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problem and consequently to convey information and support to those who contact them.
The use of the term ―cult,‖ while subject to continuing controversy and attack, is key in
facilitating pathways from those who believe they themselves, or family members or
friends, have been or are currently adversely affected by a high-demand group, to those
who have established information and support organisations. That is why I believe ―cult‖
remains a vital term to include in the name of watch groups, and why it is efficacious to
embrace a broad, popular definition of the term.
I am well aware of the arguments between and about various categories of cult-watch
groups. Some take the view that others are not appropriately qualified to give advice. Some
look with suspicion upon counter-cult groups, seeing their activities as a form of
proselytising. Faith-based watch groups might feel that secular anti-cultists are too critical
of all religion. Some academic sociologists chant the mantra that some cult-watch groups
are worse than the groups they criticise.xiii Academically based watch-groups might be
criticised on the basis that in their attempts to be balanced they are too hesitant to be
critical of cults, in their research they need to ingratiate themselves with cult oligarchs, or
that they are insufficiently multidisciplined. While some criticisms may be unfair or
unfounded, they all deserve to be examined.
My own view from a public-policy perspective is that, bearing in mind the potential pitfalls,
watch-groups are canaries in the mineshaft and provide an invaluable primary resource for
academics and public officials. Hence we should let ―a hundred flowers blossom, a hundred
fields of thought contend,‖ while under the auspices of the ICSA we seek to provide sensible
guidance for the conduct of watch groups, for the conduct of research facilitated by watch
groups, and for the multidisciplinary collation of information useful to public policy makers.
The real and potential resource is there the question remains whether ICSA and associates
are up to this three-pronged challenge.
An observation I would like to make here involves my own position as patron of one
Australian group, Cult Information and Family Support, Inc. (CIFS), which substantially
consists of run-of-the-mill Anglicans and other Christians who meet in a church hall.
Although I personally start to fidget if high-demand groups are criticised on the basis of
theology, and I am often vocal in my criticisms of this approach, CIFS members tolerate this
sceptic in their midst. It seems to me that while strict secularists might wish to criticise all
religion, we have no hope for the future unless secularists and religionists are able to work
together to formulate acceptable rules of conduct for cults, sects, religions, watch groups,
and nonreligious groups alike. CIFS has been listed as an anti-cult group rather than a
counter-cult group, but it is truly a bit of both—with an emphasis on examining issues of
harmful practice.
It is also possible that in two ways, at least, counter-cult groups play a role that cannot be
replicated in secular or academic watch groups. First, it might well be that a person who
comes out of a harmful high-demand group might find solace and support from among
members of established religions, particularly if the leaver was formally a member of an
established group and is familiar with the culture of that group. Second, from my own
observation, it seems that family and friends of a person in a harmful high-demand group
are more comfortable and more willing to discuss problems with a group of people who
belong to established churches of the same broad faith as their own. Hence, Christian
parents might feel more comfortable accessing the services of a Christian-based counter-
cult group and Jewish parents might feel more comfortable accessing a Jewish-based
counter-cult group. These are questions our academic colleagues in various disciplines
might be able to throw some light upon—and they may have already done so.
This raises an interesting point. After the London bombings, a prominent member of the
Australian Islamic community, Waleed Aly, had this to say on ABC Radio National:

Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 5, No. 2, 2006, Page 10
I think that perhaps it might be useful for us to use an alternative model,
and where my thoughts went on this was that really if you think about the
type of behaviour we‘re talking about, it seems to fit all the hallmarks of a
cult, really, and so it might be useful for us, instead of constructing theories
around the idea specifically of Islamic or Islamist extremism, and trying to
deal with that as though it‘s some kind of new animal. It might be better to
think about it in terms of a cult … I think it‘s the same sort of sociological or
human behaviour … cults often play this role in the lives of their members, of
fulfilling some kind of spiritual void, which is of course why they‘re always
linked to some kind of spirituality. Usually it‘s some kind of offshoot of
Christianity, but of course that doesn‘t mean it can‘t happen to other faiths.xiv
This sentiment has recently been reiterated by a Canadian Liberal MP of the Muslim faith,
Wajid Khan, who said,
The onus is on our community to address this problem … We‘re talking about
a cult, a small number of extremists. The majority of us are moderates. But
these are the voices that haven‘t been heard. That has to change. We can‘t
let these people get their roots down here … parents have to stop turning a
blind eye if they notice changes in the behaviour of their teenaged children.xv
What we need, without any doubt, is the establishment of Muslim-based counter-cult
groups. ICSA can provide the blueprint and the guidance. Under present circumstances, we
might even be able to get governments to help—if they can only be helped to understand
the need. I have already written to and spoken with the Australian Attorney-General
recommending the establishment of an ―Islamic cult-watch group along the same lines as
CIFS.‖ The Attorney advised me that he would refer my speech to this conference to his
departmental officers, to see whether there were any ideas worth following up. I think we
should bundle up the entire proceedings for his department to study.
Parliamentary Champions Needed
Politicians in democratic systems, and particularly in lower-house electorates, are in the
game of building alliances, attracting supporters, raising funds, avoiding criticism, and
getting re-elected. When it comes to pursuing the complaints of family members and friends
of people caught up in high-demand cultic groups, or of defectors from such groups, it is
only a very courageous, or some might say stupid, politician who takes up the cause.
I am known to you because as a member of the New South Wales Legislative Council (what
you would call a state senator) I took up the cause of parents and friends of people caught
up in a high-demand group known as Kenja, as well as many defectors from that group who
gave me their written testimonies. Being in the state upper house was efficacious, because
having been elected for two terms and on a party-selected state-wide ticket, I was not
susceptible to the normal concerns of a lower house member, who can be subjected to a
political campaign spearheaded by any interest group, including a religious or quasi-
religious cult, in the member‘s local electorate. Nevertheless, my 1993 call for a select
committee of inquiry to investigate ―the increase in activity of cults in New South Wales,
including deceitful recruitment practices physical and financial exploitation and abuse of
cult members fraudulent fund-raising activities and the misuse of mind-influencing
techniques‖ met with some serious opposition—and from some unexpected quarters.
Indeed, one controversial group, which is generally on the lists of those groups most
complained about (or, to use a euphemism, ―enquired about‖) to ―cult-watch‖ groups,
spearheaded a letter-writing campaign against my private member‘s motion on the grounds
that it was an attack on religions. My proposed motion, on the basis that it might be an
attempt to investigate religious groups, mainstream or otherwise, was characterised as an