PART 5 COMBATING THE CULTS

Deprogramming - the Controversy

The cults are becoming more and more a part of our everyday life. At one time it was simple to identify one because they were on the fringes of society, but today, many cults have become a part of the mainstream. Many have donned three piece suits in place of their robes. Others have adopted more conventional sounding names instead of the more Eastern cultic sounding name. Some have become important businesses. The Oneida utopian community at one time caused pious outrage by its unusual marriages, but has now been transformed into a prominent silverware manufacturer. As a result of the changes that have occurred on the cult scene many who where once involved in deprogramming tactics are renouncing these "coercive" techniques that too often have backfired and strengthened the commitment of the cult member. In the last ten to fifteen years deprogramming has undergone a conversion toward more sophisticated methods in reaching cult members. One of the new methods is called "networking." This is where ex-cult members lend support to people who have come out of cults and frequently feel let down spiritually and emotionally.