Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 8, No. 1, 1991, Page 8
Foundation, Tony and Susan Alamo Christian Foundation, Church Universal and Triumphant,
some Eastern meditation groups, and some loosely connected Christian bodies known as the
Shepherding/Discipleship Movement. Scholars now classify some “New Age” groups, satanic
and witchcraft groups, some therapy and psychological self-help groups, and some political
organizations as cults. Thousands of former Christian Fundamentalists claim their groups
were cult-like.5
Although the groups vary, they tend to share several major characteristics: Members follow
an authoritarian leader(s) whose word(s) cannot be questioned. Recruitment techniques are
deceptive. Leaders weaken the followers psychologically and make nearly every career or
life-decision for them. Cultists work long hours either recruiting new members or obtaining
money for the group. Cults break up families. Cults often physically, psychologically, and
sexually abuse members --particularly women --and sometimes operate in an atmosphere
of violence, which may include weapons. Cult members generally disdain outside society
because they feel their special mission places them above laws and accepted social mores.
They therefore believe they are justified in lying and deceiving others. (The Unification
Church speaks of “Heavenly Deception,” Hare Krishna members speak of “Transcendental
Trickery.”) Believing they possess The Truth, cultists are often intolerant of other religions
and ideas, and see the world in black-white, us-them terms, perhaps speaking of outsiders
as satanic.
The cult phenomenon has engendered much bitter controversy. Some deny that these new
religious movements are dangerous. They claim they are simply typical of harmless religious
fringe groups that have always existed throughout history, and that they offer interesting
alternatives to mainstream religions and promote theological dialogue and religious and
cultural pluralism. Cult critics, while agreeing that there have always been such groups,
assert that modern organizations differ in that some possess great wealth and power and
use highly sophisticated psychological techniques of persuasion and control to recruit and
retain members. Some mainstream religious leaders adhere to the first view, some to the
second, and their opinions as to how unique and dangerous these groups are determine
their responses to them.
It has always been difficult to distinguish cults from mainstream religious groups, and it is
even more difficult now because of several recent developments in the religious scene.
Since April 1985, when Fundamentalists Anonymous was formed, thousands of former
Christian Fundamentalists have proclaimed that their experiences were similar to those
reported by cult members.6 In the last few years Christian Shepherding/Discipleship
movements, in which every aspect of members‟ lives is tightly controlled by a pyramidal
structure of authoritarian leadership, have proliferated, and the abuses reported in these
groups further blur the distinction between cults and mainstream religions.7 Some cults
such as The Way International and Shepherding/Discipleship groups appear on the surface
to be mainstream churches. As time has passed, older organizations such as The Unification
Church and Hare Krishna have worked hard to gain public acceptance as mainstream
religious groups.8 They claim they are maligned because they‟re new and unfamiliar just as
was, for example, the Mormon Church in the past. And they say they have transformed
themselves into mainstream religions, as did the Mormon Church. Adding further to the
confusion, some questionable groups attempt to be classified as religions, possibly to avoid
taxation and to shield themselves from legal prosecution.9
Moral Objections to Abuses by Cultic Groups
Many mainstream religious leaders object morally to the abuses of some of the cult groups
and the pain inflicted on their members and their families. They cite the separation of cult
members from their outside families and the breakup of families within the group. They say
cults pose a threat to religious freedom and cultural pluralism because of their intolerance of
Foundation, Tony and Susan Alamo Christian Foundation, Church Universal and Triumphant,
some Eastern meditation groups, and some loosely connected Christian bodies known as the
Shepherding/Discipleship Movement. Scholars now classify some “New Age” groups, satanic
and witchcraft groups, some therapy and psychological self-help groups, and some political
organizations as cults. Thousands of former Christian Fundamentalists claim their groups
were cult-like.5
Although the groups vary, they tend to share several major characteristics: Members follow
an authoritarian leader(s) whose word(s) cannot be questioned. Recruitment techniques are
deceptive. Leaders weaken the followers psychologically and make nearly every career or
life-decision for them. Cultists work long hours either recruiting new members or obtaining
money for the group. Cults break up families. Cults often physically, psychologically, and
sexually abuse members --particularly women --and sometimes operate in an atmosphere
of violence, which may include weapons. Cult members generally disdain outside society
because they feel their special mission places them above laws and accepted social mores.
They therefore believe they are justified in lying and deceiving others. (The Unification
Church speaks of “Heavenly Deception,” Hare Krishna members speak of “Transcendental
Trickery.”) Believing they possess The Truth, cultists are often intolerant of other religions
and ideas, and see the world in black-white, us-them terms, perhaps speaking of outsiders
as satanic.
The cult phenomenon has engendered much bitter controversy. Some deny that these new
religious movements are dangerous. They claim they are simply typical of harmless religious
fringe groups that have always existed throughout history, and that they offer interesting
alternatives to mainstream religions and promote theological dialogue and religious and
cultural pluralism. Cult critics, while agreeing that there have always been such groups,
assert that modern organizations differ in that some possess great wealth and power and
use highly sophisticated psychological techniques of persuasion and control to recruit and
retain members. Some mainstream religious leaders adhere to the first view, some to the
second, and their opinions as to how unique and dangerous these groups are determine
their responses to them.
It has always been difficult to distinguish cults from mainstream religious groups, and it is
even more difficult now because of several recent developments in the religious scene.
Since April 1985, when Fundamentalists Anonymous was formed, thousands of former
Christian Fundamentalists have proclaimed that their experiences were similar to those
reported by cult members.6 In the last few years Christian Shepherding/Discipleship
movements, in which every aspect of members‟ lives is tightly controlled by a pyramidal
structure of authoritarian leadership, have proliferated, and the abuses reported in these
groups further blur the distinction between cults and mainstream religions.7 Some cults
such as The Way International and Shepherding/Discipleship groups appear on the surface
to be mainstream churches. As time has passed, older organizations such as The Unification
Church and Hare Krishna have worked hard to gain public acceptance as mainstream
religious groups.8 They claim they are maligned because they‟re new and unfamiliar just as
was, for example, the Mormon Church in the past. And they say they have transformed
themselves into mainstream religions, as did the Mormon Church. Adding further to the
confusion, some questionable groups attempt to be classified as religions, possibly to avoid
taxation and to shield themselves from legal prosecution.9
Moral Objections to Abuses by Cultic Groups
Many mainstream religious leaders object morally to the abuses of some of the cult groups
and the pain inflicted on their members and their families. They cite the separation of cult
members from their outside families and the breakup of families within the group. They say
cults pose a threat to religious freedom and cultural pluralism because of their intolerance of
