Cult of personality

hear the word cult, they think of people in dark cloaks worshipping Satan or bald monks who live in mountains as hermits. That is not always the case though. It is not as easy as one may think to spot cult members as they come from varying walks of life. The purpose of this paper is to define cults, to explain why people join cults, and to apprise the danger that cults pose. Although most religions start as cults, there are many qualities, criteria, and traits that separate cults from…

Jonestown Jim Jones was born in 1931; he was from Crete, Indiana. In the 1970’s Jones was a popular cult leader, and claimed himself to be the leader of the Peoples Temple religious cult. Jones promised a utopia to his followers that were dedicated disciples. “On November 18, 1978, in what became known as the Jonestown Massacre, Jones led more than 900 men, women and children to their deaths in a mass suicide by cyanide-laced punch.”(Editors).When Jim Jones promised a racially integrated utopia…

A group of people who think the same way, wear the same clothes, listen to the same music, purchase the same products, and dream the same dreams—according to Lasn, these are the criteria for a people who are members of a “cult.” If this is the definition of a “cult,” then a cult that I recognize I am most definitely a member of would be Christianity. Although there is much variety within the lives of each member of my church, we all strive (or should strive) to live by the same standard: this…

Of the many cults that have arisen throughout the past century, the cult which was led by Charles Manson, and labeled the Manson Family Cult, is arguably one of the most infamous. One of the definitions of a cult at dictionary.com is “a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader” which describes the group led by Charles Manson (Dictionary.com). Formed in the turbulent…

social disorganisation and change. NRMs are new religious movements which are an overarching idea that embraces both cults and sects; the term was coined by Barker as a neutral term as cults and sects are usually portrayed negatively by the media which can cause moral panic so sociologists such as Barker and Wallis came up with NRMs. However, Hadden and Bromley point out the concepts cult and sect, used by sociologists, have precise meanings and therefore are free of prejudice so there shouldn’t…

know what one is, despite the threats some hold to innocent human beings. Cults. We must strive to raise awareness of harmful cults in our society. Harmful cults have the ability to take away basic human rights and brainwash people to such an extent that they begin to believe what they are doing will make them a better person and improve their lives. Everyone would like a chance at a new life, right?, so if a harmful cult offers a shot at a new one, it's near impossible to turn it down. This is…

Professor Josh Pryor Eng. 110-04 05/05/15 Cults and Charismatic Leaders What is normal for you might be insane for me; as for cults and religions many of their acts and interest are of normality. For someone on the outside of that religion or cult might seem like an absurdity. As humans we do not have the right to judge upon their religion or cults way of life, they do what they do for a reason either to protect or praise in whom they have faith. As for cults we know many are notably positive,…

Cults can be formed around a variety of satanic beliefs, which cause an illusion of justification with violent and horrendous acts, such as the ones done by the four members of The Chicago Rippers cult, and the members of The Vampire Clan. Psychological aspects of cults include indoctrination, groupthink, and obedience. The Chicago Rippers were a group of four men, identified as Robin Gecht (the leader), Edward Spreitzer, and brothers Andrew Kokoraleis and Thomas Kokoraleis (Murderpedia).…

Cults are defined as a group of people having religious beliefs or practices viewed by others as strange. There are many cults in America, more than actual churches. The group is usually isolated from the rest of society which is believed to be destructive. These cults create their own worlds and limit any outside influences. They form their own society with a religious leader controlling the group. These groups use physiological persuasions to recruit and brainwash their members. In our…

through cults; the Stanford Prison Experiment; and normative social influence, informational social influence, and the social impact theory. The word “cult” refers to a group of people with religious tendencies, beliefs, or just practices in general that some may describe as “sinister”. The recruiters of cults tend to manipulate information, so people will join their groups. At first, the basics of the group may not seem too dangerous, but then sometimes things take a serious turn. The cult…