ISAAC BONEWITS'
advanced CULT DANGER
EVALUATION FRAME V2.6

In order to utilize the frame, assign each item a value from one to ten points, with one being "Low" and ten being "High". Rate the group in which you are interested on each item, then total the number of points. Groups with ratings very close to EITHER end of the spectrum (ie, 15 or 150) are very likely NOT healthy groups for a beginner. Groups which score towards the high end of the scale (ie, 150) are more than probably not healthy groups for ANYONE - including those already in them.

click ABCDEF v2.6 for a printer friendly version (requires Adobe Acrobat Reader)

 

 

FACTOR
Low                High
 1.
 INTERNAL CONTROL:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Amount of internal political and social power exercised by leader(s) over members; lack of clearly defined organizational rights for members.
 2.
 EXTERNAL CONTROL:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Amount of external political and social influence desired or obtained; emphasis on directing members’ external political and social behavior.
 3.
 Wisdom/Knowledge Claimed by leader(s):
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Amount of infallibility declared or implied about decisions or doctrinal/scriptural interpretations; number and degree of unverified and/or unverifiable credentials claimed.
 4.
 Wisdom/Knowledge Credited to leader(s) by members:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Amount of trust in decisions or doctrinal/scriptural interpretations made by leader(s); amount of hostility by members towards internal or external critics and/or towards verification efforts.
 5.
 Dogma:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Rigidity of reality concepts taught; amount of doctrinal inflexibility or  “fundamentalism;” hostility towards relativism and situationalism.
 6.
 Recruiting:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Emphasis put on attracting new members; amount of proselytizing; requirement for all members to bring in new ones.
 7.
 Front Groups:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Number of subsidiary groups using different names from that of main group, especially when connections are hidden.
 8.
 Wealth:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Amount of money and/or property desired or obtained by group; emphasis on members’ donations; economic lifestyle of leader(s) compared to ordinary members.
 9.

Sexual Manipulation of members by leader(s) non-tantric groups:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Amount of control exercised over sexuality of members in terms of sexual orientation, behavior, and/or choice of partners.
10.
 Sexual Favoritism:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Advancement or preferential treatment dependent upon sexual activity with the leader(s) of non-tantric groups.
11.
 Censorship:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Amount of control over members’ access to outside opinions on group, its doctrines or leader(s).
12.
 Isolation:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
Amount of effort to keep members from communicating with non-members, including family, friends and lovers.
13.
 Dropout Control:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 
Intensity of efforts directed at preventing or returning dropouts.
14. Violence:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 
Amount of approval when used by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s).
15. Paranoia:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 
Amount of fear concerning real or imagined enemies; exaggeration of perceived power of opponents; prevalence of conspiracy theories.
16. Grimness:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  Amount of disapproval concerning jokes about the group, its doctrines or its leader(s).
17. Surrender of Will:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
  Amount of emphasis on members not having to be responsible for personal decisions; degree of individual disempowerment created by the group, its doctrines or its leader(s).
18. Hypocrisy:
1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10
 
amount of approval for actions which the group officially considers immoral or unethical, when done by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s); willingness to violate the group’s declared principles for political, psychological, social, economic, military, or other gain.
  

TOTAL POINTS:

                       

from "Real Magic" - by Isaac Bonewits

Advanced Cult Danger Evaluation Frame (or ABCDEF) v2.6 © 1979, 2001 by Isaac Bonewits


Last modified: 01-Dec-2002
©1995 Red Deer@pagani