How Cults Evangelize

By

Dr. Mel WhittingtonLicensed Professional

CounselorIn Private Practice, Tulsa, OK

Minister of Equipping MinistriesWill Rogers United Methodist Church, Tulsa, OK

How Cults Evangelize

A cult is a group or movement that exhibits great devotion to some person, idea, or thing.

The group uses a thought-reform program to persuade, control, and socialize members.

Systematically induces dependency in members

Exploits members to advance the leadership’s goals

Causes harm to members, their families, the community

Destructive Groups

Destructive organizations exhibit many of these common traits: - Totalitarian in structure: strict top-down centralized control with a "we-they," "us versus them" attitude. Groups become totalistic islands in the midst of society, which reinforces an adversarial relationship with outside groups.

Destructive Groups

- Creating enemies: the government, other races, other religious groups, other communities, other nation states, other ideologies.

- Attempts to control all communication into and out of the group as well as the individual's inner thought processes.

Destructive Groups - Leaders' ideas, politics, mission

and agenda are "sacred," or "inspired," beyond reproach. This could result in an presumed superiority over all others who do not hold the same views.

Destructive Groups

- Frequent use of public confession or testimonials to entrap members/citizens

Attempts to dominate the social lives of members

Destructive Groups

- A special language, beyond what would be considered normal jargon.

-Radical separation of pure and impure:

- Exclusiveness

The Power of Influence

THE POWER OF INFLUENCE

The Power of Influence

Perceptual Contrast- But, they seemed so different

Reciprocation- The old give and take ….and take and take

Commitment & Consistency- Hobgoblins of the mind

Social Proof- Truth R Us

The Porwer of Influence

Liking- The Friendly Thief

Authority- Directed Deference

Scarcity- The Rule of the Few

The Psychology of Cults

Strategies for Resistance1. Perceiving Discontinuities 2. Normal Appearances3. Assumed Similarities4. Apparent Competence5. Cognitive Confusion6. Emotional Confusion

The Psychology of Cults

Strategies for Resistance (continued)

7. Plays on Choice8. Impersonal Structures

Taking Every Thought Captive

20 Ways to Resist Unwanted Social Influence

1. Practice being deviant sometimes.2. Practice saying “I made a mistake.”3. Be aware of others’ frame of reference4. Be willing to suffer short-term losses5. Assess the interpersonal perspective to

determine if it has gained more significance than it merits.

6. Resist taking actions that you are uncertain of.

20 Ways to Resist Unwanted Social Influence

7. Insist on an understandable explanation8. Be sensitive to the situational demands9. Especially note the guest-host

relationship established that compromise your freedom to choose and act.

10.Don’t believe in simple solutions [if it sounds to good to be true …]

Taking Every Thought Captive

20 Ways to Resist Unwanted Social Influence

11.Remember there is no such thing as instant, unconditional love from strangers.

12.Maintain/establish healthy boundaries between you and the agent of influence.

13.Immediately test the limits of your autonomy

14.Practice detached concern. Disengage your emotions during confrontation.

15.Be the most honest, self-assured person you can be.

20 Ways to Resist Unwanted Social Influence

16.Recognize Guilt and guilt-inducing actions of others.

17.Resist reacting or making decisions on impulse or habit.

18. It is not necessary to maintain consistency. You may change your mind.

19. Illegitimate authority must be rejected, disobeyed & exposed

20.Be willing to openly defy, disobey, & challenge

Recovery MYTHS: Things NOT to say

“Why didn’t you leave that group?” “You are the last person I would have expected

to join a cult.” “Why see a psychologist? You know you were

deceived in your own spiritual walk. You need to repent of your sins so the deceiver can not tempt you again.”

“It’s been my experience that people who join these groups are troubled or come from dysfunctional families. I didn’t know you had problems. I guess I was wrong.”

Recovery

Stages of Recovery Stage One: Developing a

Conceptual Framework Stage Two: Grieving,

Reconciliation and Reaching Out Stage Three: Reintegration into

Society

Recovery Stage One: Developing a

Conceptual Framework Focus: Education & self-

acceptance Exit Counseling - gives a

framework for post-cultic problems

Recognize the importance of relationships

Recovery Stage One: Developing a

Conceptual Framework Evaluate the Group Recovery of Fellowship and

Recognition Floating Trauma

Recovery Stage One: Developing a

Conceptual Framework Thought reform

Recovery Stage Two: Grieving,

Reconciliation, and reaching out Regaining purpose A need for Reconciliation Request for Information Need for Support Rediscover the Gospel

Recovery Stage Two: Grieving,

Reconciliation, and reaching out Rescue others Contact by the Cult Retribution of the Cult Reemergence of the Past

Recovery Stage Three: Reintegration

into Society Identify the positives of the Cult

Experience Recovery of the whole self The Self & Religious Commitment Impossibility of Reconciliation to God

by works

Recovery Stage Three: Reintegration

into Society Affirming Acceptance of Self Recover of the Practical Recognition of Sexuality & intimate

relations Longing for the friends in the cult