CREDIBILITY ATTACKS AGAINST FORMER CULT MEMBERS by Stephen

CREDIBILITY ATTACKS AGAINST FORMER CULT MEMBERS by Stephen A. Kent FECRIS 2011, WARSAW

1. FORCED DECONVERTS: a. Began with 1970 s deprogrammings. b. group denunciations at the end of the deprogramming as signed statements or press conferences.

Sociologists’ reactions: a. developed non-coercive conversion models b. asserted that deprogrammings caused trauma, not cult involvement

2. RETURNEES: a. deprogrammed/exit counseled; denounced group; then rejoined b. called into question the integrity of the denunciations

Academics’ reactions: a. deprogrammed—most critical exit counseled—somewhat critical voluntary—least critical b. all former member accounts are untrustworthy ‘atrocity tales’

3. DELUSIONAL ALLEGED FORMER MEMBERS Mentally ill; never belonged, but probably believed that they had.

3 -PART (INADEQUATE) TEST A) told the same story consistently B) Experts confirmed that such things did happen C. ) Had good character references

PROBLEM: CONSISTENCY, PLAUSIBILITY, AND A CONVINCING CHARATER DO NOT PROVE THE VALIDITY OF HISTORICAL EVENTS.

4. CON ARTISTS a. Never belonged, and know it. b. Lie for money/power/fame c. Religious, well-intentioned people most vulnerable

5. SPIES: a. Still belong, but pretend that they don’t. b. Espionage, theft, possibly subversion c. Be kind to a caught spy—some do deconvert

6. EX-MEMBERS WITH ‘HISTORIES’: a. Want to become spokespersons against their former groups b. May have done/said things that groups will throw back at them c. Anti-cult groups must help these people make best decisions for themselves

7. PROFESSIONAL FORMER MEMBER ANTI-CULTISTS: a. Become expert witnesses, authors, exit counselors, anti-cult organizational staff, etc. b. Tough positions to maintain: little money; one’s information likely becomes dated c. Must resist the impulse to embellish/overstate/perjure

8. FORMER MEMBERS WHO BECOME PROFESSIONALS: a. Can be very effective critics because they have professional credentials b. Credentials, however, are no necessary guarantee of producing, objective, critical work

9. CONCLUSION: a. Blanket rejection of former members’ testimony is ideological—worse than bad science b. Triangulate—try to get similar information from multiple sources c. What happened to anti-cult groups in North America likely will repeat (is repeating) in Europe d. Bottom line—former members are valuable assets; just be careful