Kenja, an Investigation of an Alleged Cult

Freedom of choice carries with it responsibility for that freedom.

Kenja, an investigation of an alleged Cult

by Maartje Irvine,
B.A., Dip. Crim., M.B.A.,
Consultant Criminologist
22 September 1995

Introduction

In 1993 I was asked by an acquaintance to consider undertaking a study of an organisation named Kenja which was accused of being a Cult. At that time I was busy with another project dealing with molested children, but decided to speak to the alleged cult leader Ken Dyers and his wife Jan Hamilton to gauge whether or not they would welcome investigation of their organisation.

The first meeting was held during a time when Ken was on trial for which the charges were most unclear, but were based on accusations that he was a cult leader. No formal discussion of the trial has ever taken place. Both Ken and Jan welcomed the investigation. Many of the attacks made on Kenja were in the New South Wales Parliament, which meant they could not be challenged or defended, that was why the investigation was welcomed. They claimed they were innocent and had nothing to hide.

One of the ex-members of Kenja had accused the group of encouraging/enticing her to spend her life savings. She accused Kenja of using powerful techniques including disassociation, confusion, isolation, dependence, group pressure and energy conversion courses with one hour of confessing one’s deepest secrets and another hour of hypnotising eye contact.

During my studies of the criminally insane I had viewed various techniques, of the legal and ethical variety, used to change dangerous behaviour and was still familiar with the general signs of mind/behaviour control. However, going into such dangerous waters as cults, I decided to take my husband with me, for the first time in a criminology investigation. His cold detached comments after watching the discussions, without joining in, were to prove helpful. (He would rather be undertaking his own areas of interest and therefore remained a detached observer.)

At the beginning there existed no finite benchmark for what would be an acceptable definition of a cult and had to undertake a substantive amount of background reading, to gain a firm understanding. After drawing conclusions regarding a workable definition a standard was set for what did and what did not fit the definition of a cult. A cult is a religious group outside the mainstream religions, which has practices which would be considered extreme and against the better interests of the adherents in favour of the cult.

The Encyclopedic Handbook of Cults in America Revised and Updated Edition by J. Gordon Melton describes cults as a pejorative label used to describe certain religious groups outside the mainstream of Western Religion. The problem with this description is that Hinduism, Buddhism, Taoism, for example, which are not mainstream Western Religions are recognised as Religions.

One helpful feature of the definition is that cults are emphatically seen as religious in their basis and Kenja proved not to have any single religious ideal or dogma. In fact there are a variety of religions practiced by the participants.

Persuasion is one of the most potent forces in human communication. People are robbed of their life savings on a daily basis by calculating persuaders. Is a standard confidence trickster a cult? No. A man may persuade a woman to marry him, go through most or all of her money and leave her destitute, is he a cult? No. Families frequently compel one child to contribute much more to the well being of families than the rest of the children, taking money, youth, resources and everything they can get their hands on, clear behaviour control, are they cults? No. Yet all of the above examples have elements of what is broadly termed cult behaviour, it also illustrates the difficulty with the definition.

What is lacking in the above examples, is a codification of the behaviour into a protocol or protocols and the cult does not have familial bonds, but is also in a position of trust which is generally abused. It also needs to be remembered some people are happily and willingly members of cults, simply because, regardless of price, the cult gives them what they want. Adults have that freedom of choice.

Primary difficulties in the investigation were based in the area of definition and what would be acceptable teaching and where it would cross the line into behavioural patterning moving outside the control of the individual involved, yet the individual would remain the actor of the behaviour. It was on this basis, that I was able to determine whether or not the members of Kenja were in a state of hyper activity or dull obedience and therefore directly or indirectly, under the mind control of the organisation.

Executive Summary

An investigation was undertaken to ascertain whether or not Kenja was a cult or an organisation based in personal development. As a peripheral issue, allegations of child abuse were also investigated.

Initially the investigation was as a review of individuals involved with Kenja and literature. If, at this point, the organisation showed any signs of being a cult, another investigator would have been assigned to countercheck the evidence and testimony. In the recent past, cult investigators have been threatened, attacked, disappeared without trace or been seriously injured during the course of a negative investigation. There was no need to assign another investigator.

No information was withheld by the organisation, nor were any limitations placed on the areas or people to whom the investigator would speak. A standing invitation to any Kenja function was given and on several occasions in the ensuing 18 months the researcher availed the opportunity and was able to speak with Kenja participants from Canberra and Sydney. Very few conversations were held with Ken and Jan, they remained background figures, nor did they seek to intrude, either directly or indirectly.

A substantive literature review of most of the available literature on a world wide basis was an integral part of the investigation. Literature was difficult to obtain and only a portion of it was authoritative. Opinion based on fact is certainly worthy, but remains opinion until it is substantiated in a court of law or some other legal arena.

Overseas studies proved valuable and although many of the cult organisations were huge international concerns with powerful influences, there were elements in common with all the cults, large or small.

Kenja itself produces information literature and it has a written code of ethics, 21 in all (see Attachment 1). Ethic 18 states that the organisation will not be involved with Satanism, witchcraft or such practices, which is a cult disavowal in effect. The rest of the ethics cover who Kenja will accept as a participant and the expected behaviour of the members of the group, including acceptance of different religions.

A long review was undertaken to gauge what type of community composition Kenja had. Were they individuals, or were families encouraged to join as a group? Apart from some of the single people, the composition was in the main families, both nuclear and extended.

Grandparents were especially welcomed and treated with respect in many subtle ways. Best choice of seats at functions, front row of the choir, choice of roles in the various entertainments and children were not allowed to raise their voices to them without being told they were impolite.

200 individuals were questioned, generally in a one to one situation where no influence of the Kenja Managers was evident. The key to most organisations and families lies in the response of children, who despite the most severe cautioning, generally remain candid. Their arms and legs were checked for ritual scarring and there was none. The children I encountered at Kenja were just as wilful, just as abrasive, just as charming, just as forthright as average children. But they were persuaded that they had talent, ability and something to contribute to the world at large. They wanted to do things as part of a family group and enjoyed the acceptance of being a member of the group.

Kenja premises were checked for any sign of collateral evidence and none was found. There were no ritual costumes or ancillary effects, no false bottoms or sides in cupboards which could have hidden any devices used in ceremonies. Costumes used for the entertainments were in full view and brand new on each occasion (seams were checked for fraying caused by constant use, as is the case in ceremonial robes, and there was none). They included ballroom dancing, choir dresses, fitness costumes etc.

Group membership is not a feature of cults, it is a feature of homo sapiens. Unless an individual is a hermit, they enjoy being a member of a group and participation in group activities. Self acceptance and self esteem are largely bound to the relationships they make with others. People without those support relations are the most vulnerable. Their vulnerability makes them open to suggestions and activities which would not be acceptable by someone with high self esteem.

People with high self esteem also seek self improvement courses because they believe they can get more out of life. However, most people are unaware that self improvement organisations are not bound by any code of ethics and/or conduct, nor are they answerable to any governing body with standard codes and levels of guaranteed conditions or rescinding of licence when the standard is not met or breached. At present there is no protection for the vulnerable.

Any individual can set up an organisation and wilfully set out to manipulate (dupe) people into giving them money legally and later are unable to have their money returned, unless they can prove they were under duress in one form or another.

Deception and fraud are matters for the courts to decide and strength of mind is a very difficult area, fraught with complications and perhaps one of the reasons why legislatures are reluctant to enforce rules on individuals, because they may impinge on the freedom of the individual.

On a daily basis, people make poor business decisions (95% of small businesses fail within the first 5 years) and it is in the true nature of human beings to seek to lay the responsibility on someone or somewhere else. Pain of failure, or making the wrong decision, is a deep and destructive experience, unless the individual involved has enormous self esteem. It is much simpler to lay the blame on an organisation or another party and considerably less painful as when someone else is to blame the individual is a victim, not a maker of mistakes, also they may get their money back if they can hold someone else responsible.

Conclusions

The principal conclusion reached is that there is no evidence, verbal, corroborative, collateral or otherwise, to support the accusation that Kenja is a cult. Ken Dyers is therefore not a cult leader, nor are there any substantiated instances of child abuse, discovered during the course of this research.
⇒ Kenja has a dual not singular head of the organisation, cults usually have one head of the organisation,
⇒ there are no religious obligations, all religions are tolerated,
⇒ there are no rituals,
⇒ no collateral evidence has been found
⇒ families are not split, work is undertaken to strengthen family ties,
⇒ no percentage of salary is obligatory,
⇒ no obvious/apparent coercive behaviour,
⇒ children’s activities are free of charge and can only be undertaken with parental consent,
⇒ course prices are standard, not exorbitant,
⇒ no free service to the organisation is obligatory,
⇒ all ages are welcome and no courses are obligatory and
⇒ visitors are welcome to come and go without being shadowed/overseen by an organisation official.

The absence of all of the above is an indicator that the standard protocols of cults are not evident, nor enforced.

Kenja Participants (Methodology & Research Techniques)

Kenja people are free to discuss their values and personal interpretations of the courses offered and argue/offer their own ideas which are treated as constructive.

If an individual decides to make a business or other decision, the group attitude is to support the person, even when they think the plan may not work. Substantive encouragement is given to individuals to live their own lives and not be directed by anyone else. As a whole, the group tended to have one quality in common, they were supportive and gentle with each other, it was noticeable in their interactions. Nor did they gossip about each other, or reveal private matters, even when prompted to do so. They did discuss each others’ strengths.

They are keenly aware of the value of family life and its qualities. Long discussions were undertaken with individuals that were quietly spoken and were considered suitable candidates for possible mind reforming enterprises by the researcher. This proved not to be founded in fact. They were generally introverts and while they were quite happy to have a discussion on a broad-ranging series of subjects, showed none of the hesitancy or reticence that drug, or psychologically controlled people must evidence in interrogative conversations which go on for almost two hours.

Children were present at most of the functions and were always participants without being compelled to join in. Random sampling of child responses showed that there was not a single style or type of response to the same question. Frequently the children openly disagreed with each other and their parents and showed no reluctance to state their minds on a variety of subjects. Childish spontaneity cannot be present when there is an element of control, which is fear based.

When they were to perform at functions, the children appeared to be eager to go on the stage and some were anxious, but no parent appeared to leap forward and push the child, as can sometimes be the case in stage performances when an introvert child is being pushed to perform.

Medals for excellence were presented to the children and they enjoyed the applause, but within minutes had rushed over to the food table to consume with enormous childish appetites, the variety of food on offer, especially the desserts.

Their behaviour was standard for children in the age group. No fear of any individual was apparent and on one occasion a child let me nurse teddy while she went up to sing, after telling me she wanted me to hold teddy up so he could see her (I did as instructed). I was sitting at the front so no one could obstruct his sight line.

The same child who was female and aged about six years also gave Ken Dyers the teddy when she went up to recite poetry and gave him similar instructions in the same direct tone as she had used to me (which he also obeyed).

One of the boys aged about eight/nine told me my questions were boring and he would rather go off and play racers up and down the staircase because they didn’t have a staircase at home and this might be his only chance. Most of the others left with him. However their expedition did not last over five minutes because one of the parents saw them and told them the game was over. Much pouting followed and they rejoined their parents in the main room, grumbling about adults. Standard childhood behaviour, not the obedient fear driven children who know they will be punished if their behaviour is less than perfect.

No alcohol was served at the functions and no one smoked in the function rooms. I did not see any participant under the influence of alcohol, nor did I ever catch a whiff of it on anyone’s breath when asking them questions or during discussions.

Much of the time the women had bare arms in the summer and no trace of needles was sighted nor was anyone dizzy, sleepy, slurring their words, staring through glazed eyes, no effects of drug taking was evident. The men could not similarly be vouched for regarding the traces of needles because they wore long shirt sleeves, but none had any of the other obvious signs of the drug addict.

None of the children had any marks or bruises. A game of “my muscles are bigger than yours” had them all roll up their sleeves to show me my muscles were puny. There were no signs that any of them had serious behaviour problems and they were all determined to show they were talented and could win one of the contests. Clearly the teaching was based on developing motor and verbal skills.

The teaching is broken into various areas including, executive, culture, music, dance and sport. Poetry, orchestra showcase and aerobics were very popular, but most had a capacity in public speaking and were committed to living a balanced life. They explained that enjoyment was the reason most participated in the various areas on offer.

No one rejected another person. Every member of the group was welcome and it is in that feature that the accusation of cult can be based. However, the same applies in many organisations where tolerance is both preached and practiced. Once when visiting a college of deaconesses I also noticed no one was rejected. On that particular occasion I had a small child with me who loved running all over the place and he was tolerated.

Group acceptance is not singular to cults many families practice great tolerance within their group. Once when visiting a close friend who was Moslem the whole group said nothing when a bottle of wine was opened and I had a drink. Although different to the rest of the group I was both accepted and tolerated, even when it was perfectly obvious I would never be a member of the group.

It is difficult for people who have never had this acceptance to understand that often it is freely given without obligation. When people have deep seated memories only of conditional love and acceptance, they cannot imagine unconditional acceptance exists. These assumptions can lead to incorrect conclusions and behaviour responses and these mistaken perceptions are hard to overcome because they are based in belief, not fact.

When I was searching for pornographic pictures I often randomly asked Kenja participants if they had photographs of their family. The handbag or wallet was almost always immediately opened and the photograph taken out. In the 30 seconds or so available, I always checked the contents of the bag for any signs of collateral evidence and found none.

Under the guise of teaching them how to defend themselves against an attacker with house keys, I checked to see if any talismans were attached to the keyrings, which is the usual place and found none, although on one occasion I had almost everyone’s housekeys on keyrings in my hands to show them self defence techniques. Nor were there any amulets on wrists, ankles, hanging from belts, or handbags.

I could not see one religious ring. Even the common alk was not worn. There was not one superstitious or cult symbol. I even looked for the 9 of clubs card which is known to have the curse of Scotland upon it, without success. A careful search was undertaken of all the Kenja cupboards under the guise of looking for something and all drawers tested and various wall areas for disguised compartments which could contain collateral evidence and none was found. I searched for altar accoutrements, vestments, chalices, sacrificial knives etc., anything that could substantiate the claim that the organisation was not what it claimed, a straightforward communication training group, and I could find no evidence after searching intermittently, often arriving without notice, over 18 months.

I was never kept waiting at the door and I was free to walk anywhere I chose and alone. I was asked if I wanted people to be introduced and often I introduced myself. I never explained what I was doing and few people knew I was not another participant.

No evidence of any type was ever located by me in many visits over an extended period of time. Regardless of how careful a cult is, sooner or later a highly experienced investigative criminologist will find a piece of evidence or someone will make a mistake in a conversation.

Kenja never sought to control my movements or the people to whom I spoke. Most of the Kenja participants were unaware that I was investigating the organisation and most assumed that I was a businesswoman improving her levels of communication.

All the literature that Kenja produced was given to me on request and clearly the organisation is a successful business venture. There will be unhappy participants from time to time, but much more evidence is needed to prove that Kenja is a cult or that it indulges in criminal activities of any kind. This rigorous research could find no evidence to sustain cult or criminal activity claims.

Literature Review

Louise Samways book Dangerous Persuaders, alludes to the mind control that cults have. She includes religions and various organisations of being involved in these activities. Ms Samways includes references to Hare Krishna, Children of God (known as the Family), Church of Scientology, Sannyasins (the Orange People or Rajneesh Movement) and Kenja. She considered that the most dangerous personal development courses were Landmark Education, EST, Forum, Money and You and Hoffman Process. All of these were using psychological techniques to make behavioural changes. Even Amway, a sales firm, was cited as using the techniques to improve sales.

Ms. Samways has sound foundations for her concerns. She has in her research seen instances of family breakup, divorce, unemployment, depression, illness, fraud, money loss, home loss and deception at calculated and cruel levels, which have resulted in destroyed lives. These despicable groups have masqueraded as caring and supportive organisations, but in reality just see each individual as an opportunity to become a lifelong contributor to their cause. These deluded victims are a permanent supply of funds, time, effort, general resources and are sucked dry at every level, in return they are given a vicarious impression of belonging, but only as long as they give. Their vulnerability is preyed on.

Light, uncomfortable seating, slow music designed to decrease heart beats and induce a trance like state, focus for extended periods on a single subject, newcomers are surrounded to inhibit them from asking questions, singing, confessions, success sharing, isolation from family groups, psychological conditioning and so on. The “bag of tricks” is almost endless and dangerous when coupled with expert delivery in the right conditions. Victims are by then highly suggestible.

Conclusion: regulatory laws should be drawn up to protect potential victims and any group which results in the disintegration of the family structure because of its enforced rules, should be outlawed. Licenses need to be issued to organisations, based on set standards and that license withdrawn if the codes are breached.

Peter Ring, Chris Markovitch and David Maclachlan, in Our Australian Freedoms are Under Threat, take a differing view and discuss the hysteria and use of atrocity tales which various fearmongers use to justify their anti cult stance. The writers claim that any organisation or individual who espouses new ideas almost automatically becomes the target for unsubstantiated, dishonest, inaccurate and biased accusations and this is an assault on freedom of speech and choice.

Groups such as the Cult Awareness Network hire private investigators to “cult bust”. They are also reputed to have been involved in rescuing or kidnapping people from alleged cult situations. The Anti-Cult movement, according to the writers is making the most of legal loopholes including the fact that at present there is no federal guarantee of freedom of association, belief and practices in Australia, although it is implicit, it is not stated in law.

Brainwashing is a misunderstood description used to conjure up harmful effects when mind control techniques are used. Yet people undergo attitude change all through life and it not considered mysterious or unusual. Strategies of the anti-cult movement are described as a return to the witch hunt. Once a woman was accused of being a witch in the middle ages she was thrown, generally chained, into deep water, if she drowned she was innocent, if she floated she was guilty of being in league with the devil and burned to death at the stake with no trial.

In modern times the McCarthy era followed the same trail. Sensationalised, publicised personal attacks, based on unsubstantiated claims in order to discredit targeted individuals. Control of the media is seen to be the key, rather than proof of the allegations.

Exit counselling or deprogramming appears to use the same techniques as the cult organisation, just in reverse.

Conclusion: Regulations are recommended. Some people, whether their families like it or not will make terrible choices in life. No one would dream of kidnapping an adult woman from her husband and home just because she had made a bad marriage. It would be left up to her to go or stay. While it may be awful to watch an adult child become a drug addict who had undesirable friends no one would forcibly drag them out of that situation, tie them up/lock them up for two weeks to form more desirable life patterns. There are serious legal as well as ethical issues involved and the right of an individual to make bad choices is paramount in these cases.

Jeeni Lawrence in an article entitled ‘A Real Fact Check’, discussed a Los Angeles Times article about an alleged cult organisation called MSIA (Church of the Movement of Spiritual Inner Awareness) in 1988 and its conflict with the Cult Awareness Network. Without going into the article the discussions of which have no relevance in this research, but it does have 14 cult identifier points at the end of the paper.

“1. Members swear total allegiance to an all-powerful leader who they believe to be the Messiah.
2. Rational thought is discouraged or forbidden.
3. The cult’s recruitment techniques are often deceptive.
4. The cult weakens the followers psychologically by making him or her depend upon the group to solve his or her problems.
5. The cults manipulate guilt to their advantage.
6. The cult leader makes all the career and life decisions of the members.
7. Cults exist only for their own material survival and make false promises to work to improve society.
8. Cult members work fulltime for the group for little or no pay.
9. Cult members are isolated from the outside world and any reality testing it could provide.
10. Cults are antifemale, antichild and antifamily.
11. Cults are apocalyptic and believe themselves to be the remnant who will survive the soon-approaching end of the world.
12. Many cults follow an “end justifies the means” philosophy.
13. Cults, particularly in regard to their finances, are shrouded in secrecy.
14. There is frequently an aura of or potential for violence around cults.”

Conclusion: Ms Lawrence is a member of the California State Bar and the above synthesis is one of the most accurate produced to date. It is a clear picture of how most people would describe the average cult organisation in modern context. As an acid test or formal list against which organisational behaviour could be tested to decide whether or not it had cult features, the list is exemplary.

Conclusion: Ms. Lawrence has set up an excellent axiomatic descriptor to test whether an organisation is a cult or not and this should be accepted into general societal use.

An article written by Ross and Green entitled ‘What is the Cult Awareness Network and What Role did it Play in Waco?’, investigates the activities of the Cult Awareness Network (CAN) in relation to the Waco incident in which 90 people died. Ross & Green allege that CAN makes large amounts of money by referring families to kidnappers, or mercenary deprogrammers. Harsh tactics are explained in detail and challenges are made to the definitions of what is a cult. They also point to the difficulties in obtaining proof and the impelling force that atrocity tales have on the general population.

Conclusion: there are many unanswered questions regarding the Waco incident and highest amongst them ranks the question, was it a cult? Ross & Green point to testimony and evidence which argues that there never was any conclusive proof.

Attacking the people within a cult will simply make them close ranks and civilised society should have gone beyond baseless accusations and attack on civilians, even when they are armed.

Professor J.S. La Fontaine’s published article, ‘The Extent and Nature of Organised and Ritual Abuse’ (Research Findings) is a serious study commissioned by the British Department of Health. The study concerned victims who were children who were ritually abused.

There are references to satanic abuse,
“The allegations of ritual/satanic abuse consists of sexual abuse associated with acts which violate the most taken-for-granted cultural axioms about the natural limits of human behaviour: human sacrifice:cannibalism and bestiality together with sexual abuse, torture and killing of children” (La Fontaine 1992).

Corroborative evidence was always the most difficult to obtain because of the age of some of the children. Often lack of evidence meant that the case was difficult for child protection teams to deal with. Collateral evidence was easier and more available. This included items such as pornographic photography and videos, books about the occult, altars, robes/costumes, masks, hats/headgear, killing animals, killing humans, abortions, blood, ritual scars, candles and pentagrams.

12 conclusions were drawn by Professor La Fontaine and the last says in part,
“A belief in evil cults is convincing because it draws on powerful cultural axioms.”
“The notion that unknown, powerful leaders control the cult revives the old myth of dangerous strangers.”

Conclusion: stronger child protection legislation needs to be drawn up with more staff placed in the child protection agencies. Greater research funding is also needed to build a substantive data base from which sounder protective measures can be deduced, enacted and enforced.

Dr Streiker in an article entitled ‘The Anticult Network’, deals with some of the propaganda issues as espoused by groups who justify parental intervention in their adult children’s lives via questionable practices. He questions the reliability of the information offered about so called cults who then are the targets. In passing he mentions the 900 deaths and murders in Guyana, but makes no comment on how this could have been avoided. The incident does give credence to some societal concerns, as does Waco, but Dr Streiker does not say so.

Criticism is made about the qualifications of the deprogrammers and the amount of money charged to the concerned parents. Much of the comment is based in the way that the anticult network gathers information and disseminates it. Mostly the information is newspaper clippings and not necessarily factual. The whole Anticult information system, as described, is based on an emotional response rather than an informed intellectual one.

Dr. Streiker quite correctly points out that there are no specialist or expert cult practitioners who are impartial and can deal with adults who willingly stay in the cult culture. He abhors the denigration of the rights of adults to choose their own life style without interference from well meaning parents. Dr. Streiker in the final analysis wants to uphold citizens rights in a pluralistic society.

“Our Response to Allegations of Mind Control and Brainwashing” an article issued on behalf of the Fellowship of Independent Missionary Communities, commonly referred to as The Family in March 1993, responds to allegations of absence of a finite definition of mind control and brainwashing and points out in cogent terms that the Anticult movement also use the techniques they claim to abhor in the cult movements.

They also acknowledge that incidents of brainwashing has occurred in the past as was clearly the case with Patty Hearst who used the brainwashing as a defence against criminal liability. Ms. Hearst was certainly under the control of her captors when she committed various crimes and had to be “untaught” the behavioural patterns which had been intensely instilled in her over a long period of deprivation, rape and imprisonment. This occasion was crime, not cult related.

It is also pointed out that the Chinese Government uses deprogramming for convicted persons under Chinese law. The behavioural changes are considered necessary before the person is suitable for release. Catholic Orders are also cited for behaviour changing methods, where adherents willingly undergo severe conditions and behaviour change to reach a desired state and organisations such as Alcoholics Anonymous encourage enormous behaviour changes, all of which are accepted by society because they can see benefits in the behaviour changes.

Conclusion: some behaviour changing organisations have social acceptance others do not and there is no fine line or descriptor to explain why some are accepted others are not, that is a function of societal judgement. Until there are clear definitions of mind control and brainwashing allegations will be hard to prove.

‘The Opening of the American Mind: A Fresh Look at Cults of Persecution’, an article by Dr. Streiker discussed the ideology of fear. The current view of some cults is compared with the Salem witch hunts (c. 1692) and the McCarthy era (c. 1940–50s) anti-communism excesses.

In an intelligent description Dr. Streiker discusses the valid fears of people which lead to overreaction and the tendency to blur the distinction between the sources of their concerns and the surrounding society with its mores. No society is static. Once an ideology of hatred is established the movement is usually in any direction against the object of the hate, often in an emotional, irrational manner rather than a considered objection. This moves forward again to persecution. He sees this as part of a quest for meaning, following the structure that things are changing, they are changing for the worse and someone is to blame. Find that and eliminate it from society and then order will return.

The article investigates the history of some of the most famous Anticult movements and attempts to explain why they came into being. He discusses in some detail their activities and finishes with the indicators that they may have had their hour in this time frame and are losing popular support and general acceptance.

Conclusion: the day of the zenith of the Anticult movement has come and gone and its moral persuasive powers are now having a factual basis demanded of them by society.

Dr. Michael Ross in his article ‘Psychological Malpractice and the Anti-Cult Battle: The Brain Awash’, in 1979 was perhaps one of the first writers in Australia to look at the appearance of deprogramming or alternative brainwashing in Australia. The potential for misuse of the techniques, coupled with the costs of up to $50,000 pose a greater threat to civil liberties than the cult activities themselves.

Unconventional beliefs and lifestyles do not automatically constitute a threat to society nor do they form the basis for sustaining accusations of cult activities. Some people are simply nonconformists. Usually they are independent thinkers with their own individual view of the world. In these cases deprogramming could be considered unethical professional conduct and a breach of civil liberties.

Some psychologists have been asked to provide certificates of sanity to cult members to enable them to fend off deprogramming activities and prevent them being declared mentally ill.

Need for the establishment of legal and ethical principles is mentioned. Provisions for individuals using the techniques to be answerable to an ethical body the ethical body to give opinions on actual cases.

Conclusion: Is the cure worse than the ailment? A professional body needs to investigate cases and those providing the deprogramming need to be qualified and authorised to do so.

‘Cultphobia’ is the name of an article by Kilbourne and Richardson. It discusses the growth of cults and notes that most of the research on new religions focuses on deviant, abnormal or offensive behaviour of the new religion and its adherents. This leads to lack of understanding and unfair fear and attack.

People often confuse strong support of a new religion with mental disorder, psychological problems or mental illness. This view is frequently based on superficial decisions with no support evidence. He suggests that research on new religions be linked to established research traditions in the areas of normal socialisation processes, self development, change and group behaviour. That would give a far sounder and more impartial basis on which to assess the validity of claims made.

Conclusion: research into new religions needs to be more impartial and not fear based. Biased research cannot make sound findings for future use or even basic evaluation.

James T. Richardson in his article ‘Cult/Brainwashing Cases and Freedom of Religion’, discusses how various cult cases came to law. Most of the complaints from both sides was in regard to brainwashing and deprogramming. Issues of kidnapping and its ramifications are discussed so are false imprisonment and mind control. He reiterates that children who have reached the age of maturity should be entitled to lead their lives without interference from well meaning parents, even if they are making the wrong choice, they are adults and have the right to do so.

Religious freedom is a right for every adult, although efforts are usually made to stamp out exotic religions which threaten the status quo. People do have the right to exercise their free will without interference.

The rest of the article discusses the court cases and the legal arguments used.

Conclusion: if a cult is a religion perhaps it should publish its dogma so that people can understand. Once understanding is established fear usually recedes.

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Ross & Green, 1993, Report, What is Cult Awareness & What Role Did It Play in Waco?, 1010 Vermont Avenue NW Suite 811, Washington DC, 20005.

Ross, Michael W., 1979, (Article), ‘Psychological Malpractice and the Anti-Cult Battle: The Brain Awash’, Australian Journal of Social Issues, 1979, Volume 14, No.3.

Samways, Louise, Dangerous Persuaders,(an excerpt)

Streiker, Lowell D., 1988, (Article) ‘The Anticult Network’.

Streiker, Lowell D., 1990, (Article) ‘The Opening of the American Mind: A Fresh Look at Cults of Persecution’, Journal of Ecumenical Studies, 27:4, Fall 1990.

World Services, March 1993, (Article), ‘Our Response to Allegations of Mind Control and Brainwashing’, World Services, Zurich, Switzerland.

Source

Maartje Irvine (1995). Freedom of choice carries with it responsibility for that freedom : Kenja, an investigation of an alleged cult. Maartje Irvine. Catalogue record: National Library of Australia.