Catholic Student Center at USF

Students on university campuses occasionally encounter religious cults, or cult-like groups, which target young adults who have moved away from home and family. It is helpful to be aware of the tactics and behaviors of these groups in order to avoid becoming involved in a potentially dangerous situation.

SIGNS OF CULT ACTIVITY

One of the telltale signs of a cult is exclusivity. Cults and cult-like groups actively exclude outsiders on a variety of levels. Cult groups discredit all other religious experience; they portray their individual experience as being the only valid and certain way to reach God. As the custodians of this single, certain means of attaining salvation or happiness, they control the lives of their members by controlling how and when a person can grow spiritually. When questioned or confronted about this exclusivity they may threaten the questioner with the loss of salvation or the loss of good standing in the group.

Another hallmark of cults is that they tend to measure their success in terms of numbers of new recruits. This concentration on enrolling new members is usually the central focus of the group's efforts, and new recruits are often required to bring in friends, acquaintances or family members in order to remain on good terms with the group's leadership. Many times, new members are required to work long hours at their place of employment, and hand over their entire paycheck to the group.

The recruitment efforts of cult groups often resemble "high pressure" sales techniques which badger and cajole a target individual until that individual is no longer willing or able to resist the pressure. This form of prosytelization is easily distinguishable from Christian evangelization. Evangelization is the Church's sharing of the message of God's love and forgiveness. The Good News of salvation in Christ is a message of hope and freedom. Any activity or group which does not promote hope, freedom and universal forgiveness cannot honestly be called Christian. Further, any religious group, whether Christian or otherwise, which does not promote hope, forgiveness and freedom of conscience is worth avoiding.

The Catholic Church has always held that individual conscience is the primary guide which one must follow in matters of faith and morals. The practice of the Catholic faith offers believers the opportunity to form their consciences according to Gospel values, but it is always up to each individual to make her or his own choices in moral and religious matters. An authentic and saving relationship with God can only exist in the presence of human freedom.

Cults and cult-like groups often appeal to people because of the sense of belonging that they foster within their group. Within a cult group, however, this sense of belonging comes at a very high price. The sense of belonging that cult groups offer is one that requires little or no effort on the part of those who belong. This "ready-made" sense of community has the appeal of being easy to attain and reliable. The price that one pays, however, is the forfeiture of the possibility of growing as a person, and the forfeiture of one's personal freedom. The sense of belonging that cult groups create is a belonging that completely controls one's life. It is oppressive and manipulative by design; this is another one of the means by which cult groups maintain their membership. The sense of belonging is just another aspect of one's life that is controlled and doled out by a cult's leadership.

True community, in churches and other religious organizations, is a group project of building and developing healthy relationships between persons. A healthy community, whether it is religious or civic, promotes personal growth among its members by maintaining a mature balance between freedom and responsibility.

BE WELL INFORMED

When approached by someone who offers you membership in a religious group, or invites you to attend a group activity, it is wise to do some testing of the situation. Ask yourself whether this group or activity exhibits tolerance of different religious, ethnic and cultural backgrounds. Ask the representative of the group to tell you about the group's history and about their missionary activities. Ask if they have a permanent location and business address for their ministry. Ask whether they have any affiliations with other religious groups. Ask if their leadership personnel are involved in any ecumenical activities with leaders of other religious groups.

If you don't get clear, honest and easily understandable answers to questions like those above, think twice about getting involved with the group. If you would like time to think it over, ask the group's representative for the name and phone number of someone you can contact at a later date. If you are pressured to give your name, phone number or other personal information, this is probably a sign of an unhealthy group.

SOME COMMON TACTICS OF CULT GROUPS

The recruiting techniques of most cult groups fall into a few commonly used categories. The first tactic is commonly called "love bombing." It consists in showering attention on a possible recruit to the point that the new recruit begins to see her or his self-worth and identity as totally dependent on the cult group.

"Scare tactics" are also common. Many cults lure new members into involvement by portraying God as an angry, vengeful judge who is anxious to mete out eternal punishment. The cult portrays itself, of course, as the only possible way to avoid God's damnation. The God that Jesus proclaimed was neither angry nor arbitrary. Authentic religion should offer more than mere escape from punishment; the authentic faith that Jesus preached offered a life of grace and peace.

Another common tactic can be described as "bait and switch." This recruiting tactic begins with an offer of something that seems innocuous such as a free "stress test," or an invitation to participate in an interview or survey, or an invitation to attend an entertainment event free of charge. Typically, these types of "bait" are used to lure a potential recruit to a previously unmentioned church service or religious gathering or a location where the new recruit is isolated from their normal circles of friends and support.

Lies and deception are the native language of evil (cf John 8:44). It may seem strange to think that someone would lie, or engage in manipulative behavior, under the guise of religion, but it is important to keep in mind that cults are not primarily about religion or a relationship with God. Recent research in psychology indicates that lying is primarily an expression of low self esteem; people lie to the degree that they feel their self-esteem is threatened. Cults, and other similar groups, attract people who are trying to find refuge from serious emotional problems; the group's corporate behavior mirrors the personal issues of its leaders and members. Any individual or group which purposefully misleads you in the name of religion cannot be trusted to speak the truth about God.

YOUR PERSONAL FREEDOM

If you find yourself in a situation in which you feel that your personal freedom and autonomy are being restricted or co-opted, this is a reliable indication that the group you're with is probably dangerous.

You are the only person in the world who is competent to make decisions about your life. Be very wary of people who want to make decisions for you, or who want to control aspects your life. It is not only acceptable to question religious teachings, it is necessary. The Catholic Church has always affirmed the positive and mutual relationship that exists between Faith and understanding. Faith is built on the foundation of our human ability to understand who and why we love. The only way to develop a mature faith life is to examine consciously the beliefs handed on to you by your religious tradition, and internalize those beliefs which help you grow as a person. Sometimes the tenets of a religion are challenging, and sometimes they are not easily understood. Any religion, however, that cannot withstand honest and reasonable questioning cannot offer guidance for the life of an honest and reasonable person.

FURTHER READING

Here are some links to information sites on the web:

CultsOnCampus.com

Students Susceptible to Cults' Lure

Speaker warns students

Cults prey on new students

Why We Lie