Cults (2230 words) Essay Example For Students

Cults (2230 words) Essay CultsEach year, hundreds of North Americans join one of the increasing,estimated 3000 unorthodox religions that exist across North America. Theincreasing number of cults, to date in North America, is due to the factthat cults are a social movement that attempts to help people cope withtheir perceived problems with social interaction. Cult recruiters targetthose who perceive themselves as different from the rest of society, andgive these individuals the sense of belonging that they crave. Cultliterature lures potential cult members by appealing to their desperateneed to socially fit in. Cults provide a controlled family environmentthat appeals to potential cult members because it is a removal from theexterior society. Cult recruiters prey on those who see themselves as alienated from therest of society, and give these people the sense of conformity that theydesire. A common method of recruiters, to obtain new members, is throughchat lines on the internet. A recorded conversation between a member of the Divine Light Mission, Fire-Shade, and an 18-year old boy, Jay 18, was obtained off of the site, IRC Teen Chat. Jay18: I am a really great poet, but all of the kids in my class are pretty warped about it. I basically hide it from them because I dont need that hassle. Fire-Shade: My family has a great respect for the artist inside us all. I know you live in Michigan, and our family could always use new operatives all over the world. You have to understand what our family is about, it is about always fitting in and never hiding the truth to be liked or cool. Are you interested?Jay18: Well maybeFire-Shade: Give me your phone number we really shouldnt talk about this here. Jay18: I would rather not give my phone number out. You give me yours, I wont be able to talk for long though. Fire-Shade: Trust is very important in our group. Do you trust me? You cant call us, unfortunately because we are not in a position to be accepting phone calls. Jay18: Well then you can just e-mail me. OK. Fire-Shade: 1The cult member makes the young boy feel as though he does care abouthis problems, and wants to make this boys life better. Fire-Shadeconveys his family as an entity not as many different individuals. Afterfeeling alone for many years the only persuasion some individuals needis the assurance that they will be part of a society and acceptedunconditionally. Cult members know what type of individuals feel mostalienated and alone, says Dr. Lorna Goldberg, a New Jerseypsychoanalyst. No one plans to join a cult unless they see that cult as a possibility for a family, or a better society. Cults target people in transitioncollege students away from home for the first time, people who have moved to new cities for jobs, those who have just been divorced or widowed. Usually individuals 16 to 25 or 35 to 40. The vast majority of members are merely looking for a sense of community and belonging, during a difficult time in their lives.2 Cults provide an ersatz social unit, which takes them in, nurtures themand reinforces the cults worldview. By the time that most cult membersrealize that this cult isnt what they had expected, it is too late,because they are already too afraid to leave. Recruiters are not theonly way that potential members are enticed into cults, often theirliterature is powerful enough. Cult novels, pamphlets and websites draw in potential cult members byappealing to their desperate need to socially fit in. Often if a pieceof cult literature is written correctly it convinces the most logicalmind of the most absurd reasoning, like this pamphlet by the HeavensGate cult. The generally accepted norms of todays societies world over are designed, established, and maintained by the individuals who were at one time students of the Kingdom of Heaven- angels in the making- who flunked out of the classroom. Legends and scriptures refer to them as fallen angels. The current civilizations records use the name Satan or Lucifer to describe a single fallen angel and also to nickname any evil presence. If you have experienced some of what our classroom requires of us, you would know that these presences are real and that the Kingdom of God even permits them to attack us in order for us to learn their tricks and how to stay above them or conquer them.3This particular piece of heave ns gate literature can be found printed innot only their pamphlets and novels, but also on their website. In thissingle passage this cult has enabled the alienated individual to feelaccepted and feel that they are not the only person who feels helpless,alone and disliked by society. It not only reassures the potential cultmember that they are welcome somewhere, but it makes them feel superiorto the society that they feel has betrayed them their entire life. Herzog EssayThe idea that any specific social-class is more susceptible to cultmembership is false. As history has shown cult members social class cannot be generalized. Social Status is no indicator of susceptibility and no defense against it. For instance, while many of the dead a Jonestown were poor, the Solar Temple favors the carriage trade. Its disciples have included the wife and son of the founder of Vuarnet sunglass company. The Branch Davidians at Waco came from many walks of life. And at Rancho Santa Fe they were paragons of the entrepreneurial class, so well organized they died in shifts.10 The reason for cult membership is obviously not entirely due to social class. Different people are drawn to different cults, just as different cults prey on different individuals. The research done at the Bethany Hills School is also not entirely accurate because the population is so small that 24 surveys cannot accurately represent most cult members. Although Dr. Meltons research provides an interesting viewpoint, hisclaims are still being experimented and have never been fullysubstantiated. His claim that cult members are young people rebellingagainst their parents is statistically inaccurate since 35 to40-year-olds are one of the most common groups of cult members, and makeup a large portion of the hundreds of men and women who join cults eachyear. Cult enlisteers target those who view themselves as a deviant from therest of society, and give these individuals a false sense of family. Cult literature lures potential cult members by convincing them thatsociety is an anomalous entity and that they are healthy and sound. Thecontrolled family environment of cults appeals to potential cult membersbecause they have all of their decisions made for them, and do not riskfailure. No one is beyond the possibility of joining a cult, applicantsrequire only a hopeless feeling of social inadequacy, a condition apt tostrike anyone at some point in life. Undoutably, many cults aremalicious and violent, but they do send a clear message that somethingis very wrong when sane, healthy people would rather burn, poison, andshoot themselves to death rather than live another moment in society. Endnotes1. Lacay, Richard. Macleans: The Lure of the Cult (March 22 1997)2. Graebrener, William. The American Record. Alfred A. Knoph, Inc. New York. 1982. 3. Applewhite, Marshall Herff. Heavens Gate, The Novel. Received offof their internet site(www.heavensgatetoo.com)4. Applewhite, Marshall Herff. Heavens Gate The Novel. Received offof their internet site(www.heavensgatetoo.com)5. Bright-Paul, Anthony. Stairway to Subud. Dharma Book Company, Inc. NewYork. 1965. 6. Swami, Bhaktivedanta A.C. Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost YogaSystem. Iskcon Press. Boston. 1970. 7. Fennell, Tom. Time: Doom Sects . (April 7, 1997) 8. Lamaadar, Alia. Cults:Questionair. January 12, 1998. 9. Lamaadar, Alia. Cults:Questionair. January 12, 1998. 10. Muller, Bill. The Edmonton Journal: The Lure of Cults . (April 1, 1997)Bibliography1. Applewhite, Marshall Herff Heavens Gate, The Novel. Received off oftheir internet site(www.heavensgatetoo.com)2. Bright-Paul, Anthony. Stairway to Subud. Dharma Book Company, Inc. NewYork. 1965. 3. Bugliosi, Vincent. Helter Skelter. Bantam Books. New York. 1975. 4. Fennell, Tom. Time: Doom Sects . (April 7, 1997) 5. Graebner, William. The American Record. Alfred A. Knoph, Inc. NewYork. 1982. 6. Lacay, Richard. Macleans: The Lure of the Cult (March 22 1997)7. Lamaadar, Alia. Cults:Questionair. January 12, 1998. 8. Muller, Bill. The Edmonton Journal:The Lure of Cults . (April 1, 1997)9. Porter, Anne. Farewell to the Seventies. Thomas Nelson and Sons. Don Mills. 1979. 10. Smith, Michelle. Michelle Remembers. Pocket Books. New York. 1980. 11. Swami, Bhaktivedanta A.C. Krsna Consciousness: The Topmost YogaSystem. Iskcon Press. Boston. 1970.