Cults: an overview of the main articles to date

As my articles about cults are attracting a respectable number of readers, I thought that, while this blog does have Labels and a Search facility, a summary of the main cult-related articles to date together with some links might be useful.

I intend to keep this article updated with links to any new cult articles of significance.

I noticed retrospectively that many of the articles can be grouped according to their main cult-related theme; this is how they are referenced here.

Attributes of cult members

Most important are the basic informational articles. These give general warnings about what to expect when dealing with cult members. For example:

They will lie to you and may leave you stranded.

Their ‘friendship’ will be conditional and could end at any time.

They will sooner or later behave as if you are theirs to command.

They will expect more and more from people and give less and less in return. 

Their values may be inverted.

Independent and analytical thinking is discouraged, so discussions with cult members can be frustrating as they just mindlessly repeat robotic slogans and the official party line. Their access to reading material may be restricted, so discussions may also be difficult and unrewarding because of their ignorance. 

The cutting of connections by cult members is a topic that has generated a four-part article. 

In addition to all that, be prepared to deal with the sole supplier syndrome, the unpleasant and unjustified superiority syndrome and, worst of all, the dreaded attack-dog syndrome!

Never forget that, as Alexander Herzen said, they will commit all kinds of crimes in the name of their cause.

And never forget either that they are all in on it!

Attributes of cult leaders

Cult leaders often have a messiah complex. They are omniscient and infallible; they must be venerated and obeyed without question. They usually cause their followers to devolve, and often lead them to disaster.

This article is about cult leaders in general.

Joyce Collin-Smith had many dealings with the Maharishi Yogi and other cult leaders, and she wrote at length on why we should Call No Man Master.

The Indian Guru Maharishi Mahesh Yogi is a classic, text-book case.

Joining and leaving and life inside

Why people join cults, what life inside cults is like, why people remain in cults, why they leave cults and what happens to them after they leave are all key topics.

General articles about the factors that prevent members from leaving a cult and the difficulties faced by defectors after leaving are supplemented by a series of articles inspired by cult expert Steven Hassan's best-selling book Combating Cult Mind Control. 

The first article covers people who join cults; this is followed by one about life inside cults. The next in the series is about getting people out of cults, and, finally, we have something about helping cult leavers.

Steve Hassan's book Freedom of Mind inspired an article about the misconception that “Intelligent people don't join cults”.

These two books inspired a long article about three cult-related practices with a wider application. This provides useful suggestions for former cult members and others who want to help and rehabilitate themselves. A Last Look at Steve Hassan's Freedom of Mind  contains some miscellaneous extracts of particular interest.

We also have the specific example of Joyce Collin-Smith’s experiences with the Maharishi and his cult. There is a whole string of articles about her time with the Maharishi in addition to the two cult leader articles mentioned above, including one about why she joined him and her life inside his organisation and one about her decision to leave.

Some examples of cult-like behaviour

Some articles that are not primarily about cults contain references to some of the syndromes and cult-related behaviour. I have listed some examples; a Label search or blog Search will highlight some more.

August Strindberg’s ‘secret friend’ for example behaves in some ways like a cult member, as does Stella Gibbons’s fictional character Meg Lambert.

The fictional character St. John Rivers from Jane Eyre has some of the attributes of a cult leader, as do Stella Gibbons’s villain Esmé Scarron, Harry Potter's enemy the evil Lord Voldemort and Jonathan Stroud's occultist Dr. Edmund Bickerstaff.

Even some of Richard Adams’s rabbits display cult-like behaviour!

Beneficial by-products of dealing with cults
I know from experience that some of the hard-earned knowledge and skills gained from dealing with cult members are transferable. They can be re-purposed. Lessons learned and investigate work done are beneficial by-products that can be used to our advantage when dealing with people, bureaucrats for example, who may not be associated with a cult but sometimes speak and behave like cult members.

In summary, it is essential to research everything, trust no one without good reason, take notice of all the games they play and look for their goals, ulterior motives and hidden agenda. 

And don’t forget that they are all in on it!