I have always had a curiosity about cults, and I would like to check out a few first hand. I have no interests in actually joining one, I just want to hang out for a bit and watch the proceedings. However, I am at a loss as to how one goes about connecting with one of these groups. If it helps, I live on a medium sized urban university campus.
That should be hook up with…
Jeez:wally
It should be easy enough. I’m surprised that you don’t have cults soliciting membership on campus. If you really want to do this, look up the cult on the Internet and see how they can be contacted(no self respecting cult would leave out this crucial recruiting information).
A word of warning though: I did exactly what you are talking about when I was in school. I won’t mention the specific cult, because I know I would get an argument about its cult status. I didn’t have too much of a problem, but my girlfriend had a tough time resisting being drawn in. Keep in mind that this group was perhaps the most innocuous of all the cults. They are very persistent, persuasive, and organized. They may well use persuasive techniques you don’t expect or recognize.
In addition, some cults may be much more dangerous than the one I approached. Having had the experience, I can see how even I might have been drawn in had stronger methods been used. I would never do it again, nor would I recommend it to anyone else.
At the very least, indulge your curiosity first through books on the subject. At the very least, this will help you to recognize some of the recuiting techniques used.
Depending on who you talk to (me, for instance), the only difference between a religion and a cult is the size of their memberships.
If you’re looking for a more select definition, then a cult is a religion where the membership makes unually large commitments (personal and/or financial) to the ideals of the church.
I suggest you find an ethos worth dedicating yourself to FIRST, and THEN find some group who works toward that end. IMHO, it’s a poor choice to seek out a cult simply because they’ve been pointed out to you as one.
If your end in seeking out a cult is to discover something worth your dedication, then you should consider political activism. I suppose some people would say Green Peace and the like are cults, though of a more secular design than what we traditionally think of as cults.
I may be mistaken, but I don’t get the feeling that jmpride62 was looking for a cult to give his/her life meaning. I thought that he/she was merely curious about cults. Usually those who want to join cults don’t think of them as such.
You could always join the one that ensnared me when I was a wee undergrad:
The International Churches of Christ, also known as the Boston Movement.
A controlling, fundie church group that’s into heavy recruiting, especially on college campuses. Extremely outgoing and persuasive, especially if you’re lonely (make friends instantly) or looking for answers (oh, they have them).
Nearly every large city has a branch of this church.
Well, I don’t think you can just “hang out and watch”, like a journalist of some kind. If you want to observe them, you can go to their public religious services, if they have them. And some of them have some kind of visitor’s center with brochures and personal representatives. But otherwise, you pretty much have to join and go through their orientation program, if you want to hang out and observe.
Easiest way… start your own cult. Call it something like “Great Shining Cosmic Light Of Good and Squishy Happy”, or “Church of Scientology”. Write a story about cosmic warlords and demons of the underworld holding sex orgies with animals. And lentils. Can’t forget the lentils.
Go to Japan. I’ve heard they’ve got cults (or “religious groups,” if you want to call it that) coming out coming out the wazoo. Or so I’ve been led to believe from recent research.
If you’d like to learn more about cults, visit your local library.
There is this micro-fish cult that believes that Jesus was only 13 inches tall.
Mr P is involved with a cult and I’ve never been made anything but unwelcome (doesn’t make sense to me either. if they want him to remain involved, wouldn’t it make sense to ensnare the whole family? ). As it is, I snort a lot and say WTF does any human being need a gold toilet for? and what’s with the $9 million dollar jet?
I’ve been around a few other new agey sort of cults and my experience has been that you don’t get to go and observe them at play unless you’re a prospective member. I’m curious at to your motivation as well. Why do you want to observe?
Just remember the first rule–don’t drink the Kool-Aide. :eek:
You registered here didn’t you?
Exactly, I am just curious about how they work, the type of people who participate, etc. Short of outright kidnapping, I doubt that there would be anything they could do/say to get me selling flowers on the corner to raise money for the great leader’s car collection.
Explain this to the cult leader, just as you said it here. I’m sure you’ll have their full cooperation 
You can’t just watch them like a TV show. Why would you expect ANYBODY to allow this to satisfy your personal curiosity? They will set the terms on which you will be allowed to interact with them, not you.
Heavy Sigh…
I’ll try again. I was thinking that some of these groups must have a sort of ‘getting to know us/you’ period where they would expect you to be more of an observer than a participate. I understand that the realities of the cult are not revealed to you until you have made some sort of tangible committment as determined by the cult. I am not looking for a cult with a good 401k plan. I really don’t plan on hanging around that long. Just wanted to get a glimpse of the world view shared by various cults, learn a few cool chants and move on.
This is an excellent overview of how various cults work. I recommend it highly.
Are you sure you are just curious?
My rule of thumb to separate a religion from a cult is the Family and friends issue. If the faithful just frowns or ignores that you are close to heathen family members or friends, then it is a religion. If they prohibit or try to prevent you from contacting family and friends, and then follow with treats of expulsion (or worse), then they are a cult.
So, again, Are you sure you just want to hook up with a cult? I think that if you indeed find a cult, “just hanging around” will get you into trouble.
If you want a good idea on how cults work, just read everything on www.xenu.net. It’ll save you the trouble of having to go to all those annoying meetings and give over your life savings, too.
I’ve been harassed by an Identity cult, from Shepherd’s Chapel church. The members recruit in RL, but they also hang out in AOL’s religious type chats, looking for lost souls.
If you’re interested in learning about them, they are on many tv stations and several websites. I’m not gonna waste time learning to make a link because I’m rather lazy, but shepherdschapel.com or org or whatever, plus a website that really goes more in depth, biblestudysite.com (or org?). Also Theseason.? and Therain.?
They are completely nutty…Cain as Satan’s seed=Jews (or what everyone THINKS are jews!lol), spacecraft carrying angels, no Holocaust, etc.
They also work on separating potential members from their families and work especially hard to make you feel “special” for being chosen by them to teach the deep, dark secrets.
I just gave up after a year of working with a really nice kid that was all wrapped up in the cult. Every time I showed proof of their lies, my source “must have been written by Jews”. As much as I wanted to help him, he was waaay too far gone. And his resources were such illustrious men as Willie Martin. Do a search on him too. Now HE’S a kook!
I’m on one of their email lists. They see “signs” in everything from earthquakes to presidential elections to weather patterns.
This weekend (or was it last?) they got together for their big Passover celebration in MO. I was offered a paid trip to come be baptised by Mr. Murray himself. (Pastor and guy who has had many chats with the angels, and says he went to college, but the college has no record…)
er, no thanks, guys!:rolleyes: