Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 15, No. 2, 1998, page 59
recognition and emotion have opened is ―because the suffering they experience after
leaving [the cult] is more genuine than the ‗happiness‘ they experienced while in it. A
painful truth is better than a pleasant lie.... If this analysis is correct, ex-members may
indeed provide more accurate information about cults than would current members‖ (pp. 8-
9).
Former members, however, are often reluctant to participate in scientific studies. Several
factors may motivate this reluctance, such as fear of retaliation from the cult,
embarrassment at having been manipulated, ridicule from those who lack understanding,
and a need for closure. For this reason, the methodology of the present study was designed
with an awareness of these potential sensitivities.
Background: Church Universal and Triumphant
Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT) is a New Age apocalyptic cult with roots in
Theosophy and various splinters of the I AM Movement. Its core belief is that a pantheon of
Gods, Goddesses, Angels, and Ascended Masters communicate via their messenger
(Elisabeth Claire Prophet) to teach, prophesize, reprimand, and direct devotees. Ascended
Masters are considered enlightened heavenly beings who have ―graduated from earth‘s
schoolroom‖ by balancing their karma, thereby having escaped the cycle of reincarnation.
They are seen as exemplars and teachers to assist their followers to do the same.
Obedience to the dictates of these heavenly beings is seen as a guaranteed path to the
individual‘s ascension. Although Prophet is still ―inhabiting a physical body,‖ years ago it
was announced that she has balanced all of her personal karma and voluntarily remains in
embodiment. Her mission is one of ―balancing world-karma,‖ of being the one and only
mouthpiece of God, and of being a guru and spiritual teacher in the flesh. Thus, her word
and position are beyond reproach, and her power over CUT members is absolute.
One of the major identifying practices used by CUT is that of decreeing, which is also
referred to as the ―science of the spoken word.‖ It is a fast and repetitious form of chanting
affirmations and commands in the name of the individual‘s own Christ Self and by the
authority of any divine being whose power the individual seeks to invoke. Decreeing can
last many hours each day, and it may be done in solitude, in small groups, or in very large
groups. It is seen as the all-powerful tool to influence not only present and future events
but also personal and global history, including events from past incarnations. Experts on
thought reform have noted that fast, repetitive chanting, such as decreeing, may serve as a
thought-stopping technique (Conway &Siegelman, 1995 Hassan, 1988). In the context of
Lifton‘s (1987, 1991) theory of ideological totalism, CUT not only qualifies as a totalistic
environment but also exemplifies all eight criteria identified by Lifton.
Many cults show elitism, a very strong ―us-versus-them‖ mentality (often underlying
militant activities) and much secrecy surrounding their actual practices and beliefs. For this
reason, cults generally do
not readily submit to scientific investigation. CUT may seem to be an exception to this rule,
because it apparently welcomed scientific investigation in the form of an interdisciplinary
study (Lewis &Melton, 1994). The study painted a picture of a benign religious movement
that has been unjustly maligned and persecuted because of the public‘s xenophobia. A
close review of the study, however, may leave the informed reader wondering whether
these investigators were familiar with the dynamics of cults and the manipulative tactics
used by their leaders and well-trained devotees. Perhaps these researchers were naive in
believing what was orchestrated for them, thereby allowing themselves to be used as
unwitting tools of church propaganda. After elaborating on examples of groupthink (Janis,
1972), two members of the research team which studied CUT asserted that the overriding
problem was the study‘s lack of objectivity, which permeated every aspect of the data
collection process. For the most part, the scholars turned a blind eye to the controversies
recognition and emotion have opened is ―because the suffering they experience after
leaving [the cult] is more genuine than the ‗happiness‘ they experienced while in it. A
painful truth is better than a pleasant lie.... If this analysis is correct, ex-members may
indeed provide more accurate information about cults than would current members‖ (pp. 8-
9).
Former members, however, are often reluctant to participate in scientific studies. Several
factors may motivate this reluctance, such as fear of retaliation from the cult,
embarrassment at having been manipulated, ridicule from those who lack understanding,
and a need for closure. For this reason, the methodology of the present study was designed
with an awareness of these potential sensitivities.
Background: Church Universal and Triumphant
Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT) is a New Age apocalyptic cult with roots in
Theosophy and various splinters of the I AM Movement. Its core belief is that a pantheon of
Gods, Goddesses, Angels, and Ascended Masters communicate via their messenger
(Elisabeth Claire Prophet) to teach, prophesize, reprimand, and direct devotees. Ascended
Masters are considered enlightened heavenly beings who have ―graduated from earth‘s
schoolroom‖ by balancing their karma, thereby having escaped the cycle of reincarnation.
They are seen as exemplars and teachers to assist their followers to do the same.
Obedience to the dictates of these heavenly beings is seen as a guaranteed path to the
individual‘s ascension. Although Prophet is still ―inhabiting a physical body,‖ years ago it
was announced that she has balanced all of her personal karma and voluntarily remains in
embodiment. Her mission is one of ―balancing world-karma,‖ of being the one and only
mouthpiece of God, and of being a guru and spiritual teacher in the flesh. Thus, her word
and position are beyond reproach, and her power over CUT members is absolute.
One of the major identifying practices used by CUT is that of decreeing, which is also
referred to as the ―science of the spoken word.‖ It is a fast and repetitious form of chanting
affirmations and commands in the name of the individual‘s own Christ Self and by the
authority of any divine being whose power the individual seeks to invoke. Decreeing can
last many hours each day, and it may be done in solitude, in small groups, or in very large
groups. It is seen as the all-powerful tool to influence not only present and future events
but also personal and global history, including events from past incarnations. Experts on
thought reform have noted that fast, repetitive chanting, such as decreeing, may serve as a
thought-stopping technique (Conway &Siegelman, 1995 Hassan, 1988). In the context of
Lifton‘s (1987, 1991) theory of ideological totalism, CUT not only qualifies as a totalistic
environment but also exemplifies all eight criteria identified by Lifton.
Many cults show elitism, a very strong ―us-versus-them‖ mentality (often underlying
militant activities) and much secrecy surrounding their actual practices and beliefs. For this
reason, cults generally do
not readily submit to scientific investigation. CUT may seem to be an exception to this rule,
because it apparently welcomed scientific investigation in the form of an interdisciplinary
study (Lewis &Melton, 1994). The study painted a picture of a benign religious movement
that has been unjustly maligned and persecuted because of the public‘s xenophobia. A
close review of the study, however, may leave the informed reader wondering whether
these investigators were familiar with the dynamics of cults and the manipulative tactics
used by their leaders and well-trained devotees. Perhaps these researchers were naive in
believing what was orchestrated for them, thereby allowing themselves to be used as
unwitting tools of church propaganda. After elaborating on examples of groupthink (Janis,
1972), two members of the research team which studied CUT asserted that the overriding
problem was the study‘s lack of objectivity, which permeated every aspect of the data
collection process. For the most part, the scholars turned a blind eye to the controversies
