cult killings higgins o’brien spring 2012. the authors define a cult as a “loosely structured...
TRANSCRIPT
The authors define a cult as a “loosely structured and unconventional form of religious group, whose members are held together by a charismatic leader who mobilizes their loyalty around some new religious cause”
- During Roman Times, Christianity was considered a cult
- The Church of Jesus Christ and Latter-day Saints (Mormons) began in 1830 as a small cult in an upstate New York village
- The Branch Davidians led by David Koresh were also considered a cult before perishing in the 1993 Waco Siege
Dangerous Cults Characteristics
Authoritarian leaders who claim a special mission or knowledge
Charismatic dominant leadership style Total allegiance Claim innovative and exclusive answer to individual/societal
problems “Ends justifies the means” logic that justifies manipulation of
others Totalistic ideological and behavioral control over members Major transformation of lifestyle
Unlike traditional religious organizations, cults pressure new recruits to cut off ties with old friends and family
Dangerous Cults continued There are powerful forces to comply and
conform once joining a cult A deranged leader can make others
commit murder in extreme cases Gangs, fraternities, and even
corporations can demonstrate cult characteristics
The Appeal of Cults Cults are attractive to individuals feeling
a lack of structure and belongingness in their lives
Throughout history many have claimed that the world is ending soon, and this apocalyptic thinking continues today
Cults take advantage of this, and offer answers
The Heaven's Gate cult committed mass suicide in 1999. A poison ritual was completed by 39 members, who believed they would enter a spaceship traveling behind the Haley Bopp comet
Leader Marshall Applewhite
Charismatic Leaders and their Followers Jim Jones, leader of the People's Temple, led
913 Americans to kill themselves in Jonestown, Guyana on Nov. 1978
He relocated members from the U.S. to an isolated jungle in South America
Convinced that the FBI and CIA were closing in on them, he persuaded his followers to drink poison
There are many other smaller cases of seemingly intelligent individuals being brainwashed by rituals and “supernatural” leaders
Needs Fulfilled by Cults Cults have historically recruited alienated
youth Teenagers who suffer from
mood/personality disorders and are looking for a place to fit in are vulnerable
The internet has become a powerful tool for cults to recruit members
Promises of power or supernatural abilities can make individuals rationalize their bizarre behavior
Members can be forced to donate everything they own to the cult, or engage in violence
Normal People in Abnormal Situations Not all cult members are crazy or naïve,
many are educated and seemingly intelligent individuals
Charismatic leaders can persuade others through flattery, deception, or need fulfillment
People who are depressed and vulnerable are looking for change, and are susceptible to an authority figure
Many studies have explored this idea Milgram shock experiments Stanford University prison experiment
Normal People in Abnormal Situations continued Cults can control every detail of
members' lives Dress codes Food Friendship and Family Work
Because teenagers are so vulnerable, teachers, advisors, friends, family, and counselors have a responsibility to provide structure and support
Suicide or Homicide Because of the large influence cult
leaders have over members, there is a debate on whether mass suicides are really cases of mass homicide
Are cult members responsible for their own death?
Brainwashing characteristics can include Control over all communication and information Mystical manipulation involving a “higher authority” Demand for purity Sacred science Use of new language or jargon Denial of self, group is more important Degrading outsiders “us vs. them”