There are thousands of religious, spiritual, human potential groups, etc., that exist in our society and it is possible that at one time or another in your life you may either be looking to join to a group or have been approached to join one.
Deciding what group is best suited for you may seem a difficult undertaking and often people call us wanting to know if there exists a list of "cults" so making their decision would be simpler.
Their concern is understandable as most people have heard about certain tragedies associated with groups that have been labeled (often after the fact) as a "cult" and want to avoid such a group.
Groups that have become violent or dangerous make up a very marginal number of the thousands of groups that exist.
Among things to consider is that a group having rituals, beliefs, practices, or clothing that may appear strange or bizarre to you or others may seem that way only because they are different and unfamiliar to you.
In reality, there is very rarely a simple yes or no response to whether a group is simply good or bad.
Some people can have a positive experience in a group that some might consider "bad" and inversely some people can have a negative experience in a group considered to be "good".
So to help you make an informed choice we encourage you to ask a lot of questions and think about some the following ideas.
Take your time and ask questions. The types of questions you ask depend on, among other factors, who you are, what you believe, and what you are interested in. For example, you might want to know what the group's views are on the role of women, clothing, diet, marriage, membership fees, time commitment, decision making, childrearing, education, healthcare, etc.
You may find after taking the time to research the group that it's an okay group but, not necessarily for you as it may not respond to your lifestyle, beliefs etc. Or you may find that it does respond to what you're looking for.
How can you find information on a particular group?
Information on groups can be obtained from:
When forming an opinion about a given group, it is always a good idea to use as many different sources of information as possible.
Take your time there's generally no rush and remember it's your choice and you're the one that will live with your decision, not others who may oppose or encourage your involvement.
If you have any questions contact us:
Info-Cult
5655 avenue du Parc, Suite 208
Montreal, Quebec, Canada H2V 4H2
(514) 274-2333, Fax: (514) 274-7576