Recently I read an article about the Heaven’s Gate Cult, and I wondered why on earth would someone get involved in a cult whose purpose seemed so ridiculous. How can you make sense out of the suicide of 39 people? How can you explain behavior that seems so strange? Should we just assume that people who follow this kind of cult are weirdoes, stupid, insane, evil, or is there something more to it? I did a little research to find out a little more about cults. I found out that cults are really not all that uncommon, and that almost anyone can fall victim to a cult. Most people do not set out to join a ‘cult’. They get involved with a group of interesting people. These groups usually promise to fulfill a person’s individual needs or to compensate for societies failures. These groups may promise to heal sickness, foretell the future, or enhance a person’s life in some way. The leaders of these cults usually promise to have all the answers to whatever problems these people have. These groups become cults when they are seen as deceptive, dangerous, or they oppose the basic values of society. Usually people get involved with cults when they are at a vulnerable period in their lives. People who are at a transitional period in their lives, like people who recently lost a job, or someone who just moved to a new area may be susceptible. Another reason why people get involved with these groups could be that they are unsatisfied with their religions, their education, or their social lives. The cult seems to fill the void of whatever is missing in a person’s life. People find instant friendships, a caring family, an identity, safety, security, and an organized agenda for every day life. Most people who are recruited into cults are recruited by people they feel they can trust in a setting that is familiar. Family, friends, neighbors, co-workers or teachers often do the recruitment. Recruitment often takes place in ...
