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What Makes a Cult a Cult?

What Makes a Cult a Cult?

Last updated on: August 16, 2023 at 12:00 pm by Lee Ann B. Marino

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What Makes a Cult a Cult? 2023-07-31T21:05:31-04:00 Lee Ann B. Marino

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It’s not uncommon to hear the term “cult” frequently thrown around today. The term is often used casually to identify a group that one dislikes for various reasons. Whether it is unconventional doctrine, the way members seem to follow a leader no matter what they do, or aggressive evangelism techniques, people often think a group is a cult based on personal criteria rather than actual standards.

Woman with book and candles

Woman on floor with book. Photo by Anete Lusina.

Standards for cult criteria do exist; it’s not all a matter of opinion. In the 1950s, American psychiatrist and author Robert J. Lifton did a study on Korean War prisoners of war and civilians held in Chinese prisons after 1951. He also studied Chinese intellectuals who were subject to brainwashing as a result of their university status. Through his study, Lifton identified eight different points of control that relate to the psychological terminology we recognize in cults. This process, informally known as “brain washing,” is properly classified as “thought reform.” These specific actions influence people’s thinking patterns, sense of independence, and ideals. Such makes an individual willing to forsake their individuality and freedom to belong to the larger group. (His findings are found in the book, Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of “Brainwashing” in China.)

Before we begin

Lifton’s eight points, plus some subheadings that fall under the eight main points, are what define a cult. Contrary to popular belief, odd or unusual doctrine is not what makes a cult. Cults are also not the result of refusing to be “Christian” or adhere to specific Christian perspectives. Traditional Hinduism, Islam, Buddhism, and Judaism are not cults, and none of them adhere to Christian perspective. A cult can be a religious entity; it also can be atheistic, sociological, or political in nature. Cult groups, regardless of doctrinal ideology, all have have some semblance of the eight points. Groups with four points of thought reform or more fall into the “high control” category.

I offer this article because I feel the term “cult” is used too loosely. Such is a serious accusation and should be based in fact, not opinion. This article serves educational purposes only, and offers no analysis of any specific group as being a cult. Examples provided are to illustrate the concepts addressed, not to label any said group as a cult.

Milieu Control

Milieu is a French word meaning “around.” Thus, milieu control is the control of what’s around a cult member, relating to “outside voices.” Cults control the amount of communication one has within the cult atmosphere. For this reason, some (not all) cults live together; it limits members’ access to mainline television, radio, news broadcasts, social media, and other people. Members are often encouraged to break ties with those not in the group. Disconnection knows no limits; members must disconnect from family and friends alike. The reason? Outsiders won’t understand or support the level of awareness one will reach as a member of the group.

The level of control one accepts is dependent on the level of participation one has within the group. For example, we’ve all heard about nuns in convents. A nun in a cloistered convent lives with a certain level of milieu control: she has no access to television, radio, the internet, family, friends, or her past life. This is a much higher level of milieu control than a religious sister has, living independently as part of a local parish community. The average Bethelite member, those who work and function at the highest levels of the Watchtower Society, have far less milieu freedom than the average Jehovah’s Witness. While all might avoid certain influences, Bethelites live in housing and access provided by the Watchtower Society, thus automatically limiting their freedom.

Mystical Manipulation

Cult leaders manipulate emotions, thoughts, beliefs, and spiritual experiences to produce one result: members’ total surrender to their leadership. In other words, people think they have a spiritual experience, a sign they should be part of this group. The person, therefore, sees their destiny in this group. They believe being part of the group is part of a bigger plan or purpose. In reality, the experience is staged. Without such knowledge, those who experience mystical manipulation often do, say, and surrender whatever required to cult leaders.

For example, Jim Jones (leader of Jonestown) performed clever stage acts to falsify healings and mystical experiences while leading The People’s Temple in the 1960s and 1970s. Some modern groups claim gold dust or feathers magically appear during services or that jewels appear in a speaker’s pocket while preaching. Analysis proves such items to be fake or staged, but those involved swear by the validity of such experiences.

The Demand for Purity

Cults have an “us vs. them” mindset. This means the world is sharply and irrevocably divided between “us” (the cult, the “pure”) and “them” (the world, everyone else, the “impure”). Purity is only possible within the group, and nowhere else. Cults also demand strict and difficult standards of various forms of purity. Such are nearly impossible to maintain. These forms of purity may include:

Thoughts and mentality
Study habits
Personal habits (diet, grooming habits, attire, ritual)

To those in the outside world, the purity requirements – and methods – might seem strange. Those who fail to remain “pure” face dire consequences. These “consequences” range from shunning or group excommunication to eternal consequences, such as hellfire or annihilation. For example, Scientologists attain “clear” status as they go through various levels of confession while using an E-meter. Scientologists believe doing such will purify unconscious memories manifesting as emotional issues and addictions in this lifetime. If they do this enough (and spend enough money, as the process costs thousands of dollars), they can obtain purity.

Cult of Confession

Cults are big on member honesty, even though cult leaders frequently lie to maintain status. Cult narration states everything you’ve ever learned is a lie (thus turning the outside world into conspiracies). The only safe place to learn the truth about anything? You guessed it, within the cult. Cults, however, do not teach one should be open and honest with outsiders. In the name of double ethics, the group should be defended at all costs, even if it means the cost is dishonesty. Many groups encourage dishonesty with outsiders, because they are seen as the “enemy.”

Within the group, one is expected to divulge information one would not normally divulge (including deeply personal information). Examples include divulging information for the purpose of “deliverance.” Such often includes a powerful, central figure that berates and criticizes until someone “confesses” a deadly sin or wrongdoing, even if the individual never did such. If a group’s leaders claim to be able to “absolve” sin, or perform group “purgings” in which members confess their faults (within in the demand for purity), such shows notable control issues.

Sacred Science

Sacred science is the idea that a group proclaims something new, innovative, and different. Such ideas are off limits; questions and debates are prohibited. Whatever they proclaim could “heal the world” of all its ills if the world would conform to the cult’s specific doctrines. Sometimes cults claim to be a “restoration” of something ancient or lost (although the restoration concept alone does not make a group a cult). Other cult groups claim that they are exactly as what has been since an ancient spiritual beginning, despite the fact their doctrine has changed excessively throughout its immediate history. An example includes Herbert Armstrong’s doctrine on race and spirituality, coined the “Mystery of the Ages.” While portrayed as innovative and exclusive, was a recycled version of British Israelism.

Loaded Language

Loaded language manifests in a few ways:

Excessive use of jargon repeated frequently
Words and terms known only within the group
Use of clichés
Use of words and terms used by other groups or religions but with a different meaning (only those in the group know the difference)

Loaded language can be particularly confounding to those outside the group. It is hard to understand what a cult means, because this gives the impression a group means one thing when they mean something else.

For example: New Agers and those in New Thought movements use the term “Christ” not to refer to Jesus Christ as a being, but to the idea of “Christ consciousness.” When they speak of something like “Christ returning” they do not mean the Second Coming, but the idea that in an era to come, people will realize they are divine themselves. The idea of clichés and repeated terms is also part of many New Age “creative visualization” and “positive thinking” courses.

Doctrine Over Person

Cults exercise a great amount of control over their members. In a cult, doctrine is individual versus corporeal. This means each person has a single set of principles and all adhere to them in the exact same way, without interpretation or variation. There are no exceptions to the rules. One cannot attain the promised level of salvation without principle adherence. Some cults brand members in uniform or matching dress (as is seen in Gloriavale Christian Community) but this sign is not always present. They may highly regiment days, routines, diets, or jobs (all must work together in the same line or fashion of business). Some also reject medical care or specified procedures to the point where members will die or watch their children die. There have been a number of court cases about these issues in modern times.

Dispensing of Existence

All good things come to an end in cults. Although cults do eventually collapse upon themselves, they always contain an essential three-part doctrine:

Those outside the group are wholly evil
The truth found within group is the only fixed and absolute truth
Those outside the group who do not accept the group’s truth of the group do not have the right to live.

In one form or another, cults believe in a coming showdown; the cult will be spared and the world somehow destroyed. Most teach the world will, one day, cease to exist through some sort of annihilation. The most infamous example of such is seen in David Koresh‘s Branch Davidian compound: they believed the governmental siege on the property was a prophetic sign, one foretold by Koresh himself. They expected the world to falter as Koresh rose again, although such never came to be.

What should I do if I suspect someone is in a cult?

It’s natural to read this article and think of people in your life (maybe even yourself). But before you brand religious groups as “cults,” get some additional information. There’s great dispute over cult identity, especially in the United States. Given we have both freedom of religion and free expression, many are afraid to dive head-first into accusations against suspicious groups. There are probably many groups that fall by the wayside, appearing and then disappearing quickly. Some groups survive for generations, all the while never being noted as a cult on a large scale. If you want to know, take the time to learn.

Is the group problematic?

Do a little research into a questionable group and find out if anyone else has tagged or labeled it as a problem. Many larger cult organizations have support networks, information, and websites for survivors and shunned family members. Pay attention to those who felt one way when they were part of a group, but now see their experience differently. While it’s true some people are always angry after leaving a group, some groups have far higher numbers of traumatized members than others. If a group’s the numbers of unhappy ex-members are high, listening to what they have to say might be beneficial.

Don’t try to “reason” someone out of a group

Cult involvement is complex. You can’t reason someone out of a cult with facts about the group. I know it’s tempting to try and reason someone out of a group, but cult members are programmed. All they do in response is offer more cult understanding. The more you offer past memories, the more they will resist, insisting such is in the past. I think it’s important to keep lines of communication open if at all possible, even if they cut off communication in the end. This means: avoid hostility, try to avoid confrontations and arguments, and avoid discussion about doctrine. The more you display your disapproval, the more they’ll think the group is new and innovative. Instead, talk about things outside the group: life, jobs, work, family news, etc. for as long as such can stand applicable. In an understated way, remind them life is bigger than the cult.

Consider feelings

People don’t join cults because they are impressed with their stellar doctrine. In reality, most cult doctrine is absurd when you examine it for what it is. People join cults because of how the group makes them feel. Cults give people a sense of belonging, that their lives matter, that they are important, and that they are a part of something special and unique. Even though it is not true, they believe they’re finally thinking for themselves.

Before you ask why anyone goes down this road, I don’t believe a certain type of person falls prey to a cult. All of us have vulnerabilities in our lives. We all want to belong, to matter, to feel like we are part of something exciting, and we have the need for community. As general society becomes more individualistic and moves away from community lines, all of us seek the hope of being “part of” something in different ways: some want to marry and have families, some immerse themselves in their jobs, and others seek out identity in other ways. Cult members need to know they are loved and matter to people on the outside, even if you don’t understand what they are doing.

Listen

This one is important. We learn a great deal about cults as we monitor the movements and involvements of others. Every classified cult was once considered a new, off-color, or odd group until someone noticed a family member or friend was different after they joined. Listening provides facts in the case a situation merits further information.

A side-point to listening: Cult members want to be heard. They already feel as if the whole world doesn’t understand them. Listening proves you’re trustworthy.

Try to understand the “thinking” behind cult involvement

I’m not going to blame early life or family life for cult involvement. I’m sure there are some people who do join cults because they didn’t feel loved by their families or because they are at odds with them, but this is not always the case. The world can come in and besiege us, forcing us to be adults and to have to face and deal with realities we don’t always like. We’ve all experienced loneliness, trauma, and emotional distresses that make us wish we had someone to take away our hurt or pain. If a cult hits at the right time and place, anyone can be susceptible. Don’t blame yourself, but at the same time, try to understand the underlying issues at hand.

Also remember: cult life isn’t all one way or the other. Individuals in cults have good experiences and bad ones along the way. They form positive memories, attachments to other members, and enjoy aspects of the experience, especially in the beginning. This makes cult departure that much more complicated, and requires support and understanding as one processes their experience.

Pray

Prayer is always a powerful spiritual approach that does make a difference.

Consult someone with cult knowledge

I am cautious in this recommendation; “cult chasers” exist. A cult chaser is an organization critical of any group that is not mainline Protestant or Catholic. Pay careful attention to how a group defines a cult. See if the definition matches the standards of psychological control. Do some research on cults, learn about how they work. Most importantly, maintain your own spiritual support system to help you – and hopefully your friend or family member – if they need help on the other side.

If you have any comments, questions, or need additional information from this blog, feel free to contact me.

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About Lee Ann B. Marino

Dr. Lee Ann B. Marino, Ph.D., D.Min., D.D. (”The Spitfire”) is “everyone’s favorite theologian” leading Gen X, Millennials, and Gen Z as apostle of Spitfire Apostolic Ministries. Her work encompasses study and instruction on leadership training and development, typology, Pneumatology, conceptual theology, Ephesians 4:11 ministry, and apostolic theology. She is author of over thirty-five books, host of the top twenty percentile podcast Kingdom Now, and serves as founder and overseer of Sanctuary International Fellowship Tabernacle - SIFT and Chancellor of Apostolic University. Dr. Marino has over twenty-five years of experience in ministry, leadership, counseling, and education. You can read more about the author here.

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