13 VOLUME 10 |ISSUE 1 |2019
H
ow does the International Cultic Studies Association
(ICSA) reach our stated goal of welcoming “freedom of
expression, freedom of mind, openness, and dialogue”
(ICSA, 2013)? This stated goal, originally written in a message
from the Directors to the membership 5 years ago, expresses a
commitment to listening and responding to those with diverse
points of view. This is a message that has value, not only for
our organization, but also in the wider world. For ICSA, this
goal means listening and responding with respect to those
who have left a wide array of cults to those who come from
many different kinds of families within and outside a cult to
those who remain in cults and to those who are professionals,
including clinicians, researchers, attorneys, clergy, and
journalists.
In their message, the Directors expressed a commitment to
overcome and move beyond a polarization that had existed
for years between ICSA members and those not in ICSA who
held contrasting views of high-demand groups. Members of
ICSA generally defined high-demand groups as “destructive
cults” and emphasized harm to cult members others, mainly
sociologists, defined high-demand groups as “new religious
movements” and generally focused on group practices as
neutral social phenomena rather than focusing on the effect
groups had on their members.
Also, in the early years of ICSA (formerly the American Family
Foundation), the typical view in the wider culture, particularly
expressed by mental health professionals, was that people
joined cultic groups because of some weakness of character, or
because of a wish to separate from troubled families. Early ICSA
members fought back against this “blame the victim” approach.
We believed that manipulative leaders with narcissistic
agendas deceived people who were recruited into cults. Family
members, such as myself, were relieved to learn about the
cultic dynamics that were in large measure responsible for the
otherwise inexplicable changes in our loved ones when they
became cult recruits.
Over time, ICSA began to see the potential for cult recruitment
in a more complex way. Individual and stage-of-life
vulnerability, cult exploitation, and even other factors had their
role each factor might provide important information that
could help to explain the cult phenomenon. Development of
a more complex understanding helped move our organization
to a more individualistic and less polarized view and led to
an increased willingness to reach out to those with differing
viewpoints.
In their message, which is available on the ICSA website, the
Directors state the following:
…The benefits of dialogue are the converse of the
negative effects of polarization:
• Communication increases knowledge, broadens
perspectives, and enhances one’s capacity
to understand and appreciate the complex
interpersonal dynamics of people who have left
or are still in cultic groups, and it may help us
better relate to those who have endured abuse.
• When groups of helpers and researchers
with different perspectives and foci have
open boundaries, people belonging to those
disciplines will feel less pressure to conform and,
consequently, will feel freer to pursue new ideas
or innovative approaches to treatment.
• When one has regular contact with those holding
differing views, one is more likely to recognize
one’s opinions as opinions and not mistakenly
treat them as facts. (ICSA, 2013)
I agree with this message, which has value, not only for our
organization, but also in the world. I believe, in general, that
conflict can be a healthy phenomenon, and that dealing with
it can help each of us gain new insight into both others and
ourselves. However, ICSA also believes in the free choice and
safety of our members. Today I am talking about dialogue I am
not talking about subjecting yourself to a person whose goal
is to manipulate or intimidate you. Nothing I will say today is
meant to encourage you to permit yourself to be exploited or
bullied. Although ICSA sees the value in being able to engage
respectfully in dialogue with people who have different
perspectives, we also recognize that some views or people
attempt to violate the human rights and dignity of others. In
these cases, it is a wise decision not to engage.
Unlike closed cultic groups, ICSA firmly is committed to freedom
of thought and expression. ICSA conferences provide an open
arena for people from different backgrounds with diverse
perspectives. At our conferences, opinions expressed are those
of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the view of ICSA
or its Directors, staff, advisors, or supporters. Today we can
celebrate the fact that attendees see the issue of psychological
manipulation and abuse in cults in differing ways.
The philosophy articulated by its Directors means that being
part of the ICSA community will involve disagreements about
perceptions, beliefs, and goals, not only with people outside
ICSA, but also with others within our organization. Over the
years, the population of ICSA has dramatically changed, with
those who have been born and raised in cults entering our
...unconscious as well
as conscious factors
always are at play in our
interactions with others...
some of these factors can
undermine dialogue.
H
ow does the International Cultic Studies Association
(ICSA) reach our stated goal of welcoming “freedom of
expression, freedom of mind, openness, and dialogue”
(ICSA, 2013)? This stated goal, originally written in a message
from the Directors to the membership 5 years ago, expresses a
commitment to listening and responding to those with diverse
points of view. This is a message that has value, not only for
our organization, but also in the wider world. For ICSA, this
goal means listening and responding with respect to those
who have left a wide array of cults to those who come from
many different kinds of families within and outside a cult to
those who remain in cults and to those who are professionals,
including clinicians, researchers, attorneys, clergy, and
journalists.
In their message, the Directors expressed a commitment to
overcome and move beyond a polarization that had existed
for years between ICSA members and those not in ICSA who
held contrasting views of high-demand groups. Members of
ICSA generally defined high-demand groups as “destructive
cults” and emphasized harm to cult members others, mainly
sociologists, defined high-demand groups as “new religious
movements” and generally focused on group practices as
neutral social phenomena rather than focusing on the effect
groups had on their members.
Also, in the early years of ICSA (formerly the American Family
Foundation), the typical view in the wider culture, particularly
expressed by mental health professionals, was that people
joined cultic groups because of some weakness of character, or
because of a wish to separate from troubled families. Early ICSA
members fought back against this “blame the victim” approach.
We believed that manipulative leaders with narcissistic
agendas deceived people who were recruited into cults. Family
members, such as myself, were relieved to learn about the
cultic dynamics that were in large measure responsible for the
otherwise inexplicable changes in our loved ones when they
became cult recruits.
Over time, ICSA began to see the potential for cult recruitment
in a more complex way. Individual and stage-of-life
vulnerability, cult exploitation, and even other factors had their
role each factor might provide important information that
could help to explain the cult phenomenon. Development of
a more complex understanding helped move our organization
to a more individualistic and less polarized view and led to
an increased willingness to reach out to those with differing
viewpoints.
In their message, which is available on the ICSA website, the
Directors state the following:
…The benefits of dialogue are the converse of the
negative effects of polarization:
• Communication increases knowledge, broadens
perspectives, and enhances one’s capacity
to understand and appreciate the complex
interpersonal dynamics of people who have left
or are still in cultic groups, and it may help us
better relate to those who have endured abuse.
• When groups of helpers and researchers
with different perspectives and foci have
open boundaries, people belonging to those
disciplines will feel less pressure to conform and,
consequently, will feel freer to pursue new ideas
or innovative approaches to treatment.
• When one has regular contact with those holding
differing views, one is more likely to recognize
one’s opinions as opinions and not mistakenly
treat them as facts. (ICSA, 2013)
I agree with this message, which has value, not only for our
organization, but also in the world. I believe, in general, that
conflict can be a healthy phenomenon, and that dealing with
it can help each of us gain new insight into both others and
ourselves. However, ICSA also believes in the free choice and
safety of our members. Today I am talking about dialogue I am
not talking about subjecting yourself to a person whose goal
is to manipulate or intimidate you. Nothing I will say today is
meant to encourage you to permit yourself to be exploited or
bullied. Although ICSA sees the value in being able to engage
respectfully in dialogue with people who have different
perspectives, we also recognize that some views or people
attempt to violate the human rights and dignity of others. In
these cases, it is a wise decision not to engage.
Unlike closed cultic groups, ICSA firmly is committed to freedom
of thought and expression. ICSA conferences provide an open
arena for people from different backgrounds with diverse
perspectives. At our conferences, opinions expressed are those
of the speakers and do not necessarily reflect the view of ICSA
or its Directors, staff, advisors, or supporters. Today we can
celebrate the fact that attendees see the issue of psychological
manipulation and abuse in cults in differing ways.
The philosophy articulated by its Directors means that being
part of the ICSA community will involve disagreements about
perceptions, beliefs, and goals, not only with people outside
ICSA, but also with others within our organization. Over the
years, the population of ICSA has dramatically changed, with
those who have been born and raised in cults entering our
...unconscious as well
as conscious factors
always are at play in our
interactions with others...
some of these factors can
undermine dialogue.
