What causes someone to join a cult?

Question

I am watching a documentary about Waco and David Koresh, and I was just wonder what would make someone join a cult.

Is it that they are just not that bright? Or do they feel a need for acceptance? Ot is it a combination of both?

Obviously they must be stupid. No intelligent person would join a cult.

Answer 1

Rejection or Interest

Answer 2

I beg to differ as far as the comment "Obviously they must be stupid. No intelligent person would join a cult."
Many people who join cults come straight from College. I think the need comes from people who are lonely, looking for answers, disaffected from mainstream religions, and yes, acceptance.

While we're at it, Define "Cult"? It seems like some derogitory word for any new and misunderstood group that is not liked by the majority.
Given, the Branch Davidians were a cult. They controled their members in just about every way. What food they ate, their sex lives (sounds like the religious right to me). The Moonies, another example.....

Answer 3

I'd agree with the "need for acceptance", in combination with charisma of the cult leader. Plus, like you said, being not very bringt in the sence that they don't question what they hear, and don't have enough education to realize that what is being said has no factual basis. Just my guess in attempt to explain.

If you consider some religions to be cults, this is for example what they do: go to a poor country, offer college kids to have a a few day's vacation at one of the best country resourts on their expence with the possibility of improving their English. Sounds good? Here is a catch: you have to attend lectures for 3-4 hours a day and at the end, you have to write an essay. While this kids weren't necessarily looking for acceptance or are stupid, they had to listen through about 30 hours of pure brainwash. This is a common technique that apparntly brings results.

Answer 4

You're right, no intelligent person would join a cult *if you called it a cult.* But people get involved in these movements without thinking of them as cults, and in fact if you were to tell them "Dude, you're in a cult," they would probably argue with you.

People often join cults because they're in a vulnerable or unstable place in their lives, and the cult offers them security, comfort and social companionship. Other people get drawn into cults because they feel dissatisfied with mainstream religion/politics and go looking for something different--this was Charles Manson's m.o. Cult leaders often say one thing to new members and another to the "inner circle," so people don't immediately realize what they're getting into until they're already heavily involved, and even then they may have adopted so much of the cult's beliefs that they don't see what's wrong.

All cults use some of the same pressure tactics to suck their members in, and it's usually slow--encouraging you to associate more and more with other members, to get financially entangled with the leader, to limit contact with the outside world. It may start out sounding reasonable somehow, but it ultimately has the effect of cutting members off from anyone outside the cult. When that happens, even if a cult member realizes s/he's in a cult and wants out, they may have no one left to turn to--all their non-cult friends have been pushed away and all their resources are tied to the cult leader.

Answer 5

I agree mostly with the need of acceptance part. I can see where anyone could need to feel this, and for some this is the answer. Me? No, most definitely not. But, with that said, I wouldn't jump ahead 5 steps and start calling them names. "Stupid" would be something an unintelligent person would say. To some people, it is something that has been a part of their lives for ever. For some people, that acceptance thing roars in to action. Cults are something for people with no true religion and no place to go. Scary things when up close and personal with, as you an imagine. But I would not say they are stupid. Maybe not wise with their choices, but I can't decide everybody's futures and lives, that is their choice.

Answer 6

No they explained this on 20/20 many of these people are college age or have gone to/graduated college. The probelm is that thier parents taught it to be open minded and accepting of others, plus the cults approuch you like the Mormons and they're so welcoming and kind; something you get very little of in this world, that you unwitting get sucked in. Im sure their tactics don't work 100% of the time but like good salse people they don't stop at the first no or the first customer.

Answer 7

When a person joins a cult they are usually looking for some kind of acceptance. They are looking for some type of "family" enviorment. Some very smart people have joined cults. It's not that they are not bright, it's that they have this need they have to feed.

Answer 8

There are a lot of intelligent mormons who have just been born into it and never knew any better. Unfortuneately they still believe that American Indians are descended from Jews, that God lives in a physical body with a penis and has physical sex, that Jesus was concieved by physical sex (no Virgin Mary), that all good mormon men may become Gods themselves, that poligamy will return when Jesus does, that poligamy will always exist in heaven, that it was OK to posthumously babtize adolf hitler, that the garden of Eden was in Missouri, that the Eastern U.S. is going to fall into the sea any time now (Joe said so), that the God of this planet came from a star system named Kolob, and on and on and on.... Hard to believe, but even smart people can be total suckers.

Answer 9

Probably because they are wanting to fit it and don't have the social skills to join a more acceptable group of peers. Or maybe, they came from a strict family and are rebelling against their parents once they are in college. I don't think it is stupidity, just a lack of common sense and proper social skills.

Answer 10

Noone does willingly, theres a variety of methods, from "love-bombing" a seductive process that slowly steals your will, or sleep depravation, which lets skilled cultists rewire your entire brain. Depending on the method, the only real cure is having a professional brainwash you again, but programming you to who they can guess you were beforehand.

Answer 11

you are correct. no intelligent person would join a cult.

did you know christianity used to be a cult, until it expanded into a religion?

thats all cults are... mini-religions. religions with not enough people to be called a religion.