"What would you tell someone to keep them from joining a cult?"
(asked at Crossroads Shopping Center on 04-03-97; published in the EJ on 04-06-97)

Bev Neill, Family resource coordinator, Bellevue


"'To thine own self be true' -- then they don't have to worry. If you follow your own spirit, you're not led astray, not drawn to the dark side... I've been through this with a friend. It's impossible. I just had to disengage and keep them in prayer."

Erin Verginia, Full-time mom, Bellevue


"I'd just say 'Look what happened to the Heaven's Gate people -- 39 of them were tricked into killing themselves.' ... I'd try my best, but if it didn't work, it's their life, their decision. But I'd try to stay a friend and listen in, and help if things got dangerous."

Rosemary Krueger, Real estate agent, Redmond


"I would tell them 'It really matters what you believe.' ... People in cults tend to isolate themselves, and also isolate themselves from truth, but 'No man is an island' is a principle that's true... I'd never stop trying to convince them and I'd be praying because it's spiritual warfare. You can't just give up because whoever wants that person the most is going to get them."

Marci Johnson, Sales associate, Redmond


"I have no idea. It would depend on how much you know about it, the cult or the situation. I guess maybe you just let them know how you feel -- give them your opinion -- and then let them know that you're concerned about them. You'd probably have to get them to see your perspective rather than their own, but I don't know how you'd do that."

Kevin Harrigan, Youth employment specialist, Bellevue


"I would think that something's missing in their lives and I would try to identify what's missing -- what they feel is missing -- and see if there's someone or something else to fulfill what's missing. If it was a true friend, I'd want to look into it and give them my perspective and hopefully a different one. Just putting the cult down would turn the person off."

Jennifer Varrelman, Homemaker, Pateros, WA


"I think I would say 'Talk with your family and consider your family's feelings, as well as your peers' outside the cult, and make an educated decision by gaining information through the library and using all the resources to determine the pros and cons.' If they didn't, there's not a lot you can do... an intervention, perhaps."

© 1997 by the Bellevue, WA-based Eastside Journal (née Journal American) newspaper.

If you'd like to comment on this Q, you can e-mail EJ Editorial Page Editor Craig Groshart by clicking here. Please be sure to include the following in your message:

1. The title you see at the top of this page.
2. The question to which you're responding(!).
3. Your name, home (aka snail mail) address and daytime phone number.

Thanks for stopping by and reading "The water cooler"!