Cultists Anonymous

Cultists Anonymous (CA) was a British anti-cult organization made up of ex-cultists from Family, Action, Information, and Rescue (FAIR), Britain's largest anti-cult organization. CA formed in 1985 but rejoined FAIR in 1991.[1] CA's leaders generally remained anonymous to avoid intimidation from new religious movements (NRMs).[1] However, George D. Chryssides, a British religious studies scholar, believes that Lord John Francis Rodney, 9th Baron Rodney (Lord Rodney) was the leader of the group.[1][2][3][4]

Split from FAIR

See also: The Family Survival Trust

CA split from FAIR at the latest in August 1985.[5] Since at least 1984, some members of FAIR believed that it was becoming "moderate" and it needed a stronger stance against "cults."[6][7] In FAIR's 1985 annual general meeting, co-chair Casey McCann reaffirmed FAIR's stance against deprogramming, believing that it was damaging and telescopic on brainwashing.[8] As such, some FAIR members formed CA to satisfy some FAIR members who wanted more deprogramming and "hardliner" stances against NRMs.[9] McCann wrote in the Journal of Contemporary Religion (then Religion Today) that many of CA's founding members were parents of followers of the Rajneesh movement.[7]

Anti-cult activities

CA's primary anti-cult activity was hosting a 24-hour hotline telephone service for NRM members, their family members, and ex-NRM members.[5] It was launched in August 1985.[5] They were staffed by an anonymous team of women calling themselves "Mandy" or "Janet."[6][10] There were at least six members of the staff team at any one time, and they usually connected callers to other resources and "experts."[5] Sometimes these referrals included deprogrammers and organizations that support deprogramming like the Council on Mind Abuse (COMA).[6][7][11]

Occasionally, CA hosted protests of NRM meetings and ecumenical activities that included NRMs. For example, in December 1985, Scientologists and Unificationists joined a multi-denominational committee to protect the freedom of religion in Britain in response to the growth of anti-cultism. CA members were barred entry from the venue.[12]

Collapse and rejoining FAIR

In 1991, CA's hotline ran out of funding and could no longer operate.[13] FAIR agreed to take over the hotline.[4] FAIR invited CA members back to rejoin their group. Scholar Elisabeth Arweck believes that few CA members rejoined FAIR; however, Chryssides argues that since Lord Rodney became chairman of FAIR in 1988 showed how much overlap between the two groups' members there was.[3][6][13] McCann believed that the membership of overlap was nearly exact.[14] In his book Exploring New Religions, Chryssides adds that Cyril Vosper, at the time FAIR's treasurer, received a prison sentence in 1987 for his role in his daughter's deprogramming, implying that there were strong deprogramming sentiments in FAIR as well as CA.[3] The exact number of CA members to rejoin FAIR is unknown.

References

  1. ^ a b c George D. Chryssides, "Britain's anti-cult movement," in New Religious Movements: Challenge and Response, edited by Jamie Cresswell and Bryan Wilson, 257–73 (London and New York: Routledge, 1999), 266.
  2. ^ "Obituary of Lord Rodney," The Daily Telegraph (London), 22 October 1992.
  3. ^ a b c George D. Chryssides, Exploring New Religions, Issues in Contemporary Religion (London and New York: Continuum, 2000), 350.
  4. ^ a b Eileen Barker, "New Religious Movements in Britain," in New Religious Movements in Europe, edited by Helle Meldgaard and Johannes Aagaard, 99–123. RENNER Studies on New Religions. Aarhus, Denmark: Aarhus University Press, 1997. P. 116.
  5. ^ a b c d Walter Schwarz, "Young minds are the battlegrounds / Focus on religious cults," The Guardian (London), 21 October 1985.
  6. ^ a b c d George D. Chryssides, "Britain's anti-cult movement," in New Religious Movements: Challenge and Response, edited by Jamie Cresswell and Bryan Wilson, 257–73 (London and New York: Routledge, 1999), 266.
  7. ^ a b c M.T.M. Casey McCann, "The British Anti Cult Movement... A View From Within," Journal of Contemporary Religion 3, no. 2 (1986): 7.
  8. ^ Elisabeth Arweck, Researching New Religious Movements: Responses and Redefinitions (London and New York: Routledge, 2006), 131.
  9. ^ Arweck, 130–1.
  10. ^ Walter Schwarz, "Society Tomorrow: Tracking the single truths," The Guardian (London), 16 September 1987.
  11. ^ Arweck, 193n20.
  12. ^ Walter Schwarz, "Religions join forces to oppose anti-cult moves / Proposed British Council of Faiths," The Guardian (London), 2 December 1985.
  13. ^ a b Arweck, 191n10.
  14. ^ McCann, 6.

See also