DISCLAIMER

This website is part of a fictional story about a cult. With inspiration taken from real-life cults, as well as hours of research poured into it.

While it may be fun to engage in a story about fictional cults, we do need to acknowledge that cults are very real, and very dangerous. Cults are abusive, controlling, manipulative groups, characterized by a manipulative and oftentimes charasmatic leader. Many people think they could never join a cult, but that's simply unrealistic. Anyone and everyone can fall victim to cults and cult mentality.

There's a lot of misinformation surrounding cults. Hollywood likes to portray them as groups of Latin-speaking robe-wearing nutjobs, summoning demons and sacrificing human lives. In reality, cults can be anything. A yoga club, a Bible study group, a language learning class, a new religious movement. Cults aren't these crazy groups of nutjobs, cults are groups of victims.

The best way we can protect ourselves from cults is to know what to look out for. Know who cults target, know what characteristics are most common, the effects cults can have on their victims.

We may be tempted to look at cult victims and call them lunatics, after all, "who would ever join a cult?"

But here's the thing. People don't join cults. People join wellness groups. People join movements. People join the group's facade, they end up in a cult. People like you and I, normal people with normal lives, fall victim to it every day.

There are, of course, people who are more prone to being targeted. People struggling with poverty, people who've experienced losses, minorities that are discriminated against, people with mental and physical illnesses. People who are vulnerable are more likely to be targeted.

So, what can we look out for?

According to VeryWellMind.com, some telltale signs to look out for are:

Absolute authoritarianism without accountability
Zero tolerance for criticism or questions
Lack of meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget
Unreasonable fears about the outside world that often involve evil conspiracies and persecutions
A belief that former followers are always wrong for leaving and there is never a legitimate reason for anyone else to leave
Abuse of members
Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group
Followers feeling they are never able to be “good enough”
A belief that the leader is right at all times
A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing “truth” or giving validation

So what can we do?

The best thing we can do is inform. Inform others of the dangers of cults. Correct misinformation. Inform ourselves on practices of cults. Use critical thinking.

Remember. Keep yourself safe. You don't want to end up in a cult.