Cults and new religious movements

The Anti-Cult Movement (a.k.a. ACM)

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"Religious Cult: The church down the street from yours."
Quotation taken from a B.C. cartoon, 1994-APR-30

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Overview:

The Anti-Cult Movement (ACM) consists of individuals and groups who attempt to raise public consciousness about what they feel is an extreme danger. As they see it, the threat mainly comes from small, coercive, manipulative groups -- mostly new religious movements -- who use deceptive recruitment practices and use advanced psychological manipulative techniques to reduce their followers to near-zombie state. They entrap followers within the group and destroy their ability to think logically.

Although they have been largely discredited in North America, their beliefs are accepted in many other countries, notably China and some countries in Western Europe.

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Topics covered by this essay:

Introduction: Terminology, history, beliefs, influence, status

The Cult Awareness Network (CAN™)

The old CAN

The new CAN

	Books and videos sold by the "old CAN"
	Leadership of the "new CAN"

Recent ACM activities:

	"Heaven's Gate" suicide and the appearance of cult "experts"
	Recent activities in North America
	Recent growth of the ACM in Europe

Other topics:

	Is an ACM needed?
	Religious movements that require strict discipline from their members
	A list of ACM groups
	Books and articles on the ACM and New Religious Movements