Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 7, No. 3, 2008, Page 4
knew little about it, she was interested in the group‘s take on environmental
issues and felt there would be no harm in going along and seeing what
happened in the community. She was struck by members‘ passion, their
genuineness, their caring, and their apparent desire to see her join. This
touched her deeply because she had never come across such people before,
and they were certainly different from those in her local church.
She very quickly became involved with the community and found that they
had a leader who was attractive, charismatic, and seemed to think she was
rather special. Because Jenny had been struggling with her self-image and
with believing she could be attractive to anyone (she had not found a stable,
ongoing relationship, and she put this down to some lack in herself), she was
excited and enthralled by him.
Jenny visited increasingly often, not seeing anything to put her off. She
decided to leave her flat and her job, and to give her life full time to the
community. Her friends and family questioned her sense in becoming more
involved. However, the community members were teaching her the Bible
verses: ―Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends. You are my friends if you do what I command‖ (John 15:13), and
―The man replied, ‗Lord, first let me go and bury my father.‘ Jesus said to
him, ‗Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom
of God‘‖ (Luke 9: 60). She was told that this meant she should leave her
family and old friends and make new friends. She was less and less interested
in hearing what her family had to say. Her new friends were pushing her to
―lay down her life,‖ to surrender herself for the work of the community (they
said she was laying down her life for Christ).
Jenny was thrilled, and excited, at being accepted into this special group of
people—it felt like a new beginning. They suggested she change her name to
Magdalene to show her commitment to God and the community. She felt
honoured to do this and felt more connected to them than ever.
One day she was asked by a fellow member to do the evening meal. She said
she could not because she was busy doing something else. Her fellow‘s whole
demeanour changed, becoming cold and hard and she said in a chilling voice
that Magdalene had no right to question such a request, that she should stop
what she was doing and go this minute to the kitchen and do as she was told.
Jenny/Magdalene was shocked by this sudden change. She put it down to this
woman being moody and went to the kitchen. She argued to herself that she
had committed her life to the community, so she should be helping out. She
felt angry with herself and ashamed for questioning in the first place. She
soon learned that, if she complied, she would feel accepted and a part of
things, and, if she did not, she would receive similar rebukes and, often,
silences.
Sometime later the leader told her to make his breakfast. She let him know
by a small huff that she did not want to. He insisted, and so she complied.
The community met for their worship meeting later, and Jenny/Magdalene
started to share how she felt so full of life and joy at the beautiful day. She
was received with a chillingly cold atmosphere, was told God was angry with
her for her ―bad attitude,‖ and that they wanted to talk to her afterward. She
sensed their rage and was filled with dread. Later, they told her God would
reject her (she would go to Hell) if she did not change her attitude and
become more surrendered to God and the community. They explained that, in
knew little about it, she was interested in the group‘s take on environmental
issues and felt there would be no harm in going along and seeing what
happened in the community. She was struck by members‘ passion, their
genuineness, their caring, and their apparent desire to see her join. This
touched her deeply because she had never come across such people before,
and they were certainly different from those in her local church.
She very quickly became involved with the community and found that they
had a leader who was attractive, charismatic, and seemed to think she was
rather special. Because Jenny had been struggling with her self-image and
with believing she could be attractive to anyone (she had not found a stable,
ongoing relationship, and she put this down to some lack in herself), she was
excited and enthralled by him.
Jenny visited increasingly often, not seeing anything to put her off. She
decided to leave her flat and her job, and to give her life full time to the
community. Her friends and family questioned her sense in becoming more
involved. However, the community members were teaching her the Bible
verses: ―Greater love has no-one than this, that he lay down his life for his
friends. You are my friends if you do what I command‖ (John 15:13), and
―The man replied, ‗Lord, first let me go and bury my father.‘ Jesus said to
him, ‗Let the dead bury their own dead, but you go and proclaim the kingdom
of God‘‖ (Luke 9: 60). She was told that this meant she should leave her
family and old friends and make new friends. She was less and less interested
in hearing what her family had to say. Her new friends were pushing her to
―lay down her life,‖ to surrender herself for the work of the community (they
said she was laying down her life for Christ).
Jenny was thrilled, and excited, at being accepted into this special group of
people—it felt like a new beginning. They suggested she change her name to
Magdalene to show her commitment to God and the community. She felt
honoured to do this and felt more connected to them than ever.
One day she was asked by a fellow member to do the evening meal. She said
she could not because she was busy doing something else. Her fellow‘s whole
demeanour changed, becoming cold and hard and she said in a chilling voice
that Magdalene had no right to question such a request, that she should stop
what she was doing and go this minute to the kitchen and do as she was told.
Jenny/Magdalene was shocked by this sudden change. She put it down to this
woman being moody and went to the kitchen. She argued to herself that she
had committed her life to the community, so she should be helping out. She
felt angry with herself and ashamed for questioning in the first place. She
soon learned that, if she complied, she would feel accepted and a part of
things, and, if she did not, she would receive similar rebukes and, often,
silences.
Sometime later the leader told her to make his breakfast. She let him know
by a small huff that she did not want to. He insisted, and so she complied.
The community met for their worship meeting later, and Jenny/Magdalene
started to share how she felt so full of life and joy at the beautiful day. She
was received with a chillingly cold atmosphere, was told God was angry with
her for her ―bad attitude,‖ and that they wanted to talk to her afterward. She
sensed their rage and was filled with dread. Later, they told her God would
reject her (she would go to Hell) if she did not change her attitude and
become more surrendered to God and the community. They explained that, in
