Some Links and Info for Researching Religious Cults
(The Guru Trip is Over)
Wikipedia Article - Cult
Long, serious article addressing the many aspects of this complicated issue.
PLEASE READ above article if interested in this subject.
Wikipedia Article - Cult Checklist
Wikipedia Article - New Religous Movement (politically correct term for "cult")
Here are three more webpages which seriously discuss "what is a cult?":
Key Cult Features (from SOS Europe website) www.orange-papers.org/orange-cult-sos.html
Totalism in Today's Cults - Jan Goenveld www.orange-papers.org/orange-totalism.html
The above 3 links are to pages on a large website critical of Alchohics
Anonymous (AA). These pages refer to characteristics of cults in general,
not necesarily to AA. I have no particular beef with AA myself, but I do think
it interesting to analyze them. AA seems to have helped many people, though I know
recovered alchoholics who did not seem to like or need AA. Here is a link to
a page at that site discussing AA as a cult:
Alcholics Anonymous as a Cult by A. Orange www.orange-papers.org/orange-cult.html
How to Become a Cult Guru - Phil Milstein - www.songpoemmusic.com/cults/guru.htm
Check This Out! (Awesome Youtube video)
Mind Control Made Easy or How to Become a Cult Leader - Carey Burtt -
www.youtube.com/watch?v=C3wTtmrFQxI
The above video illustrates some of the concepts of "thought reform" (also
called brain-washing or mind control) put forth by Robert Jay Lifton.
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Robert_Jay_Lifton
General Information on Cults
ICSA - International Cultic Studies Association - www.icsahome.com
Publishers of Cultic Studies Review
Rick Ross - www.rickross.com
Rick Ross Groups Listing - www.rickross.com/sg_alpha.html
Rick Ross Links Page - www.rickross.com/links.html
Rick Ross is a "cult interventionist", his extensive site has a large list
of groups with many articles and links.
CultNews.net - thorough daily news roundup (from Rick Ross)
From the Age of the Guru to the Age of the Friend - Dr. Greg Goode - www.heartofnow.com/files/other.writings.html
Very thoughtful discussion of the guru concept, including "enlightenment by transmission".
Why the Age of the Guru is Over - Charles Eisenstein:
www.realitysandwich.com/across_threshold_0
Sarlo's Guru Rating Service www3.telus.net/public/sarlo/Ratings.htm
Very interesting website. Extensive listings of gurus.
Guruphiliac.Blogspot.com
"Revealing Self-Aggrandizement and Superstition in Self-Realization Since 2005"
Very fun and interesting site - keeps up-to-date with wacky guru stories.
This site was moved to Facebook in 2010. I don't find it nearly as useful or
accessible there, but I think the old site is still up for searching the
archives.
Steven Alan Hassan - www.freedomofmind.com
Ex-Cult Resource Center www.ex-cult.org
Allen Tate Wood - www.allentwood.com
Walter Martin - www.waltermartin.com
Late Christian cult researcher - lots of videos available (I have not yet seen
any of these), including 10-part series on Mormons and a video about
Transcendental Meditation.
Stripping The Gurus - Geoffrey Faulk - www.strippingthegurus.com
Subtitled: Sex, Violence, Abuse and Enlightenment.
An online book - no one is spared here - maybe even goes a bit too far.
Highly recommended reading though. Includes links and a large
bibliography of books about cults.
Cult Information Centre - www.cultinformation.org.uk
List of groups with links, list of books, some good general articles.
Cult Awareness and Information Library - www.culthelp.info / www.caic.org.au
Cult Apologist FAQ - home.snafu.de/tilman/faq-you/cult.apologists.txt
RelInfo.ch - a Swiss site, in German
Anti-Cult Movement (Wikipedia): en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Anti-cult_movement
Extensive article breaking down the various types of groups that oppose cults.
Info on Specific Groups
My funny story on "Yogic Flying" and Transcendental Meditation.
www.suggestibility.org
Falling Down the TM Rabbithole - How Transcendental Meditation Really Works, A Critical Opinion - Joe Kellett
Wikipedia Article - Scientology
Note - this is the main article at Wikipedia. Click "show" on the yellow
bar at the bottom of the page to see all the Scientology-related articles at
Wikipedia - there are over 80 different articles.
xenu.net - Operation Clambake
Very extensive anti-Scientology site.
"Undressing the Church of Scientology since 1996."
Fun from The Onion: www.theonion.com/articles/scientology-losing-ground-to-new-fictionology,1327/
newkadampa.com Critical of NKT
The New Kadampa Tradition (NKT) is a fast-growing, empire-building Buddhist
cult. There are many sects and variations within Buddhism. They all seem to
respect each other, but most seem to be suspicious of the NKT. They
emphasize following the teachings of "the guru", and teach that you can
become enlightened only by direct contact with the guru. And their leader
just happens to be not only enlightened, but actually the "third Buddha".
Main official website: (they have many more) kadampa.org
NKT at Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/New_Kadampa_Tradition
This Wikipedia article seems to have recently been purged (early 2008) of
lots of critical info, such as their beef with the Dalai Lama.
My page on Oneness Movement / Oneness Blessing / Sri Kalki Bhagavan (includes links)
Unification Church (Sun Myung Moon) at Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Unification_Church
www.leavingsiddhayoga.netCritical of Siddha Yoga - SYDA (the late Swami Muktananda)
Extensive site in English, Dutch, German, French and Italian.
yogibhajan.tripod.com
Large collection of info on Yogi Bhajan, Kundalini Yoga, 3HO.
Lots of court documents.
The Wacko World of Yogi Bhajan - forums.delphiforums.com/KamallaRose
indiakids.blogspot.com
"Live Your Life - Memoirs and Accounts from a Second Generation Adult Raised in 3HO Sikh Dharma"
Recently started (04/08) blog relating experiences with 3HO/Yogi Bhajan
Kundalini Yoga/3HO/Yogi Bhajan www.rickross.com/groups/3ho.html
Collections of articles from Rick Ross's page for 3HO. This cult bugs me more
than most, as I find yoga in general to be a serious and powerful method of
healing, and this group continues to perpetuate the image of yoga as
weird, wacky and cultish. And inexplicably, the yoga world seems to accept
3HO's "Kundalini Yoga" (not to be confused with actual kundalini yoga) as
a valid form of yoga practice. They also claim to be Sikhs (hence the white
turbans) but actually have nothing to do with Sikhism (which itself has
nothing to do with yoga).
www.lifeincut.com One woman's experience
with Elizabeth Clare Prophet and The Summit Lighthouse aka
Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT)
CUT at Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Church_Universal_and_Triumphant
www.diamond-cutter.org - Critical of Geshe Michael Roach
(disappeared from the web circa 2009)
www.freecatherine.com An experience with Satchidananda's Yogaville.
Swami Nithyananda - www.nithyananda-cult.blogspot.com
Nithy at Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swami_Nithyananda
Dahn Yoga - www.rickross.com/groups/dti.html
Dahn Yoga article in Rolling Stone FEB 18 2010 - www.rickross.com/reference/dti/dti71.html
www.delightenment.com Check out these funny T-Shirts
Some Documentary Films Related to Cults
Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple (2006 - 90min) Stanley Nelson
PBS / Paramount / American Experience / WBGH Boston / BBC
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000MTFFUO
PBS: www.pbs.org/wgbh/amex/jonestown/
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jonestown:_The_Life_and_Death_of_Peoples_Temple
Excellent, serious documentary covering Jim Jones and Jonestown, a classic
example of a cult and the tragedy that can result (the largest mass-suicide
in history).
Transformation - The Life and Legacy of Werner Erhard (2006 - 77min) Robyn Symon
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B0013LRKQ2
Official site: www.transformationfilm.com
Very interesting, wellmade film on a very interesting man. est was a big
deal in America in the 70's. After Erhard left in 1991, the organization
was renamed Landmark Education.
This film leans toward showing the good side of Werner and est. Here is a
website critical of est, Landmark and other LGATs (Large Group Awareness
Trainings): lgattruth.blogspot.com.
One very interesting revelation in the film is that Werner claims the
reason he left the country was due to harrassment from Scientologists,
having been declared an SP (suppressive person) and thus "fair game"
by L. Ron Hubbard. This is detailed in an article at Wikipedia:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Scientology_and_Werner_Erhard
A (1998 - 136min) Tatsuya Mori (Japanese with English subtitles)
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000EWBKXK
A2 (2001 - 131min) Tatsuya Mori (Japanese with English subtitles)
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000FMGTT4
The film A and its sequel, A2, (both released on DVD in 2006)
give a close inside look at a community of members of the Aum Shinrikyo cult,
which became famous in 1995 when poison sarin gas was released into the Tokyo
subway by members of the cult. Shoko Asahara, the group's leader, carried out
this attack to divert attention from the group, which he had learned was
about to be raided by police in connection with another crime. These films
deal more with the day to day lives of some of the members after this
incident occurred. The poison gas incident or the general history of the
group are not explained in the films. I found them interesting, many people
would find them long and slow. For more info on Aum Shinrikyo, see the
Wikipedia article:
en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Aum_Shinrikyo
Join Us (2008 - 97min) Ondi Timoner
Official Site: www.joinusthemovie.com
IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt1059801
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B0014NGNJO
Looks at a group of families as they leave a small cult in South Carolina.
Talks to a lot of "cult experts", explores the subject of cults in general.
Amazingly, one family moves all the way to Montana to leave the cult behind
only to discover that they are now right next door to one of the biggest
and wackiest cults ever (Elizabeth Clair Prophet's Church Universal and
Triumphant (CUT), formerly the Summit Lighthouse), and they are knocking
at the door with books in hand. Very good film. Netflix has this.
Re-Visiting Father and the Source Family (2005 - 4hrs) Evan Wells
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B0015N3BSO
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Source_Family
Very interesting look at a cult from the 60's/70's. Tons of archival footage.
Netflix has this.
David Wants to Fly (2010 - 96min) David Sieveking
Official Site (In German): www.davidwantstofly.de
IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt1598782
Review: moviemorlocks.com/2011/01/24/the-film-david-lynch-doesnt-want-you-to-see/
Review: tmfree.blogspot.com/2010/05/david-wants-to-fly-very-personal-review.html
About David Lynch and Transcendental Meditation. A German filmmaker wants to
make a documentary about his idol, David Lynch. Lynch invites him to a
"creativity workshop" in Fairfield, Iowa. Unbeknownst to Sieveking, Fairfield
is the headquarters of the TM cult. So his film turns out to be a close look
at the wacky world of TM, including "yogic flying".
(See my yogic flying page).
As of 08/011, not yet released on DVD in the US. I went ahead and ordered the
European PAL DVD. I think I got it from a third-party seller at Amazon.com.
Can also order from amazon.de and might find on ebay.com. The German DVD
is region-free and has English subtitles. PAL DVDs will play in most
newer DVD players.
(can put in Saved queue at Netflix - hopefully they will have it someday)
This is mind-blowingly awesome - highly recommended.
Guru: Bhagwan, His Secretary & His Bodyguard (2010 - 98min) Sabine Gisiger, Beat Haner
Official Site (Swiss site, in German): www.gurufilm.ch
IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt1735976
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Osho
About Osho (Rajneesh), from the points of view of his long-time secretary and
his long-time bodyguard. As of 12/2011 still playing in festivals. No telling
when or if American DVD will be released. Can order German PAL DVD from
amazon.de, which I finally did in DEC 2011. Wow! I wasn't sure what to
expect from this and I have to admit I had not really looked much into
the whole Rajneesh trip. A little ways into this I stopped it and went
to read the Wikipedia article on Osho, which was mind-blowing. Going back
to the film, I was impressed that it covered all the main points in the
history of this major cult. This is a very interesting film for sure!
This is a Swiss film, but everyone in it speaks English, so its in English.
There are optional German subtitles. All the text on the DVD box is in
German. Highly recommended.
Holy Cow, Swami! (1996 - 3hrs) Jacob Young
Director's Website: www.dancingoutlaw.com
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000A7Y18U
New Vrindaban: www.newvrindaban.com
Palace of Gold: www.palaceofgold.com
Wikipedia - Kirtanananda Swami: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kirtanananda_Swami
Kirtanananda Swami's Website: www.kirtananandaswami.org
New York Times Article on His Death: www.nytimes.com/2011/10/25/us/swami-bhaktipada-ex-hare-krishna-leader-dies-at-74.html
Have not yet seen. Looks at Kirtanananda Swami Bhaktipada, founder and former
leader of the New Vrindaban Hare Krishna commune, near Moundsville, West
Virginia. After serving some prison time, he moved to India. He passed
away in October of 2011.
Mind Control Made Easy or How to Become a Cult Leader - (2009 - 12min) Carey Burtt
Youtube: www.youtube.com/watch?v=EJfm71I0OyU
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Carey_Burtt
Awesome humorous 12-minute short. Check it out on Youtube.
This is one of the most informative things you can watch about cults.
Illustrates ideas of mind control put forth by Robert Jay Lifton.
Links to youtube are all over the web, but it doesn't seem to be available on
DVD. (note that there are several versions of this on youtube, the link above
is to a high-definition 360p version, as opposed to the lower quailty
240p versions).
Cults - An Educational Volume Rick Ross
www.rickross.com
Comes across as an advertisement for his services (which I guess it is),
but does clearly discuss basic issues of cults.
Some Feature Films Related to Cults
Holy Smoke (1999 - 114min) Jane Campion
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Holy_Smoke
IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt0144715
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B00003CWRC
Harvey Keitel is a hotshot cult deprogrammer sent to Australia to deprogram
a devotee of an Indian guru, played by Kate Winslet. May have met his match.
Interesting film.
Ticket to Heaven (1981 - 102min) Ralph L. Thomas
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ticket_To_Heaven
IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt0083201
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B000MTEFTQ
The Rapture (1991 - 100min) Michael Tolkin
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Rapture_(film)
IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt0102757
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B0002XNT1C
Happiness Runs (2010 - 90min) Adam Sherman
Official Site: www.happinessruns.com
IMDB: www.imdb.com/title/tt1079964
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/B003M5NSVS
Some Books About Cults
As you might imagine, there are stacks and stacks of books written by ex-members of various cults. Full of crazy tales, stranger than fiction. Just a few that I happen to have listed. There are much more extensive bibliographies on this subject elsewhere. Check out:
www.rickross.com/reference/books/reading_list.html
The Guru Papers - Joel Kramer, Diana Alstad
Subtitled: Masks of Authoritarian Power
1993 Frog Books 408 pages (paperback $19.95) ISBN10:1883319005 ISBN13:9781883319007
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1883319005
Feet of Clay - Anthony Storr
Subtitled: Saints, Sinners, and Madmen - A Study of Gurus
1997 Free Press 275 pages (paperback $18.95) ISBN10:0684834952 ISBN13:9780684834955
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0684834952
Under the Banner of Heaven - Jon Krakauer
Subtitled: A Story of Violent Faith
2004 Anchor 432 pages (paperback $16.00) ISBN10:1400032806 ISBN13:9781400032808
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/1400032806
Best-selling book about an incident involving Mormons.
Inside Scientology - Janet Reitman
Subtitled: The Story of America's Most Secretive Religion
2011 Houghton Mifflin Harcourt 464 pages (hardback $28.00) ISBN10:0618883029 ISBN13:9780618883028
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0618883029
Wikipedia: en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inside_Scientology:_The_Story_of_America's_Most_Secretive_Religion
Author's Website: www.janetreitman.com/book/
Enlightenment Blues - Andre van der Braak
Subtitled: My Years With An American Guru
2003 Monkfish Book Publishing 240 pages (paperback $16.00) ISBN10:0972635718 ISBN13:9780972635714
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0972635718
About experiences with Andrew Cohen.
The Mother of God - Luna Tarlo
2009 Epigraph Publishing 320 pages (paperback $16.00) ISBN10:098245306X ISBN13:9780982453063
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/098245306X
About experiences as a follower of Andrew Cohen - by his mother.
Cartwheels in a Sari - Jayanti Tamm
Subtitled: A Memoir of Growing Up Cult
2009 Harmony 304 pages (hardback $22.99) ISBN10:0307393925 ISBN13:9780307393920
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0307393925
An insider's view of the world around Sri Chinmoy.
Monkey on a Stick - John Hubner, Lindsey Gruson
Subtitled: Murder, Madness and the Hare Krishnas
1990 Onyx 462 pages (out-of-print) ISBN10:0451401875 ISBN13:9780451401878
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0451401875
HAREKRSNA.org (some chapters online here): www.harekrsna.org/iskgone/mostick.htm
Hare Krishnas (ISKCON).
Betrayal of the Spirit - Nori J. Muster
Subtitled: My Life Behind the Headlines of the Hare Krishna Movement
2001 University of Illinois Press 256 pages ($25.00 paperback) ISBN10:0252065662,ISBN13:9780252065668
Amazon: www.amazon.com/o/ASIN/0252065662
Hare Krishnas (ISKCON).
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This page revised 01/25/12. First posted 04/05/08. Links checked/fixed 03/12/11.