Cults Inside Out: How People Get in and Can Get Out

by Rick Alan Ross

  But there are possible consequences to anticult activism, and these need to be carefully weighed. Those considering activism should carefully consider their priorities in the context and status of their current situation. What is at stake? What can be lost? It isn’t wrong for a family or concerned friends to feel that personal considerations outweigh the need for public education and greater awareness. But in some cultic situations, family and friends may feel they have nothing to lose.

  Anyone considering such action should first consult trusted professionals, such as a family physician or attorney. Making such a critical decision quickly or without additional input from a professional perspective is unwise and needlessly risky.

  Former Cult Members

  Families and friends of cult members often suffer in relative silence for years, waiting for a loved one to leave a destructive group. This can be a long, painful journey. Some cult members may eventually decide to walk away from their respective groups. Leaders may ask some to leave due to some infraction or simply because they are no longer seen as useful or are somehow seen as a liability. Sadly, this exit may take place after years of exploitation.

  Some cult refugees leave with little more than clothing and few personal effects despite years of devotion and personal sacrifices. Many cult members have experienced psychological, emotional, physical, and sexual abuse. Often cult members may also have lost relationships, been neglected, or ignored education or career opportunities. The problems of leaving a destructive cult are also compounded when children are involved.

  When dealing with former cult members, unconditional love must be expressed when at all possible. Never say, “I told you so” or act in a punitive, guilt-inducing manner.

  When someone leaves a cult, that exit isn’t the signal to begin attacking the group and its members. It’s important to understand that a cult experience isn’t usually completely negative. The member’s time in the group may have resulted in some positive changes and realizations. He or she may have ceased some self-destructive behavior or given up some form of substance abuse. It’s important to scrupulously avoid sweeping generalizations and judgmental statements about the group and his or her experience. Again, be a good listener and try to be as positive as possible. Remember, cult leaders may be deeply destructive, but the people who follow them are most often decent, well intentioned, and idealistic. Leaving a cult often means abruptly ending significant and close relationships, and that loss can be very difficult for the departing member. Don’t make the situation any more difficult than it already is.

  There is research regarding “exit cost analysis,” which sociologist Benjamin Zablocki defines as “the systematic study of all disincentives for leaving voluntary collectives.” Zablocki explains, “There are many types of exit costs ranging from financial penalties, to relational commitments, to various sorts of cognitive and emotional dependencies.” The sociologist concludes that these costs create “the paradox of feeling trapped in what is nominally a voluntary association.”724

  For example, if a member of Scientology is declared a suppressive person (SP), other Scientologists are reportedly likely to cut him or her off socially and cease meaningful contact.725 If a Scientologist considers leaving the organization, this being cut off becomes a disincentive or exit cost that inhibits leaving. If employment or business ties could be severed, there may be a financial penalty connected to leaving the group.

  There are mental health professionals who have experience helping former cult members. Some former cult members seek counseling from knowledgeable professionals, but many do not. Allowing former members the space to make their own decisions is important. Resuming individual decision making and becoming self-reliant are often crucial parts of the recovery process after leaving a controlling cult group. Be helpful but not controlling. Respect the former cult member’s freedom of choice. Each individual will sort through the recovery process at his or her own pace.

  If a former cult member seems to be in distress, those concerned might suggest seeking help from a professional. When picking a counselor for assistance, it is best to find someone who is warm and willing to learn. There are few professional counselors who have specific experience providing recovery assistance to former cult members. Beware of experts who cannot or will not explain in meaningful detail how they acquired their expertise. Ask for references before deciding on any counseling relationship.

  Don’t be critical of the former cult member’s spirituality, idealism, or claimed awareness. The stated goals and ideals of the group may have been laudable despite any destructive behavior that may be evident. Don’t try to convince a former cult member of what beliefs are best. Respect the person’s process of recovery and personal discovery. The person will need to make his or her own choices in his or her own time and may require a period of rest before again exploring politics, philosophy, religion, or participating in some sort of support group.

  CHAPTER 9

  PREPARATION FOR AN INTERVENTION

  Initial Information

  After a family, spouse, or someone else who is concerned decides to do an organized and coordinated intervention effort, the first step in the general preparation process is to define the history of the situation. This can be done by disclosing the relevant background and history in detail through a written narrative. This step entails sharing thoughtful and helpful biographical information, which effectively illustrates whatever concerns exist about the specific situation.

  In my work I have used a questionnaire with about fifty background questions. These are questions about the individual who might potentially be the focus of an intervention effort and the history of the situation that has prompted concern. The response to questions or the detailed written narrative discloses immediate concerns such as medical neglect, ongoing abuse, family estrangement, and/or personal exploitation.

  This initial information is necessary to evaluate the situation—that is, for a chosen professional or agreed-upon facilitator to decide whether an intervention is necessary or possible. In some situations referring a family member or concerned party elsewhere may be necessary—for example, if there is a serious medical crisis or a history of mental illness. In such cases a medical doctor may be the best resource. In such situations I have worked under the supervision of psychiatrists and psychologists and sometimes in hospital settings when medical concerns were evident.

  In some cultic situations there is severe isolation and lack of communication to the extent that an intervention may need to be postponed or may not be possible. That is, there is no current basis or effective opportunity for an intervention to take place. Until such time that these conditions change, the family or other concerned parties must wait until a meaningful opening occurs to make an intervention possible. During this period they can develop coping strategies to improve communication and better facilitate such an opportunity, as I explained in the previous chapter about coping strategies.

  At this juncture we must acknowledge that if there is no meaningful access to the individual to provide the basis for an intervention, no covert attempt to employ deception is recommended. A covert approach is also not a realistically viable alternative. Specifically, a covert intervention would entail approaching an individual under false pretenses in an effort to somehow affect his or her continued cult involvement. This deceptive approach is unethical and poses substantial risk. Rather than offering a potential solution, it is more likely that such an effort will fail and not produce any meaningful results. And if a covert intervention effort is discovered and exposed, it is likely to produce distrust, alienation, and further isolation. It may also exacerbate communication. One of the most repeated criticisms of destructive cults is that they employ deception and trick people. Trickery cannot be the basis for ethical intervention work.

  After all the background information has been obtained and evaluated, there may be follow-up phone discussions and e-mail exchanges between the designated facilitator or coordin
ator and those concerned so they may ask further questions to clarify the situation. In some instances face-to-face meetings may be more geographically convenient. In most situations, however, such meetings may not be easily done. In my work such face-to-face meetings usually occur only immediately before the intervention begins. This arrangement is much more practical and avoids unnecessary expense.

  At this point it is important to note that all those concerned in the intervention must understand and agree upon reasonable confidentiality. That is, no information that specifically identifies the individuals or family members involved should be disclosed without their permission. The only exception would be if criminal activity is somehow discovered through the process of preparation or during the intervention. In such a situation there would be an obligation to report criminal activity to the authorities.

  Preparing a File

  When and if parties decide to move forward with an intervention, collecting more detailed information and organizing it in a file will be necessary. This file will be largely relied on during the intervention and will be used as a resource during the preparation process. This file may include information about the specific cultic group or leader as well as relevant research and educational material about cults, coercive persuasion, and related influence techniques.

  Gathering information about some groups may prove difficult due to their small size and obscurity. Many groups or leaders are relatively new, and little information is readily accessible about them.

  Any material the group or leaders have published or distributed may be potentially important and must be gathered for the file. Previously published literature or other material may be available somewhere on the World Wide Web. Many groups or leaders maintain websites, blogs, or an archive of literature or online videos. Social media may also be a meaningful resource through such sources as Facebook, message boards, or online discussion groups.

  Court documents may also be useful. For example, the group or leader may have been involved in criminal or civil court proceedings. Documents that disclose in detail such prosecution or litigation may be meaningful points for discussion during an intervention and may therefore be valuable material for the assembled file. Other relevant material for the file might be financial records, corporate disclosure documents, and real estate records that disclose assets and income. News reports or documentaries might exist about the group or leader.

  In some situations a private investigation has been paid for, and a private investigator may submit a prepared report with attached documentation. This may be particularly helpful if the group or leader is relatively unknown and obscure and little information is readily available. But Internet access to the World Wide Web has made public information increasingly easy to obtain. Various online services and search engines can be very effective tools for gathering needed information. For example, certain public records, such as criminal convictions, past addresses, and miscellaneous corporate disclosure documents, can be found online using the World Wide Web. But information gathered online must be carefully reviewed for accuracy and verified.

  Again, all this material must be carefully organized so it will be on hand at all times during the course of an intervention. This material must also be reviewed during a preparation meeting with potential participants immediately before the intervention begins.

  Preparation Meeting

  In my experience having a face-to-face preparation meeting with all potential participants immediately before the intervention begins is essential. This meeting usually takes several hours to a full day. Ideally the meeting is scheduled the day before the intervention begins. This timing is ideal because the subjects discussed and information reviewed will be fresh in everyone’s mind during the intervention. Also, from a practical perspective, there is no point in having a preparation meeting unless an actual intervention has been specifically planned and is imminent.

  Before the meeting those involved must individually prepare by reading relevant material. This reading may include helpful books about cults and coercive persuasion, relevant news reports, research, and other related material in an effort to become better informed before the meeting. This educational process will provide a foundation and meaningful framework for the preparation meeting.

  The Cult Education Institute for the Study of Destructive Cults, Controversial Groups and Movements has made the following two DVD presentations available, which generally cover such issues: Cults: An Educational Volume726and In the Name of Love: Abusive Controlling Relationships.727

  This book and others listed within the attached bibliography can be helpful before and during the preparation process.

  Understanding What Issues Will Be Discussed

  The preparation meeting is built on an educational foundation. This includes a review of basic cult education issues, to be discussed during the intervention, which is of crucial importance. There is discussion about the basic research regarding the definition of a destructive cult and the specific type of coercive persuasion and undue influence techniques such groups and leaders use. Potential participants must have a solid understanding of these issues.

  For example, there is the paper “Cult Formation” by psychiatrist Robert Jay Lifton.728 This long-standing analysis must be discussed because it succinctly identifies the core characteristics or essential nucleus for the definition of a destructive cult. This analysis features the following three primary criteria:

  a charismatic leader who increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally sustained the group lose their power;

  a process I call coercive persuasion or thought reform;

  economic, sexual, and other exploitation of group members by the leader and the ruling coterie.

  These principal characteristics become the focus of discussion with potential participants as part of the preparation process and meeting immediately before the intervention begins. We should note that in some situations, destructive cults somehow manage to survive despite the death of a charismatic leader, but many subsequently collapse. Potential participants are now asked how they see Lifton’s three primary characteristics as being applicable to the current situation, which has drawn their concern.

  Another educational tool to be used and understood is chapter twenty-two of Lifton’s book Thought Reform and Psychology of Totalism. In this chapter Lifton details eight criteria to use to determine whether a thought-reform program is evident and ongoing.729

  Other relevant research to be discussed includes the description of “coercive persuasion” by sociologist Richard Ofshe.730

  Ofshe lists four key factors that define coercive persuasion:

  The reliance on an intense interpersonal and psychological attack to destabilize an individual’s sense of self to promote compliance

  The use of an organized peer group

  Applying interpersonal pressure to promote conformity

  The manipulation of the totality of the person’s social environment to stabilize behavior once it has been modified

  These four factors will be points of discussion with potential participants during the preparation meeting. How do those concerned see coercive persuasion expressed, as these four factors outline, in the current situation? Do these factors provide a meaningful framework to understand the dynamics of a certain group or relationship? This review during the preparation meeting will help those involved focus on the relevant features and facts that will be discussed during the intervention.

  Illustrating the distinctions between various forms of persuasion is also important and must be included.

  Margaret Singer composed a chart in her book Cults in our Midst that demonstrates the distinctions between education, advertising, propaganda, indoctrination, and thought reform as varying forms of persuasion.731 Also important is discussion about the six basic rules of influence as researcher Robert Cialdini defined in his classic book Influence.732 This explains how people are influenced thr
ough the manipulation of such things as authority, commitment, a sense of obligation, likability, social environments, and the perception of scarcity.

  Educational films can be shown during the preparation meeting to visibly demonstrate how destructive cults work and also to effectively illustrate the inherent power of influence and persuasion techniques. The same films might be used during the intervention. Useful films are available in DVD format or are accessible on the World Wide Web.

  Here are three suggested classics about cults and persuasion techniques:

  Captive Minds: Hypnosis and Beyond directed by Pierre Lasry and produced by the National Film Board of Canada.733

  This documentary examines various forms of persuasion in detail. It begins with hypnosis or trance induction and culminates in an exploration of cultic control. The documentary starts with a stage hypnotist, whirling dervishes and also includes psychiatrists and a guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh, now known as Osho. The training at a US Marine Corps boot camp is examined. Jesuits and the Unification Church of Rev. Moon are also covered. Through this ongoing narrative, the film consistently demonstrates the power of coercive persuasion and the apparent fragility of the human mind. This documentary is now accessible online through the World Wide Web.

  The Wave. ABC initially did the first version as an after-school television special made for a younger audience.734

  Die Welle (The Wave), the second version, was done in Germany. It is now available with English subtitles and is more focused on an adult audience.735

  The Wave is largely based on a true story. It is the dramatization of a classroom experiment an American high school teacher did in California.736 In the story the teacher hopes to help his students understand how malleable people are and how almost anyone can be manipulated to support a dictatorship, such as Nazi Germany. What the experiment illustrates is how easily an authority figure can influence people in a controlled social environment. Both versions of The Wave are available on DVD and can be used to illustrate coercive persuasion and undue influence techniques.