What is a cult?
Cult: usually a small group devoted to a person, idea, or philosophy. It’s important to know the “warning signs” of a cult, which will separate them from more organized religious movements.
- There will always be a “leader” or a small group of people that will be the most powerful in the group. These people will often say that a higher being is either acting or speaking through them. This gives them the power to say or do anything in the name of their all powerful entity. These leaders are often incredibly charismatic and sometimes even psychopathic.
- The leader’s ideals will encourage you to isolate yourself from any other community you may either be a part of or have access to.
- Cults will either make you go through a long series of steps, or are incredibly difficult to become a part of. Or, on the other hand, will invite you with open arms and encourage you to invite your friends and family. Overall it’s common for these groups to be suspicious of outsiders and never reveal their secrets.
- In the case of Doomsday Cults – if the leader is warning you of the end of the world, or of a large event happening (a bombing, a huge earthquake that will split the world, ect) with no scientific proof, or due to a spiritual entity. But if you do what they tell you to, you will be saved from whatever horrible ending everyone else will fall to. This is a fear mongering technique that you even see on public news publications, unfortunately a very effective way to convince people to trust you.
History of cults
Cults became “mainstream” in the 1960s, as there were many becoming public during that decade. The anticult movement became most popular in the next decade, 1970s. Some of the most well known cults from this time period were the People’s Temple which ended in mass murder-suicide of all their members and the Manson Family which ended in the homocide of several innocent people. The scariest cult, in my opinion was the case of Heaven’s Gate, which ended in mass suicide. There are public videos of the victims leaving their goodbyes. The scary part is how incredibly confident they were that what they were doing was for the best. While the revealing of these cults led to more people learning about the dangers of such groups, it also led to mass hysteria. Not only were there cults who harmed their members, but they were becoming more extreme and harming those who are unafflicted by the cults.
How do cults form?
Cults begin with a charismatic leader (who will sometimes create a group of other charismatic people to lead). This leader will then create an entity to worship or use as an excuse for their manipulative/dangerous actions. So why are they still so prevalent even though everyone knows about them? Cults rely on vulnerability in their victims. The victims are often grieving, mentally unwell, or even just young and naive. This is part of what makes it so scary – the victims don’t even realize they are a victim. The cult leaders will promise healing or unachievable wealth to the victims if they only just trust the leader: they are “chosen by god” often all.
How to protect yourself from falling victim to a cult:
- First and foremost, trust your gut.
If anyone is trying to convince you to do something you don’t feel comfortable with, don’t do it.
2. The first warning sign is social conditioning and isolation.
If someone is slowly introducing you to a somewhat abnormal state of mind, especially in the case that it’s isolating you from your prior support system. You should in turn distance yourself from the suspected cultist.
3. Social Dynamics and Peer Pressure
It is very important to observe how the people interact with each other in whatever social group you may be joining. If there is an unhealthy dynamic between members and the leader/creator of the group. Members may put leaders on a pedestal or try to convince you that they are.
So a very easy way to protect yourself is to create a reliable support system. Have at least one friend or family member that you can count on to protect your best interests, and that you can do the same to. Building self confidence can also help protect you, as you won’t be as easily controlled or manipulated. Whether you just have an interest in cults, have fallen victim to a cult, or fear that you are falling victim to a cult, these are good practices for a long and happy life.
