The Cult Phenomenon: A Turn of the Century Update

A variety of groups that function on the fringes of both religion and psychotherapy have been evident in the U.S. since the 1960s, with perhaps their greatest presence noted in the 1970s. There were as many as 3000 cult-type organizations identified in that period. Many of these groups created havoc with their followers' lives and the lives of the followers' families. The authors examined the cults in the late 1970s and early 1980s, comparing their activities and requirements to those of "standard" religions and sects. The present article looks at the changes in the two decades since then, noting modifications in the cults' target populations as well as the increases in many kinds of violence in some of the groups.