Who is vulnerable to cult recruitment?

[Guest guest]

By courtesy of B. Beyerstein.

 

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Who is vulnerable to cult recruitment?

 

- We all are at some time in our lives. Most of us satisfy the

foregoing needs within our normal range of relationships and this

gives us a certain amount of protection, as long as we stay within

that framework.

 

- Cult recruits are not any more likely to be mentally ill, less

intelligent, or less well educated than the average population.

 

Nor are they necessarily more gullible on average. They do tend,

however, to be “seekers,” constantly looking for pat answers and

magical solutions for personal or societal problems. They are often

driven to find answers (any answer) to the great metaphysical

questions, rather than live with uncertainty. Those who have a higher

tolerance for ambiguity can live with the acceptance that such things

are ultimately unknowable.

 

- How can we recognize a cult? A fair use of the cult label for a

questionable organization would require the presence of most of the

items on the following checklist.

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Does the group:

 

(a) engage in deceptive recruitment practices? (recruiters typically

disguise the true nature and aims of the group when seeking converts)

 

(b) tend to target vulnerable individuals, as outlined above?

 

© offer unconditional affirmation and support initially, but soon

make its continuance contingent on obedience?

 

(d) have a closed social system that makes a special effort to isolate

acolytes from family, friends, etc.?

 

(e) use constant bombardment with pro-group and pro-leader messages and exclusion of other messages?

 

(f) have a rigid, authoritarian hierarchy?

 

(g) have a leader and ruling clique that are perceived to possess

infallible insight, supernatural powers, etc.? Do they claim to have

been chosen by some higher authority to rule, and thus to be excused

from the normal social restrictions on one’s behavior?

 

(h) have an eclectic, often muddled and internally contradictory, set

of teachings - usually a magic-laden philosophy that claims to have

infallible answers to those “big ticket” questions of existence?

 

(i) have a strict behavior code that governs all aspects of how one

should think, feel, and act? Are there strong penalties for

deviation?

 

(j) instill fear of outsiders (the “bunker mentality”)? Does the group

try to convince members they are powerless to act without the group’s

support and that the world “out there” is uncaring and hostile?

 

(k) engage in major forms of exploitation (e.g., financial,

occupational, or sexual - of self, spouse, or children)?

 

(l) demand immoral, unethical, or illegal activity on the part of its members?