What is a Cult?
by Norman Odabashian
Before the time of Christ and even earlier, cults have existed and have had great followings. Every race and every social class has produced cults. The phenomenon is universal. Actually a cult is nothing more than a group of people or a community which holds the same beliefs. Usually they are centered around a common leader. In the pagan Roman Empire of the first and second centuries, the Christian religion was considered a cult. Christianity certainly fits the definition of a cult as stated above.
However, in more recent times and within our culture there has been a drastic increase in what would best be called "destructive cults." In this article we shall show just how destructive these modern day cults can be. Orthodox Christianity must become aware of the great danger and being thus informed must challenge the cults in defense of the true and freeing Gospel.
On November 18, 1978 a shocking mass cult suicide took place in Jonestown. Over nine hundred people committed suicide as a result of imbibing a drink which their leader had poisoned. Over night the whole world was awakened to the danger of the cults. For a time the issue of the cults was on the front pages and uppermost topic of discussions in high schools and colleges. As time passed the novelty wore off and the topic slowly declined in interest. (Just a few weeks ago a lonely article appeared in the middle of a national newspaper reporting a cult related death.) Nevertheless, it must be stated that cults have not gone away, they continue their destructive activities and each day scores and scores of young people are trapped into the various groups.
Perhaps this is one of the prices that we must pay for living in a pluralistic and permissive society, where we enjoy freedom of worship. But we must draw the line and take a strong stand against destructive religious groups. Because of our tolerance toward religious groups of every kind, the cults are left unchallenged and in some degree are encouraged by society's complacency. No one seems to become interested unless a loved one is at stake. So as a result, cults are actually on the increase throughout the world while at the same time many mainline Christian groups are struggling to retain members.
What is it that makes the cults so appealing and at the same time so destructive? Cults offer an escape from the chaos and confusion of modern life. They promise to give answers to the meaning of life and death. On the other hand, people who have left cults testify to extreme physical, mental and emotional abuse. Mind manifestation and thought reform are often used to convince new followers. In addition, many cults have been found guilty of such illegal practices as consumer fraud, forced servitude and physical threat to non-members.
The truly destructive nature of these cults is best seen in the drastic change or emotional shifts which occur in the lives of people drawn into cults. Many have had a total turn about in their vocational directions or goals. Others have unexpectedly broken off long term relationships, including family ties. Cults often make super human demands on adherents, which cause them to sacrifice family and career in order to devote themselves fully to the cult--be it raising money, winning new converts or being a slave to the leader.
There are five basic categories of cults. The first, the classical American cults, have all come into existence in the course of the nineteenth century, among which are the Christian Scientists, Jehovah's Witnesses and Mormons. All of the groups have vast and sophisticated publishing networks on an international scale and enjoy very large followings.
Another type of cult which came about in the late 1950's can be called the pseudo-Christian cults, because they have come out of recognized Christian denominations and their leaders have at one time been duly recognized Christian ministers. A few of these are the Children of God, the Way International and the Moonies, otherwise known as the Unification Church.
The most exotic types of cults come out of the East and in more cases than not have their roots in some branch of Hinduism. A few of them are the Hare Krishnas, the followers of Rajneesh and Transcendental Meditation. In these cults above all the focus is on escape from reality and becoming one with the leader or the all important guru. Sexual promiscuity is often encouraged as well.
Humanistic psychology which deals with the development of human potential with or without God can be considered a fourth type of cult (e.g. the New Age Movement). This has become very popular in our society in recent years, as book after book is published and as more programs are offer in cities throughout America.
A fifth type of cult which is wrought with danger involves activity with the occult. This is nothing more than a regression to the Pre-Christian Worship of Nature, the Forces Behind Nature and Satan-worship. This regression into Paganism and Introduction of Pantheism is accompanied by strange sacrificial activity, sometimes involving human sacrifices.
The Christian Church must test and evaluate all such new groups on the basis of its own standard of truth, based upon the Scriptures and the Holy Tradition. Christians have to be better instructed and grounded in their own faith, so that their needs will be met by the saving Christian faith. Knowledge is the best deterrent to the spread of the cults. We need to ask what the cults teach about the person of Christ. Is His divinity being acknowledged? How does the group view the Holy Spirit and the scriptures? We must beware when other books written in latter days, by supposedly inspired persons are viewed on an equal or higher plain than the Bible.
It is also important to investigate the history of a particular group. Does it have a solid foundation in centuries of practice? Does it compare to the Church which has lasted since apostolic times and which has above all stressed the freedom of the believer and the sanctity of the family. Or did its leader just arrive on the last boat from India, or was he just released from a prison sentence for tax evasion or drug abuse? The behavior of the group must be fully investigated to see whether or not it enters into the realm of the bizarre which may include the practice of human sacrifice or cult prostitution.
When we attempt to identify dangerous cults, it is crucial that we are aware of the general characteristics of cults and their adherents. First there is usually an aversion to non-members and especially toward Christians. Non-members are viewed
as spiritually inferior. Usually, there is almost always a requirement of blind obedience to a leader, no matter how evil or corrupt that leader may be.
The concept of forgiveness is not very often stressed and in fact many deny the notion of full forgiveness for committed offenses. Cults take advantage of guilt in order to impress followers toward full dependence. The use of threats are often physical in nature and often constitute routine methods of dealing with disobedience or dissension. For example, there have been proven cases of physical violence among the Mormons and the followers of the sex-guru Rajneesh.
Though there exist over a hundred different cults, certain ideas are commonly shared among them. Each cult, for example, claims to have the monopoly on truth and right thinking and believing. However, even a superficial view of them will show that most are syncretistic, holding beliefs which are borrowed from already exiting religious systems. Modern cults very often borrow ideas from each other. For instance, the Christian Scientist's denial of the existence of matter has been in one way or another influenced by Hindu philosophy. In fact, all of the gurus which make their way into our society, simply repeat in a variety of ways the themes developed thousands of years ago. The dogma espoused by a leader is usually subjective in nature and is often based on feelings, rather than on wisdom or study. No one in the group has the right to question the leader's view, but must maintain absolute obedience.
Followers of cults very often are made to be persecution conscious. If people cause them difficulty or challenge them in any way, they feel that they are being "persecuted for righteousness sake" and thus the truth of the cause is further impressed upon them. Furthermore, many cults are characterized by esoteric activities and a fascination with secrets held by the adherents. Only to members are the secrets of the cult ever divulged and a threat of sever punishment is made to anyone who gives away secret knowledge.
The place of the leader cannot be overly emphasized. For the cult members, the leader is all powerful and infallible. People in cults blindly give away all their worldly possessions and turn over all financial assets to the cult leader. Glory upon glory is rendered to the guru. He enjoys the grand luxury in numerous mansions throughout the world. He partakes of the fullest of what wealth can provide, while his devotees go about begging and scraping for food, having barely enough clothing to keep warm.
How and in what ways do cults gain control over people. Mind control or brainwashing is at the top of the list. Cults will control the total social environment of the inductee, including how their time is spent and as to what they are allowed to see, read and eat. Inductees are often drugged against their will, denied sleep and are forced to repeat meaningless phrases for hours on end. People are forced to believe that they are helpless and that their lives are devoid of meaning outside of the cult community. All support systems, except for the cult are removed, including parents and friends. Furthermore, people are reduced to childishness and are forced to be dependent on the cult community. In short, all former behavior associated with family, friends and job are replaced with the cult as the new family. The leader becomes a father figure, but is always characterized as friendly, yet in reality is deceptive. His authority is not to be challenged and any discussion or question of policy is not permitted.
In order to further the goal of the cult to totally take over the person's being, spiritual experiences are artificially brought about. Constant chanting and hyperventilation, increased stress levels, deprivation of sleep, a decrease of protein in the diet, hypnosis and drug use all contribute to bringing about dependency of the individual upon the cult and its leader.
Finally, it would be helpful to realize what kind of people are falling into the snare of cults. Studies indicate that they are mostly teens and young adults from ages 17-24. Often they are college students from good homes, who perhaps experience some loneliness being away from home for the first time. Such people are perfect candidates who fall very easily into cults, where they are welcomed into an environment of love and affection. They are at an age when all of a sudden pressures surround them, from home, school and peers. The cults are extremely enticing for those who have simply not found answers in traditional religious circles to the serious problems confronting young and old alike in the rapidly changing and contradiction filled world of today.
The study of the cults is as important as it is vast, because of the variety of cults which exist and of the serious threat they pose to people throughout the world. Cults are not only a threat to the Church, but moreover pose a severe danger to society. From a Christian stand point they are agents of evil, because of the hold that they take upon people. Cults take away from innocent people their ability to make choices and to retain and develop relationships, which comprises the meaning and function of being human, made "in the image and likeness of God."
