Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2005, Page 28
Info-Cult/Info-Secte
American Family Foundation
Cult Information Service
Freedom of Mind Foundation
New England Institute of Religious Research
Maine Cult Information Network
Cult Hotline and Clinic of the New York Jewish Board of Family and Children‘s
Services
Cult Awareness and Information Center (Australia)
Cult Awareness Center
Cult Information &Family Support (Australia)
Edmonton Society Against Mind Abuse
Ex-Cult Resource Center
FACTNet
FAPES (Argentina)
Forum Against Cults (Israel)
Free Minds
Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center
reFOCUS
Religious Movement Resource Center
REVEAL
The Ross Institute (RI)
Saskatchewan Citizens Against Mind Control
Mind Control Research Center (Japan)
I have not listed the dozens of organizations that fall under Dr. Barker‘s
―Countercult Groups.‖ Nor have I listed European organizations that are
members of FECRIS (Fédération Européene des Centres de Recherche et
d‘Information sur le Sectarisme – European Federation of Centres of Research
and Information on Sectarianism) and other European organizations.
Moreover, I could have listed hundreds of individuals who have written about
cultic groups and/or who offer services to people believing such groups have
harmed them. Hence, scholars who generalize about ―the‖ ―anti-cult
movement,‖ when they have had at best superficial contact with only a few
organizations and individuals, make the same error as laymen and helping
professionals who generalize from their limited experience to the wide world
of cults/NRMs, in which there are thousands of groups. (Kropveld, p. 134)
I agree completely with Kropveld. I have worked in this field for over 20 years as a
member of the so-called ―anti-cult movement.‖ Yet I hardly know anything at all about
most of the organizations on Kropveld‘s list. I feel confident writing about ICSA (formerly
AFF -Langone, 2002), but I would not feel qualified to write about other organizations in
the list unless I at a minimum conducted in-depth interviews with people familiar with the
Info-Cult/Info-Secte
American Family Foundation
Cult Information Service
Freedom of Mind Foundation
New England Institute of Religious Research
Maine Cult Information Network
Cult Hotline and Clinic of the New York Jewish Board of Family and Children‘s
Services
Cult Awareness and Information Center (Australia)
Cult Awareness Center
Cult Information &Family Support (Australia)
Edmonton Society Against Mind Abuse
Ex-Cult Resource Center
FACTNet
FAPES (Argentina)
Forum Against Cults (Israel)
Free Minds
Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center
reFOCUS
Religious Movement Resource Center
REVEAL
The Ross Institute (RI)
Saskatchewan Citizens Against Mind Control
Mind Control Research Center (Japan)
I have not listed the dozens of organizations that fall under Dr. Barker‘s
―Countercult Groups.‖ Nor have I listed European organizations that are
members of FECRIS (Fédération Européene des Centres de Recherche et
d‘Information sur le Sectarisme – European Federation of Centres of Research
and Information on Sectarianism) and other European organizations.
Moreover, I could have listed hundreds of individuals who have written about
cultic groups and/or who offer services to people believing such groups have
harmed them. Hence, scholars who generalize about ―the‖ ―anti-cult
movement,‖ when they have had at best superficial contact with only a few
organizations and individuals, make the same error as laymen and helping
professionals who generalize from their limited experience to the wide world
of cults/NRMs, in which there are thousands of groups. (Kropveld, p. 134)
I agree completely with Kropveld. I have worked in this field for over 20 years as a
member of the so-called ―anti-cult movement.‖ Yet I hardly know anything at all about
most of the organizations on Kropveld‘s list. I feel confident writing about ICSA (formerly
AFF -Langone, 2002), but I would not feel qualified to write about other organizations in
the list unless I at a minimum conducted in-depth interviews with people familiar with the
