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AFF 2002 Annual Conference

Understanding Cults and New Religious Movements

June 14-15, 2002

Crowne Plaza Hotel Orlando (FL) Airport

Continued, part 4

Academic Divisions

New Religious Movements and Harm

Michael Langone, Ph.D. (AFF Executive Director, and Editor of Cultic Studies Review), opened the panel discussion by referring to the division among academics and professionals over whether and to what extent “cults” and “new religious movements” (NRMs) are harmful.  The division arises, he said, because 1) some scholars simply don’t pay attention to harm, since it is not the object of their sometimes specialized focus; and 2) those who may recognize harm differ as to its nature and severity, its causes, and what to do about it. In any case, the artificial separation of people with different opinions into “camps” means that they don’t communicate, that they fail to learn from one other, and that they remain insulated from other, useful perspectives. This panel was an attempt to promote dialog to dispel mutual prejudice and ignorance.

Philip Lucas, Ph.D., Associate Professor of Religious Studies at Stetson University, and former editor of Nova Religio: The Journal of Alternative and Emergent Religions, discussed “spiritual harm” —  something usually overlooked by scholars — and illustrated dimensions of spiritual harm that he has discovered in interviews with members of new religious communities (who themselves defined the harm). He called for greater consideration of spiritual harm suffered by believers in religious communities.

Jean-François Meyer, Ph.D., Lecturer in the Department of Religious Studies at the University of Fribourg, Switzerland, said that we should not blame academics for failing to say much about cult harms; rather, he urged us to consider their varying perspectives and interests to help us understand groups better and see them in historical context.

Eileen Barker, Ph.D., Professor of Sociology at the London School of Economics, a widely published author on new religions, said that scholars in the field did not look specifically at harmful or non-harmful aspect of such groups, but that these characteristics might form a part of their overall descriptions. Thus, in looking at a group, different observers may come up with somewhat different visions, based on their particular interests and on the questions they ask.

Sociologists of religion, she said, are usually interested in beliefs, actions that may stem from beliefs, the structures of religions, and the group’s interaction with other religious and secular institutions. But this does not mean that sociologists may not be interested in studying actions that they or others consider harmful. They will simply try to use objective (as possible) sociological methods, consider everyone’s perspective, and not overgeneralize.

Dr. Barker concluded by noting certain characteristics of new religious movements that may predispose them, more than older religions, to cause harm. For example, in many of the groups that first became visible at the end of the 1960s, first generation converts were enthusiastic, even fanatical. They were young, had few dependents, and little or no experience for their organizational responsibilities. Founders of such groups wielded unbounded charismatic authority, for which they were not accountable, while enforcing a dichotomous “us versus them” worldview. Such characteristics were (and are) likely to be met with suspicion by the rest of society, said Professor Barker, and to stimulate “cult-watching” organizations concerned with harm.

Arthur A. Dole, Ph.D., Emeritus Professor, Psychology in Education, University of Pennsylvania, suggested how psychologists might begin to assess harm in cultic groups by reviewing the literature to understand what had been done so far in the field. He spoke about how psychologists have defined harm generally, and then how they have applied the concept to new religious movements, especially in terms of the psychological impact of involvement.

Janja Lalich, Ph.D., Assistant Professor of Sociology at California State University, Chico, commenting on these presentations, said that harm was still harm, whether or not the cultural context approved, and that we ought to look at the implications of doctrine, rather than simply set beliefs aside as if they had no practical consequences; doctrine can be the precursor to action, she said. Prof. Lalich said she hoped that scholars who looked especially at harm, and those who concentrated on other aspects of cultic groups, would accept each other’s work, and that we all ought to accept the reality of “brainwashing” even if the word itself was not the right one to use for the process or condition.

A Response to the “Pro-Cult” Movement

Michael Kropveld, Director of Montréal’s Info-Cult (Info Secte), lamented the continuing “pro-cult” “anti-cult” division among observers. He said that the opposed attitudes have led to defective research that has hobbled our understanding of the field and concealed the great variety and subtlety of views that really exists among observers. He indicated how his organization’s approach and activity was still misperceived and misrepresented by many, and called for an end to “mudslinging” and for more attention — as in the AFF conference — to finding out exactly what individuals and groups with variant perspectives and goals were doing.

International Developments

Report from Japan

Attorney Hiroshi Yamaguchi (Kyodo Law Office, Tokyo) spoke on “How to Defend Citizens from Cults,” and Masaki Kito (Linc Sogo Law Office, Tokyo) reported on “Scientology in Japan. Lawyer Hiroshi Hirata (Fukuoka Danshi Law Office, Fukuoka, Japan) gave an up-to-date account of “Moonies in Japan,” and Professor Yoshihide Sakurai (Department of Sociology, Hakkaido University, Japan), reviewed the “Academic Response to Cult Controversies in Japan.”

Chinese Delegation

A delegation from the Chinese People's Association for Friendship with Foreign Countries said they attended the conference to learn about the variety of approaches to cultic groups represented among participants from the U.S. and other countries. The delegation included Xi Wuyi, Director of the Institute of History, Li Xiaolin, Vice President, and Luan Yutao, Deputy Director of the U.S. Division.  Also attending was Ligang Chen from China’s Washington embassy.

In a special dinner seminar the Chinese representatives spoke about their society’s approach to Falun Gong, which they and their government consider to be a destructive cult. They said that China had spent a great deal of money and manpower to “educate and train” Falun Gong followers who, they added, were treated very well in counseling sessions typically involving a counselor, a former practitioner, and somebody from his or her workplace, they said. The result, they asserted, was that followers changed their attitudes. The visitors maintained that China is not persecuting Falun Gong, but only trying to help followers while preventing leader Li Hong Zhi from mounting a political threat to the state.

Teaching Young People About Cults

Sandy Andron, Ph.D., for 25 years director of a high school religious education program in Miami that involved, among other things, the creation of preventive courses on cults for young people, presented a fascinating session on how he has helped them avoid cult involvement.  He demonstrated, with audience participation in his parlor tricks and games, how easy it is to deceive any of us, but also how we might use our senses, and intuition, to spot and remain untouched by deceptive approaches.

Marcia Rudin, M.A. former head of AFF’s International Cult Education Program (ICEP), followed Dr. Andron with a review of some of the media available in the field, especially books, reports, and videos that AFF has distributed. Ms. Rudin also noted changes in cult recruitment patterns since she co-authored a pioneering book on cults, observing that people of all ages and stations, not simply college youth, are involved.

2002 Conference Videotapes

Please Note: Programs are taped by volunteers.  Technical errors can occur.  Not all presenters agree to be videotaped, and some programs are inappropriate for taping.  Therefore, not all programs were taped.  Videos are specially priced at $20 each plus postage & handling ($2 U.S.; $4 Canada/Mexico; $11 Pacific rim; $9 other countries).  Order by fax (732-352-6818), e-mail (aff@affcultinfoserve.com), phone (239-514-3081), or mail (P.O. Box 2265, Bonita Springs, FL 34133).  Check (U.S. funds drawn on a U.S. bank), Visa, or Mastercard (number and expiration date required).  Include name, phone(s), e-mail, credit card info, and complete shipping address.

Denouement of the Prophets’ Cult: The Church Universal & Triumphant in Decline, Joseph Szimhart

Spanish Research with the Group Psychological Abuse Scale, Dr. Jose Carrobles; Carmen Almendros, Doctoral Student; Cesar Mascarenas, M.D.; Discussant, Rod Marshall, Ph.D.

Brainwashing: An Historical Overview, Alan Scheflin, J.D., L.L.M.

Releasing the Bonds: Empowering People to Think for Themselves, Steven Hassan, M.Ed

Social Psychology and “Brainwashing,” Edward Frischholz, Ph.D.; Alan Scheflin, J.D., L.L.M..

Kashi, Rosanne Henry, M.A., L.P.C., Coordinator; Harry Brodie,M.D.; Paul Martin, Ph.D.; Discussant, Steve Dubrow-Eichel, Ph.D.

Advances in Social Science Research, Moderator: Janja Lalich, Ph.D.; Marie-Andree Pelland, Ph.D. Student; Miriam Williams Boeri, Doctoral Candidate

Clinical and Diagnostic Issues, Josep Jansa, M.D., Coordinator; Miguel Perlado Recacha;

Brainwashing in Court, Alan Scheflin, J.D., L.L.M.; Paul Martin, Ph.D.; Edward Frishholtz, Ph.D.; Discussant, Herbert Rosedale, Esq.

Waldorf Schools: Theory and Practice, Dan Dugan; Sharon Lombard, B.F.A. ; Discussant: Herbert Rosedale, Esq.

Research in Latin America, Paul Carden, Coordinator; Lourdes Arguelles, Ph.D.; Jorge Erdely, Ph.D.; Marcos Marin, Ph.D. Candidate; Cesar Mascarenas, M.D.; Anne Rivero, M.S.W.

Developments in Japan, How to Defend Safety from Cults’ Attacks to Citizens in Japan (Hiroshi Yamaguchi, Esq.); Scientology in Japan (Masaki Kito, Esq.); Aum Supreme Truth (Taro Takimoto, Esq.); Moonies in Japan (Hiroshi Hirata, Esq.); Mind Control (M. Nakamura, Esq.); Academic Response to Cult Controversies in Japan (Professor Yoshihide Sakurai)

Cults and Terrorism: Similarities and Differences, Hal Mansfield; Arthur Dole, Ph.D.; Discussant: Jean-Francois Mayer, Ph.D.

Advances in Psychological Research, Rod Marshall, Ph.D., Coordinator; Ron Burks, Ph.D.; Jonibeth Whitney; Ph.D..; Discussant, Paul Martin, Ph.D.

Counseling Issues: The Experience of RETIRN, Steve Dubrow-Eichel, Ph.D.; Linda Dubrow, Ph.D.; Roberta Eisenberg, M.S.W.

Inner Experience and Conversion, Michael Langone, Ph.D., Coordinator; Patrick Ryan; Joseph Kelly

Jehovah’s Witnesses, Paul Carden, Coordinator; Barbara Anderson; Jerry Bergman, Ph.D.; William H. Bowen; Discussant, Herbert Rosedale, Esq

Political Groups: Deed and Creed, Rod Marshall, Ph.D., Coordinator; Steve K. Dubrow Eichel, Ph.D.; Janja Lalich, Ph.D

Inside Polygamy, Andrea Moore Emmett & Marriage after the Cult, Lorna Goldberg, M.S.W.

The Roberts Group Parents Network (TRGPN), Ronald Loomis, Coordinator; James Foster; Joseph Szimhart; Larry Wilcox

Harm and NRMs: Perspectives from Sociology, Religious Studies, and Psychology – Part I, Michael Langone, Ph.D., Coordinator; Eileen Barker, Ph.D.; Arthur Dole, Ph.D.; Phillip Lucas, Ph.D.; Jean-Francois Mayer, Ph.D.; Respondent: Janja Lalich, Ph.D. [Part II of this program unfortunately was inadvertently not taped.]

Anyone Can Be Fooled: Teaching Young People About Cults, Sandy Andron, Ed.D.

International Churches of Christ, Carol Giambalvo, Coordinator; David Clark, Ron Burks, Ph.D.; Kathy Kelly, M.A.

Children of Providence: Born and Raised in the Unification Church, Donna Collins, Coordinator; Flore Aslid; Thelord Schuhart; Discussants, Eileen Barker, Ph.D., Steve Dubrow-Eichel, Ph.D.