The line between what makes an organization a cult or a religion is sometimes hard to define. The fact that many recognized religions were once considered cults helps to make defining the distinction difficult. However, the fact that the Ku Klux Klan (KKK) has long been a cult in the United States is very simple to comprehend and understand. This organization has been a stable in American society for over 100 years and has utilized the belief in god, hatred, fear, and violence to perpetuate the organization’s overall goal of making certain that the white race is dominate over all other races. Although the KKK has become more widely known as a hate group in modern days, its origin as a cult that conveyed Christian values but hated and intimidated
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The KKK began in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1867 with the sole purpose of creating terror through intimidation in order to maintain white supremacy in the United States. The founders were very much afraid that reconstruction would lead to the loss of power for the white race which they believed to be superior to all other races. This belief was perpetuated by utilizing carefully crafted verbiage from the bible in the hopes that other whites would adhere to the religious aspects of the organization and help with maintaining fear in any minority or religious organization that did not help keep the white race in power. The group would state that the bible gives people the right to own and maintain slaves. Although these beliefs were a blatant misinterpretation of what is stated in the bible, the use of the bible and the manipulation of it was a key factor in recruiting members into the KKK. The organization went so far as to utilize the cross as its symbol in the hopes that this figurative gesture would make others believe that what they were doing was right in the eyes of god. Although the true purpose of the KKK was to limit fairness during reconstruction, the organizations use of cult techniques allowed for terror, fear, and …show more content…
Many historians believe that the second phase and most damning chapter of the KKK began between 1915-1920 (Baker). This “second group” focused on breeding hatred for the Catholic Church, the Jewish faith, and blacks (American Experience). The organization was almost exclusively made up of white Protestants who opposed anything that they deemed to be immoral. The KKK, during this time, opposed alcohol and any other religion that did not have the same values as it held. Most members of the KKK were still from southern states, but did start to grow into other parts of the United States and even into Canada (Baker). This new phase of the KKK was also very much aware of the power of utilizing religious beliefs to perpetuate what they wanted to see happen as a result of their organizing. Robes, titles of members, symbols, and even movies that glorified the KKK as an organization based on Christian values only helped to perpetuate the group into the mainstream. The sad reality is that many of the members during this time truly believed they were doing the work of god and had been manipulated into believing that the terror, threats, and physical violence they were invoking on others was actually being done for the betterment of mankind and in direct line with what they believed god wanted them to be doing. The KKK during this time became very political as well and even secretly helped
The KKK began in Pulaski, Tennessee in 1867 with the sole purpose of creating terror through intimidation in order to maintain white supremacy in the United States. The founders were very much afraid that reconstruction would lead to the loss of power for the white race which they believed to be superior to all other races. This belief was perpetuated by utilizing carefully crafted verbiage from the bible in the hopes that other whites would adhere to the religious aspects of the organization and help with maintaining fear in any minority or religious organization that did not help keep the white race in power. The group would state that the bible gives people the right to own and maintain slaves. Although these beliefs were a blatant misinterpretation of what is stated in the bible, the use of the bible and the manipulation of it was a key factor in recruiting members into the KKK. The organization went so far as to utilize the cross as its symbol in the hopes that this figurative gesture would make others believe that what they were doing was right in the eyes of god. Although the true purpose of the KKK was to limit fairness during reconstruction, the organizations use of cult techniques allowed for terror, fear, and …show more content…
Many historians believe that the second phase and most damning chapter of the KKK began between 1915-1920 (Baker). This “second group” focused on breeding hatred for the Catholic Church, the Jewish faith, and blacks (American Experience). The organization was almost exclusively made up of white Protestants who opposed anything that they deemed to be immoral. The KKK, during this time, opposed alcohol and any other religion that did not have the same values as it held. Most members of the KKK were still from southern states, but did start to grow into other parts of the United States and even into Canada (Baker). This new phase of the KKK was also very much aware of the power of utilizing religious beliefs to perpetuate what they wanted to see happen as a result of their organizing. Robes, titles of members, symbols, and even movies that glorified the KKK as an organization based on Christian values only helped to perpetuate the group into the mainstream. The sad reality is that many of the members during this time truly believed they were doing the work of god and had been manipulated into believing that the terror, threats, and physical violence they were invoking on others was actually being done for the betterment of mankind and in direct line with what they believed god wanted them to be doing. The KKK during this time became very political as well and even secretly helped