hi,

I'm a last year student in Criminology at the Brussels University in Belgium. I'm making a study concerning sects and i'm trying to prove a link between joining a sect and uncertainty in life.
I'm searching for people who would accept to answer a few questions concerning their own reasons for joining a sect or to sent me a brief explanation of their own personal reasons related to life circumstances at that moment.
If someone is interest in helping me further it would be a great help for me to hear you out.
You can do so by replying here or to contact me on my personal e-mail.
thanks in advance

It is not very scientific to make up your mind in advance "that there is a link" and then trie to prove it. It is kind of degrading for people who join a cult as being defined as vulnerable and trying to hide for the uncertainty of life as is stated so often. Wealthy, succesful, educated and balanced people also join cults. As yôu come from Brussels you might read the books written by de Dutch philosophy professor "André Van Der Braak", who was with Andrew Cohen for a long time and he certainly can tell you more about it.

I agree with Rob.

I have waves of uncertainty in my life, but I also have a 'natural' repulsion to joining groups with a specific 'group mind'. Uncertainty, I feel, is a natural part of human experience...I mean, what's the alternative? Religion?

I've always found ways to move forward and not dwell in the apparent darkness of uncertainty. Perhaps we're just too hard on ourselves. Too damn sure of ourselves... :wink:

I recorded a Filipino member of a Korean cult describing his introduction to the group. That is a current member talking.

Youtube link here.

Certainly with that cult - www.jmscult.com - recruitment can have nothing to do with any other factors than how well the recruiters tell their lies, flatter and manipulate.

Certainly, in the beginning, the cult seems to offer things that any person would want - to be accepted and valued, and to be part of an organisation doing "wonderful" work.

That cult, and others, do try to replace the member's family, so people from broken or unhappy families, may be more easily lured by that aspect.

I agree that it is not useful to set out to "prove" a link, however it seems legitimate to study whether there is any type of relationship.

Probably everyone experiences uncertainty. Some people, like Jack, accept it as a natural part of the homan experience. Isn't is possible that people who feel uncomfortable with uncertainty might be more vulnerable to the dogma of destructive groups?

I think it is legitimate to study the differences between the test subjects in the Milgram experiements who refused to continue administering shocks and those who submitted to the authority of the "researcher".

What differentiates the subjects in the Asche conformity experiments who continued to give the obviously accurate answer, even when no one else seemed to agree, from those who went along with everyone else?