13 VOLUME 7 |ISSUE 2 |2016
Since the 1960s, cultic groups have frequently made the news
because of allegations of sexual and physical abuse involving
children, fraud, and especially, fatal tragedies involving members
or the public. Among the major cult-related tragedies that have
made international headlines were the Manson Family, Peoples
Temple, the Branch Davidians, Heaven’s Gate, Aum Shinrikyo, and
the Order of the Solar Temple (Lewis, 2011).
As a result of these tragedies, a number of groups, labeled as
cults, began to be perceived as harmful, which led in part to the
creation of “cult-watching” organizations (Barker, 2002) by families,
former members, academics, evangelicals, or mental-health
professionals. Governments began to play an active role in dealing
with this issue, and some countries responded with legal and other
measures.
As founding Executive Director of Info-Cult since 1980, I have
observed the many ways in which individuals, organizations, and
governments have responded to the cult phenomenon. I also
witnessed how misinformed responses have resulted in tragic
consequences. Consider, for instance, the ill-advised actions taken
by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATF)2
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)3 in dealing with the
Branch Davidians4 as a hostage-taking situation, or the reluctance
of government officials to seriously consider the accusations
against the Peoples Temple (Chidester, 2003), a decision that
ultimately claimed 918 lives.
In the brief history that follows, I trace the evolution of Info-Cult as
a cult-watching organization.
Info-Cult: A Brief History
The seeds of Info-Cult were sown as a result of a short-lived
experience with the Unification Church (UC) in Booneville,
California in 1977. I was visiting a friend who was involved with
the Church at the time. The story about his kidnapping and
deprogramming was featured in an award-winning series of
newspaper articles by Josh Freed that were published in the
Montreal Star.5 These articles formed the basis for a bestselling
book (Freed, 1980), which in turn inspired the making of the 1981
award-winning film Ticket to Heaven, directed by R. L. Thomas.6
Following the publication of the newspaper articles, there were
numerous requests for information about cults. The public’s need
to know more about cults and to seek help for cult-related events
in their lives or in the lives of loved ones led to the creation in 1980
of the Cult Project (what Info-Cult was then called).
For the first 10 years, the Cult Project operated under the
auspices of the B’nai Brith Hillel Foundation of Montreal and
received significant funding from the Jewish Community, in
addition to donations and grants from the provincial and federal
governments. Many parents and researchers were seeking to
understand what caused the radical behavioral changes of cult
members. One hypothesis put forth was that the use of mind-
control (brainwashing) techniques was responsible for coercing
cult members to succumb to the daily demands of the group. Cult
Project subscribed to this view and to the idea that destructive
cults could be harmful to some of their members. It did not,
however, consider that all cultic groups were problematic, hence,
making a distinction between cults and destructive cults.
In the early ‘80s, Cult Project’s major source of information on
destructive cults came from former cult members’ accounts in
books and newspaper articles, to name a few. Early on, Cult Project
considered it essential to diversify sources of information to
include information on NRMs and sociological studies of religious
and political groups. The library was accessible to the public,
and an information-and-assistance phone line was installed for
responding to questions from relatives, former cult members,
students and teachers, and the media. The center served, above
all, the needs of relatives of cult members, former cult members,
students, and teachers. Cult Project had limited contact with
groups identified as cults and destructive cults primarily because
it was perceived as an anticult organization and was focused on
helping former cult members and the families of members.
Discussions with cults and their members were uncommon
because they rarely contacted the Cult Project, and the
organization did not initiate dialogue. It was only in the mid-80s
that certain groups and cult members began to approach the
Cult Project in order to (a) obtain information or provide us with
information on their group, (b) criticize the functioning of Cult
Project, or (c) find out how to leave their group and how to get
help once they left.
In 1990, Cult Project was dissolved and Info-Cult (Info-Secte in
French), an independent, bilingual, and nondenominational
charitable center, was established with the following objectives:
“promote the study of cult phenomena, sensitize, inform and
educate the public about these phenomena, and assist people
with problems related to these phenomena."7
Info-Cult’s funding comes in the form of an annual grant from
the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services discretionary
funds from different Provincial Ministers, foundations, private
groups, and individual donations and also fees for certain
services. In addition to informing, educating, and providing
assistance to parents, former members, students, and teachers,
the center’s clientele now includes members of new religions and
other groups, as well as academics, mental-health professionals,
attorneys, law-enforcement officers, media, and others. Info-Cult’s
library has become one of the largest of its kind in North America,
housing a broad range of information from sources around the
world, including group-generated and critical literature.
Over the years, Info-Cult has networked with individuals and
various organizations worldwide. These contacts have helped
to diversify the documentation materials available in its library
and foster exchange with regard to cultic phenomena, especially
during the annual International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)
conferences that are organized in collaboration with Info-Cult. As
well, increasing interest and communication with academics with
varying viewpoints has helped to broaden Info-Cult’s analysis and
perspective on the issue. Info-Cult also has numerous contacts and
meetings with members and representatives of high-control cultic
groups, spiritual organizations, and NRMs.
Since the 1960s, cultic groups have frequently made the news
because of allegations of sexual and physical abuse involving
children, fraud, and especially, fatal tragedies involving members
or the public. Among the major cult-related tragedies that have
made international headlines were the Manson Family, Peoples
Temple, the Branch Davidians, Heaven’s Gate, Aum Shinrikyo, and
the Order of the Solar Temple (Lewis, 2011).
As a result of these tragedies, a number of groups, labeled as
cults, began to be perceived as harmful, which led in part to the
creation of “cult-watching” organizations (Barker, 2002) by families,
former members, academics, evangelicals, or mental-health
professionals. Governments began to play an active role in dealing
with this issue, and some countries responded with legal and other
measures.
As founding Executive Director of Info-Cult since 1980, I have
observed the many ways in which individuals, organizations, and
governments have responded to the cult phenomenon. I also
witnessed how misinformed responses have resulted in tragic
consequences. Consider, for instance, the ill-advised actions taken
by the Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, Firearms and Explosives (BATF)2
and the Federal Bureau of Investigation (FBI)3 in dealing with the
Branch Davidians4 as a hostage-taking situation, or the reluctance
of government officials to seriously consider the accusations
against the Peoples Temple (Chidester, 2003), a decision that
ultimately claimed 918 lives.
In the brief history that follows, I trace the evolution of Info-Cult as
a cult-watching organization.
Info-Cult: A Brief History
The seeds of Info-Cult were sown as a result of a short-lived
experience with the Unification Church (UC) in Booneville,
California in 1977. I was visiting a friend who was involved with
the Church at the time. The story about his kidnapping and
deprogramming was featured in an award-winning series of
newspaper articles by Josh Freed that were published in the
Montreal Star.5 These articles formed the basis for a bestselling
book (Freed, 1980), which in turn inspired the making of the 1981
award-winning film Ticket to Heaven, directed by R. L. Thomas.6
Following the publication of the newspaper articles, there were
numerous requests for information about cults. The public’s need
to know more about cults and to seek help for cult-related events
in their lives or in the lives of loved ones led to the creation in 1980
of the Cult Project (what Info-Cult was then called).
For the first 10 years, the Cult Project operated under the
auspices of the B’nai Brith Hillel Foundation of Montreal and
received significant funding from the Jewish Community, in
addition to donations and grants from the provincial and federal
governments. Many parents and researchers were seeking to
understand what caused the radical behavioral changes of cult
members. One hypothesis put forth was that the use of mind-
control (brainwashing) techniques was responsible for coercing
cult members to succumb to the daily demands of the group. Cult
Project subscribed to this view and to the idea that destructive
cults could be harmful to some of their members. It did not,
however, consider that all cultic groups were problematic, hence,
making a distinction between cults and destructive cults.
In the early ‘80s, Cult Project’s major source of information on
destructive cults came from former cult members’ accounts in
books and newspaper articles, to name a few. Early on, Cult Project
considered it essential to diversify sources of information to
include information on NRMs and sociological studies of religious
and political groups. The library was accessible to the public,
and an information-and-assistance phone line was installed for
responding to questions from relatives, former cult members,
students and teachers, and the media. The center served, above
all, the needs of relatives of cult members, former cult members,
students, and teachers. Cult Project had limited contact with
groups identified as cults and destructive cults primarily because
it was perceived as an anticult organization and was focused on
helping former cult members and the families of members.
Discussions with cults and their members were uncommon
because they rarely contacted the Cult Project, and the
organization did not initiate dialogue. It was only in the mid-80s
that certain groups and cult members began to approach the
Cult Project in order to (a) obtain information or provide us with
information on their group, (b) criticize the functioning of Cult
Project, or (c) find out how to leave their group and how to get
help once they left.
In 1990, Cult Project was dissolved and Info-Cult (Info-Secte in
French), an independent, bilingual, and nondenominational
charitable center, was established with the following objectives:
“promote the study of cult phenomena, sensitize, inform and
educate the public about these phenomena, and assist people
with problems related to these phenomena."7
Info-Cult’s funding comes in the form of an annual grant from
the Quebec Ministry of Health and Social Services discretionary
funds from different Provincial Ministers, foundations, private
groups, and individual donations and also fees for certain
services. In addition to informing, educating, and providing
assistance to parents, former members, students, and teachers,
the center’s clientele now includes members of new religions and
other groups, as well as academics, mental-health professionals,
attorneys, law-enforcement officers, media, and others. Info-Cult’s
library has become one of the largest of its kind in North America,
housing a broad range of information from sources around the
world, including group-generated and critical literature.
Over the years, Info-Cult has networked with individuals and
various organizations worldwide. These contacts have helped
to diversify the documentation materials available in its library
and foster exchange with regard to cultic phenomena, especially
during the annual International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA)
conferences that are organized in collaboration with Info-Cult. As
well, increasing interest and communication with academics with
varying viewpoints has helped to broaden Info-Cult’s analysis and
perspective on the issue. Info-Cult also has numerous contacts and
meetings with members and representatives of high-control cultic
groups, spiritual organizations, and NRMs.
