Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 12, No. 2, 1995, page 55
sociologist who might overlook anecdotal evidence in an assessment of CUT. I can imagine
some scholars I know dismissing Pietrangelo as merely another disgruntled person seizing
on anything that might feed a “reaction formation.” I do not see him in that light.
Since 1980 I have interviewed many former CUT staffers and several dozen former
members. From 1979-80 I myself was a devoted student of CUT‟s teachings and attended
three CUT conferences, so I have some idea of the nature of the group. Pietrangelo‟s story
is well within the realm of truth --of that I am quite certain. The value of his book is
inestimable for the curious new recruit who has doubts, and for the burnt-out staff person
who may be wondering whom he or she may have been serving all those years.
Another book was published on CUT earlier in 1994 by more sympathetic scholars (Church
Universal and Triumphant in Scholarly Perspective, edited by J.R. Lewis and J.G. Melton,
published by Syzygy: Journal of Alternative Religion and Culture). Compared to Lambs to
Slaughter, Lewis and Melton‟s presentation is anemic, lacking all sense of the exaggerated
drama within the cult, and provides no convincing analysis of the all-important leader,
Elizabeth Prophet.
Prophet‟s staged grandiosity as well as her childish vulnerability come through strongly in
Pietrangelo‟s portrayal of her. However, he often lapses into an old game that ex-cult
members play: Amy guru was better than your guru,” meaning that Mother was more
conniving, convincing, clever, and classy than other false prophets. He writes, “Elizabeth is
unequaled ...A more skillful Sophist cannot be found” (p. 38). The suggestion is: “It took
the best to program me. I would not have fallen for just anybody.” Of course, such claims
are subjective because even the most committed seekers rarely submit to more than two or
three gurus before they finally get the point.
If anything, that is the point of the book: once a person is conned into the orbit of a
manipulative leader and the system controlled by one, it could be a long time before one
realizes how deep the deception and how sinister the manipulation had been. Lambs to
Slaughter is the honest confession of one who now does.
Joseph P. Szimhart
Cult Information Specialist/Exit Counselor
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Saints &Psychopaths. William L. Hamilton. Dharma Audio Network Associates,
San Jacinto, CA (available from DANA, P.O. Box 1527, Coupeville, WA 98239, or
call 800-726-2421), 1995, 142 pages.
This is a book that speaks from experience, the experience of a man who has spent much of
his adult life seeking enlightenment through meditative arts aligned with Buddhism. This
book is also a warning. William Hamilton tells us that there are more psychopaths than
saints in this world. He warns us that naïve seekers, no matter how intelligent and street
wise, can fall for the wily charisma of a psychopathic guru or partner. Hamilton describes
two psychopaths he experienced. One was his spiritual teacher the other, his ex-wife. Both
abused him spiritually, sexually, financially, and emotionally. After describing these
scenarios in Part I, Hamilton outlines the traits of a psychopath and the traits of a saint.
In Part II Hamilton engages us in the positive experience of a saint and the path to
enlightenment. He outlines different Buddhist approaches, contrasting Vipassana with
Samatha forms, the latter being a focus on still objects (candle, colored disk), the former, a
focus on moving or changing objects (breathing, walking). The Vipassana approach has
sociologist who might overlook anecdotal evidence in an assessment of CUT. I can imagine
some scholars I know dismissing Pietrangelo as merely another disgruntled person seizing
on anything that might feed a “reaction formation.” I do not see him in that light.
Since 1980 I have interviewed many former CUT staffers and several dozen former
members. From 1979-80 I myself was a devoted student of CUT‟s teachings and attended
three CUT conferences, so I have some idea of the nature of the group. Pietrangelo‟s story
is well within the realm of truth --of that I am quite certain. The value of his book is
inestimable for the curious new recruit who has doubts, and for the burnt-out staff person
who may be wondering whom he or she may have been serving all those years.
Another book was published on CUT earlier in 1994 by more sympathetic scholars (Church
Universal and Triumphant in Scholarly Perspective, edited by J.R. Lewis and J.G. Melton,
published by Syzygy: Journal of Alternative Religion and Culture). Compared to Lambs to
Slaughter, Lewis and Melton‟s presentation is anemic, lacking all sense of the exaggerated
drama within the cult, and provides no convincing analysis of the all-important leader,
Elizabeth Prophet.
Prophet‟s staged grandiosity as well as her childish vulnerability come through strongly in
Pietrangelo‟s portrayal of her. However, he often lapses into an old game that ex-cult
members play: Amy guru was better than your guru,” meaning that Mother was more
conniving, convincing, clever, and classy than other false prophets. He writes, “Elizabeth is
unequaled ...A more skillful Sophist cannot be found” (p. 38). The suggestion is: “It took
the best to program me. I would not have fallen for just anybody.” Of course, such claims
are subjective because even the most committed seekers rarely submit to more than two or
three gurus before they finally get the point.
If anything, that is the point of the book: once a person is conned into the orbit of a
manipulative leader and the system controlled by one, it could be a long time before one
realizes how deep the deception and how sinister the manipulation had been. Lambs to
Slaughter is the honest confession of one who now does.
Joseph P. Szimhart
Cult Information Specialist/Exit Counselor
Pottstown, Pennsylvania
Saints &Psychopaths. William L. Hamilton. Dharma Audio Network Associates,
San Jacinto, CA (available from DANA, P.O. Box 1527, Coupeville, WA 98239, or
call 800-726-2421), 1995, 142 pages.
This is a book that speaks from experience, the experience of a man who has spent much of
his adult life seeking enlightenment through meditative arts aligned with Buddhism. This
book is also a warning. William Hamilton tells us that there are more psychopaths than
saints in this world. He warns us that naïve seekers, no matter how intelligent and street
wise, can fall for the wily charisma of a psychopathic guru or partner. Hamilton describes
two psychopaths he experienced. One was his spiritual teacher the other, his ex-wife. Both
abused him spiritually, sexually, financially, and emotionally. After describing these
scenarios in Part I, Hamilton outlines the traits of a psychopath and the traits of a saint.
In Part II Hamilton engages us in the positive experience of a saint and the path to
enlightenment. He outlines different Buddhist approaches, contrasting Vipassana with
Samatha forms, the latter being a focus on still objects (candle, colored disk), the former, a
focus on moving or changing objects (breathing, walking). The Vipassana approach has
