There are over 2,000 cults in America today and the members of these keep growing. They are getting popular as the rise of pe
ople were former members are speaking out and telling their story. Not all cults are necessarily bad, but the ones that are, how do they keep their members from leaving?
By definition, a cult is “a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious; the object of such devotion; a great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work” (Definition). Cults are a massively interesting topic since there are so many documentaries and videos out about them because of the way they manipulate people into believing in a drastic way of life.
There are four types of cults in their basic forms which are Religious, Psychological, Commercial and Political. Religious is the more common one and Psychological is about enlightenment workshops. Political is centered around a political dogma. Commercial is centered around marketing organizations (Rhoads).
How do cults manipulate people? First, the case is usually that the leaders of such cults are said to be prophets of God. The new members see that they should submit to them and then they are in. Sometimes it’s that easy. “Feeling Over Thought – Emotions, intuitions, mythical insights are promoted as more important than rational conclusion” is another manipulation technique they use (How Cults). Many people usually go to find out more about themselves with people in the same mindset and create a family. “Group Over Individual – the group’s concerns supersede an individual’s goals, needs, aspirations, and concerns. Conformity is key” (Why Cults).
As for controlling members inside the cult, there is a technique called “The Hot-Seat Technique” in which you are seated in a chair and other cult members are circled around you. “The primary purpose of this exercise is to reduce self-esteem. A person with low self-esteem will be more persuadable than a person with high self-esteem when the advocated message is weak” (Rhoads). Someone in this hot seat will say his confessions and then the leader will try to improve you with his teachings. Other members will sit in and listen as they are part of it too, so they are also in this hot seat indirectly.
Many cults will use fear to keep their members in. They may be unhappy, but they can’t show it since they might get the consequences, whatever they might be inside that specific cult. Many people are growing up in a cult, so they don’t know anyone else outside of it and don’t know where to turn for help. 
For these reasons, cults should be avoided since they can isolate you from everything outside of the cult and purposely try to keep you in for help in gathering others with the same mindset as yourself. They control members with manipulation of the mind, emotions, even physically, and many times, there is no where else to turn and therefore, can’t escape from. Although, some cults aren’t evil in nature, it’s always good to properly educate yourself about the cult in order to make the right conscious decision.
Edmiston, John. “How Cults Manipulate People.” Sex Before Marriage, Prostitution, and STDs, www.globalchristians.org/articles/cultconv.htm.
“Cult.” Merriam-Webster, Merriam-Webster, www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/cult.
Rhoads, Kelton. “Cult Influence & Persuasion Tactics 2.” Cult Influence & Persuasion Defense Tactics, workingpsychology.com/cult2.html.
