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Cults – and alt.christnet.christianlife

By Rowland Croucher and others ⋅ February 20, 2004 ⋅ Post a comment

Dear friends

I’m having a bit of fun (!) researching the only unmoderated Usenet newsgroup (alt.christnet.christianlife) accused of harbouring a ‘cult’. You might be interested in following this discussion

~~~

Research: ‘Cults’ and alt.christnet.christianlife [2]

The following is a very brief overview. I would welcome any other ideas/resources.

Does any of this apply to alt.christnet.christianlife? You be the judge.

Cults – FAQ.

1. What is a cult? Socologists of religion offer a wide range of definitions: for our purposes a cult is either a group which adheres to a very strict belief-system, and/or a group devoted to a leader or leaders who enforce compliance or allegiance. ‘Cult’ is usually a pejorative term connoting manipulation and control. Christian cults usually make a major point of affirming they’re ‘Bible based’. (Because the word is pejorative, cults habitually call their ‘enemies’ cultist). The notion of ‘sect’ is sometimes used synonymously with ‘cult’; or is a milder version of a cult. Sects, technically, are groups which have ‘hived off’ from a parent-group.

2. What are some of the common tactics of cult leaders? (This is not an exhaustive list).

First, cultists have a predisposition towards dividing the world into ‘goodies and baddies’, ‘us and them’, the ‘orthodox’ and the ‘heterodox’. Whilst they might include people from other groups in their ‘acceptable’ list, they are not, repeat not, inclined to affirm diversity. You’d better believe the right thing, behave the right way, or else. Cults may range across a spectrum from destructive to benign.

Here are some common behaviors by cult-leaders to keep others in line:

2-1 Sweetness and love if you’re on their side. Cult leaders have an ability to charm followers, but really crave attention/affection

2-2 Cult-leaders are overtly or covertly hostile: if you’re not with them, various sanctions include threats of legal action, report of ‘abuse’ to relevant authority, digging up dirt, etc.

2-3 Actively ignoring the offender (organizing the group as if they didn’t exist – sometimes called ‘Chomskyizing’)

2-4 Ridicule, attempts to demean, ‘branding’ (opponents are evil, Satanic, ‘the enemy’ etc.)

2-5 Leaders claim special wisdom/gifts, and followers acknowledge these

2-6 Significant efforts recruiting, proselytizing, and welcoming

2-7 Tendency for leaders to change the rules if ‘more light’ is received, or simply because they have the power to (the ‘hypocrisy factor’) – always, of course, in the best interests of the group and its survival

2-8 Paranoia – there are many real or imagined enemies out there

2-9 Very little humor – and certainly jokes about the group, its beliefs or its leaders are discouraged/forbidden (sometimes called ‘the grimness factor ‘)

2-10 Censorship: group-members discouraged from reading or listening to another teacher who might challenge/broaden their thinking. Usually a key ‘heretic’ is frequently named/vilified

2-11 Leaders demand obedience and attack with verbal abuse anyone who dissents

2-12 Leaders appeal to fear (unless you believe this doctrine you’re not ‘saved’), and/or vanity (so that you can become one of the elect / ‘chosen’ / ‘in-group’)

2-13 Cult leaders play on people’s feelings of inadequacy or low self-esteem

2-14 Castigation (or worse) of ‘dropouts’/ ‘defectors to the enemy’.

3. Why do people join cults? In short, their desire to ‘belong’, to be loved by a strong mother/father figure, to ‘believe the truth’ and have their questions answered, to be affirmed regularly, to feel secure because there’s a terrible/heretical world out there.

4. Why do the leaders form cults? Deep-seated rage – sometimes due to a sociopathic personality, or bad experiences in the past, which results in their manipulating and controlling others so that they won’t be ‘done in’ again. Sometimes cult-leaders are people with leadership gifts but have not been ‘recognized’ by their preferred church/group, and so form a gathering around themselves.

5. Where can I get more information?

Try the Reading Lists on

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/2152.htm

http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/2147.htm

Bonewits’ scale – http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/4812.htm

Christian vs. Cultish Thinking – http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/11922.htm

How to Avoid Being Manipulated – http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/1350.htm

Dangerous Spiritual Practices – http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/11574.htm

Debating with Jehovah’s Witnesses – http://members.aol.com/beyondjw/dwjw.htm

Profile of a sociopath – http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/334.htm

Relevant Usenet groups – alt.mindcontrol, alt.conspiracy.

Why do people join cults? http://jmm.aaa.net.au/articles/1730.htm