Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1991, Page 12
The Jewish community especially blames its own shortcomings. Jewish experts cite
breakdown in the traditional Jewish family structure, discomfort with minority status, weak
Jewish education, a large, impersonal synagogue structure that is often unresponsive to the
individual needs of singles, single parents, and elderly, lack of counseling services, and a
focus on the intellectual aspects of Judaism instead of its emotionally satisfying spiritual
teachings as reasons why Jews are so vulnerable to cult recruiters.51
Partly as a result of the cult phenomenon and the intense self-scrutiny it has engendered,
the Jewish community has in the last fourteen years geared up to become more responsive
to individual needs. There are now worship options to the often impersonal large synagogue
structure such as small, informal “Chavurah” worship groups. More attention is being paid to
the needs of Jewish students on college campuses and to the needs of singles, single
parents, elderly, physically and mentally handicapped, and Jews in nursing homes (targeted
by cults and Christian missionary groups). But Dr. Philip Abramowitz, Director of the New
York City Jewish Community Relations Task Force on Missionaries and Cults, warns that the
Jewish community must do far more educational work to counter the appeal of cult groups
to Jewish youth, adults, and elderly. “We must strengthen the Jewish family, present
Judaism as a vital, emotionally and spiritually satisfying religion, make Jews feel part of a
close and caring community, provide essential services to all Jews, and reach out more to
Jews who don‟t identify or are not affiliated with the structured Jewish community so that
they don‟t have to turn to cults.”52
The Catholic Church is also carefully examining how its own failures contribute to cults‟
success in attracting so many Catholics. The official result of this inquiry is the May 1986
Vatican report entitled, “Sects or New Religious Movements: A Pastoral Challenge.”
Growing out of a two-year study of information supplied by Church leaders from around the
world, the authors of the document conclude, “The challenge of the new religious movement
is to stimulate our own renewal for a greater pastoral efficacy.”53 Specifically, they call for
“evangelization, catechism, education, and ongoing education in the faith --biblical,
theological, ecumenical. This ongoing process should be both informative, with information
about our own Catholic tradition [beliefs, practices, spirituality, meditation, contemplation],
about other traditions and about the new religious groups, and formative, with guidance in
personal and communal faith, a deeper sense of the transcendent, of the eschatological, of
religious commitment, of community spirit, etc. The Church should not only be a sign of
hope for people, but should also give them the reasons for that hope it should help to ask
questions, as well as to answer them.”54 There should be “an overall emphasis on the
centrality of Holy Scripture” and a more personal and holistic approach, assistance in
helping followers find their own cultural identity, and more emphasis on prayer and worship
and participation and leadership.55
One Catholic cult expert believes Catholics are vulnerable to cults because many “no longer
have a firm faith.”56 Others say there‟s no feeling of close community in the Church and
maintain some Catholics searching for the more secure Church of the Pre-Vatican Council II
era find comfort in the authoritarianism of cults.57 One lay Catholic believes, “It‟s easier for
cult leaders to get Catholics [than others] to be „surrendered‟ because they‟ve been raised
with the idea of submitting to authority.”58 They also agree with the Vatican report that
Catholics are more vulnerable to the cults‟ techniques of proselytizing through Biblical
witnessing because until recently they were not exposed to first-hand Biblical study and
therefore are unable to effectively answer the recruiters59.
Evangelical Protestant leaders also examine their own failures in order to understand the
appeal of cults. Explains Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director of the Institute for the Study of
American Religion, “They [alternative groups] do best with people moving from adolescence
to adulthood. That‟s what the mainline churches do worst --that and providing a sense of
community.”60 Professor Ronald Enroth agrees: “These groups appear where people are
The Jewish community especially blames its own shortcomings. Jewish experts cite
breakdown in the traditional Jewish family structure, discomfort with minority status, weak
Jewish education, a large, impersonal synagogue structure that is often unresponsive to the
individual needs of singles, single parents, and elderly, lack of counseling services, and a
focus on the intellectual aspects of Judaism instead of its emotionally satisfying spiritual
teachings as reasons why Jews are so vulnerable to cult recruiters.51
Partly as a result of the cult phenomenon and the intense self-scrutiny it has engendered,
the Jewish community has in the last fourteen years geared up to become more responsive
to individual needs. There are now worship options to the often impersonal large synagogue
structure such as small, informal “Chavurah” worship groups. More attention is being paid to
the needs of Jewish students on college campuses and to the needs of singles, single
parents, elderly, physically and mentally handicapped, and Jews in nursing homes (targeted
by cults and Christian missionary groups). But Dr. Philip Abramowitz, Director of the New
York City Jewish Community Relations Task Force on Missionaries and Cults, warns that the
Jewish community must do far more educational work to counter the appeal of cult groups
to Jewish youth, adults, and elderly. “We must strengthen the Jewish family, present
Judaism as a vital, emotionally and spiritually satisfying religion, make Jews feel part of a
close and caring community, provide essential services to all Jews, and reach out more to
Jews who don‟t identify or are not affiliated with the structured Jewish community so that
they don‟t have to turn to cults.”52
The Catholic Church is also carefully examining how its own failures contribute to cults‟
success in attracting so many Catholics. The official result of this inquiry is the May 1986
Vatican report entitled, “Sects or New Religious Movements: A Pastoral Challenge.”
Growing out of a two-year study of information supplied by Church leaders from around the
world, the authors of the document conclude, “The challenge of the new religious movement
is to stimulate our own renewal for a greater pastoral efficacy.”53 Specifically, they call for
“evangelization, catechism, education, and ongoing education in the faith --biblical,
theological, ecumenical. This ongoing process should be both informative, with information
about our own Catholic tradition [beliefs, practices, spirituality, meditation, contemplation],
about other traditions and about the new religious groups, and formative, with guidance in
personal and communal faith, a deeper sense of the transcendent, of the eschatological, of
religious commitment, of community spirit, etc. The Church should not only be a sign of
hope for people, but should also give them the reasons for that hope it should help to ask
questions, as well as to answer them.”54 There should be “an overall emphasis on the
centrality of Holy Scripture” and a more personal and holistic approach, assistance in
helping followers find their own cultural identity, and more emphasis on prayer and worship
and participation and leadership.55
One Catholic cult expert believes Catholics are vulnerable to cults because many “no longer
have a firm faith.”56 Others say there‟s no feeling of close community in the Church and
maintain some Catholics searching for the more secure Church of the Pre-Vatican Council II
era find comfort in the authoritarianism of cults.57 One lay Catholic believes, “It‟s easier for
cult leaders to get Catholics [than others] to be „surrendered‟ because they‟ve been raised
with the idea of submitting to authority.”58 They also agree with the Vatican report that
Catholics are more vulnerable to the cults‟ techniques of proselytizing through Biblical
witnessing because until recently they were not exposed to first-hand Biblical study and
therefore are unable to effectively answer the recruiters59.
Evangelical Protestant leaders also examine their own failures in order to understand the
appeal of cults. Explains Dr. J. Gordon Melton, Director of the Institute for the Study of
American Religion, “They [alternative groups] do best with people moving from adolescence
to adulthood. That‟s what the mainline churches do worst --that and providing a sense of
community.”60 Professor Ronald Enroth agrees: “These groups appear where people are
