Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 6, No. 2, 1989, Page 55
Second Day: The Snap
Ken decides to leave ISKCON. It was at this point that Ken, in another gush of excited
speech, made his first verbal declaration to leave ISKCON for good. “I've already made my
decision. I'm finished with this ...” But now he wanted more: “I'd like to just go on ...for
the purpose of study ...I just want to see this [material], to study it …” Curt was thrilled
“Oh, well yeah, I think you need to! We've got so much here!”
By now, what had started as an “involuntary” or “coerced” deprogramming had developed
into a voluntary situation, in which Ken no longer fought that information or the individuals
wielding it, but rather sought it out on his own. Ken was there because he wanted to be
there, and would remain because he wanted to remain, because he wanted to consider the
new information the deprogrammers had available.
As Ken began reading some of the material Curt had in his notebook, he talked sporadically
about other gurus both he and Greg knew. Eventually the conversation returned to guru
Jayatirtha, with Greg and Ken being the primary speakers. The level and quality of the self-
disclosures appeared to be relatively high. As I listened to Ken, I was struck with how
connected to his experiences he seemed at this juncture. Ken seemed to be reacting on a
“gut” and not merely an intellectual level to contradictions and deceptions in ISKCON.
Although the content of Ken's speech (largely self-disclosures was not very different from
other points in the deprogramming, the quality seemed changed. The difference seemed to
be that he revealed himself with greater feeling. This heightened level of affect seemed to
be the bridge connecting Ken's thinking (his intellectual realization of ISKCON, falsehoods)
to his actual behavior (devotee religious practices). Meanwhile, I wondered what Ken would
do further to “officially” repudiate ISKCON. The climax came in an unexpectedly low-key
manner, and took me by surprise. Following some joking surrounding a devotee who was
mistakenly given a Hindu name that translated to “stool,” Greg nonchalantly reminded Ken
of his sika. “There's something sticking out the back of your head.” With an equally
nonchalant manner, Ken asked Greg: “You want to cut it off?” “I would be honored,” the
deprogrammer replied. It was only as Greg cut away at Ken's sika that the reality of this
event seemed to sink in. Ken's speech became intense and pressed, and he sounded both
nervous and excited.
Ken's new distaste for ISKCON was strong enough to prompt him to declare that he would
like to “go out” and “preach against ISKCON.” Greg noted that dinner time had been
reached some time ago, and the topic of conversation shifted to a discussion of what to eat.
While still unwilling to eat meat, Ken did agree to eat vegetarian spaghetti with onion and
garlic sauce. Garlic is forbidden by ISKCON. Bobbi went downstairs with Ken's dinner order.
As we waited for dinner, the discussion returned to Transcendental Meditation and its cult-
like aspects. While discussing how chanting induces hypnosis, Ken again displayed his
apparently renewed ability to think and associate quickly: “It's not what you chant it‟s the
chanting itself” that was destructive. This realization seemed to demonstrate Ken's renewed
ability to extrapolate. As dinner was prepared downstairs, the deprogrammers and Ken
began to discuss what life after leaving ISKCON might be like, with particular emphasis paid
to inoculating against floating and feelings of loneliness.
Late dinner. Bobbi returned shortly with dinner, and soon all were filling their plates. The
discussion continued as we ate. Ken talked about not wanting to get into another organized
religion. The deprogrammers seemed to understand Ken's consternation, reminding him
that he would be free to make his own decision and that he should be patient with himself.
Ken began reminiscing about New York City's San Genaro festival. The discussion turned to
a consideration of morals and ethics: what love entails, and the basis of ethical systems. I
noticed how Ken began to demonstrate increased interest in his deprogrammers as people
(a sign of increased identification?). He began to ask Curt some questions about his
Second Day: The Snap
Ken decides to leave ISKCON. It was at this point that Ken, in another gush of excited
speech, made his first verbal declaration to leave ISKCON for good. “I've already made my
decision. I'm finished with this ...” But now he wanted more: “I'd like to just go on ...for
the purpose of study ...I just want to see this [material], to study it …” Curt was thrilled
“Oh, well yeah, I think you need to! We've got so much here!”
By now, what had started as an “involuntary” or “coerced” deprogramming had developed
into a voluntary situation, in which Ken no longer fought that information or the individuals
wielding it, but rather sought it out on his own. Ken was there because he wanted to be
there, and would remain because he wanted to remain, because he wanted to consider the
new information the deprogrammers had available.
As Ken began reading some of the material Curt had in his notebook, he talked sporadically
about other gurus both he and Greg knew. Eventually the conversation returned to guru
Jayatirtha, with Greg and Ken being the primary speakers. The level and quality of the self-
disclosures appeared to be relatively high. As I listened to Ken, I was struck with how
connected to his experiences he seemed at this juncture. Ken seemed to be reacting on a
“gut” and not merely an intellectual level to contradictions and deceptions in ISKCON.
Although the content of Ken's speech (largely self-disclosures was not very different from
other points in the deprogramming, the quality seemed changed. The difference seemed to
be that he revealed himself with greater feeling. This heightened level of affect seemed to
be the bridge connecting Ken's thinking (his intellectual realization of ISKCON, falsehoods)
to his actual behavior (devotee religious practices). Meanwhile, I wondered what Ken would
do further to “officially” repudiate ISKCON. The climax came in an unexpectedly low-key
manner, and took me by surprise. Following some joking surrounding a devotee who was
mistakenly given a Hindu name that translated to “stool,” Greg nonchalantly reminded Ken
of his sika. “There's something sticking out the back of your head.” With an equally
nonchalant manner, Ken asked Greg: “You want to cut it off?” “I would be honored,” the
deprogrammer replied. It was only as Greg cut away at Ken's sika that the reality of this
event seemed to sink in. Ken's speech became intense and pressed, and he sounded both
nervous and excited.
Ken's new distaste for ISKCON was strong enough to prompt him to declare that he would
like to “go out” and “preach against ISKCON.” Greg noted that dinner time had been
reached some time ago, and the topic of conversation shifted to a discussion of what to eat.
While still unwilling to eat meat, Ken did agree to eat vegetarian spaghetti with onion and
garlic sauce. Garlic is forbidden by ISKCON. Bobbi went downstairs with Ken's dinner order.
As we waited for dinner, the discussion returned to Transcendental Meditation and its cult-
like aspects. While discussing how chanting induces hypnosis, Ken again displayed his
apparently renewed ability to think and associate quickly: “It's not what you chant it‟s the
chanting itself” that was destructive. This realization seemed to demonstrate Ken's renewed
ability to extrapolate. As dinner was prepared downstairs, the deprogrammers and Ken
began to discuss what life after leaving ISKCON might be like, with particular emphasis paid
to inoculating against floating and feelings of loneliness.
Late dinner. Bobbi returned shortly with dinner, and soon all were filling their plates. The
discussion continued as we ate. Ken talked about not wanting to get into another organized
religion. The deprogrammers seemed to understand Ken's consternation, reminding him
that he would be free to make his own decision and that he should be patient with himself.
Ken began reminiscing about New York City's San Genaro festival. The discussion turned to
a consideration of morals and ethics: what love entails, and the basis of ethical systems. I
noticed how Ken began to demonstrate increased interest in his deprogrammers as people
(a sign of increased identification?). He began to ask Curt some questions about his
