Cults and cultish behavior

This paper will present an overview of cults, and will limit its scope to cultic behavior in the United States. After introductory material on cults, the paper will turn to an assessment of the types of cults, their methods and motivations, and whether their behavior and beliefs are damaging to members. Throughout the paper, and in particular in its conclusion, the paper will present the thesis that cults should be banned because they are dangerous to their members and may psychologically, and even physically, damage those who come into contact with them.

One way to approach the phenomenon of cults is to delineate its function into at least four coherent psychological elements: 1) a shared belief system, 2) the ability to sustain and maintain a high degree of social cohesiveness, 3) members who are strongly influenced by the group's behavioral norms, and 4) the placing of charismatic or divine power by members to the group's leadership or functional head (Galanter 5).

In contemporary society, cults have, mor

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nown groups, and consolidation strategies were imperiled by legal challenges to diversified messianic 'empires' . . . (Robbins 12). The third phase is, at best, tangential to this paper, and deals with the rise of the conservative and evangelical denominations. The late 1980s have thus been characterized as both politically and socially conservative, with mixed views on toleration for other life-styles, groups, or philosophies (Robbins 12-14; and Flowers passim). This is particularly evident in press reports about the dangers of cults and their ability to prey upon aged, or defenseless citizens. In fact, it is just this type of religious hysteria that makes cult behavior so dangerous. Whether the cult is operating out of a Western or Eastern religious perspective, it uses television and radio to influence those who are likely to need "to belong." Only one example of this is with older Americans, many of whom use the television and radio as their only means of entertainment. Using sophisticated advertising messages, cults and other religious groups ask for donations to "insure a place in heaven," "keep the philosophy going," and other such phrases which almost mesmerize untold numbers of aged Americans into sending what little
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Some common words found in the essay are:
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Approximate Word count = 1316
Approximate Pages = 5 (250 words per page)