Below are the best resources we could find on Leaving a Religion and setting limits and boundaries.
CLEAR ALL
We think of cults as bizarre, inexplicable or otherworldly places that only strange people inhabit, but cults and other abusive and high-demand groups (and relationships) are actually quite commonplace.
Some viewers may find some of this content upsetting. The NXIVM group was a front for a cult that branded women like cattle and treated them like objects, and yet its members were enthralled by its leader. Hollywood stars such as Smallville's Allison Mack counted themselves as disciples.
Heaven’s Gate, a secretive group of celibate “monks” awaiting pickup by a UFO, captured intense public attention in 1997 when its members committed collective suicide.
I do not deny that positive experiences occur in a cult context, but what is of interest for me is the interactional dynamic found in cults that brings moral human beings to occasionally engage in insidious or demeaning behaviors, or sometimes just the plain incomprehensible.
Janja Lalich, Ph.D. is a researcher, author, and educator specializing in cults and extremist groups, with a particular focus on charismatic relationships, political and other social movements, ideology and social control, and issues of gender and sexuality.
Meet Dr. Janja Lalich, a sociologist, cult specialist, author, researcher, and retired professor who has spent years studying high-control groups including the Jehovah’s Witnesses. Dr. Lalich is also herself a former cult member.
How Chico State Prof. Janja Lalich went from cult member to author-expert.
Despite wide differences in goals, ideologies and lifestyles, cult leaders have some key traits in common. From studying the writings and biographies and witness accounts of cult leaders, researchers have pieced together certain characteristics that unite this rare group.
There are known concerns about this teacher’s actions. Please see our Teacher Policy in the footer menu on this page for more information.
To continue customizing your FindCenter experience, create an account. It’s free!
Create an account to discover wisdom, save your favorite content, and connect with teachers and seekers.
IT’S FREE
If you already have an account, please log in.