The Psychological Appeal of a Cult

Now, this is not to say that one should not feel either pride in their religion or that they shouldn't feel that it is the right one for them. They may even believe that their faith is the best one.

What is being discussed here is not this sense of loyalty that all persons should have towards their faith, but rather this information is calling attention to the underlying psychological reasons why we might be attracted to one of these "Noah's Ark groups."

A "Noah's Ark group" is one which goes beyond what would be considered a reasonable amount of confidence in itself, its doctrines, teachings, faith, even leadership. Instead a "Noah's Ark group" insists that there is no salvation outside of the "ark" (that is the group or religous organization itself) and that all those who fail to come into the group will without any doubt perish or otherwise be subject to damnation.

Most, but not all, "cults" could be classified as a "Noah's Ark group." For this reason, I use the cult term below liberally but keep in mind that some non-cult groups which have traces of cultic characteristics, such as Jehovah's Witnesses, may seem familiar under this rubric.

N = You Need THIS

One of the first appeals to us as human beings targets our likely disatisfaction with life. The "N" is saying that THIS is what we need in our lives. It is also saying that because we don't have THIS in our lives, it is the reason our lives suck (Or at least why life seems to be disatisfying).

This explains why persons who indicate a high level of satisfaction with their present way of life and condition seem to be less susceptible to the appeal of a cult.

Please Note: This is not about status or economic condition or education or intelligence. Cults appeal to a broad spectrum of persons including the highly intelligent and successful. This is about appealing to the seeming void in our lives. Cults hold themselves out as just the right prescription to fill this void.

O = Original

An important aspect of the appeal of a cult is that it holds itself out to be "original" in its being and usually in its teachings, culture, beliefs and actions. We find this reflected by its claims to be unique in the world, to be the only divine channel of truth, or perhaps the only organization on Earth that God is really using or that is truly walking in "the Way."

It is absolutely necessary for a cult to hold itself out as being original, otherwise there is no reason to exclusively devote ourselves to it or to make an undivided commitment.

A = Appeal to Authority

We as humans, if we are wise, are naturally unconfident in matters of absolute truth. Also, in most cultures, we have been taught to give deference to authority. Thus, it is certain that a cult will appeal to the authority of something greater than the individual members. Very often, this authority is the Bible - a book that even non-believers must respect for its historical impact and importance.

Sometimes, the group will have its own set of sacred writings, authoritative works, or it will rely upon the created authority of a "prophet," leader, or group of persons. Generally, the founder or founders of the group are viewed as authoritative as well as the current leadership.

This appeal to authority, whether it be to man or scripture, plays upon our obedient nature and our respect for persons of superior ability or status than ourselves.

H = Hope

The message is: "THIS will bring you whatever it is that you hope for." This is incredibly powerful because most if not all persons have a hope of some kind. For some it is the hope for life beyond this one. Or as Jehovah's Witnesses and some other groups hope, for life to not cease at all.

Some persons hope for rewards to improve their material condition. Others hope for reunion, maybe with dead loved ones. And many simply hope for a better life or a better world.

Without fail, the cult attempts to hold out hope to us with the explicit or implicit message that we can have what we hope for, but only through membership in the group.

S = Superiority and Specialness

This is a bare appeal to our vanity. Most of us long to be more than ordinary. If through membership in the group, we can feel superior or special, it can be a diversion away from mundane life and routine. It is interesting to note that it is often ironic that the demands of group membership blind us to avenues and ways that we could pursue to obtain a sense of excellence or other activities that might help us to feel extraordinary.

A = Antagonists

Mentally and psychologically, we are often quick to externalize the source of our problems. We need a bad guy to blame it all on. To look inward is hard and to admit that many of our troubles are of our own making is sage and few do it naturally.

Cults do not exist without an antagonist. The existence of a "bad guy" is a prominent claim that they must promote in order to even create a line between the group and those outside of the group.

The antagonist of the cult might be anyone or anything from Satan, to wickedness, to an evil slave, to apostates, to the entire world outside of the cult.

By creating an antagonist, it allows the cult to hold itself out as the "ark" of salvation as well as provide the explanation for how the antagonist will be overcome.

The appeal for us is that it allows us to continue to externalize our problems and the ills in society and that is always easier than facing up to them.

R = Reinforcement

Every cult needs to reinforce the paradigm and maintain the psychological pressures in order to be successful. This is what cult experts refer to variously as "mind control," "thought reform," etc. This is the systematic and coordinated program of pursuasion that first brings the new member into the group and then maintains the membership afterwards.

In some extreme cult situations, reinforcement may include severe psychological or physical pressures. See the broader discussion of the attributes of a cult.

(Incidently, it is the absence of a genuine thought-reform program that is one of the major reasons why Jehovah's Witnesses are not accurately described to be a cult.)

K = Kindness and Kinship

Finally, we have an appeal to our emotion. The lure of the cult is powerful when it involves our feelings and attachment to other members. Persons often get involved in a cult due to love, family, friendship or to experience a feeling of belonging or brotherhood. Persons without a strong social circle, who have a rocky family situation, and the lonely are susceptible to the appeal of a cult.