Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 3, Nos. 2 &3, 2004, Page 69
tactics are mixed with genuine concern, comparative Bible passage discussion, and gentle
prodding until David seems to snap out of his cult personality after a few days. Flash back
scenes portray the group members as highly motivated missionaries who strictly obey
conniving mid-managers and revere the leader almost as a living god. Despite the
stereotypes many former members of similar groups, view the depiction of cult life in Ticket
To Heaven as generally accurate. Understandably, devotees of cult groups are not satisfied
with many representations about group life in the film.
In contrast, deprogrammers I had personally interviewed (at least 20) did not approve of
the coercive interaction tactics used by Linc—none, for instance, approved of physically
shoving or striking a client, nor would they callously step on a group member‘s sacred
book.14 Those deprogrammers, whether active or not today as ―exit counselors,‖ view these
tactics as counterproductive during an intervention. This does not mean that some
deprogrammers have not tried such tactics.15 In the end David de-converts and reunites
with his family.
Moonchild
The 1981 Annie Makepeace production of Moonchild is unique among cult/deprogramming
films in that most of the actors are former cult members who were either deprogrammed or
walked away from the group represented. The story revolves around the actual experience
of Chris Carlson, who plays himself as a ―Moonie‖ of the late 1970s. In this case, his
abduction was by court order as the family obtained a legal guardianship to hold him until
he finished meeting with deprogrammers. The intervention itself was accurately portrayed,
avoiding all gratuitous or sensational action. In this movie, the deprogrammers
accomplished their task with logical argument and friendliness. Despite its amateur style,
Moonchild succeeds where most films of this genre fail, in its relatively accurate and fair
description of that group life. Still, the film offers the impression that coercive tactics are
required to begin and/or sustain a successful intervention.
Thy Will Be Done
Not a movie, this TV series called ―Thy Will Be Done‖ from Minnesota was a special
investigation by The Moore Report about the cult controversy around 1980. Most seasoned
deprogrammers, exit counselors, and anti-cultists are aware of this series that chooses to
document an actual deprogramming as one theme in the report. In the first segment, the
report documents a distressed family whose minor daughter, 17, they legally remove from
the home of a family devoted to a Christian sect led by Rama Behara. Deprogrammers,
much as in Moonchild, work without abusive tactics in a safe house to accomplish their goal
mostly through talk and logical argument. The strong impression again is that ―cult‖
indoctrination is so powerful that some coercion is needed to facilitate a successful
intervention. At a rehab center for former members, the young lady states at the end of the
report that she is ―glad‖ that she was deprogrammed. The cult leader and members refused
to be interviewed for the piece, so we are left with an incomplete and sinister impression of
them.
Split Image
This 1982, F.P.S., Incorporated production called Split Image stars Peter Fonda as Neal
Kirklander, a leader of a rural, communal cult called Homeland. The story is of a young
college student named Danny (actor Michael O‘Keefe) who falls in love with a recruiter from
Homeland and joins the group. Danny comes from a wealthy, materialistic family. His
parents have no sensitivity for social causes and maintain an elitist posture toward those
less fortunate. After a failed attempt to personally remove Danny (newly named Joshua
during a group initiation) from the commune, the frustrated father, played by Brian
Dennehy, has a run-in with the police for refusing to leave the commune. He is arrested.
tactics are mixed with genuine concern, comparative Bible passage discussion, and gentle
prodding until David seems to snap out of his cult personality after a few days. Flash back
scenes portray the group members as highly motivated missionaries who strictly obey
conniving mid-managers and revere the leader almost as a living god. Despite the
stereotypes many former members of similar groups, view the depiction of cult life in Ticket
To Heaven as generally accurate. Understandably, devotees of cult groups are not satisfied
with many representations about group life in the film.
In contrast, deprogrammers I had personally interviewed (at least 20) did not approve of
the coercive interaction tactics used by Linc—none, for instance, approved of physically
shoving or striking a client, nor would they callously step on a group member‘s sacred
book.14 Those deprogrammers, whether active or not today as ―exit counselors,‖ view these
tactics as counterproductive during an intervention. This does not mean that some
deprogrammers have not tried such tactics.15 In the end David de-converts and reunites
with his family.
Moonchild
The 1981 Annie Makepeace production of Moonchild is unique among cult/deprogramming
films in that most of the actors are former cult members who were either deprogrammed or
walked away from the group represented. The story revolves around the actual experience
of Chris Carlson, who plays himself as a ―Moonie‖ of the late 1970s. In this case, his
abduction was by court order as the family obtained a legal guardianship to hold him until
he finished meeting with deprogrammers. The intervention itself was accurately portrayed,
avoiding all gratuitous or sensational action. In this movie, the deprogrammers
accomplished their task with logical argument and friendliness. Despite its amateur style,
Moonchild succeeds where most films of this genre fail, in its relatively accurate and fair
description of that group life. Still, the film offers the impression that coercive tactics are
required to begin and/or sustain a successful intervention.
Thy Will Be Done
Not a movie, this TV series called ―Thy Will Be Done‖ from Minnesota was a special
investigation by The Moore Report about the cult controversy around 1980. Most seasoned
deprogrammers, exit counselors, and anti-cultists are aware of this series that chooses to
document an actual deprogramming as one theme in the report. In the first segment, the
report documents a distressed family whose minor daughter, 17, they legally remove from
the home of a family devoted to a Christian sect led by Rama Behara. Deprogrammers,
much as in Moonchild, work without abusive tactics in a safe house to accomplish their goal
mostly through talk and logical argument. The strong impression again is that ―cult‖
indoctrination is so powerful that some coercion is needed to facilitate a successful
intervention. At a rehab center for former members, the young lady states at the end of the
report that she is ―glad‖ that she was deprogrammed. The cult leader and members refused
to be interviewed for the piece, so we are left with an incomplete and sinister impression of
them.
Split Image
This 1982, F.P.S., Incorporated production called Split Image stars Peter Fonda as Neal
Kirklander, a leader of a rural, communal cult called Homeland. The story is of a young
college student named Danny (actor Michael O‘Keefe) who falls in love with a recruiter from
Homeland and joins the group. Danny comes from a wealthy, materialistic family. His
parents have no sensitivity for social causes and maintain an elitist posture toward those
less fortunate. After a failed attempt to personally remove Danny (newly named Joshua
during a group initiation) from the commune, the frustrated father, played by Brian
Dennehy, has a run-in with the police for refusing to leave the commune. He is arrested.
