SECTION IX Chapter 5. Cults One interesting way of looking at religious sects, is to see how they are distinguished from charismatic groups--sometimes called CULTS. CHARISMATIC GROUPS According to Marc Galanter in this book, CULTS--FAITH, HEALING, AND COERCION, charismatic groups are defined as "highly cohesive groups" who "impute strong charismatic (or sometimes divine) powers" to the "group's leaders or mission". They also "strictly control member's behavior by a shared system of belief." Charismatic groups can range from religious cults to self-help groups to political movements (including terrorist groups.) (p 3,5) New members of charismatic groups may appear to undergo powerful behavior transformation once they have been initiated into the charismatic group. For example, individuals may "don saffron-colored robes, shave their heads, or give away their family legacies. They may accept strangers 10,000 miles away as prospective mates, dedicate their lives to panhandling, or simply disappear. Their families may ask, 'How could this happen? Nothing would have led us to expect it?'" (Ibid p 3) Charismatic groups are more likely to form during times when mainstream values of society are felt to be inadequate (such as which occurred during the demonstrations to the Viet Nam War). Studies have also indicated that individuals are more likely to join if they are depressed and/or lack close family/friend ties. Many of us have known individuals who speak of completely "giving themselves up" to some "higher power". Some of these individuals become devoted members of mainstream religions. (These mainstream sects, while accepting these individuals-- do not generally require their adherents to relinquish all reasoning). Others, however, are natural followers of cultish groups who do require their followers to yield their individual reasoning capacity to "slavishly" obey the cult leader. What charismatic groups offer, is an atmosphere of unconditional acceptance, alongside a "new" view or religion that promises to solve the world's problems. Converts typically describe their new life as giving them a new "sense of meaning"--a feeling that they are now a part of something extraordinarily important. In the process, they feel themselves transformed from an earlier sense of isolation, into a new glorious state characterized by an expanded sense of reality and meaning of life. Cult members typically live in a tight-knit community where everyone is supposed to unquestionably accept the views of the group's leaders. It is this feeling of "belonging" to a community that makes it easier to persuade a new member to drop his or her old values and accept those of the group. Charismatic groups tend to view the world in black and white terms.--Good people are members of the cult. Bad or evil people are outsiders. Conformity is continually reinforced and rewarded by acceptance from other group members, and a feeling of community brother-hood. Rejection by the group usually brings about strong feelings of psychological distress and distress from being at odds with the group. Thus, adherents in charismatic groups who, for one reason or another, make the decision to leave the group, typically experience some psychological distress/depression. The Stockholm (or "Hostage") Syndrome To understand the psychological dependencies that are experienced by many members of a cult organization, an interesting parallel can be made to what psychologist's refer to as the Stockholm, or hostage syndrome. The hostage syndrome takes its name from the documented observation that sometimes victims may come to strongly sympathize and identify with their ATTACKERS. The Stockholm syndrome was first observed after a bank robber held a group of hostages in a Stockholm bank during a standoff with the police. After the hostages were released, it was discovered that the hostages had come to IDENTIFY with their captor, and to feel loyalty towards the bank robber. During their captivity, some had even come to fear the police. Psychologists now believe this identification with the AGGRESSOR to be a defense mechanism-- which our minds "switch" to, in order to cope with unresolved mental conflicts. According to his theory, the mental conflict occurs when the hostage feels the need to be taken care of, but at the same time has feelings of hostility towards their captor. To relate to their captor in order to obtain protection, the hostage REPRESSES these feelings of hostility. Once this repression occurs, the hostage may bond with the aggressor and come to feel loyalty towards him. Likewise, the hostage may feel anxiety when their aggressor is finally apprehended. There is of course, one fundamental difference between the hostage syndrome and most cult member's experiences. And that is that the member of the cult has usually VOLUNTARILY entered into the relationship with the cult, and desires or accepts the tight control within the group. Success stories at Cults Galanter found instances where religious cults were unquestionably HELPING drug addicts and mentally disturbed individuals. For example, he interviewed a woman named Janet, in the Divine Light Mission (a Hindu religion based cult that was popular in the U.S in the 1970's). Janet had been diagnosed as a schizophrenic in her mid-teens. Despite being placed on medical treatment, she experienced bouts of hallucinations-- including delusions of being persecuted, whereby she would fly into episodes of rage and violence. During one tragic episode (which occurred prior to joining the cult), she feared her eyes to be the source of her demonic visitations-- and she blinded herself. Galanter spoke with her some three years after she had joined the Divine Light Mission. According to Janet (and collaborated by others), she had not experienced any psychotic symptoms since joining the group. She was also completely off her medicine. Galanter noted the strong display of group affection and support, which had set "clear standards for her social behavior". As an active member of the group, she felt compelled to comply with the group's set of norms and behavior. The group would tell Janet after she began to become irritable, that her behavior was NOT appropriate--and would stick by her in a supportive, loving manner. This intensive, supportive cohesion among members, seemed to help redirect Janet's self-destructive individual thoughts into acceptable group thinking. Obviously most members of the Divine Light Mission ashram were not mentally disturbed. Galanter gave the example of a woman named Beth, who had struck him as an extremely intelligent woman, and who had held a leadership role in the antiwar movement in the 1960's. When Galanter visited her during dinner at an ashram, she "seemed transfixed, removed from all worldly cares. Only when she spoke of her newfound commitment did she become animated. She talked of the divine light she could literally see, the sacred nectar she could taste, and the divine music she heard." (ibid p 27) Examples of a Bad Cult There have been clear cases where cults have clearly turned bad: Perhaps the most famous example of a religious cult gone wrong is when the followers of the cult leader Jim Jones committed mass suicide at their Guyana, South American center.--The death toll from the suicide was over 900 deaths, which included some 260 children. Jim Jones was an ex-Protestant minister, but had still been considered a respected member of the San Francisco Bay area's religious community, only months before the mass . suicide occurred. Most religious communities consider the Jamestown community as an example of a cult that had strayed far away from mainstream values and beliefs. The mass suicides at Jamestown were thus easily dismissed as instances of a "brainwashed", "mentally-unstable" community. Still, researchers have argued that the mass suicides that occurred at Jamestown were a direct result of the community's apocalyptic views. That is, because the people were taught that they were the "elected" faithful in an approaching cosmic battle against the evil outside world, the Jonestown community had become socially conditioned to accept the possibility of a mass death. The Example of Hitler's Fascist Regime in Germany On a much grander scale, was the example of the Nazis under Hitler. Here, the entire German nation (and a sizeable portion outside Germany) were caught up in the ideology of viewing themselves as the world's "superior" race. Consider the following quote by Hitler regarding the need to remold German children so that he could create the "new order". "My teaching is hard. Weakness has to be knocked out of them. In my ORDENSBURGEN a youth will grow up before which the world will shrink back. A violently active, dominating, intrepid, brutal youth--that is what I am after. Youth must be all those things. It must be indifferent to pain. There must be no weakness or tenderness in it. I want to see once more in its eyes the gleam of pride and independence of the beast of prey... In this way I shall eradicate the thousands of years of human domestication. Then I shall have in front of me the pure and noble natural material. With that I can create the new order." Hitler, in private, boasted that he was not a Christian. However the majority of the German people that followed Hitler--believed they were acting within a redefined Christian framework. (Indeed the Nazis took their model of absolute obedience from the Jesuits). The rigid emphasis on discipline and total obedience, its cathartic vision of a new world order transformed a whole nation into loyal followers of the cult of Nazism. Where does a Cult End and a Religion Begin? Most established religions would clearly distinguish their activities and methodologies as distinct and separate from those employed by cultist groups. However, even some mainstream groups can be taken over by a charismatic leader--whose insistence on absolute control over the believers' actions and lives can result in power to follow their own agenda. Take the example of the rise to power of the Ayatollah Khomeini in Iran whose religious ideology was combined with State control. Drawing on a foundation of fundamentalist Shiite Islamic doctrine that sharply divided the world into good and evil, along with a tradition of religious martyrdom, the State was used to enforce their fundamentalist doctrines. During their war with Iraq in the 1980's, Khomeini called for a holy war to avenge Saddam Hussein's invasion into the country. With the State under the control of fundamentalist Islamic clerics, eternal salvation was promised to all those who died in battle against the enemy. The people were called upon to sacrifice their life if need be in the name of God and State: According to Marc Galanter in this book CULTS--FAITH, HEALING, AND COERCION: "Khomeini's domination of the country was nowhere more evident than in the fueling of his military machine by youths of twelve to seventeen years, impressed into what was virtual ritual suicide. Many went unarmed into battle wearing blood-red headbands or carrying books imprinted with sacred red marks, the color symbolizing their ticket to heaven. These victims of the nation's charismatic mission were recruited for martyrdom by local clergy and sent to the front in Iraq against heavy armor. As they ran across open fields of battle large numbers lost their limbs and lives in detonating land minds and thus clearing the terrain for regular troops. Often they were bound together by ropes in groups of 20 to prevent the faint of heart from deserting. In the end, though, it was the fanatical commitment that drove these youths into battle, supported by their families, who accepted their martyrdom with profound religious commitment." The "Moonies" Some cults, such as those of the Reverend Sun Myung Moon have lulled members into a mindless state that, nevertheless, appears to bring them genuine happiness. Some of the Reverend's sayings show how powerful his hold is over his followers: *"I am your brain." *"What I wish must be your wish." *The whole world is in my hand, and I will conquer and subjugate the world." *"The time will come...when my words will almost serve as law. If I ask a certain thing it will be done." *"Our strategy is to be unified into one with ourselves, and with that as the bullet we can smash the world." *"Satan is everywhere and you are vulnerable to his attack." *"During the second World War, 6 million people were slaughtered to cleanse all the sins of the Jewish people from the time of Jesus." *"...Satan confronted Jesus, working through the Jewish people..." Probably the most bizarre display of his total control over his followers occurred when the Reverend Moon randomly assigned (Moonies would insist this was divinely assigned) spiritual mates in a massive marriage ceremony. Follow up by researchers on Moonies who were married in this fashion, almost unanimously, spoke of their assigned marriage partners in favorable terms. But again--Should anyone care, since these followers genuinely appear to be happy? The answer I would say is that yes, these people appear happy--but they have traded something very precious for their bliss--Look at the empty expressions on their faces--the blank stares. It would appear that through some mechanism they have shut off a part of their mind--possibly those regions dedicated towards creative and critical thinking. One attendee of a cultist group meeting described the faces of the people around him to be similar to those of zombies. Parents and friends have a right to be concerned when a loved one has been caught up with a cult group as this can total disrupt family relationships. For example, one parent of a son who became a Hare Krishna adherent wrote how: "He has abandoned his entire past life; has no interest in his former friends, nor in any of his family. His calls and letters are very few and far between, despite our numerous attempts to communicate with him. When we do speak with him it can be on a personal level; it is strictly a sermonizing type of conversation. There have been serious illnesses within our family, but his responses have been negative, completely devoid of emotion." The parent of a child who became a Moonie wrote: "She didn't even send her father a birthday card...She said she didn't even consider us her real parents, only physical parents. Moon and his wife were her real parents." (footnote: Both cases taken from the National Ad Hoc Committee, p 52 and 53, as cited by David Bromley & Anson Shupe, Jr. STRANGE GODS, THE GREAT AMERICAN CULT SCARE, 1981, Beacon Press, Boston, p 87-88) * * * Tough issues are involved here. Living in a democracy, we must respect the right of the individual to ultimately choose his/her own path in life. Yet, on the other hand, it is hard to remain passive when one sees a cult turning their adherents into mindless robots that must unquestionably obey the doctrines of an (often very wealthy) leader. There are obviously no easy set of answers, and each situation should be treated separately. Needless to say, in today's environment it is even more important for every parent and educator to teach their children critical thinking--so that our posterity can (hopefully) be able to discern for themselves, the true nature of cultish groups.