Cults On March 29th, 1997, thirty nine men and women took their own lives in the belief that they would travel to a space ship hidden behind the Hale-Bop comet. The "Heaven's Gate" cult planted these beliefs within their members, resulting in a mass death. It is cults such as these that weave a sense of panic through society. What defines a cult? A cult is a group that has an intense devotion to a person, object, or set of usually new ideas. Cultus is a Latin word translating into "to cultivate" or "to plant". A seed is planted in a garden, as is an idea in a member's mind, and cared for and cultivated until something, whether it be a plant or a belief, flourishes. A cult will have two main characteristics. Firstly, it often does not tell the truth about itself, or has an extremely altered perception of reality. Secondly, by means of psychological and social control techniques, it makes it's members virtually unable to resist it's influence and authority. Cults are often isolationists, to gain and maintain control over members physically, intellectually, financially and emotionally. Deprivation in the form of sleep or food is often used, and is sometimes combined with constant indoctrination to alter a new recruit's belief system to match that of the cults. Problems with cults occur not so much in what is taught, but the often dishonest methods used to recruit and retain followers as well as to raise funds. Cults, because of manipulative and untruthful processes, are damaging to society. Cults endanger society because of the techniques used to attract and gain control over members. Once one is involved with a cult, often as a result of manipulation, it is extremely... ... middle of paper ... ...umber appears small and somewhat insignificant. However, if one pauses to consider the families affected, and the larger amount of people who participate in some cult activities but do not join, the impact on society seems to increase. Cults have left scars throughout the world. *From the mass suicide of 911 people in Jonestown to the murders of seven innocent victims by Charles Manson's "Frigate Family", cults have been a disadvantage to society since their creation. The number of cults has been rapidly increasing in the past fifty years, and while some do not cause suffering and appear beneficial, the amplitude in which the cults are emerging is somewhat disturbing. It is our duty, as part of society, to prevent others from being manipulated into joining a cult, as well as to be aware of the tactics used, as to protect ourselves.
Cults are dangerous institutions that have existed for many years, corrupting and reforming the minds of innocent people into believing outrageous doctrines that eventually result in disaster. Horrifying cases involving men such as Charles Manson, Jim Jones and David Koresh have bewildered people and raise the question: how could individuals be easily susceptible to the teachings of these men, so influenced that masses go as far as to commit the unthinkable? Individuals who are in a vulnerable position in search for an identity are attracted to cults because they offer a sense of belonging. In addition, isolation from society contributes to the functioning of a cult for it creates an atmosphere where submissiveness and obedience runs high. These two factors seem to hold true for one of the most notorious cults currently established in the United States and Canada. The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints or, FLDS, is an international polygamist sect that incorporates belonging and isolation along with a dangerous mentality that have resulted in the abuse of women and children in the name of God.
This is particularly traumatic for ex-members because many religions who practice shunning are close-knit groups that keep outside influences at arm’s length. Another reason why it is hard for members to break with these repressive religions is because many encourage their parishioners to receive only minimal education.... ... middle of paper ... ... New found isolation often exacerbates the loss that a person experiences.
A cult society is an organization that basically disguises itself as a religion. In a cult, they normally perform rituals. There are usually many people in these societies. In Jim Jones’s cult, there were at least one thousand people in this community.
"LDS Statistics and Church Facts | Total Church Membership." Newsroom.org. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, 7 Apr. 2011. Web. 15 Feb. 2012. .
Cults Each year, hundreds of North Americans join one of the increasing, estimated 3000 unorthodox religions that exist across North America. The increasing number of cults, to date in North America, is due to the fact that cults are a social movement that attempts to help people cope with their perceived problems with social interaction. Cult recruiters target those who perceive themselves as different from the rest of society, and give these individuals the sense of belonging that they crave. Cult literature lures potential cult members by appealing to their desperate need to socially fit in. Cults provide a controlled family environment that appeals to potential cult members because it is a removal from the exterior society.
For many years, cult leaders always had a psychological hold on their followers' minds. Whether it was to kill other people or to kill themselves, they did it without question. Some cult leaders used fear, violence and guilt as a means of a weapon to control the minds of their followers. Other cult leaders used persuasive and spiritual speeches that made their followers believe they were doing good and fulfilling God's plan. Because cult leaders are powerful through psychological offenses, the people that belong to their cults are brainwashed into doing things they wouldn't normally do in their right state of mind.
The sociological studies on cults and those who join them have found “that many of the converts are young people, often without strong family ties, who are unsuccessful in dealing with life’s problems and are seeking instant solutions supplied by others” (U.S. News and World Report 23).
In conclusion, the entire aura of the Heaven’s Gate cult seems like something straight out of a late night TV movie. Like most millennialist groups, members held a firm belief in an oncoming apocalypse and that only an elect few would achieve salvation. The spread of their doctrine on the Internet brought about widespread concern over the power of the web. The argument has subsided, however, with the passage of time. I, for one, find the supposed link between the Internet and cult activities rather absurd. Extreme gullibility and brainwashing, I believe, would be the only ways a recruit would ever accept such an outlandish set of beliefs.
The cult was mainly composed of men and women both. All members had crew cuts and were between the ages of 26 and 72. Although many members lived together in a mansion in California, they came from all parts of the country. Many were from California, but members also came from Arizona, Colorado, Texas, Florida, New Mexico, Minnesota, Utah, Ohio, and Florida. There were approximatly 39 members who lived in the 1.3 million dollar Rancho Santa Fe mansion. They operated a web site for their cult called “Higher Source”.
...cult. When my father lost his job, our family lost many of the comforts that we once took for granted due to a reduced income. Money became a very large issue and with it came many limitations on wants and desires that were so accessible before my father had lost his job. Furthermore, the loss of his job brought about immense shame for my father. Yet, rather than become embarrassed over my father losing his job and sad due to the fact that I could no longer have as many material possessions, I came to accept the different lifestyle. By letting go and accepting, room was made for new experiences, joys, understandings, and lessons. For instance, I now appreciate things that I took for granted in the past and realize the lack of necessity for materialistic objects and desires and I feel that as a result, I have become a more appreciative human being as a whole.
In conclusion, for many the Santeria religion has brought them closer to their connection to the
Society strives to feel a sense of belonging. We want to be a part of something that shares the same beliefs as us. We spend our time trying to place ourselves in a group to satisfy these needs, whether it is in a hobby club, a group of friends, or religion. Some people go to more extreme measures and find this in what we call a cult. According to Henslin, a cult is a new or different religion whose teachings and practices put it at odds with the dominant culture and religion. (2013:405) Cults are often identified with the ideas of mass murder, deviant behaviors, unusual beliefs, and extremely devoted members. Cults are also highly known for their leaders. The leaders of cults usually are the ones that portray the image for the entire group. Successful cults take a strong-minded and, according to Max Weber, charismatic leader.
What is meant by the word culture? Culture, according to Websters Dictionary, is the totality of socially transmitted behavior patterns, arts, beliefs, institutions, and all other products of human work and thought. These patterns, traits, and products are considere...
What makes a person join a cult? What happens in a person's life to make them completely change they way they used to talk and act? Many are puzzled about the mysterious happenings in a cult member's life. They wonder how one could become involved in such a group. The forces that draw individuals into cults can be explained by psychological doctrine. Many in the psychology field have sought to provide answers to the various questions that society has.
The term “culture” refers to the complex accumulation of knowledge, folklore, language, rules, rituals, habits, lifestyles, attitudes, beliefs, and customs that link and provide a general identity to a group of people. Cultures take a long time to develop. There are many things that establish identity give meaning to life, define what one becomes, and how one should behave.