Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1991, Page 50
3. These include thought reform or intense indoctrination programs found in New Age or
New Movement groups, aberrant religious sects, mass therapies and any other group or
relationship possessing the several elements of cultism described here.
4. Singer, Group Psychodynamics, The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy (1987), ch.
136 at 1468.
5. See discussion of Molko v. Holy Spirit Assn., 46 Cal. 3d 1092 (1988), cert. denied, U.S.,
109 S. Ct. 2110, 104 L.Ed.2d 670 (1989), infra. See also People v. Brandyberry &
Whelan, District Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado, Case No. 87-CR-2056.
6. Telephone interview with Ford Greene, July 20, 1990.
7. Molko v. Holy Spirit Assn., 46 Cal. 3d at 1094 headnote 5.
8. Telephone interview with Ford Greene, July 20, 1990.
9. Lifton, R.J., Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (1963), at ch. 22.
10. Telephone interview with Ford Greene, July 30, 1990.
11. Ofshe and Singer, Attacks on Peripheral versus Central Elements of Self and the Impact
of Thought Reforming Techniques, The Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 3, No.1 (1986), at 4.
12. Id.
13. Id. at 18.
14. For a discussion of findings regarding psychological and societal impact of cult activity,
see generally West &Singer, Cults, Quacks, and Nonprofessional Psychotherapies,
Comprehensive Textbook Of Psychiatry/III (1970),& 56.16,at 3247 Singer &Ofshe,
Thought Reform Programs and the Production of Psychiatric Casualties, Psychiatric
Annals 20 4 (Apr. 1990) Delgado, Religious Totalism: Gentle and Ungentle Persuasion
Under the First Amendment, 51 So. Cal. Law Rev.1 (1977) F. Conway &J. Siegelman,
Snapping: America’s Epidemic Of Sudden Personality Change (1978) Glass, Kirsch &
Parris, Psychiatric Disturbances Associated with Erhard Seminars Training, 1: A Report of
Cases, 134 Am J. Psychiatry 11 (Nov. 1977) V. Bugliosi &C. Gentry, Helter Skelter
(1974) V. Bugliosi &C. Gentry, The Trial Of Patty Hearst (1976).
15. See Katz v. Superior Court ,73 Cal. App. 3rd 952 (1977) (appeals court concluded
California statute regarding conservatorships was constitutionally vague and its use in
acquiring control over a person mentally disabled by brainwashing would deprive
conservatee‟s rights to freedom of religion and association). The statute was amended
during the appeal so that conservatorships are now harder to obtain they are likewise
difficult to obtain over adults in most other states.
16. These writs, used to free persons illegally detained or held by involuntary restraint, are
broadly interpreted with respect to children and narrowly so with respect to adults.
17. Delgado proposes several, including a requirement that cult recruiters identify
themselves at an early stage and outline to the candidate what life in the cult will
involve, or a mandatory “cooling off period.” wherein new recruits must take a break
from the cult environs to consider the situation and seek advice. Delgado, supra n. 14,
at 73.
18. See generally F. Conway &Siegelman, Snapping, Supra N. 14 S.Hassan, Combatting
Cult Mind Control (1988) T. Patrick, Let Our Children Go!(1976).
19. See, e.g., D. Bromley &A. D. Shupe, Jr., Strange Gods (1981) J. Gordon Melton &L.
Moore, The Cult Experience (1982).
20. See Streiker, Brainwashed or Converted?, The Christian Century, Aug. 2-9, 1989, at
721-23.
21. Even mainstream religious organizations rally to the defense of cult groups as the
defense of First Amendment protections becomes a common cause (see n. 25, infra).
See also Denniston, Krishna Crises Reaches Court, San Jose Mercury News, May 12,
1990, at 10C for discussion of cult sympathizer concerns.
22. Streiker, supra n. 20, at 723.
23. Delgado, supra n. 14.
3. These include thought reform or intense indoctrination programs found in New Age or
New Movement groups, aberrant religious sects, mass therapies and any other group or
relationship possessing the several elements of cultism described here.
4. Singer, Group Psychodynamics, The Merck Manual of Diagnosis and Therapy (1987), ch.
136 at 1468.
5. See discussion of Molko v. Holy Spirit Assn., 46 Cal. 3d 1092 (1988), cert. denied, U.S.,
109 S. Ct. 2110, 104 L.Ed.2d 670 (1989), infra. See also People v. Brandyberry &
Whelan, District Court, City and County of Denver, Colorado, Case No. 87-CR-2056.
6. Telephone interview with Ford Greene, July 20, 1990.
7. Molko v. Holy Spirit Assn., 46 Cal. 3d at 1094 headnote 5.
8. Telephone interview with Ford Greene, July 20, 1990.
9. Lifton, R.J., Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (1963), at ch. 22.
10. Telephone interview with Ford Greene, July 30, 1990.
11. Ofshe and Singer, Attacks on Peripheral versus Central Elements of Self and the Impact
of Thought Reforming Techniques, The Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 3, No.1 (1986), at 4.
12. Id.
13. Id. at 18.
14. For a discussion of findings regarding psychological and societal impact of cult activity,
see generally West &Singer, Cults, Quacks, and Nonprofessional Psychotherapies,
Comprehensive Textbook Of Psychiatry/III (1970),& 56.16,at 3247 Singer &Ofshe,
Thought Reform Programs and the Production of Psychiatric Casualties, Psychiatric
Annals 20 4 (Apr. 1990) Delgado, Religious Totalism: Gentle and Ungentle Persuasion
Under the First Amendment, 51 So. Cal. Law Rev.1 (1977) F. Conway &J. Siegelman,
Snapping: America’s Epidemic Of Sudden Personality Change (1978) Glass, Kirsch &
Parris, Psychiatric Disturbances Associated with Erhard Seminars Training, 1: A Report of
Cases, 134 Am J. Psychiatry 11 (Nov. 1977) V. Bugliosi &C. Gentry, Helter Skelter
(1974) V. Bugliosi &C. Gentry, The Trial Of Patty Hearst (1976).
15. See Katz v. Superior Court ,73 Cal. App. 3rd 952 (1977) (appeals court concluded
California statute regarding conservatorships was constitutionally vague and its use in
acquiring control over a person mentally disabled by brainwashing would deprive
conservatee‟s rights to freedom of religion and association). The statute was amended
during the appeal so that conservatorships are now harder to obtain they are likewise
difficult to obtain over adults in most other states.
16. These writs, used to free persons illegally detained or held by involuntary restraint, are
broadly interpreted with respect to children and narrowly so with respect to adults.
17. Delgado proposes several, including a requirement that cult recruiters identify
themselves at an early stage and outline to the candidate what life in the cult will
involve, or a mandatory “cooling off period.” wherein new recruits must take a break
from the cult environs to consider the situation and seek advice. Delgado, supra n. 14,
at 73.
18. See generally F. Conway &Siegelman, Snapping, Supra N. 14 S.Hassan, Combatting
Cult Mind Control (1988) T. Patrick, Let Our Children Go!(1976).
19. See, e.g., D. Bromley &A. D. Shupe, Jr., Strange Gods (1981) J. Gordon Melton &L.
Moore, The Cult Experience (1982).
20. See Streiker, Brainwashed or Converted?, The Christian Century, Aug. 2-9, 1989, at
721-23.
21. Even mainstream religious organizations rally to the defense of cult groups as the
defense of First Amendment protections becomes a common cause (see n. 25, infra).
See also Denniston, Krishna Crises Reaches Court, San Jose Mercury News, May 12,
1990, at 10C for discussion of cult sympathizer concerns.
22. Streiker, supra n. 20, at 723.
23. Delgado, supra n. 14.
