Willow Scott

Mr. Droski

English 11 5th

Dec. 9 2019

Leave Cult Members Alone

Imagine a friend telling you they had joined a cult. They seem excited about being in this

group, but you begin to feel concerned for them. Without even hearing many details of the cult,

you are already worried for them. Even though the word has a negative connotation, cults aren’t

always bad. The only cults heard about in the news are always destructive, and the word “cult”

only earned its less than positive undertone because of Christians that saw these religions to be

against the Church. Still, some believe that the notion of cults in inherently a damaging idea.

With lots of debate surrounding this the question still stands: are cults harmful?

There are many different types of cults. Mostly, the term is used to describe new religious

movements (NRMs). Even then, not all cults are religious. Some cults revolve around a political

leader, some around extraterrestrial elements (called UFO cults), and some are self-help

organizations. The term has a negative context to it, and the word is often used as a label for

religious groups that scare communities and appear to undermine the local values. Criminal

activity has been uncovered within emerging cults which contributes to the overall distrust.

Groups have had trouble legitimizing their cult, and they point to the first amendment of freedom

of religion. Defenders of cults blame the media for sensationalizing cults when cults are not

inherently abusive. Some NRMs are forced to move and settle far from where they had

originated. Mormons once experienced this, and once they had moved, the government
discriminated against them for practicing polygamy. Eventually the Latter Day Saints Church

forbade polygamy, but for many years Mormons were affected by the laws the government put in

place. While Mormonism was based in Christianity, some are based elsewhere. Scientology is

based on the belief that the creation of the universe was due to a life force named Theta. The

church has experienced much criticism included allegations of abuse for which they filed

lawsuits. Many refuse to acknowledge scientology as a religion because of the growing evidence

against them. The predominance of Abrahamic religions has contributed to the misunderstanding

of other religions, but some Americans are interested in these “obscure” beliefs. The

International Society of Krishna Consciousness (ISKCON) promoted an alternative

interpretation of Hinduism, and this group was garnered with curiosity and enthusiasm. The

group was condemned after an investigation revealed decades of sexual child abuse in the

ISKCON schools. It has also been criticized by traditional Hindus for contradicting early Hindu

teachings. Another NRM inspired by Hinduism entered America and clashed with locals of their

town. It was revealed that they had attempted political assassinations and successfully poisoned

large parts of the local population. After this the leader was deported, cultists driven away, and

members given federal prison sentences. Destructive cults unfortunately give all cults a bad

name. They include the People's Temple of the Disciples of Christ and the UFO cult Heaven's

Gate; these cults engaged in mass suicide as they believed it would deliver them to the next

phase of existance. A cult in Waco, Texas engaged in a deadly shootout with local police. Most

cults don’t take part in either of these, but illegal activities do often take place in cults.

Destructive cults often situate themselves in remote areas where they can avoid police. Many

destructive cults in the past have been found out for criminal activity. (“Cults”)
 All religions start off as small, obscure ideas. Before Christianity, Islam, Judaism, and

other large religions today became large, they were small groups surrounding their idea of a God.

As a sprouting religion, Chrisitianity faced conflict, “During the first century, many people in the

Roman Empire rejected Christianity because it was new, and valued Judaism because of its

ancient history. Today, some established religions criticize new religions simply because they are

new and teach different beliefs.” (Robinson) Rejecting other NRMs because of their seemingly

“weird” beliefs is no better than rejecting Christianity for the older religion of Judaism. The past

shows that even though it was rejected because of this, Christianity became a larger religion than

most of the world follows. Reasons given for being anti-cult make no more sense than the

reasons given by the Romans. Given this hypocritical stance on cults, it makes no sense to try to

justify the hatred toward NRMs.

Destructive cults like People’s Temple and Heaven’s Gate have resulted in mass suicide,

but are not common. Despite the fact that these cults existed and killed many, they are a very

small fraction of the thousands of NRMs in the world.One NRM that the FBI thought of as

destructive was the cult involved in the “Waco siege” in 1993. “Four agents of the Bureau of

Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms were killed trying to arrest "cult leader" David Koresh. After a

51-day standoff, the FBI injected tear gas into the group's compound. Seventy-five people,

including children, lost their lives when the compound burned to the ground. If the FBI had

dialogued with Branch Davidians by taking their beliefs seriously—instead of seeing members as

brainwashed followers of a mad cult leader—deaths could perhaps have been avoided.”

(Schmalz) This cult, in fact, had beliefs based in the bible and was nonviolent before the FBI

ever intervened. While they were suspected of violating federal firearms regulations, proof was
not given prior to the invasion. Intense force was used against them that led to both adults and

children dying simply because the Branch Davidians were an NRM. They may have been guilty,

but evidence from the siege shows the FBI unlawfully shot and killed members of the Branch

Davidians who had not committed any crimes. While there are horrible cults in the world, ones

that justify the FBI’s fear of NRMs, news media sensationalizes all NRMs by primarily focusing

on the negative. News media tends to pay attention to new religions only when something drastic

has taken place like the mass suicide of Peoples Temple, the BATF siege of the Branch Davidian

residence, the murder/suicides of the members of the Order of the Solar Temple, the suicies of

the Heaven's Gate "Away Team", other preparation made by end-of-the-world groups like the

Church Universal and Triumphant, raids by official agencies on groups like Twelve Tribes and

the Children of God/The Family, and the 2000 murder/suicides of the Movement for the

Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God. Media generally decides what to broadcast based

on "if it bleeds, it leads." (Cowan) Compared to the amount of cults in the world, the ones that

have been reported on are only a small fraction of them. Media doesn’t write about the peaceful

groups surrounding around bettering the members or around newer views on a deity. Media

influences the public’s view on cults in a negative way, but doesn’t accurately reflect cults as a

whole. The truth is that the few cults the public know influence their opinion, though their

perception isn’t entirely true.

Cults, or NRMs, are largely non harmful and aim to solidify themselves as a religion.

Though many face backlash because of their impression on the public, they are not bad groups.

The word has become misunderstood, and these groups aim to redefine themselves and the word

“cult” on a whole. “A few new religions, such as the Raëlians, will admit to being a "cult," but in
doing so they have actively redefined the term to strip it of its negative connotations. While

adherents of some groups are content to be regarded as members of a new religion, others, such

as practitioners of Transcendental Meditation, contend that theirs is not a religious movement at

all. Members of the Church of Scientology, on the other hand, insist that theirs is a bona fide

religion, despite widespread media and countermovement criticism that it is not. And still others,

such as Unificationists, Branch Davidians, or members of the Children of God/The Family, are

clear that their faith is not new at all, that they are in fact devout Christians and full members of

the largest single religious group on the planet....” (Cowan) Some NRMs own the term “cult,”

while some redefine themselves as NRMs or even just as a religion itself, contesting they aren’t

new at all. Despite the edgy appearance, they seek to be understood by the masses and be seen as

genuine groups. The common thread between them, being the word cult itself, has been misused

for ages. “And, though there are occasional exceptions, "cult" has become little more than a

convenient, if largely inaccurate and always pejorative, shorthand for a religious group that must

be presented as odd or dangerous for the purposes of an emerging news story.” (Cowan) “Cult”

has buy and large become the word for dangerous or weird groups that go against a communities

general beliefs. NRMs are simply new religious groups formed that aren’t within the definition

of “normal,” but they aren’t entirely dangerous. Most cults and NRMs are no more harmful than

your everyday God fearing Christians that attend church on Sunday, even with their labelling.

Religious people often fear cults, believing they threaten the mainstream religions. Many

believe that cults are controlling over their members. “Scrolling through their websites, their

mission statements are warmly fuzzy and vague; they promise redemption, renewal, rejuvenation

and reinvention. They offer answers, solutions and happiness. It's all there, yours for the taking.
What isn't included is the reality beneath the surface, the leader's demands for obedience from its

members, the psychological pressure, the ability to subordinate all activities to the leader's will.”

(Tamm) Although some see cults as people under a leader’s control, the same can be said for

religions like Christianity. Churches dedicated to Chritianity and its denominations have had

controlling leaders that turn their followers into homophobic, racist, and sexist self-justified

people of God. Even after this, people feel comfortable simply calling them religious instead of

the real word they deserve: full fledged destructive cult members. This is an extreme point of

view, but with the discriminatory words against cults, it is equal. Not all Christians are cult

members, and not all cult members are brainwashed slaves to a leader. Not every cult should be

painted with the same paintbrush, and not every church should be seen as a small Westboro

Baptist Church.

So, are cults harmful? The answer isn’t an easy one to come to, but on the majority they

are not. Though lives have been lost due to the destructive cults in the world, there are many

small cults that are nothing more than groups with a different view than the mainstream

religions. Cults begin just like other religions have, carry out business like they do, and most are

beneficial to their followers like most religions are. While fear of cults is sometimes valid,

acceptance is beneficial to all parties. So next time you see a cult member, remember to leave

them alone just like you would anyone else.

Cowan, Douglas E., and David G. Bromley. "The Term Cult Is Misused for New Religious

Movements." Cults, edited by Roman Espejo, Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing

Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints,https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010833207/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid

=OVIC&xid=ab1c4ce8. Accessed 3 Dec. 2019. Originally published in Cults and New

Religions: A Brief History, 2008.

"Cults." Gale Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2018. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints,https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/PC3010999222/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&si

d=OVIC&xid=bb6709f7. Accessed 2 Dec. 2019.

Robinson, Bruce A. "The Threat of Cults Is Exaggerated." Cults, edited by Roman Espejo,

Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints,https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010833215/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid

=OVIC&xid=0d903f89. Accessed 3 Dec. 2019. Originally published as "Cults (a.k.a.

New Religious Movements): Introduction and Levels of Belief Coercion Within

Religious Groups," www.religioustolerance.org, 30 Aug. 2008.

Schmalz, Mathew. "Why the label 'cult' gets in the way of understanding new religions." Gale

Opposing Viewpoints Online Collection, Gale, 2019. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints,https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/TZRCXC574101884/OVIC?u=lom_accessmic

h&sid=OVIC&xid=0082371f. Accessed 3 Dec. 2019. Originally published as "Why the

label 'cult' gets in the way of understanding new religions," The Conversation, 10 Apr.

2018.

Tamm, Jayanti. "Cults Are Harmful and Extreme Religious Groups." Cults, edited by Roman
Espejo, Greenhaven Press, 2013. Opposing Viewpoints. Gale In Context: Opposing

Viewpoints,https://link.gale.com/apps/doc/EJ3010833206/OVIC?u=lom_accessmich&sid

=OVIC&xid=116167df. Accessed 3 Dec. 2019. Originally published as "What Is A Cult?

Recognizing and Avoiding Unhealthy Groups," Huffington Post, 14 Apr. 2011.