Recently during our in class discussion we where introduced to the definition of a
cult. So unbenounced to myself I was unaware of the fact this paper was due. Which is
entirely my fault. This in turn peaked my interest to learn more of the cult and where this
term originated. So The past week I attempted to read many articles on such things as
The controversy surrounding new religious movements seems to be foremost
concerned with whether or not the members of these religions come of their own freewill
or if they convert as a necessary and inevitable response to coercion, or "brainwashing"
techniques employed by the cult leaders. I previously stated this in one of my Journal
entries. "It seems that there is always one man in charge with all the power". With this
power he can inevitably induce a form of "brainwashing".
The concept of brainwashing came into popular existence in the 1950's as the
result of attempts to try and explain the behavior of some American GI's who defected to
the Communists during the Korean War (19 Oct 1999). Many people, including some
professionals, found brainwashing to be an acceptable explanation for the otherwise
unexplainable behavior. However, the brainwashing theory did nothing to explain why
hundreds of other captured GI's chose to remain true to their country even at the risk of
being tortured. It could not accurately account for the behavior of a select few GI's when
it did not offer any explanation for the behavior of the majority. This also ties in with
something we discussed early on in the quarter called "shell shock". Many times
throughout history we tend to seek an easy answer for that which we do not understand.
Or rather that which we DO NOT want to understand. It is much easier for us as humans
to dismiss such things to "brainwashing" or "shellshock" rather ...