Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 18, 2001, Page 65
Professionals should be taught how to recognize child abuse, including its physical,
emotional, sexual, educational, and medical aspects. They should also be made aware of
the fact that child abuse in a religious context is just as unacceptable, legally and socially,
as in a nonreligious context. As freedom of speech does not permit one to yell ―Fire‖ in a
crowded theater when there is no fire, so one cannot justify child abuse under the freedom
of religion clause. ―Spare the rod and spoil the child‖ may be an often-quoted adage, and
was generally the rule for centuries in families and schools. But if even the British recognize
that caning, practiced so forcefully in their schools for generations, is abuse, there may yet
be hope for others.
A Concluding Comment
As dangerous as many of us perceived cults to be twenty years ago, the danger was seen
more in individual terms than on a national or even international scale. As we begin this
new century and millennium, it is apparent that we can no longer be naïve and insulated
about the potentially destructive impact of the intense focus of cults and groups like them,
especially when combined with sophisticated technology, communications, and
transportation.
References
Associated Press (1999, February 7). Expert says doomsday cultists ate in Greece. Jerusalem Post, p.
5.
Associated Press (2001, January 23). Rebel twins say fighting is finished for them. The New York
Times, p. A4.
Chase, N. (1995, February). The end is nearish! Harper’s, 289 (no. 1737), pp. 22-24.
Collins, C., &Frantz, D. (1994, June). Let us prey. Modern Maturity, pp. 22-32.
Curtis, J. M., &Curtis, M. J. (1993). Factors related to susceptibility and recruitment by cults.
Psychological Reports, 73, 451-460.
CUT leader diagnosed with Alzheimer‘s amidst institutional changes (1998). The Cult Observer, 15
(7/ 8), pp. 8, 16.
Dahlen, P. (1997). Working with women survivors of cults: An empowerment model for counselors.
Cultic Studies Journal, 14 (1), 145-154.
Fennell, T. (1997, April 7). Doom sects. McLean’s, 110 (14), p. 48.
Florio, G. (2000, February 10). Traveling evangelist meets the Pa. Faithful. The Philadelphia Inquirer,
pp. A1, A20.
Gasde, I., &Block, R. A. (1998). Cult experience: Psychological abuse, distress, personality
characteristics, and changes in personal relationships reported by former members of Church
Universal and Triumphant. Cultic Studies Journal, 15, 192-221.
Hale, R. (1994). The role of humiliation and embarrassment in serial murder. Psychology: A Journal
of Human Behavior, 31 (2), 17-23.
Halper, E. (2000, February 24). A warning to youth about hate. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. B1,
B2.
Hunter, E. (1998). Adolescent attraction to cults. Adolescence, 33, 709-714.
Isser, N., &Schwartz, L. L. (1988). The history of conversion and contemporary cults. New York:
Peter Lang.
Kellerman, F. (1999). Jupiter’s bones. New York: Warner Books.
Kifner, J. (1999, December 7). Expelled sect members in New York. The New York Times, p. B4.
Lalich, J. (1997). Dominance and submission: The psychosexual exploitation of women in cults.
Cultic Studies Journal, 14, 4-21.
Lamberg, L. (1997). Apocalyptic violence in Heaven‘s Gate and Aum Shinrikyo cults. Journal of the
American Medical Association, 277, 191-193.
Langone, M. D., &Eisenberg, G. (1993). Children and cults. In M. D. Langone, (Ed.), Recovery from
cults: Help for victims of psychological and spiritual abuse (pp. 327-342). New York: W. W.
Norton.
Levine, S. (1999). Youth in terroristic groups, gangs, and cults: The allure, the animus, and the
alienation. Psychiatric Annals, 29, 342-349.
Lifton, R. J. (1991). Cult formation. Cultic Studies Journal, 8 (1), 1-6.
Professionals should be taught how to recognize child abuse, including its physical,
emotional, sexual, educational, and medical aspects. They should also be made aware of
the fact that child abuse in a religious context is just as unacceptable, legally and socially,
as in a nonreligious context. As freedom of speech does not permit one to yell ―Fire‖ in a
crowded theater when there is no fire, so one cannot justify child abuse under the freedom
of religion clause. ―Spare the rod and spoil the child‖ may be an often-quoted adage, and
was generally the rule for centuries in families and schools. But if even the British recognize
that caning, practiced so forcefully in their schools for generations, is abuse, there may yet
be hope for others.
A Concluding Comment
As dangerous as many of us perceived cults to be twenty years ago, the danger was seen
more in individual terms than on a national or even international scale. As we begin this
new century and millennium, it is apparent that we can no longer be naïve and insulated
about the potentially destructive impact of the intense focus of cults and groups like them,
especially when combined with sophisticated technology, communications, and
transportation.
References
Associated Press (1999, February 7). Expert says doomsday cultists ate in Greece. Jerusalem Post, p.
5.
Associated Press (2001, January 23). Rebel twins say fighting is finished for them. The New York
Times, p. A4.
Chase, N. (1995, February). The end is nearish! Harper’s, 289 (no. 1737), pp. 22-24.
Collins, C., &Frantz, D. (1994, June). Let us prey. Modern Maturity, pp. 22-32.
Curtis, J. M., &Curtis, M. J. (1993). Factors related to susceptibility and recruitment by cults.
Psychological Reports, 73, 451-460.
CUT leader diagnosed with Alzheimer‘s amidst institutional changes (1998). The Cult Observer, 15
(7/ 8), pp. 8, 16.
Dahlen, P. (1997). Working with women survivors of cults: An empowerment model for counselors.
Cultic Studies Journal, 14 (1), 145-154.
Fennell, T. (1997, April 7). Doom sects. McLean’s, 110 (14), p. 48.
Florio, G. (2000, February 10). Traveling evangelist meets the Pa. Faithful. The Philadelphia Inquirer,
pp. A1, A20.
Gasde, I., &Block, R. A. (1998). Cult experience: Psychological abuse, distress, personality
characteristics, and changes in personal relationships reported by former members of Church
Universal and Triumphant. Cultic Studies Journal, 15, 192-221.
Hale, R. (1994). The role of humiliation and embarrassment in serial murder. Psychology: A Journal
of Human Behavior, 31 (2), 17-23.
Halper, E. (2000, February 24). A warning to youth about hate. The Philadelphia Inquirer, pp. B1,
B2.
Hunter, E. (1998). Adolescent attraction to cults. Adolescence, 33, 709-714.
Isser, N., &Schwartz, L. L. (1988). The history of conversion and contemporary cults. New York:
Peter Lang.
Kellerman, F. (1999). Jupiter’s bones. New York: Warner Books.
Kifner, J. (1999, December 7). Expelled sect members in New York. The New York Times, p. B4.
Lalich, J. (1997). Dominance and submission: The psychosexual exploitation of women in cults.
Cultic Studies Journal, 14, 4-21.
Lamberg, L. (1997). Apocalyptic violence in Heaven‘s Gate and Aum Shinrikyo cults. Journal of the
American Medical Association, 277, 191-193.
Langone, M. D., &Eisenberg, G. (1993). Children and cults. In M. D. Langone, (Ed.), Recovery from
cults: Help for victims of psychological and spiritual abuse (pp. 327-342). New York: W. W.
Norton.
Levine, S. (1999). Youth in terroristic groups, gangs, and cults: The allure, the animus, and the
alienation. Psychiatric Annals, 29, 342-349.
Lifton, R. J. (1991). Cult formation. Cultic Studies Journal, 8 (1), 1-6.
