The anti-cult movement, abbreviated ACM, consists of various governmental and non-governmental organizations and individuals that seek to raise awareness of religious groups that they consider to be "cults", uncover coercive practices used to attract and retain members, and help those who have become involved with harmful cult practices.
One prominent group within the anti-cult movement, Christian counter-cult organizations, oppose new religious movements (NRMs) on theological grounds, categorizing them as cults, and distribute information to this effect through church networks and via printed literature.Anson Shupe and David G. Bromley. "Anti-Cult Movement." In Encyclopedia of Religion and Society, edited by William H. Swatos, 27–28. Walnut Creek, CA: AltaMira Press, 1998.
Concept The anti-cult movement is conceptualized as a collection of individuals and groups, whether formally organized or not, who oppose some "new religious movements" (or "cults"). This countermovement has reportedly recruited participants from family members of "cultists," former group members (or apostates), religious groups (including Jewish and Christian groups)Shoshanah Feher. "Maintaining the Faith: The Jewish Anti-Cult and Counter-Missionary Movement." In Anti-Cult Movements in Cross-Cultural Perspective, edited by Shupe and Bromley, 33–48. New York: Garland, 1994. and associations of health professionals.Anson Shupe and David G. Bromley. "The Modern Anti-Cult Movement in North America." In Anti-Cult Movements in Cross-Cultural Perspective, edited by Shupe and Bromley, 3–31. New York: Garland, 1994. p. 3.Eileen Barker. "The Scientific Study of Religion? You Must Be Joking!" Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion 34, no. 3 (1995): 287–310, p. 297. Although there is a trend towards globalization,Shupe, Anson and David G. Bromley. 1994. "Introduction," pp. vii–xi in Anson Shupe and David G. Bromley, eds., Anti-Cult Movements in Cross-Cultural Perspective, New York, NY: Garland, p. x. the social and organizational bases vary significantly from country to country according to the social and political opportunity structures in each place.
As with many subjects in the social sciences, the movement is variously defined. A significant minority opinion suggests that analysis should treat the secular anti-cult movement separately from the religiously motivated (mainly Christian) groups."Cult Group Controversies: Conceptualizing 'Anti-Cult' and 'Counter-Cult." The Religious Movements Page. Religious Movements Page. Last Modified 26 November 2000. Archived 27 August 2006 at the Wayback Machine.
The anti-cult movement can be divided into four classes:
secular counter-cult groups; Christian evangelical counter-cult groups; groups formed to counter a specific cult; and organizations that offer some form of exit counseling.George D. Chryssides. Exploring New Religions. London and New York: Cassell, 1999. 349–351.
Most if not all of the groups involved express the view that there are potentially deleterious effects associated with some new religious movements. Hadden's taxonomy of the anti-cult movement
Jeffrey K. Hadden sees four distinct classes of opposition to "cults":Jeffrey K. Hadden. "SOC 257: New Religious Movements Lectures: The Anti-Cult Movement." Course Lecture. University of Virginia, Department of Sociology. 1997. Opposition grounded on religion Opposition usually defined in theological terms. Cults considered heretical. Endeavors to expose the heresy and correct the beliefs of those who have strayed from a truth. Prefers metaphors of deception rather than possession. Serves two important functions: protects members (especially youth) from heresy, and increases solidarity among the faithful. Secular opposition Regards individual autonomy as the manifest goal – achieved by getting people out of groups that use mind control and deceptive proselytization. Regards the struggle as an issue of control rather than theology. Organizes around families of children currently or previously involved in a cult. Has the unannounced goal of disabling or destroying new religious movements organizationally. Apostates Former members who consider themselves egregiously wronged by a cult, often with the coordination and encouragement of anti-cult groups. Entrepreneurial opposition A few "entrepreneurs" who have made careers of organizing opposition groups. Broadcasters, journalists, and lawyers who base a reputation or career on anti-cult activities.
Cult-watching groups and individuals, and other opposition to cults
Family-members of adherents
Some opposition to cults (and to some NRMs) started with family-members of cult-adherents who had problems with the sudden changes in character, lifestyle and future plans of their young adult children who had joined NRMs. Ted Patrick, widely known as "the father of deprogramming," exemplifies members of this group. The former Cult Awareness Network (old CAN) grew out of a grassroots-movement by parents of cult-members.J. Gordon Melton. "Anti-cultists in the United States: An Historical Perspective." In New Religious Movements: Changes and Responses, edited by Jamie Cresswell and Bryan Wilson, 213–233. London and New York: Routledge, 1999. 216. The American Family Foundation ( the International Cultic Studies Association) originated from a father whose daughter had joined a high-control group, and other parents concerned about young adult offspring populated the American Family Foundation's membership.
Clinical psychologists and psychiatrists
From the 1970s onwards some psychiatrists and clinical psychologists accused "cults" of harming some of their members.Louis J. West and Margaret Thaler Singer. "Cults, Quacks, and Nonprofessional Therapies." In Comprehensive Textbook of Psychiatry/III, edited by Harold I. Kaplan, Alfred M. Freedman, and Benjamin J. Sadock, 3245–3358. 3rd ed. Vol. 3. London and Baltimore, MD: William & Wilkins, 1980.David A. Halperin. "Psychiatric Perspectives on Cult Affiliation." Psychiatric Annals 20 (1990): 204–218. These accusations were sometimes based on observations made during therapy, and sometimes were related to theories regarding brainwashing or mind control.Thomas Robbins and Dick Anthony. "Cults, Brainwashing, and Counter-Subversion." Annals of the American Academy of Political and Social Science 446 (1979): 78–90.
Former members
Anson Shupe, David G. Bromley and Joseph Ventimiglia coined the term atrocity tales in 1979,Bromley, David G., Shupe, Anson D., Ventimiglia, J. C. "Atrocity Tales, the Unification Church, and the Social Construction of Evil." Journal of Communication 29, no. 3 (1979): 42–53. which Bryan R. Wilson later took up in relation to former members' narratives. Bromley and Shupe defined an "atrocity tale" as the symbolic presentation of action or events, real or imagined, in such a context that they come to flagrantly violate the (presumably) shared premises upon which a given set of social relationships should take place. The recounting of such tales has the intention of reaffirming normative boundaries. By sharing the reporter's disapproval or horror, an audience reasserts normative prescription and clearly locates the violator beyond the limits of public morality.Jean Duhaime. "Les Témoigagnes de Convertis et d'ex-Adeptes." (English: "The testimonies of converts and former followers") In New Religions in a Postmodern World, edited by Mikael Rothstein and Reender Kranenborg. RENNER Studies in New Religions. Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University Press, 2003. .Anson D. Shupe and David G. Bromley. "Apostates and Atrocity Stories: Some Parameters in the Dynamics of Deprogramming." In The Social Impact of New Religious Movements, edited by Bryan R. Wilson, 179–215. Barrytown, NY: Rose of Sharon Press, 1981.
Christian countercult movement
In the 1940s, the long-held opposition by some established Christian denominations to non-Christian religions or supposedly heretical, or counterfeit, Christian sects crystallized into a more organized Christian counter cult movement in the United States. For those belonging to the movement, all religious groups claiming to be Christian, but deemed outside of Christian orthodoxy, were considered "cults."Douglas E. Cowan, Bearing False Witness?: An Introduction to the Christian Countercult. London and Westport, CT: Praeger, 2003. Christian cults are new religious movements which have a Christian background but are considered to be theologically deviant by members of other Christian churches.J. Gordon Melton. Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America. Rev. ed. New York and London: Garland, 1992. 5. In his influential book The Kingdom of the Cults, first published in the United States in 1965, Christian scholar Walter Martin defines Christian cults as groups that follow the personal interpretation of an individual, rather than the understanding of the Bible accepted by mainstream Christianity. He mentions the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, Christian Science, the Jehovah's Witnesses, Unitarian Universalism, and Unity as examples.Walter Ralston Martin. The Kingdom of the Cults. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House, 2003. 18. .
The Christian countercult movement asserts that Christian sects whose beliefs are partially or wholly not in accordance with the Bible are erroneous. It also states that a religious sect can be considered a "cult" if its beliefs involve a denial of what they view as any of the essential Christian teachings such as salvation, the Trinity, Jesus himself as a person, the ministry of Jesus, the Miracles of Jesus, the Crucifixion of Jesus, the Death of Christ, the Resurrection of Christ, the Second Coming of Christ, and the Rapture.Walter R. Martin, The Rise of the Cults, rev. ed. Santa Ana, CA: Vision House, 1978. 11–12.Richard Abanes. Defending the Faith: A Beginner's Guide to Cults and New Religions. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1997. 33.H. Wayne House and Gordon Carle. Doctrine Twisting: How Core Biblical Truths are Distorted. Downers Grove, IL: IVP, 2003.
Countercult literature usually expresses doctrinal or theological concerns and a missionary or apologetic purpose.Garry W. Trompf. "Missiology, Methodology and the Study of New Religious Movements," Religious Traditions 10 (1987): 95–106. It presents a rebuttal by emphasizing the teachings of the Bible against the beliefs of non-fundamental Christian sects. Christian countercult activist writers also emphasize the need for Christians to evangelize to followers of cults.Walter R. Martin. The Kingdom of the Cults. rev. ed. Edited by Ravi Zacharias. Bloomington, MN: Bethany House, 2003. 479–493.Ronald Enroth, ed. Evangelising the Cults, Milton Keynes, UK: Word, 1990.Norman L. Geisler and Ron Rhodes, When Cultists Ask: A Popular Handbook on Cultic Misinterpretations. Grand Rapids, MI: Baker Book House, 1997.
Governmental opposition
The secular opposition to cults and new religious movements operates internationally, though a number of sizable and sometimes expanding groups originated in the United States. Some European countries, such as France, Germany, Belgium and Switzerland have introduced legislation or taken other measures against cults or, where cults are not legally defined, sectarian abuses thereof.
In the Netherlands "cults," sects, and new religious movements have the same legal rights as larger and more mainstream religious movements.Richard Singelenberg. "Foredoomed to Failure: the Anti-Cult Movement in the Netherlands". In Regulating Religion: Case Studies From Around the Globe, edited by James T. Richardson. Critical Issues in Social Justice. New York: Springer, 2004. 214–15. As of 2004, the Netherlands do not have an anti-cult movement of any significance.Singelenberg, 213.
National or regional anti-cult movements
United States