Wednesday, July 20, 2005

Public Service Announcement: Recognizing a Cult

A friend was telling me last night about an organization that goes to disaster sites with misleading T-shirts and aggressively recruits disaster victims to be part of it. Here are some things to look for to make sure you don't accidentally join a big, scary cult:

1. They're dishonest about getting you in the door. For example, they might offer a workshop on one thing, but then it will actually be about something else--why you should join them.

2. They won't take no for an answer. A little healthy conversation is one thing, and sometimes asking more than once helps people get over their initial hesitance, but browbeating is something else entirely.

3. They abuse people. Cults can use people for money and force them to do things they don't want to do.

4. You can't disagree. As part of their control mechanism, cults demand total allegiance to the (often charismatic) leader. Wonder how David Koresh got so many 14-year-old wives? No-one was allowed to question him.

5. You can't leave. Obviously, this is not very helpful once you're already in, but cults use blackmail, fear, and other control tactics to keep their members from leaving.

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