------------------------------------------------------------------- F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. (Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, Incorporated) a non-profit computer bulletin board and electronic library 601 16th St. #C-217 Golden, Colorado 80401 USA BBS 303 530-1942 FAX 303 530-2950 Office 303 473-0111 This document is part of an electronic lending library and preservational electronic archive. F.A.C.T.Net does not sell documents, it only lends them according to the terms of your library cardholder agreement with F.A.C.T.Net, Inc. ------------------------------------------------------------------- 1 "After the Cult" [AFF Workshop, Stony Point, NY] The American Family Foundation (AFF, Publisher of The Cult Observer) held a workshop for approximately 70 ex-cult members of all ages at the Stony Point Conference Center in Stony Point, NY on May 21 and 22. The workshop, entitled "After the Cult," was part of AFF's "Project Recover," which is an attempt by AFF to professionalize the assistance cult victims receive during the recovery process. Workshop leaders divided the sessions into three tracks: one track for those who weren't previously familiar with the techniques destructive groups employ to control members and who are just beginning the recovery process; a second track for those who have learned previously about psychological manipulation but are still dealing with long- term recovery is sues; and a third track forritual-abuse survivors and others born into and raised in cults. A special session was held for women who had been sexually abused while in a cult. Specific topics covered were: Overview of the Recovery Process; Coping with Trance States; Conditions for Mind Control; Depression and Guilt; Hypnosis and Trance; Anxiety and Decision-making; Introduction to Lifton's Eight Psychological Themes Necessary for Mind Control; Reestablishing Trust in Yourself and Others; Dependency Issues; and Spiritual Concerns. AFF president Herbert L. Rosedale hosted the event, and workshop leaders included Dr. Paul Martin, Carol Giambalvo, Melinda Haas, Patrick Ryan, Lorna Goldberg, David Clark, William Goldberg, Joe Kelly, Dr. Herbert Nieburg, Arnold Markowitz, Madeleine Tobias, Rabbi James Rudin, Rev. Walter Debold, and Rev. James LeBar. Many workshop attendees stayed on after the close of the sessions to hear papers presented by Drs. Edward Lottick, Arthur Dole, Michael Langone, and Paul Martin, all of whom had conducted research sponsored or coordinated by AFF. INTERNATIONAL 2 International Congress on Cultism BY Edward A. Lottick, M.D. In April 1990, the American Family Foundation (publisher of The Cult Observer) organized a meeting of representatives of cult education groups in Europe and North America to discuss ways in which they could work together. They decided to hold an international congress. The organizing committee for the conference--AFF was a co-sponsor-- included the Cult Awareness Network and AFF from the U.S., CCCM and ADH, from the French- speaking countries, CROAS and AIS from Spain--AIS (Asesoramiento e Informacion sobre Sectas) which provided the local organization-- and several organizations from the Catalonia region, of which Barcelona is the capital. The congress, which convened this past April, gave cult experts from numerous countries an opportunity to meet and share ideas. AFF intends in due course to make conference papers available to the public. Some 250 experts from 25 countries -- including a dozen from the United States -- came together in Barcelona April 23-24 for the 1993 International Congress on Totalitarian Groups and Cultism. Organized as a series of panel presentations and discussion, the proceedings were simultaneously translated into the local Catalan as well as into English, French, and Spanish. Highlights of the panels follow. Characteristics Susanne Rahardt- Bahl-Dieck, a member of the German parli- ament, spoke about the rigidity of certain Scientology doctrines, such as make money, clear the planet, and eliminate the opposition, and concluded that Scientology's inherent totalitarianism is a major problem for the free world. Manuel Castellvi, of the Juvenile Department of the Catalan police, reported on the Children of God and their involvement in prostitution and the sale of children. Writer Antonio Cartetra commented on JehovaW s Witnesses and their destruction of families, marriages, personal freedom, love, and faith. Psychophysiological Basis Psychiatrist Gabriele Cipriani presented psychological models of conversion while neurologis t Lilibert Padrop spoke on a neurophysiological approach to understanding mind control: he discussed brain localization and conceptualized mind control as a disconnection of the decision center (amygdala) from the areas of higher awareness in the frontal lobe. Neurophysiologist Jean Louis Valatx, meanwhile, presented an overview of sleep deprivation and resultant inflexibility, lack of awareness, and brain dysfunction. Socio-cultural Aspects Anthropologist Aureli Diaz discussed groups that generate personality disorders, contrasted mind control with social control, and presented a number of original characteristics of destructive cults. Alberico Lolli con- trasted cult induction with healthy conversion. Research Psychologist Michael Langone, from the United States [Execu- tive Director of the American Family Foundation, publisher of The Cult Observer], discussed types of conversion, and the wide spectrum between persuasive- seductive cultic organizations and free-choice, self- fulfillment religious organizations. He states that an eight percent successful recruitment rate of those exposed to cult indoctrination was not in fact a very low rate but a really high rate that demonstrated the potency of deceptive cult recruitment. Common Disorders Michael Langone reviewed the destructive cults' adaptation of thought-reform techniques, spoke about why some mem- bers leave, and pointed out some of the psychological problems caused by membership. Psychologist Paul Martin, head of the Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center in the United States, presented research findings on the benefits of post-cult rehabilitation. He found that rehabilitation resulted in a decline in anxiety, depression, dependency, and psychosomatic symptoms, and an increase in outgoingness, demonstrativeness, and self regard. Preventive Education Father Kent Burtner, from the United States, isolated destructive cults from the universe of religious and spiritual groups by emphasizing their deceptions, their coordinated psychological and social control, and their unique claims. Ian Haworth, of Britain's Cult Information Centre, discussed destructive cults as a human rights problem and presented some of his educational approaches. Hero Lucas, from Greece' s Egregorsis Educational Society, cited the dangers of a totally non-judgmental attitude towards the belief system of a destructive cult and spoke of treating human beings as integrated biopsychosocial-spiritual systems requiring a comprehensive approach and the combining of psychiatry with religion. Experiences Discussion of the experiences of former cult members included accounts of involvement with Scientology, Narsus, Ramtha, and Scientology. Additional case studies were presented by psychiatrist Jean-Marie Abgrall, los6 Baamonde, president of the SPES Foundation, psychiatrist Margarita Barranco, Jean Albert Fisch, executive director of CDIF, psychiatrist Giorgio Gagliardi, psychiatrist Josep Luis Macho, and psychiatrist Joan Serrallonga. The panel was moderated by Josep Jansa, M.D., the medial director of C.R.O.A.S., the Catalan cult counseling and rehabilitation organization. Counseling Experts commenting on contemporary methods of exit counseling and treatment included David Clark, an exit counselor from the United States, Klaus Engels, director of Germany's Recovery Center, Paul Martin, director of the United States' Wellspring Resource and Recovery Center, and Catalan social worker Enrique Sagnier, of C.R.O.A.S., the Catalan cult counseling and rehabilitation organization. Legal Approaches Judge Jose Maria Vazquez Honrubia, of Madrid, briefed the conference on the "scandalous" behavior of Narcanon in Spain, including the coercion of members of parliament that resulted in a new definition of illegal organizations, that is, organizations using "violent techniques of personal control." Family lawyer Simonetta Hornby spoke of legal redress for families of victims. She also called attention to the failure of a psychiatric expert in 1980 in Italy to adequately define mind control, a failure which led to the abandonment of the concept of "plagio," which gave family heads a measure of control over the activities of family members. Other speakers' included Barcelona court attorneys Teresa Compte and Teresa Lema. Political Proposals Argentine writer and journalist Alfredo Silletta discussed the cult situation in South America, and Magdeleine Laserre, of UNADFI, the education and support group in the French- speaking world, reported that Scientology had threatened members of the European Parliament. And French parliament member Alain Vivien reported on multinational cults and the plans of Scientology to form an international association called the "Alliance for the Preservation of Religious Liberty." Spanish parliament member Joan M. del Pozo also spoke, as did a member of the Logrono city council. The author, who attended the congress, is an advisor of the American Family Foundation, publisher of The Cult Observer. International Congress Resolutions The final "Conclusions and Resolutions of the Congress" states that "the work done by the organizations specializing in the study, prevention, and control of this pheonomenon [cultism and totalitariansim] during the last fifteen years has achieved an acceptable level of social and political consciousness and also scientific knowledge on the different aspects which characterize them. "In this sense, the Organizing Committee of the Congress underlines the urgent need to carry out specific political actions from resolutions such as those approved by the European Parliament in 1984. "The Present lack of these measures has been shown in the recent disaster of the Davidians group in Waco, Texas. At least two years ago, former members warned authorities about the potentail risks posed by this group. If the warnings had been taken into account, most probably all those useless deaths could have been prevented. The same thing happened in 1978 in Jonestown, Guyana, where the manipulation of the Peoples Temple culminated in another tragedy. It is time, then, that this sort of thing stop." The Congress proposed, therefore: ### To constitute an international Federation of Associations and Organizations specializing in dealing with the phenomenon; ### To create a data base in order to facilitate the development of law to control the phenomenon; ### To develp coordinated international action to prevent a group banned from one country from settling in another country, or to permit the action taken in one country to apply to another country affected by the group." The delcaration concluded with the assertion that a "destructive cultic activity" be considered any behavior of a group which breaks or attacks "the principles recognized by the international community and sepcifically mentioned in the Universal Declaration of Human Rights, the International Covnvention of Children's Rights, and in any national legislative or regulative text aimed at the protection of the individual, the social order and the principles of democracy." ================================================================= If this is a copyrighted work, you are acknowledging by receipt of this document from FACTNet that on the basis of reasonable investigation, you have not been to obtain a copy elsewhere at a fair price, and that you are and will abide by the following copyright warning. WARNING CONCERNING COPYRIGHT RESTRICTIONS: The copyright law of the United States (Title 17, United States Code) governs the making of photo copies or other reproductions of copyrighted material. Under certain conditions specified by law, libraries and archives are authorized to furnish a photocopy or other reproduction. One of these specified conditions is that the photocopy or reproduction is not to be "used for any purpose other than private study, scholarship, or research." If a user makes a request for, or later uses, a photocopy or reproduction for purposes in excess of "fair use," that user may be liable for copyright infringement. FACTNet reserves the right to refuse to accept an order for copying or other duplication, or delivery of copied or duplicated material if, in its judgment, fulfillment of the order would involve violation of copyright law. ------------------------------------------------------------------- CARD CATALOG ENTRY DOS FILENAME OF TEXT FILE: CO0593AI.TXT DOS FILENAME OF IMAGE FILES: CO0593.TIF ADMINISTRATIVE CODE: OK SECURITY CODE: SCO DISTRIBUTION CODE: RO DESCRIPTION FOR BBS FILE LISTING: The Cult Observer, Vol. 10 No. 5, 1993 SORT TO: AFF CONTRIBUTOR: American Family Foundation (AFF) LOCATION OF ORIGINAL: American Family Foundation (AFF) NOTES: Back issues and selected reprints of the Cultic Studies Journal are available from the American Family Foundation, P.O. Box 2265, Bonita Springs, FL 33959-2265. CONFERENCES | 1 "After the Cult" [AFF Workshop, | Stony Point, NY] | 2 International Congress on Cultism For additional verification see the contributor of the document. This text below was produced by scanning a printed copy of the Cult Observer. Hence a few errors may have been introducted inadvertently. Please consult the printed copy if there is any question about the text. UPDATED ON: 10/10/94 UPDATED BY: FrJMc =================================================================