DETECTING A CULT #2

 

Detecting a Cult - Part two

The important points to watch for

by the late Dr. Charles Dorothy DETECTION LISTS Look for these major danger signs. If several show up, beware! Is it a "closed" system? Virginia Satir in "Peoplemaking" (1972, Endnote 10) gives clues for recognizing this most basic, critical identifier: a.The system provides for little or no change at all; change is resisted. b.Does it tend to isolate members from healthy, or even ordinary, elements of our culture? (Few would argue with isolating children from pornography, or morbid concentration on death/ suffering, but books, movies, sports and clubs, with some parental guidance, are entirely another matter.) c.The group operates by edict, law and order, and through force -- both physical and psychological. d.Closed systems evolve from certain sets of beliefs which are few but powerful. Here are a few she lists. Man is basically evil and must be controlled by force. Self-worth is secondary to power and performance. There is only one right way and the person with the most power has it -- that "right way" or "one true church." My former student and current colleague, Dr.Phil Arnold, has organized "Reunion Ministries" which fosters family unity and combats the chaos of cults; here are his "Criteria for Judging New Intense Religions." We present his eight questions as a helpful detection list. ASK THESE EIGHT QUESTIONS 1. Does the group claim to have all the answers? If so, beware! Contrast a real discovery in philosophy or science which only claims an answer to one, or a few problems. 2. Are there extreme financial demands on the individual, but no accounting given -- even if requested? Contrast the hermit/monastery vow of poverty; extreme, yes, but not dangerous because an accounting can be obtained. 3. Are individual creativity and further education stifled? If so, beware. 4. Is the governing hierarchy closed -- unwilling to listen to healthy criticism? 5. Are those who disagree or dissent verbally mistreated, and/or assigned to low positions in the organization? If so, you are seeing a sign of a "closed system." 6. Have you sought out specialists/experts in the field of cults or "new intense religions" to find out the background and specifics of the group? Some devotees/fans can be dissuaded by understanding the past history and context of their movement which seems, but isn't, so novel. History helps. Facts may free your friend. 7. Have you checked out former members of the group . . . have you or the devotee sought their input? Some allowance may have to be made for bitterness, but a former cult member's testimony can be eye opening. 8. How does the group's teaching square with the Judeo-Christian world-view? How does it square with the Bible? Some groups use the "right" vocabulary, but the content is corrupt. Remember the good "Christian" front Jones used! (10A). If a group you check on scores on the "beware" side even one time, it deserves closer scrutiny. But ONE or TWO negative marks does NOT prove the group is ALL bad. FOUR and UP however means SERIOUS danger? Additional help comes through understanding, not only deviation from sound biblical doctrine, but also signs of danger in the methods of recruitment and indoctrination. Shirley and George Landa of Seattle (1970) offer, among other helpful insights, the following: 1) Recognized religions are "pro-family"; extremist cults often require that children reject their parents, or otherwise break up the family unit. 2) All candidates to the ministry or priesthood leave home -- but they do so on friendly terms. New cult recruits must give up not only home and parents, but everything of their past life. In some cases (Mt.10:34-39) one may have to choose between family and CHRIST, but it shouldn't be so to OBEY CULT LEADERS. 3) Cult leaders have one thing in common: they are all either "messiahs" or representatives of God, and God speaks through them. Of course neither good evangelical nor liberal theology allows this in the way cults have it; so why do more people not see through this ruse? Our experience confirms what the Landas answer: The leader prevents any expose by isolation and by reinforcing the idea that questioning/thinking is disloyal, wrong, evil. Members fall under more or less complete mind control and do not think for themselves; if they did, they would question many cult activities and rules. They would probably discover the deception. 4) In contrast to a church or healthy sect, cults do not engage in works of charity (note however the exception in Jim Jones). They do not sponsor orphanages, hospitals, alcohol/drug rehab centers, food distribution programs, etc. Frequently they will try to obtain funds fraudulently, or honestly through sales and fund-raisers, but all proceeds go to the exalted leader. One thinks here of the 90 plus Rolls Royces owned by the Bagwan Rajneesh. The Landas also offer a helpful insight on the relationship between cultism and fanaticism. A fanatic is a person whose extreme zeal and piety goes beyond that which is reasonable. Many people become "fanatics" about their religions, politics, hobbies, even about their own kids. However, the differences are that non-cultic fanatics do not, tell their parents they hate them and that the devil speaks through them; give up their free will to think; give up all their possessions . . . college careers or professions; give up their former life values completely. Fanatics do not give up their free will to think, as cult members do (11). We can be thankful to Almighty God for the helpful work being done by both Christians and secular researchers in this area. If you would like to read and understand more through a Professional/Christian point of view we recommend Ronald Enroth's "What Is a Cult?", and the AGO tapes "How Cults Attract", and "Cult Fanaticism" (12). For more see the Endnotes... JESUS AND THE CHURCH/SECT MODEL In spiritual terms Jesus Christ had nothing to do with present-day cults, sects, mainline established religions, or even a group of such religious institutions. Rather, the crucified Jesus - resurrected and ascended on high as the Messiah-Christ -- "was declared to be the Son of God with power" (Rm.1:4) and became "the chief cornerstone" of a heavenly, spiritual organism (Is.20:16; Eph.2:19-22). This partly invisible organism -- which the Bible calls "the body of Christ" (Eph.4:15-16; Col.1:18-22) -- must he distinguished from visible, human organizations. The earthly members of this body -- in New Testament times as now -- due to ethnic, cultural and language differences, yes, even doctrinal differences, naturally fell into different groups that we today would call denominations (various groups of Gentile Christians, Palestinian Jewish Christians, Diaspora Jewish Christians, etc. see Ac 15). But those earthly members of the body of Christ did not represent the entire "church" (Greek: ekklesia) which physically contained unconverted hangers-on, or pretending people (Acts 8; Phil.1:15-18; 2 Tim.2:17). The truly converted members, then as now, are known only to God in heaven -- the only membership that counts . . . . So much for the Biblical and spiritual side. Now let us briefly apply the physical model developed in this article to the earthly ministry of Jesus. During the physical years of his ministry, Jesus' "little flock" (Hebrew: "haburah," fellowship) in purely human terms did not yet qualify as a church. Why? Because Jesus and his followers challenged, yet worked within the true religion of Israel. Thus, again in human terms only, they formed neither a cult nor a church, but a sect. As a sect, they challenged and corrected both the world and the established "church" -- as a healthy movement should. They also helped, healed and saved all who would as they gradually grew into religious institutions. Once again we see the importance of understanding, especially understanding how to distinguish between a spiritual organism and a physical organization, between a healthy growth movement and a stifling "closed system." FINAL WARNING AND REMINDER Words do not suffice to emphasize the importance of being prepared ahead of time -- armed to combat the confusion of the cults. The "new intense religions" (new to us, but sometimes old in other parts of the world; intense because of the demand for heavy/total commitment; religion because of claims to explain or offer ultimate value) attract, as Rambo explains, because in our modern world urbanization, secularization and technology have seemingly "overpowered" mainline religions and have stripped the individual of his/her spiritual heritage and identity. Enter the "new intense religions." They are perceived -- by the spiritually deprived person -- as providing 1) intensive group support; 2) comprehensive and compelling interpretations of the worlds and 3) a means of relieving the frustrations and anxieties produced by modern life (13). In other words, our children are vulnerable - exposed to cult danger, whether the death of Jonestown or the living death of brain-washed mind-prisons matters little -- our precious youth is susceptible, unless we provide loving homes and knowledgeable Christian teaching. We, not the cultists, must provide the "intense support", the compelling Christian view of the world" and ways of "relieving the frustration of modern life." Perhaps you can also see, on the positive side, that not all sects or groups are unhealthy. This understanding should help you and your precious children lead a life free of fear. But several have asked me "How do sects (OK by definition) turn into cults (harmful, and not OK by definition)?" The questioners have seen this happen, so it is a real possibility. A detailed explanation would be too lengthy, but a short answer will help. Any group can become cultish if the leader(s) (and leadership = the first key) begin to create a "closed system" (= the second key). You will remember that closed systems start with isolation and end with total dedication to a person or doctrine. You now have in your hands the promised detection list. Indeed this list is informed by the social sciences and has been forged in the crucible of our painful experience. May it help you or your loved ones. More information is available through books, pamphlets and addresses in the Endnotes. But let us close with a true story that will prove the urgency of taking preventative action. THE STOCKHOLM SYNDROME Ted Childress, now an elder but formerly twenty-one years with the F.B.I., explains this unusual occurrence as follows: The term Stockholm Syndrome first occurred in 1973 at an attempted bank robbery in Stockholm, Sweden. A man tried to rob a bank, and the police caught him inside. He took three female hostages and one male hostage and held them for 131 hours, during which time he terrorized them. He fired his Russian automatic assault weapon at them. He threatened to kill them on numerous occasions. He put nooses around their necks and threatened to hang them. But he didn't harm any of them. When he finally surrendered something vary unusual happened. We expected the hostages to be antagonistic toward the hostage taker. But instead they said they feared the police more than the hostage taker. They also said they didn't hate the hostage taker. They refused to testify against him. One of the ladies became engaged to this hostage taker, and as far as I know, she's still engaged to him. The FBI analyzed thousands of hostage situations since that time. We found this happens very frequently. So we asked psychologists, "What happened? What causes this?" They said in hostage situations, with a high level of life-threatening stress and positive human interaction, the peoples' ego-defensive mechanisms come into play. There is denial of what is happening and regression to a different emotional state. The hostage will eventually begin to transfer his hatred -- This guy doesn't really want to hurt me -- and begins to hate the policemen. And something else very important begins to happen; a love relationship begins to take place. And this love relationship is like what happens between a young child and a mother. The mother is protecting the child from the terrifying world and providing all its needs. This love relationship occurs both ways. This unusual but powerful tendency also occurs in mind-bending cults -- cult followers become completely devoted to the person or doctrine that is almost brain-washing them. What this means is that prevention -- proper education -- is much easier than cure. ENDNOTES 1. From Kenneth Wooden, "The Children of Jonestown" (New York: McGraw-Hill, 1981) p. iii. 2. Rodney Stark and William S. Bainbridge, "The Future of Religion: Secularization, Revival and Cult Formation" (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1985), Chapter two. Hereafter cited simply as "Stark" plus date and page. 3. Lewis R. Rambo, "Cult" in The Westminster Dictionary of Christian Theology, A. Richardson and J. Bowden, eds., (Philadelphia: Westminister Press, 1983) p.137. 4. Charles Braden, "These Also Believe" (New York: Macmillan, 1951), Preface, xii. 5. Walter R. Martin, "The Kingdom of the Cults," (Minneapolis: Bethany Fellowship, Inc., second edition, 1985) p.11. 6. Stark and Bainbridge, see note two; now in pope,back, 1986. 7. Ibid., p.27, editing ours. B. Ibid., p.29. 9. Marshall Kilduff and Ran Savers, "The Suicide Cult: the Inside Story of the Peoples Temple Sect and the Massacre in Guyana" (New York: Bantam Books, 1978) p.19. 10. Jon and Lin Hill, my colleagues, provided this very helpful reference: Satir -- "Peoplemaking" (Palo Alto: Science and Behavior Books, Inc. 1972) pp.113-15. 10a. Our thanks to REUNION, which can be contacted at P.0.Box 25336, Houston, TX 77265, or call (713) 523-3511. 11. Shirley and George Lands, "Have You Lost a Daughter, a Son, or a Spouse to a Cult?" (Seattle: n.p., 1978) p.1. 12. R. Enroth, "What is a Cult?" (Downer's Grove: Inter-Varsity Press, 1982); this handy 28-page booklet offers much good material, with three possible approaches in defining "cult": a sensational/popular approach with focus on the dramatic . bizarre aspects; a sociological one "which includes the authoritarian, manipulative, totalistic and sometimes communal features of cults;" a theological one which of course implies some standard of "orthodoxy." 13. L.R.Rambo, op. cit.. Rambo's short, to-the-paint article is worth reading. 14. Taken from Donald E. Hake, "Preaching Today", Tape #30 "The Stockholm Syndrome", Cedar Springs Presbyterian Church, Knoxville, TN, n.d. FURTHER Reading: Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman, "Snapping: America's Epidemic of Sudden Personality Change," (New York: J.B. Lippincott, 1918). William J. Peterson, "Those Curious New Cults," (New Cancan, CT, 1982). David Breese, "Know the Marks of Cults," (Wheaton, Illinois: Victor Books, 1983). I.Hexam, "Cults" in Evangelical Dictionary of Theology, Walter A. Elwell, ad. (Grand Rapids: Baker Book House, 1984). N.H.Maring, "Cult" in Encyclopedic Dictionary of Religion, Paul N. Meagher, OP, S.T.M. et all., ads. (Washington, D.C.: Corpus Publications, 1979). See also the bibliographies in Lands and Landa, Enroth, etc. Completed June, 1986 ABOUT THE AUTHOR Dr. Charles V. Dorothy: A northwesterner by birth and education (honors graduate of the University of Washington, 1955), Charles served as Director of Biblical Research for the ACD (he did until his death - Keith Hunt). His academic credentials extend through a Ph.D. in Spanish Language and Literature (Mexico, 1963), a M.A. in Theology (concentration in Semitics; Fuller Theological Seminary, 1977) to his present candidacy for the Ph.D. in Religion (specialization: Old Testament and Dead Sea Scrolls) at Claremont Graduate School (I do not know if he ever completed this PhD. I presume he did as this article was written in 1986 and he did not die until the late 1990s - Keith Hunt). ................ Keith Hunt and Dr. Dorothy I told you at the end of part one that I spent the entire Feast of Tabernacles at Harrisburg with Charles Dorothy, in the middle 1980s. He was not only a scholar of Hebrew and Greek, but a very fine "Flamenco Guitar" player. I had my guitar with me and we had a "concert talent night" - Charles played a "flamenco number" and I played a "boogie-woogie" number. He said to me, "Well Keith I cannot do that stuff you do on the guitar" and I replied, "And Charles I can't do what you do on the guitar" - he was a real fine gentleman in every way. Charles Dorothy was hurt by and very badly treated by the Worldwide Church of God in the last few years he was a teacher at Ambassador College and one of their fine ministerial scholars. When I knew him in the middle 1980s he was finding his way mentally and emotionally through the garbage and corruptions that had become so prevalent in the WCG by the middle 1980s. He did find his way through it all, and went on to serve and help Ken Westby's "Association of Christian Development" in many ways, including proving to Ken and others that the Bible and History show the "Festivals of the Lord" (Lev.23) were observed by the NT Church of God, and should still be observed by the Church of God today. One question I was anxious to ask Charles at that Feast of Tabernacles in Harrisburg, was this: "I remember Charles, the article you wrote in the middle 1960s in the "Good News" magazine (a magazine for members only in the WCG at that time) about those groups of people you came across in South America, who were observing the weekly 7th day Sabbath and also the Festivals of Leviticus 23. I remember a lot of excitement about finding those people, but then absolutely nothing after that article of yours was ever written, nor was there any more talk about those people from the ministers. All went completely silent. What happened?" Charles looked at me and smiled, and replied, "Well Keith, I and a few others were sent back to those people, to ask them if they would recognize Herbert W. Armstrong as God's "THE apostle" of the end times and become part of the Worldwide Church of God. They looked at us and laughing said, 'And who on earth is Herbert W. Armstrong?' And that was the end of the matter." We now known that those people in South America were part of the Seventh Day Adventist Church in the 1900s and then early in the 20th century an Adventist minister came to see that the Festivals of Lev.23 should be observed. His articles on the matter were published in the Adventist magazine. Most SDA churches around the world, just did not take the studies seriously. But 4 or 5 SDA churches in South America saw the truth of the matter and started to observe the Feasts of the Lord. They then left the SDA organization and became independent churches. God has always worked His work all over the earth in various ways with various people, when and how He decides. He has never been limited (who can limit God, but some in their foolishness have so tried, by their misguided and silly ideas, as the "we are the only true church" teachings of cults and some sects) as to teaching and proclaiming His word of truth - Keith Hunt (August 2004).            THE CHAPTERS  I  BRING YOU NEXT FROM THE BOOK "CHURCHES             THAT ABUSE,"  BY ENROTH,  WILL  LAY  THE  CARDS  ON  THE  TABLE,             AND  SHOW  YOU  THE  REAL  WAYS  CULTS   WILL  WORK  AND  BRAIN               WASH  THEIR  PEOPLE— Keith Hunt