How Do You Know When You’re in a Cult?
Right from the beginning the general public was calling us a cult. Our leaders convinced us we were not a cult because the teachings were handed down from a line of saints going back some 5000 years. (of course all religions have some sort of story like this) After some time, I decided to do my own investigation on what makes a group a cult. There are lots of different opinions about the characteristics of cults, but all have similarities. A guru or main leader is worshipped. This tradition was more religious in the case of highly qualified saintly people such as Jesus Christ or other prophets and may not have necessarily denoted a cult, although there were Jesus and Mohammed cults existing for thousands of years. And who was to say that some branches of the christian religion were not simply a type of cult with their own made-up rules and regulations?
When local leaders or charismatic people take control without saintly qualities and their followers worship them, then trouble will definitely ensue. Mind altering practices like meditation are accused of being cult characteristics, however, meditation has been practiced by sadhus, renunciates and priests as long as religions or philosophies have existed. If an individual practices his/her meditation without being forced to do so, then there would be no connection to a cult, but when it is demanded in a group atmosphere, it can be considered a cult characteristic.
Although our Guru was not the charismatic, controlling leader found in many groups, and although meditation was practiced since the beginning of time, there were still many obvious characteristics of a cult I saw on a daily basis. The leaders of this group, both individually and collectively took an age-old Indian religion or path of spiritual realization and turned it into a cult. And by leaders I do not mean the spiritual master, but definitely his closest followers who were desirous of fame for themselves. All of the characteristics listed below are common in most cults. They were certainly present in the one where I found myself an unwilling participant.
Characteristics of a Cult and Practices Within Iskcon
Exclusiveness - (We believe that only we have the truth) - I’ve got to admit, I was extremely happy to have found a description, name and even location of the God I was desperately seeking, but the profound and adamant declaration that, only we know the truth made me nauseous. That simple truth alone made me ashamed. Ashamed because basically it was disrespecting the intelligence and sincerity of everyone else on the planet. This was just a little too arrogant. And how dare we say, we are the only ones? In my opinion, that made us look very stupid. Philosophers like Plato, sincere seekers of truth, saints like St. Teresa of Avila and St. John of the Cross and God only knows how many others in the world have achieved union with God. What makes us think we are the only ones? I was embarrassed to be associated with such narrow-minded people.
Submission - (To the leaders of the group) - In each temple a president was appointed and everyone was subservient to him. If you questioned authority, you were severely chastised, but never asked to leave. They liked their numbers and didn’t want anyone going anywhere. There were never any women leaders at that time and I would say that mostly the leaders were good men, but as I spoke of before, some were known to be embezzlers, chauvinists and seekers of fame. And even if they were good men, all of a sudden they were elated with their power, especially over women. Husbands were forcing their wives to be submissive as well. For a man to have a woman be submissive to him in America in the ‘70s was a man’s dream come true. Right? In addition to the temple president, the patriarchal organization decided on a GBC or Governing Body Commission to allow Srila Prabhupada to translate books instead of manage people. We were required to strictly follow whatever resolutions those men made at the yearly meetings.
Us Versus Them Complex - (In this case they were the karmis and we were the devotees) - The description of a Karmi is one who acts only for the benefit of his/her self. In other words, people who enjoy the fruits of their labor. Because of this, they will have to suffer or enjoy the fruits of their activities. Devotees of demigods would worship their particular gods for some benefit. This is known as Karma yoga. Devotees, on the other hand, are working for Krishna, taking only what they need and giving the results to Krishna. In this way, they freed themselves from karma. We were proud we were devotees, but the sad part was that many devotees spoke of karmis, or non Hare Krishnas with extreme disdain. They would use an inflection in their voice as they spoke the word, karrrrrrr meeees!! Little children were mimicking their parents without even understanding what they were saying. UGH! When I had children of my own, I decided to keep them away from such people and never taught them the word. Years later my son was around a devotee family when their son asked if our bread was ‘karmi bread.’ My son asked, “What’s karmi bread, mom?” He thought it was some kind of rye bread or something extra special. I was so happy he had not been influenced by that cult mentality of us versus them!
Shame and Guilt - (Control of the members actions by use of shame and guilt) - Well, the method used was if you went back into the world again you would once again become a karmi and would be caught in illusion forever. They made it seem like you would drown if you left the movement and you would never be given the chance of redemption. Basically, they made an effort to scare the shit out of you and it worked! If you wanted to leave, you would be cornered by more than one devotee and preached to until you gave up. We were certainly brain-washed.
Isolation - (Keeping members from family members and others who don’t believe) - This action basically started a Deprogramming movement that spread through not only our movement but others as well, as cults were cropping up everywhere in the seventies, like the Moonies, for instance. The principle was simple. If you listened to your parents you would leave the movement and lead a ‘normal’ life. You would miss the greatest opportunity in many lifetimes of searching, to know Krishna. So we needed to be isolated.
Cognitive Dissonance - (Critical thinking was not tolerated.) You must accept the doctrine without question. This was sooo true. You were criticized as if you were less intelligent if you questioned the doctrine, and you were considered to be a traitor. You would not be allowed to take initiation from the spiritual master and you were basically shamed for asking questions that appeared to be doubtful.
Gender Roles - (Women were treated as less intelligent) - This was horrible within the movement. What can I say? I am a woman and it was very disappointing and degrading to be treated as some sort of baboon. Men and women have their different strengths and their brains work differently. One sex is not better than the other, they are only different, both are necessary and beautiful and compliment each other. But this critical behavior comes from insecurity. I began to recognize the symptoms by observing the behavior of men who thought they were superior. My own husband was even beginning to treat me as an inferior. It was pathetic!
Imprisonment - (Not able to come and go at will) - I gave up my car when I joined the movement and was shuttled around whenever I needed to go somewhere. Therefore, I was required to get permission and sometimes beg for the privilege of using a temple vehicle to do some personal shopping. This would usually be for some personal items like toothpaste or tampons or maybe even just a simple spool of thread to mend my clothes. When I went out, I was usually accompanied by another devotee.
Separation of Husbands and Wives and even children to gain control of them - Yeah. They did that, too. At times, Rusty and I were provided with our own room, but sometimes we slept in separate ashrams (technical name for the home of the guru). In that way, the temple president could have control. No doubt, there was a practical reason for the separation, as well. Only so much space available. Children were sent to day care very early in life so that the women could work (not unusual in any society) but the problem was, it was not our decision. It was forced on women. When the children became school age they were put in a religious school called a Gurukula where the kids were brainwashed further with cult techniques like us versus them or cognitive dissonance and gender roles.
The end justifies the means (in certain practices like making money) - You can lie for Krishna. Some devotees even thought it was ok to steal (shoplift) using the excuse that, everything belongs to Krishna. What a load of bullshit! Shoplift? I was traveling with some devotees in San Diego when we pulled into a Ralph’s store. I mentioned earlier that I needed some kind of pain ointment for my legs but I would get it another time. One devotee brought out a bag of groceries where he stashed some pain ointment and who knows what else. He told me he stole it for me. I refused to take it. Didn’t we have the philosophy after all that God would take care of our needs? Why should we steal? And wouldn’t a karmic reaction to that theft soon ensue? Some devotees thought they were beyond karma and honestly, I don’t think they really even cared.
Pre-occupation with bringing in new members and making money - That seemed to be the goal, but not necessarily a bad one. After all, Srila Prabhupada translated all these books and he asked us to help him distribute them to bring people to Krishna who had been suffering life after life and were ready to give up the material world for self realization. This was actually glorious and made me very happy. But it did not make me happy to try to force someone to stay when they saw the injustices all around them.
Nevertheless, many things made me happy in those days by making an effort to help my spiritual master spread Krishna consciousness. I loved cooking the Sunday Feast for hundreds of people. I loved cleaning the altar and taking care of the deities. But I had to face the truth that with all the crime and violence going on within the organization, as well as leaders competing for power, I was lodged right in the middle of a mind-controlling cult. Still I asked myself, what the fuck? Why am I doing this? I knew. I remembered what it was like to die and take birth again. Here we go again. I was never going to forget it! It was described in Srimad Bhagavatam, just as it happened to me as I laid on Sandy’s living room floor and that was why I continued to stay, but what was I to do? I did not want to be in a cult, but I definitely was! And I promised Krishna in the womb that I would serve Him and I thought, this was how I am supposed to transcend this material world, at least in one way, so I stayed.
One thing on “this is how,” please let me explain. This was the only place in the world, at least that I knew about, where I could actually hear about the past times of that little blue guy who had the balls enough to call himself God. (I think I’ve said that three times now! It just blows me away!) Anyway, if I left, I would not hear about Him again. Or at least the cult made me think like that.