There is a substantial difference between the scholarly study of disaffiliation and anti-cult tales which resembles old stories of white maidens kidnapped by Native Americans.
From the World
Are Apostates Reliable? 2. False Apostates
Some who claim to have been members of a religion or movement, and privy to its secrets, are simply lying.
Are Apostates Reliable? 1. The Problem of Apostasy
Apostates are ex-members of religions or religious movements who become sworn enemies of the faith they have left. They have existed for centuries.
Pakistan: Religion-Based Terrorism, Extremism on the Rise in 2021
The Pakistan Security Report 2021, a yearly report of the authoritative Pak Institute for Peace Studies, recommended urgent action by the Parliament.
Pakistan: Ancient Buddhist Temple Discovered – and Vandalized
Italian and Pakistani archeologists made the exciting discovery. Religious prejudice explains the low vigilance against vandalism.
500 “Cults,” 500,000 “Victims” in France? MIVILUDES Admits It Has No Recent Data
The French governmental mission now confesses it relied on decade-old (and controversial) figures.
The Order of the Solar Temple. 9. Learning from the Tragedy
What does the homicides and suicides tell us about which among thousands of pacific new religious and esoteric movements may turn violent?
The Order of the Solar Temple. 8. But Was It a “Typical Cult”?
Few days after the 1994 tragedy, Swiss media had already to deal with the problem that it did not look like the average “cult.”
Edward Wilson’s Legacy: Ants and Religion
The great biologist who died the day after Christmas disliked organized religion but was not an atheist, as his tale of believing and atheistic ants demonstrates.
The Order of the Solar Temple. 7. Suicides and Murders Continue
The Swiss tragedy of 1994 was repeated in 1995 in France and in 1997 in Quebec.