I choose cults as a deeper venue to study because I believe that they are widely misunderstood. Most religions started off as a so called “cult”. There is an extremely negative connotation attached to the word cult, and although some cults do have a bad reputation they are often just a group of people with a strong belief in a specific topic not trying to harm others. According to our class book Collective Violence “A cult is a tightly organized, inwardly focused protest group whose goal is to solve a problem for which society has no set answer or cure”. The definition of describing this group seems harmless, and I believe in the beginning this is most of the groups intentions. In a cult there is often a leader characterized as charismatic, meaning they have to have certain personality characteristics to achieve this position within the group. Not only the right personality but special so called healing powers, and they must be believed by the group to be true. The leaders are not only someone to look up to they also basically run the people of the cult’s life. The job as the leader is not only to control the followers but also to make sure the secrecy of the cult is ensured. This being the case it is difficult to function in a society with a strong belief as an extreme secret, so in return cults usually reside from the norm of society.
- The journal article i have attached below has a variety of different topics about cults, the main thing that caught my eye was the discussion on violence within these religions.
- Here is an example of a women who was abused by a member of a cult when she was very young. She also speaks about what happened to her and how she eventually got out and was able to heal herself after the abuse.
Along with this interview by Teal Scott i visited her website (2011), because i was inspired. I found this inspirational poem written by the women in the interview. She has now written books and calls herself a spiritual catalyst meaning, to inspire others to explore the incorporeal, eternal nature of their true selves, knowing that this type of exploration will enable an individual to become the conscious leader and creator of their own life.
"You can not have a life, you can not loose a life… you are life. It is you who holds the power to decide yourself back onto the path you intended, the path of welcoming and of becoming one with your own personal definition of bliss.
The power that you hold in life does not lie in what cards you have been dealt in this life, but instead in how you play them. Your life can be a tragedy in spite of every advantage.
Or...
Your life can be a triumph in spite of any kind of adversity. Your freedom lies in the fact that it is your choice which way you create your life to be."
-Teal Scott
The two sites I have listed below are information regarding cults, and how people get involved. They also talk about the different degrees of cults there is, harmful and some not.
