Cults

"...if you believe in it, it is a religion or perhaps 'the' religion;
and if you do not care one way or another about it, it is a sect;
but if you fear and hate it, it is a cult." Leo Pfeffer

In the discussion on polygamy, the subject of cults was raised. Many nations, including the United States, value freedom of religion. That tolerance extends usually until a group is shown to be a threat or found to abuse children. The secretive nature of cults makes some of that proof hard to get until it can be too late for some of its members.

Some groups that start out being seen as cults by the community eventually are seen as religions by the mainstream-- Christianity itself and Mormonism are two that come quickly to my mind. Some cults, like David Koresh with the Branch Dividians or Jim Jones with the poison Kool-Aid, go down in infamy but disappear for all practical purposes. Although since often a few followers linger, it might only take the arising of another charismatic leader to bring them to life. Being raised in some types of cults can leave children unable to function fully in the world. A couple of years ago a young man, who had been sexually used by the cult he had been raised in, had broken free of it but could not escape what had been done to him. He tracked down and murdered the woman he saw as having been instrumental in his abuse. He then killed himself.

In Central Oregon some years back, Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh and his followers bought up land to found their own little Shangri-la. He got into the newspapers for some of his offbeat teachings-- total sexual freedom being one of them-- as well as his own propensity for riding around in one of his many limousines. Most in Oregon were pretty tolerant of them but the neighboring community wasn't so sure. Many successful people supported it and lived off the grounds, coming there for religious meetings, teachings and rallies until it became a matter for the law when it was discovered that some of his underlings (if not him ordering it) had poisoned a food buffet in a nearby town as revenge for what they saw as persecution. With the legal problems, the cult folded its tents, the Rajneesh was deported and Oregonians were left to wonder what use could be put to the buildings and grounds it had occupied.

Once again Scientology is in the news because of Tom Cruise's vigorous proselytizing on its behalf and also on the Hollywood circuit is a teacher of Kabbalah (a mystic offshoot of Judaism) or so the teacher claims who has formed a group with that name. Madonna is one of its most famous members. Would we call these sects or cults?

I have my own definition what I would say was a cult. They believe they are persecuted, encourage their followers to hide their practices, deny the knowing of full truth to anybody but themselves, divide people from their family or friends, and engage in practices most would see as brainwashing. There are probably more but those are the ones that would warn me-- and make me think Scientology is a cult while Kabbalah is a sect-- for now. I also realize, by my definition, most 'mainstream' religions have divisions within that can be cult-like in their thinking and practices.

I believe people turn to cults because they want firm answers, authority figures, purpose to their lives, and someone who says they know the way . We live in a world with many questions, much insecurity; and those who claim they know make others feel empowered. When the cult turns to bad things, such as happened in Oregon, perhaps a lot of those in it have lost their own ability to think for themselves. Faith is their answer and faith doesn't require thinking.

There is an interesting film from 1999 exploring spirituality, what is brainwashing, what are cults-- Holy Smoke starring Kate Winslet and Harvey Keitel. It is a bit mystical, a bit erotic, and full of imagery-- some rather bizarre. It is not really a comfortable film and does not attempt to answer questions as much as pose them.

So any thoughts regarding cults?