Life in a Cult

Life in a Cult Once a person joins a nonconventional religious group, he or she must begin to adapt to group life. New recruits will go through a program of education in group beliefs and practices. Frequently, they will begin to master a spiritual discipline and, most perturbing to former acquaintances, they will begin to change and their behavior patterns to conform to group demands. Indoctrination: Most groups have a more or less standard program …

…contacts became the focus of parental concerns when sons and daughters joined. Critics have accused the high-demand religions of being "antifamily" as they create a barrier between members and their natural family. In the long run, such demands upon members force them to become dependent upon the group. Such dependency over a period of years may created difficulty for members in adjusting to society if either the group dissolves or they decide to leave it.