Deprogramming lecture

Last worked on:

9/26/95

Leaving New Religious Movements:
The Deprogramming Thesis

Soc 257

New Religious Movements

Lecture Outline

Part I.

Deprogrammng as Antidode

Deprogramming as Antidote

The Presuppositions of Deprogramming Advocates

The Logic of Deprogramming

The Logic of Deprogramming (con't)

Part II.

The Character of Deprogramming

Deprogramming involves a wide array of practices ranging from:

Deprogramming involves a wide array of practices

Involuntary Voluntary

Involuntary Deprogramming (Coercive)

Voluntary Deprogramming (Noncoercive)

The goal of voluntary deprogramming is the same as involuntary deprogramming-- to "talk people out" of their new faith commitment.

In reality, there is great variability in how voluntary deprogramming is conducted. An individual may agree to "talk" about their new faith and then later discover they have entered a situation from which it is extremely difficult to exit.

Thus, voluntary deprogramming may vary from coercive-like to a much kinder, gentler, informal process from which the cult member may or may not elect to continue memberhip.



Part III.

Deprogramming and the Law

Deprogramming and the Law

The Lesser of Evils

Further obsevation on the
"lesser of evils" defense

Conservatorships

Conservatorship defined:

a court order granting legal guardianship to one individual over the affairs of another because the latter is judged to be incompetent to conduct their own affairs.

Conservatorships and "cults"

As early as 1975 some parents took advantage of conservatorship laws to have their adult children declared mentally incompetent.

Once a temporary conservatorship was granted by a court, parents rushed their child off for deprogramming.

Under the protection of the conservatorship, the deprogrammings were legal.

These temporary conservatorships were challenged by the religious movements.

The deprogrammers and their supporters, in turn, sought conservatorhips legislation with broader powers.

The battle for broader conservatorships

The battle ground for broader latitude in conservatorship legislation took place in New York state where as legislator named Leshner introduce a broad sweeping bill.

The Leshner Bill was twice passed by the NY legislature, but First Amendment proponents rallied and two different governors vetoed the bill.

Covert deprogramming

Part IV.

The Effects of Deprogramming

The Effects of Deprogramming

Deprogrammers Have High Levels of Success

Unification Church deprogrammings by year
1973-1986

2

10

81

108

32

14

23

25

50

30

16

4

0

1

396

Who is deprogrammed?

Age:

Sex:

Length of membership

Deprogramming success rates

Success Failure

Deprogramming outcome 64% 36%

Age at deprogramming

<18- 21 76% 24% 21-25 60% 40%

26+ 54% 46%

Sex of deprogrammee

Male 61% 39%

Female 68% 32%

Membership length

< 1 yr 86% 14% 1-3 yrs 61% 39%

3 yrs + 41% 59%

Why is Deprogramming Successful?

What Happens to People Who Leave Cults and Sects?

James Lewis study of former NRM members who left groups by three routes:

locate and reinsert slide

duplicate slide and insert labels

Lewis concludes:

Post tramatic Stress Syndrome

Next topic:

The Anti-Cult Movement

unfinished notes for possible future use

What Happens to People Who Leave Cults and Sects?