I'm a scripture scholar and writer who helps readers actually see what the biblical text says—especially about women. I teach online Institute, write the Times of Faith newsletter, and am the author of Line Upon Line, a Book of Mormon devotional series.
I Joined a Cult When I Was 8
|
When I was 8, I joined a cult, and I'm still a member today. I Joined a Cult When I Was 8I was 8 years old when I decided to join a cult. Of course, at the time I had no idea that it was a cult. During my teenage years, I kind of drifted away. I never really left, but I wasn't active either. Years later, I decided to become more involved. I listened to the leaders speak at conferences. I met fellow members. I learned more about its doctrine and teachings. I believed all of it. And I loved it! I became an active member. Then I found out that other members spoke badly of those who weren't one of us. I hadn't realized that they had such strong feelings about us. I studied other groups to see if maybe I was with the wrong people. I thought they made good points, but not enough to get me to leave. Don't get me wrong. There are times when I don't agree with those in charge. They never seem to care what I or other members think. They do whatever they feel is right. Sometimes I discover they can see things that I can't see, and they truly know what's best. Other times, I think I am still right. But I keep supporting my leaders anyway. They tell us our support is critical for the organization to thrive. Some of my favorite leaders have left recently. I was devastated. They had told me how wonderful the organization is. They had praised the president and had pledged their loyalty. And now they're leaving? Do they know something I don't? Should I leave too? No, my support is in the organization, not in any one person. Do you think you know what cult I'm talking about? I bet you are wrong. I'm talking about the NFL team, the Detroit Lions. But Heather, a football team isn't a cult. Are you sure about that? A couple of months ago I talked about the word Christian. I attempted to strip it of its connotation and find its true meaning. Now I want to do the same for the word cult. Let's look at three definitions: technical, colloquial, and clinical. A "technical" cult is a group that's new, high-commitment, and organized around a charismatic founder or a fresh revelation. By this literal definition, Judaism relative to Egyptian religion is one. So is Methodism founded by Wesley. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints founded by Joseph Smith is too. Even first-century Christianity would be one. It's a neutral term, not a value judgment. This is the sociologists' category. It describes a group by its beliefs and whether those beliefs are novel. A "colloquial" cult is an organization with intense devotion, identity fusion, rituals, and tribalism. Outsiders are bemused by members' loyalty. This is a pejorative term. This category doesn't have a gatekeeper. Anyone can accuse anyone else of being in a cult. A "clinical" cult is where it gets dangerous. It's a cult that uses isolation, information control, no room for questions, unaccountable leadership, and punishment or shunning for those who leave. This is a diagnostic term. It labels the group for what it does, not for what it believes. These clinical markers are identified by psychologists and counselors. Has anyone ever told you that you are a member of a cult? I know I have been told that. Several times. And not because I'm a Detroit Lions fan. Although many have wondered why someone who was raised in New Mexico and lives in Utah loves a football team out of Michigan. The honest truth? At 8 years old I thought their uniforms were a pretty color of blue. While I still love Honolulu blue, I have come to appreciate the Lions' culture and Coach Campbell's philosophy. Here's the problem. When someone tells you that you're in a cult, they don't say which one they mean. You might feel like they are accusing you of the clinical one. This can make you feel defensive, even angry. It can create something called "reactance." Reactance is when someone perceives that their freedom to hold onto a belief is threatened, so they defend it even harder. You will feel like you are being more faithful; they will see you as being under mind control. What do you do when someone tells you that you are in a cult? I'd like to offer these suggestions: First, ask them what kind of cult they mean. If they describe a technical cult, and you are a member of a religion that was founded on a novel theology, agree with them. Technically you are. However, sociologists have moved away from calling these religions cults because of how loaded and pejorative the term has become. If they describe a colloquial cult, you can agree with them again. You can point out that a football fantasy league is also a cult. If they describe a clinical cult, now it becomes a conversation about behavior and not beliefs. You can assess your membership using clinical markers as criteria (see sources below). Do it honestly and without exaggeration, acknowledging where your organization might be weakest. Seeing you think critically about your own group using the clinical criteria demonstrates you are not under mind control. Don't try to win the debate. Reactance can go both ways. Just like they will most likely be unsuccessful at convincing you that you are in a clinical cult, you will most likely be unsuccessful at convincing them that you are not. The best thing you can do is be the kind of person who doesn't fit the story they are telling. The second best thing you can do is become a Detroit Lions fan! Wishing you a great Sabbath, Heather Ruth Pack Continue the StudyTo learn more about cults and how different professionals define the word, here are some sources to help you. A technical definition: Stark, Rodney and William Sims Bainbridge. "Of Churches, Sects, and Cults: Preliminary Concepts for a Theory of Religious Movements." Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 18, no. 2 (1979): 117-133. Why sociologists dropped the word cult: Eileen Barker, James Richardson, Timothy Miller, and Catherine Wessinger all argued the word had become too loaded to use. By the end of the 1970s "new religious movement" had largely replaced it in the literature. You can read more about it here. A colloquial definition: Deslippe, Philip. "Past the Pejorative: Understanding the Word 'Cult' Through Its Use in American Newspapers During the Nineties." Implicit Religion 24, no. 2 (2021): 195-217. Doi.org/10.1558/imre.23202 A clinical definition. Lifton, Robert Jay. "Eight Criteria for Thought Reform" taken from Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism (1961), chapter 22. Note: Lifton never used the word "cult." He used "totalism." He names milieu control as the foundational one. It means isolation. Langone, Michael D. "Characteristics Associated with Cultic Groups — Revised." ICSA Today 6, no. 3 (2015): 10. Understanding Reactance. Steindl, Christina, Eva Jonas, Sandra Sittenthaler, Eva Traut-Mattausch, and Jeff Greenberg. "Understanding Psychological Reactance: New Developments and Findings." Zeitschrift für Psychologie 223, no. 4 (2015): 205-214. https://doi.org/10.1027/2151-2604/a000222. Word of Warning: Many people use Hassan's BITE model as the framework for telling someone their church is a cult. It is actively contested as unscientific. It has been rejected by the APA (American Psychological Association). To find out why, click here. Question to PonderWhat did you think I meant when you read the title of this newsletter? What I've Been Working OnI've been busy this summer! About Times of FaithTimes of Faith explores the historical world of scripture, the language behind the text, and the voices often overlooked in familiar biblical stories. Know someone who loves digging deeper into scripture?Feel free to forward this to them. Was this forwarded to you?Subscribe to receive the monthly newsletter
Want to read past newsletters?
|
Times of Faith
I'm a scripture scholar and writer who helps readers actually see what the biblical text says—especially about women. I teach online Institute, write the Times of Faith newsletter, and am the author of Line Upon Line, a Book of Mormon devotional series.
A quote everyone gets wrong led me to find my 370-year-old kindred spirit. My Lab Was Also a Chapel Earlier this month I was working on my manuscript before I sent it off to my editor. After months of writing, it was time to take out the hatchet and cut, cut, cut. When I taught an advanced writing course at BYU, I would often tell my students, “Don’t fall in love with your own words.” Deleting entire paragraphs you’ve written is not for the faint of heart. It made me think of a famous quote...
Jesus says, "Fear Not." Like never?? Does Jesus Really Expect Us to Fear Not? Years ago, as a youth leader, I went on a caving activity. The entrance to the cave was extremely narrow. We had to enter one at a time, lie on the ground, put one arm up and one arm down to narrow our shoulders and shimmy through what they called “The Birth Canal.” It was aptly named. As someone with claustrophobia, this was panic inducing for me. My heart was racing so fast, I thought I might have a heart attack....
Don’t unsubscribe—hear me out! Jesus Doesn't Care If I'm Christian A few months ago I stumbled upon a conversation on Threads that sparked this month’s topic. Someone had used the word "Mormon" in their post. A woman commented that being called "Mormon" offended her because it was a name given by people who drove early members of The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints from their homes and killed them. She wasn't wrong. I asked her if it bothered her to be called Christian since that...