Bridge of Reason

  My wife was brought up in The Salvation Army and from a young age she heard about the dangers of alcohol, gambling, and drugs. She was told that these were things used by the Devil to rob people of life. A trip to The Salvation Army hostel proved the point. Many there had turned to alcohol, gambling, or drugs and in doing so, they have had their lives devastated by a destructive habit. It is true that the Devil comes to steal, kill, and destroy. My wife is no longer a member of The Salvation Army, but that which she was taught has remained with her. She has never drunk alcohol, gambled or taken non-prescriptive drugs. Now let me explain a little. Though at one time my wife would have advocated that all Christians should be teetotal (and I would agree that this is not a bad thing), she would now say that the odd drink in moderation can be okay. Though at one time she would have said that all gambling is wrong for the Christian (and I would agree that this is not a bad thing)...

  In the last post we asked if there is a particular type of person who joins a cult; we also considered how cults recruit. In this article we are going to reflect upon why people stay in cults and the consequences of leaving a cult. NO ESCAPE We mentioned previously that no one joins a cult, but rather people are recruited into such groups. Once a person has been recruited into a cult, various techniques may be employed to ensure the person will remain. The severity of these techniques is dependent upon the group. Some of the most damaging cults will completely remove an individual from their family and the wider society. These groups may then use methods that will break a person mentally, physically, and emotionally. This may include depriving the individual of sleep and food, removing items such as mobile phones, clocks, computers, and anything that will connect the individual with the outside world. This will leave a person confused, disorientated and susceptible to suggest...

  Whenever I speak to groups about Cults, I always begin by asking this question: What kind of person would join a cult? What would your response be? Some of the usual replies are, ‘a vulnerable person’; ‘someone searching for answers’; someone searching for meaning; a loner; a person of low intelligence; or a person with low self-esteem.  After hearing the answers, I will repeat back to the group what has been said. So, a person joining a cult will be a vulnerable loner looking for meaning; someone who is a little bit thick and a ‘billy no-mates’. I then tell them that I once joined a cult! Following my confession comes a nervous laughter, after which I proceed to give a two-fold answer to my question. Question: What kind of person joins a cult? Answer: No one and Anyone. WHAT SHALL I DO TODAY? Bucket lists are quite popular these days. People write a list of things they want to do before they ‘kick the bucket’. Strangely, I have never seen a list which had ‘join a cult befor...