (1993).
Dukeminier, J., &Johanson, S. M. (1995). Wills, trusts, and
estates. New York, NY: Aspen Law and Business (p. 160).
Dulles, A. (1953, May 8). Brain warfare: Russia’s secret weapon.
(Speech delivered to Princeton alumni April 10, 1953, Hot Springs,
Virginia.) U.S. News &World Report, pp. 54, 56, 58.
European convention for the protection of human rights and
fundamental freedoms. (1950). Available at http://human-rights-
convention.org/
Evans, B. (1946). The natural history of nonsense. New York, NY:
A. A. Knopf (p. 275).
Fautré, W. (2014). Cultic issues and religious freedom, 5(1), ICSA
Today, 11–15.
Footlick, J. K., Howard, L., &Monroe, S. (1975, October 20).
Bailey for the defense, Newsweek, p. 64.
Fraser, G. (2014, February 14). Religion’s conceptual shape-
shifting is maybe its survival mechanism at work. The Guardian.
Retrieved from http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/
belief/2014/feb/14/religions-shape-shifting-survival-mechanism-
work
Hamilton, M. A. (2014). God vs. the gavel: The perils of extreme
religious liberty (Revised Second Edition). Cambridge, England:
Cambridge University Press.
Harvard club drops much-criticized satanic event. (2014, May 13).
CBS News. Retrieved from http://www.cbsnews.com/news/
harvard-club-drops-much-criticized-satanic-event/
Hassan, S. (2012). Freedom of mind: Helping loved ones leave
controlling people, cults, and beliefs. Newton, MA: Freedom of
Mind Press.
Ingersoll, R. G. (1878). Individuality. In R. G. Ingersoll, The gods
and other lectures. Peoria, IL: C. P. Farrell. Also available online
at http://hermiene.net/essays-trans/individuality.html
In re Olson’s Estate, 19 Cal. App. 379, 386, 126 P. 171 (3rd Dist.
1912).
In re Rohde’s Estate, 158 Cal.App.2d 19, 323 P.2d 490 (1st Dist.
1958).
International covenant on civil and political rights (ICCPR)
(adopted by the United Nations General Assembly on 16
December 1966, and in force from 23 March 1976). Available
online at http://www.ohchr.org/en/professionalinterest/
pages/ccpr.aspx
Irons, P. (Ed.). (2007). God on trial. New York, NY: Viking.
Jindal, B. (2014, May 10). Bobby Jindal: Government waging
“silent war” on religious freedom. CBS News. Retrieved from
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/bobby-jindal-government-waging-
silent-war-on-religious-freedom/
Kim, K. (2011). The coercion of trafficked workers, Iowa Law
Review, 96, 409–474.
Lifton, R. J. (1989, 1961). Thought reform and the psychology of
totalism: A study of “brainwashing” in China. Chapel Hill, NC:
University of North Carolina Press.
Lunde, D., &Wilson, T. (1977). Brainwashing defense to criminal
liability: Patty Hearst revisited, Criminal Law Bulletin, 13, 341,
354–355.
Madoff, R. D. (1997). Unmasking undue influence, Minnesota
Law Review, 81, 571–629.
McConnell, J. V. (1974, June). Letter to the editor, APA Monitor.
McConnell, J. V. (1970, April). Criminals can be brainwashed—
now. Psychology Today, 3(11), 14, 16, 18, 74.
Meacham, J. (2007). American gospel: God, the Founding
Fathers, and the making of a nation. New York, NY: Random
House.
Moyers, B. (2012, February 16). Essay: Freedom of and from
religion. Moyers &Company. Retrieved from
http://billmoyers.com/content/bill-moyers-essay-freedom-of-and-
from-religion/
Mutch, S. (2014, July). Religious cults, human rights and public
policy: The secular perspective. Paper delivered at the
International Cultic Studies Association Conference, Washington,
DC.
Partsch, K. J. (1981). Freedom of conscience and expression, and
political freedoms. In Louis Henkin (Ed.), The international bill of
rights (p. 209).
International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 6, 2015 81
