The Mystery of "Cults"...

A “cult” is a religious sect, otherwise known as a New Religious Movement, (NRM), whereby followers generally live in an unconventional community under the guidance and obedience of an authoritarian charismatic leader, and it is a form of group deviance.

Over time, NRMs, or “cults” have brought with them negative connotations, as they are thought to have radical beliefs and extreme rituals such as mass suicide in the case of Jonestown. The word "cult" in itself is quite a pejorative term.

Usually, followers of a cult live in closed communities, disregarding government laws, sometimes forming a new way of speech or communication, and avoiding contact with the outside world, as other people could influence them away from the cult’s teachings.

Usually, NRMs obtain converts by deception, and are often said to “brainwash” their converts, as their personalities may change, along with their relationships with others, their outlook and views on life, and some even lose the ability to generate their own thoughts, as expression of opinion is suppressed and forbidden. The teachings of the NRM may not always be consistent, for they are subject to sudden change by the group's leader(s).

The charismatic leaders in NRMs may increasingly isolate their members, enforcing deeper commitment into the cult, and asking them to make certain sacrifices; David Koresh obtained sexual access to all female members within his "cult".

When cases of mass suicide such as the People's Temple and Heaven's Gate come into the media, their followers are often described as vulnerable and extremist individuals. People on the outside world question why such acts occur, and often humour the beliefs of the group, describing the followers of being "brainwashed;" for it is hard to understand a group of people who separate themselves from the rest of society in the name of their claimed religion.

Some interesting books to read on the subject of suicide cults are:

Bromley, D. (ed.), Melton, J. (ed.) (2002). Cults, Religion and Violence. Cambridge: Cambridge University Press.
Enroth, R. (1977). Youth, Brainwashing and the Extremist Cults. Michigan: The Zondervan Corporation Grand Rapids.

Claire Lloyd

0622669.