How to Recognize Cult Behavior in Pagan Groups

How many of us have heard naive comments such as "But they're Pagans, they must be okay" coming from the mouths of fellow Pagans? If we're honest, we probably made such statements ourselves especially at the beginning of our spiritual journeys. Such naivety can lead to anything from mild disappointment in a group to disastrous consequences involving harm to ourselves or those we care about.

We don't all throw common sense out the window in other areas of our lives besides religion. While paranoia is something no one likes to be accused of, we do need to be just as discerning of spiritual groups as we would be with any other organization.

The word cult has different meanings, some benign such as simply being a group devoted to a certain religion or deity. The more sinister meaning that has come to be associated with it is what springs to many minds - an extremely religious group of people usually insanely devoted to one leader and ideology.

Isaac Bonewits, the famous Pagan author and founder of the Druid organization Ar nDraiocht Fein (ADF), wrote the Advanced Bonewits' Cult Danger Evaluation Frame, also known as ABCDEF. This 18-point questionnaire is used as a tool to ascertain whether a group has cult tendencies. Unfortunately, if I'm reading it correctly, the most recent version seems to exclude tantric groups from the test. I understand the need to express understanding of tantric groups; however, I personally don't believe any group should be exempt from scrutiny. It's still a good tool however subjectively or objectively it is used.

There are also traits we can watch out for in individuals and spiritual groups. I'm not a psychologist. I speak merely from experience of different group situations within the Pagan and Christian communities and my upbringing in an alcoholic family. Some of these traits may be simply annoying but taken to extremes can become red flags for cult or otherwise dangerous behavior.

• Is there a strong us against them or underdog mentality in the group you're interested in? This is natural in minority religions to an extent, but how far does your group take it? This is a breeding ground for a charismatic leader to overtake the group and become its savior.
• Real Pagans believe/do/think/feel ….and so on. This holier than thou attitude usually falls under the simply annoying category but can be carried too far if the group has emotionally unstable leadership. It's normal for a group to expect members to share basic beliefs. Once this attitude extends to dictating how you think or live your life (as long as you aren't breaking the law), then I believe boundaries have been breached.
• Do you hear phrases like "this is not open for discussion" or "this is not a democracy"? If you heard this outside of a spiritual group, would you let this pass unchecked? At work? At your child's school? Granted, there are groups that work within a structure where the leader(s) have the final say on an issue. Good leaders, however, don't abuse this. They try to do what's best for all concerned. Good leaders explain their actions rationally and answer questions.
• Do they believe themselves to be above the law? Is there some hierarchical structure in place that encourages you not to talk to the police about a criminal concern? For instance, have you been told to speak to Lord High and Lady Mighty about your friend being assaulted or your child being bullied by another member of the group instead of calling the police because "this is a family matter"?
• Have you been accused of caring more for yourself than the group? Are your personal and financial resources being constantly tapped? Give what you can, but self preservation isn't a crime. You can't help others unless you have your own household in order.

The list could go on and unfortunately include more serious issues such as brainwashing, violence, sexual abuse and assault. My point is that common sense is a virtue. Denial isn't. When we discount the possibility of cult behavior in Paganism, we inadvertently encourage silence from less powerful and less vocal members of our community.

This mirrors the denial in abusive and alcoholic families where the status quo must be maintained in order to keep a tenuous peace held together by cobwebs and dust. We must acknowledge that religious fanaticism can occur on our side of the fence too, not just with those other religions. By accepting this truth, we encourage open dialogue about such serious issues.

To be part of a spiritual family is deeply rewarding. We can search a long time before we find the perfect fit. I'm not saying we should hide in our basements. By all means, meet new people and spend time with different groups. But trust in your intuition and sense of self. When you feel these being threatened, go ahead and move on without regret.

*This article was originally titled Recognizing Cultish Groups and featured on BellaOnline.com on November 26, 2008. Unfortunately, the ideas in this article have appeared in an article strikingly similar to mine elsewehere on the web after the date I published mine. If you see any other articles resembling this piece, I assure you that I am the original author. For more info, visit my blog post regarding this issue linked at right.