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Cults: for and against
Varsity (Cambridge student magazine), 21 October 1999
What do you get if you mix a cult buster, Hare Krishna, a Nation of Islam rep, a secularist, a Scientologist and a Satanist? Explosive ideas and conflict and an audience of 300. The Cambridge Forum's first official event, 'Who are you calling a cult?' was held on Monday 18 October. Opening the session was Ian Hawarth [sic: should be Howarth], cult buster, or head of the Cult Information Centre as he is more conventionally known.
Defining 'cults' as those organisations using psychological manipulation, it became clear that the main violator, in Mr Hawarth's opinion, was the Scientologist; secularism, the Nation of Islam and Satanism were not disputed. "People involved in Scientology are reported to undergo drastic changes in personality, are quickly alienated from their family and friends and part with a great deal of money." The Scientologist's reply dismissed such criticism as "whipping up stories", and allegations that Scientology has been denied church status in this country were declared 'bullshit'. A member of the audience spoke of his experience with Scientologist representatives who had given him a questionnaire and interview. The Scientologist denied that there is an active recruitment procedure in Scientology, but distributed pamphlets with contact numbers throughout the course of the evening.
Satanist Paul Badley denounced religion as "Marvel cartoons, ridiculous childish gibberish. People abdicate responsibility for their lives." He announced that rather than worshipping Satan, he calls himself a Satanist because the controversy of the title "tickles" him.
Nation of Islam representatives were faced with accusations of racism and antisemitism. The speaker accused the media of "fabrication" of anti-semitic quotes. Chair of the meeting, Johann Hari, produced a quote from the Nation of Isalm's head on CNN which cited the Jews as having been involved in the slave trade. The response grudgingly acknowledged anti-Jewish sentiment with the forbidding tone of "the sins of the fathers are visited upon the sons".
Charlotte O'Brien
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