Subject: cult evaluation form

To: All From: Katherine Wintersnight

Date: 2/25/96 20:24:00

This came up in the conversation last night on #holysmoke. Several people asked that the form be posted openly here. Go ahead and score your own organized religion (if any). If done honestly, some people here will be in for a shock.

CULT DANGER EVALUATION FRAME

1- INTERNAL CONTROL: amount of internal political power exercised by leader(s) over members.

2-WISDOM CLAIMED: by leader(s); amount of infalli- bility declared about decisions.

3-WISDOM CREDITED: to leader(s) by members; amount of trust in decisions made by leaders.

4-DOGMA: rigidity of reality concepts taught; amount of doctrinal inflexibility.

5-RECRUITING: emphasis put on attracting new members; amount of proselytizing.

6-FRONT GROUPS: number of subsidiary groups using different names from that of main group.

7-WEALTH: amount of money and/or property desired or obtained; emphasis on members' donations.

8-POLITICAL POWER: amount of external political influence desired or obtained.

9-SEXUAL MANIPULATION: of members by leader(s); amount of control over sex lives of members.

10-CENSORSHIP: amount of control over members' access to outside opinions on group, its doctrines or leader(s).

11-DROPOUT CONTROL: intensity of efforts directed at preventing or returning dropouts.

12-ENDORSEMENT OF VIOLENCE: when used by or for the group or its leader(s).

13-PARANOIA: amount of fear concerning real or imagined enemies; perceived power of opponents.

14-GRIMNESS: amount of disapproval concerning jokes about the group, its doctrine, or leader(s).