Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 18, 2001, Page 84
In striking contrast to Western depiction of God as perfect, Shiva exhibits human traits and
imperfections, including jealousy, unreasoned and violent action and succumbing to
coercion by his wife. Forever more, the images of his son demonstrate Shiva‘s humanity.
This is a fundamentally different basis for religion. For those clients of Western background
who have been involved in USCs from eastern traditions, members may have had very
different assumptions about the perfection of the teachers and even about the characters in
myths and stories. For clients from any USCs, the stories still suggest that it is appropriate
to question the actions of any teacher all the way up to God, since all are fallible. Unlike the
conclusion of the Book of Job, the client may find this story opens the door to questioning
and critical thinking.
Also in the story, it is clear that Parvati is surrounded by people who were dominated by the
presence of the divine aspect of the teacher. While her request was simple and personal,
none would take her needs seriously. When she created Ganesh for protection, Shiva was
infuriated by the resistance to his authority and immediately destroyed Ganesh. As a
member in an USC, an individual may find familiarity in the role of the disciples who would
not support Parvati, in Parvati‘s role in having had an authority figure forcibly destroy any
aspects of their own creativity, or in Ganesh, having been destroyed. Some may also have
occasionally played Shiva‘s role of dominating others. In the myth, the autonomy and
personal health of Parvati was maintained by her power to respond, not directly against
Shiva, but in having the power and in threatening to destroy the world Shiva held dear.
After she expresses her anger but before she acts, Shiva complies and Ganesh become
reborn with aspects of both Shiva and Parvati. Parvati‘s power was generated from her love
for her son, a worldly attachment. Through this power she was able also to affirm a place
for her own individuality and creativity. Although many USCs may devalue human
attachment and anger, in this story a feminine aspect of God maintains herself through the
acceptance and expression of those feelings. By doing so, the subject of her creativity
(Ganesh) was joined with God (Shiva). Similarly, if clients were involved in groups that left
no room for their humanity or creativity, the authority was the only one empowered, and
the result could not lead to the maturation of the client.
Were the roles played by clients in USCs similar to the disciples, Parvati or Shiva from this
story? Each client may have played more than one role. Do they have any residual feelings
about the roles they played? Have the clients‘ roles change with respect to their support for
others in the face of authority or other aspects of the story?
Job
In another classical Biblical tale, Job is described as an upright, God-fearing man (Job, 1:1).
Satan tells God that Job is righteous because he hasn‘t been challenged. Why not be
righteous when you are rich, healthy and have a lovely family? Satan asks God‘s permission
to ruin Job‘s life in order to demonstrate that Job will reveal the limits to his righteousness.
In consecutive attempts, Satan dismantles Job‘s life piece by piece (destroying his assets,
killing his family and covering him with sores) and yet Job never curses God. Instead, Job
questions God, asking why he has been so challenged when he has done no wrong. Job‘s
friends try to persuade him to confess his sins, convinced that he must have sinned since
God was so clearly punishing him. In the end, God answers Job by asking his own
questions, ―Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou has
the understanding.‖ (Job, 38:4). In so doing, God suggests that Job cannot question or
understand the acts or will of God.
The story of Job is compelling for anyone, perhaps particularly so for ex-members of
authoritarian USCs. The story may be taken at face value in expressing the limited capacity
for any of us to understand why anything happens or does not happen in this world. It can
also be taken to confirm that bad things can happen to good people our misfortune and
In striking contrast to Western depiction of God as perfect, Shiva exhibits human traits and
imperfections, including jealousy, unreasoned and violent action and succumbing to
coercion by his wife. Forever more, the images of his son demonstrate Shiva‘s humanity.
This is a fundamentally different basis for religion. For those clients of Western background
who have been involved in USCs from eastern traditions, members may have had very
different assumptions about the perfection of the teachers and even about the characters in
myths and stories. For clients from any USCs, the stories still suggest that it is appropriate
to question the actions of any teacher all the way up to God, since all are fallible. Unlike the
conclusion of the Book of Job, the client may find this story opens the door to questioning
and critical thinking.
Also in the story, it is clear that Parvati is surrounded by people who were dominated by the
presence of the divine aspect of the teacher. While her request was simple and personal,
none would take her needs seriously. When she created Ganesh for protection, Shiva was
infuriated by the resistance to his authority and immediately destroyed Ganesh. As a
member in an USC, an individual may find familiarity in the role of the disciples who would
not support Parvati, in Parvati‘s role in having had an authority figure forcibly destroy any
aspects of their own creativity, or in Ganesh, having been destroyed. Some may also have
occasionally played Shiva‘s role of dominating others. In the myth, the autonomy and
personal health of Parvati was maintained by her power to respond, not directly against
Shiva, but in having the power and in threatening to destroy the world Shiva held dear.
After she expresses her anger but before she acts, Shiva complies and Ganesh become
reborn with aspects of both Shiva and Parvati. Parvati‘s power was generated from her love
for her son, a worldly attachment. Through this power she was able also to affirm a place
for her own individuality and creativity. Although many USCs may devalue human
attachment and anger, in this story a feminine aspect of God maintains herself through the
acceptance and expression of those feelings. By doing so, the subject of her creativity
(Ganesh) was joined with God (Shiva). Similarly, if clients were involved in groups that left
no room for their humanity or creativity, the authority was the only one empowered, and
the result could not lead to the maturation of the client.
Were the roles played by clients in USCs similar to the disciples, Parvati or Shiva from this
story? Each client may have played more than one role. Do they have any residual feelings
about the roles they played? Have the clients‘ roles change with respect to their support for
others in the face of authority or other aspects of the story?
Job
In another classical Biblical tale, Job is described as an upright, God-fearing man (Job, 1:1).
Satan tells God that Job is righteous because he hasn‘t been challenged. Why not be
righteous when you are rich, healthy and have a lovely family? Satan asks God‘s permission
to ruin Job‘s life in order to demonstrate that Job will reveal the limits to his righteousness.
In consecutive attempts, Satan dismantles Job‘s life piece by piece (destroying his assets,
killing his family and covering him with sores) and yet Job never curses God. Instead, Job
questions God, asking why he has been so challenged when he has done no wrong. Job‘s
friends try to persuade him to confess his sins, convinced that he must have sinned since
God was so clearly punishing him. In the end, God answers Job by asking his own
questions, ―Where wast thou when I laid the foundations of the earth? Declare, if thou has
the understanding.‖ (Job, 38:4). In so doing, God suggests that Job cannot question or
understand the acts or will of God.
The story of Job is compelling for anyone, perhaps particularly so for ex-members of
authoritarian USCs. The story may be taken at face value in expressing the limited capacity
for any of us to understand why anything happens or does not happen in this world. It can
also be taken to confirm that bad things can happen to good people our misfortune and
