Why would a community consider its health or safety threatened if a cult moves into town? Who should bear the burden for religious tolerance and freedom of religion?
These presentations examine the NIMBY syndrome ("not in my back yard") relevant to the speakers' cultic groups or experiences.
Drawing from Karen's 16 years of experience as a former member and staff at the Church of Scientology senior management level, and subsequent expert consultant on Scientology, I examine my work with community members on how to address Scientology's infiltration into their communities.
This study looks at data from consultations across the southeastern U.S., particularly across Georgia, between 2002 - 2010. I combine Noelle-Neumann's communication theory, the Spiral of Silence, with Ludwig Feurbach's anthropological principle and Durkheim's views about religion to examine the concept of a safe community within the context of religious diversity in a contemporary social environment.
Findings suggest that support for religious freedom is contradicted by opposition to cultic groups as risk-generating influences. A growing fear of cults equated with terrorism, mass suicides, brainwashing, and exploitation of followers is expressed through a rising form of anti-social activism in communities against groups perceived as cults.
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Panel discussion:
“Rehabilitation or Religious
Re-education? The Intersections of Therapeutic Communities, Synanon, and Narconon"
Moderator:
Dr. Miriam Boeri, KSU
Panelists:
Anne Lowe,
Karen Pressley, Rebecca Smith
Videos - Panel discussion
 Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
Part 4
Since the 1960s, the drug rehabilitation industry proliferated as the punitive focus on drug users increased. Deceptive therapeutic community models and rehab centers emerged. From Synanon, which closed its doors when tax exempt status was revoked, to Scientology's Narconon, controvery regarding their methods continues. With a focus on Narconon, our panel of experts discusses the use of these programs to recruit drug users into cultic groups that exploit addicts for their own profit and manipulate the hopes of unsuspecting relatives.
Visit Reach the Tipping Point to read more about Narconon and citizen activism
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Presentation:
“Not In My Back Yard: Cults, Communities, and Concerns"
by Karen Pressley
Videos - Karen's presentation
Part 1
Part 2
Part 3
NIMBY
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