Cults

by Roman Espejo, Rick Alan Ross (Contributor)

Each title in the highly acclaimed Opposing Viewpoints series explores a specific issue by placing expert opinions in a unique pro/con format; the viewpoints are selected from a wide range of highly respected and often hard-to-find publications.; This title explores what are cults, whether cults are a serious threat, why people join cults, and how cult members can be helped.; "Each volume in the Opposing Viewpoints Series could serve as a model not only providing access to a wide diversity of opinions, but also stimulating readers to do further research for group discussion and individual interest."

224 pages, Library Binding

First published September 28, 2012

Reviews

[Dale Brown · Rating 4 out of 5]

This book is from the Opposing View Points Series and has articles by experts covering controversial issues about cults such as
How harmful are cults?
Are they the same as religions or significantly different?
Do cults brainwash people or is the process similar to normal persuasion?
Is deprogramming helpful or harmful?

I found the articles interesting and learned some things. The problem is that the book is out of date. It was written in 2013 and cults have changed since then. So I would suggest this book for people who are fairly knowledgeable about cults.

[JD Moore · Rating 3 out of 5]

This is another project I have going, to wit, reading every book in the BP603 section at the Andover-Harvard Theological Library. This library has an extensive collection of material on nowaday cults, from the rather sympathetic studies of the followers of Chaitanya that Swami Prabhupada brought to the USA from India, to the rather fanatical anti-cult material of Ted Patrick. This particular book brings together various opinions of a few select "new religious" movements such as the Latter-Day Saints and Scientology.