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In examining and evaluating a group that I suspect of being a destructive cult, I operate primarily in the realm of psychology, not theology or ideology. My frames of reference are the influence processes of mind control, hypnosis and group psychology. I look at what a group does rather than what it believes (or purports to believe). I analyze how an organization and its members communicate (or fail to communicate), rather than whether its principles, political outlook or interpretation of the Bible is the right one. I see if the group wants to convert the cult member into its own belief
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A person’s right to believe, however, does not grant them an automatic license to act indiscriminately on those beliefs.
But every group can and should be held accountable for its actions. And that includes active deception.
Organizations that practice mind control have very specific characteristics that undermine individual choice and liberty. These involve leadership, doctrine and membership.
a leader’s professional background can be useful in helping you see the full picture of any group. Cult leaders usually make exaggerated biographical claims.
Whenever a person is subjected to mind control processes and leaves a group without understanding undue influence, it is easy for them to take what they have learned and practice it on others.
Over time, cult leaders develop a need for more and more power. Three things make these people terribly dangerous: 1) their psychological instability, 2) that they actually believe their own propaganda and 3) that they surround themselves with loyal devotees who are unlikely to disagree with them, so promote their narcissism.
Has the group leader ever been arrested? If so, what were the charges? Were there any convictions?
Another important aspect of leadership involves its organizational flow of power. Does the organization have a structure with a true balance of power? Many destructive groups have boards of directors, but typically they are puppets of the leader. The true structure is that of a pyramid with the cult leader as omnipotent head at the apex. Below the leader is a core of lieutenants who are totally subservient. Below them are subsidiary leaders. The operating structure allows for no checks and balances. The leader has absolute power. Lord Acton said it well when he wrote, “Power tends to corrupt,
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Not every destructive cult has a leader who is glorified to outsiders, or who enjoys great personal wealth. Since many contemporary cult leaders were themselves former cult members, they may be acting out of nothing more than delusion, mental illness and a drive for power.
Many destructive Bible cults have leaders who are not conspicuous consumers, and who appear to hold God and the Bible above themselves as higher authorities; yet their interpretations of the Bible and God’s will are used to manipulate and control people.
Absolutely key are honesty and transparency. Any group’s beliefs should be freely disclosed to any person who wants to join, before any pressure to join is exerted.
Does the group’s doctrine claim publicly to be one thing when it is in fact quite otherwise? Are there separate insider and outsider doctrines?
destructive groups change the “truth” to fit the needs of the situation because they believe that the ends justify the means.
Legitimate organizations don’t change their doctrine to deceive the public.
Membership has three components: recruitment, group maintenance and freedom to leave. The impact of group membership on the individual, their identity, their relationships, and their goals and interests is crucial.
The basic feature of most cult recruitment is deception. This includes outright lying, leaving out important information or distorting information.
Destructive groups operate under the assumption that non-members are too ignorant or unspiritual to recognize what is best for them. They are bli...
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When an individual’s critical faculties are intact and fully functioning, information supplied by the destructive cult is typically meager. Only when the individual’s critical functions are worn down and less functional will the cult supply the next phase of their information.
Most cult recruiters will deny that they are trying to recruit anyone at all. When asked what they are doing, they normally say that they just want to share something meaningful, and want people to make up their own minds about it. Recruiters for multi-level marketing groups and large group awareness trainings are typically told not to disclose exactly what will happen in the program. That if they do, they will “spoil” the person’s experience. Or that the person has to experience for themselves to know what it is all about.
By far the most common impression potential recruits have is that they are making a new friend. However, in the real world, friendships take time to develop. Over time, each person shares more and more personal information in a reciprocal manner, giving and taking in a balanced way. There is also no hidden agenda.
Sometimes the person can be coaxed into revealing what he now believes. Frequently, though, the new member asks family members and friends to talk to older members or leaders, because “they can explain it better.”
The maintenance of membership is achieved by cult activities deliberately designed to undermine the new member’s relationships with family and friends. One way this is achieved is by having new members recruit everyone they know.
recruits have permission to spend time with them and try to recruit them. But as soon as family members and friends express their concerns and declare that they will never join the group, cult leaders urge the new member to stop wasting time on them. If a family member or friend is critical enough, the new member will be instructed to “disconnect” from them.
Many cult groups make sure that members have only three to five hours of sleep each night. It’s not that they have a formal policy of sleep deprivation; they simply make sure that the new member is so overworked that they have little time to sleep.
In destructive cults, large amounts of time are spent in group activities, with a minimum of time allowed for privacy or time with friends and family. Little time is available for reading anything other than cult material, or for learning anything other than cult practices.
Family members are often told by cult members that they “will see” if they can come home for important family events such as marriages, funerals and birthdays. What this means is that they will ask their leaders for permission.
Bethelites
Life in a destructive cult can vary a great deal. Some members live together in an ashram, center or group house, while other members may have their own living arrangements. Some members may have menial jobs that demand little or no thinking (for instance, as janitors, workers, cooks and cleaners); others may be engaged in quite demanding work (recruiting, public relations, and operating cult businesses).
Bethel
The final criterion for judging a group is the members’ freedom to leave. To put it simply, members of destructive cults are psychological prisoners. As I have explained, destructive cults plant phobias into members’ minds so that they fear ever leaving the group. By doing this, they shut the door on free choice. People had the freedom to join, but people don’t have the freedom to leave a destructive group. In fact, in the eyes of a destructive cult, there is no “legitimate” reason for a person to ever leave the group.
Despite the fact that many groups try to present an image of being large, powerful, and monolithic, they are usually not totally uniform. There can be major differences, depending on the local leader’s personality, strictness, and style.
These questions work best if you ask them in a very direct yet friendly manner, and demand very specific answers.
How long have you (the recruiter) been involved with this group? Are you trying to recruit me into any type of organization?
A person who has been involved in a destructive cult for less than a year is usually very inexperienced and possibly less likely to lie, and any lies they do tell are less likely to sound convincing.
if the person has been involved for many years, you can expect them to know and to be able give you concrete, specific answers to all your follow-up questions. If they don’t, you can say, “You’ve been a member for years and you don’t know the answer to such simple questions?”
Just keep this answer in mind, because if the group is in fact a destructive cult, it will eventually become obvious that you are being recruited. That means the recruiter lied to you. If and when you realize this, be appropriately annoyed and walk away.
Can you tell me the names of all the other organizations that are affiliated with your group?
If the recruiter tells you they don’t know, ask them to find out for you. Ask for their phone number—do not give them yours, of course—and say that you will call them tomorrow for the answer.
Who is the top leader? Tell me about their background and qualifications. Do they have a criminal record?
You might then ask the person, “How could you have become involved with a group without checking these things out first?”
What does your group believe? Does it believe that the ends justify the means? Is deception allowed in any circumstances?
Most cult recruiters will not want to explain what they believe right there on the spot. They are trained to use your curiosity to bring you to hear a lecture, watch a video or attend a program. This will give them a better chance of influencing you, because you will be in their environment.
What are members expected to do once they join? Do I have to quit school or work, or donate my money and property, or cut myself off from family members and friends who might oppose my membership? What did you do for a living before you joined the group, and what do you do for a living now?
this question will make most cult members very uncomfortable and defensive. Watch the recruiter’s non-verbal reaction carefully when you ask this question. Ask the person what they did when they first met the group and what they are doing now.
Is your group considered controversial by anyone? If other people are critical of it, what are their main objections?
“So how are people supposed to look if they are brainwashed?” When I ask that question, the person I’m speaking to usually becomes very uncomfortable and, if I continue to probe, finds some excuse to leave.
How do you feel about former members of your group? Have you ever sat down to speak with a former member to find out why they left the group? If not, why not? Does your group impose restrictions on communicating with former members?
I always pursue such a response with questions such as “What specific reasons did they give for leaving?” and “Do they say that they are happier now that they have left?” Again, the recruiter is usually at a loss for words.
What are the three things you like least about the group and its leader?
If you get an opportunity to catch a cult member off guard and ask that question, I suggest you watch their face very carefully. The pupils in their eyes will dilate, and they will act momentarily stunned. When they do answer, they will very likely say that there is nothing they can think of that they don’t like.
What else would you rather do in life than be a member of the group?
