In recent days, the Branch Dividian cult and the "troops" of the FBI, police, and Bureau of Alcohol, Tobacco, and Firearms (ATF) have been at a standoff equaled to that of a siege of war. This has stirred the media for more (by number) and more far-reaching (clear to Australia) coverage than some world-shaking events such as "bombings in Northern Ireland and important NATO meetings", according to some sources.

How could a group of 70 to 90 young adults holed up in the countryside grab the interest of America to the degree that Ted Koppellís "Nightline", the Evening News, "Good Morning America", and "A Current Affair" dropped everything to get in on the scoop? And why are people so interested?

Maybe because it strikes too close to home. And if not that, maybe because people are looking for a scapegoat to blame, to point at, so that they can say to themselves, "Weíre OK, not like those guys."

Few have ever been on the inside of a cult, and only can surmise what makes cult leaders and followers tick, yet they donít realize how gullible they themselves could be, under the right circumstances.

I was a member of a "Christian cult" for over 10 years. Before that, I was a solid, born-again, Spirit-filled believer for three years, even attending an upstanding Christian college. What caused me to be led astray?

First of all, not all cults are created equal. Jesus said that in the last days, "...there shall arise false Christs, and false prophets...insomuch that, if it were possible, they shall deceive the very elect." (Mt 24:24) The Biblical-based "Christian cults" are perhaps the most deceptive, such as the one I was involved in, The Children of God/Family of Love. These kind take people who are new in their faith, and persuade them to join them as "a more effective way to serve God." The COG always ran 10-20,000 people, world-wide (and still does--just not so much in the U.S.), but today I am hearing often of small churches of 30-50 people, breaking off from the rest of society and Christianity to follow "their special pastor" with "his special revelation from God." And the followers always feel that if they left his group they would be leaving the faith or at the least, not liable to receive the special privileges that were in store for them on Earth or in heaven. Usually this type of cult starts believing that their specialized teaching is equal to or better than the Bible.

A downgrade of the Christian cult would be the "Non-Christian cult" which is exemplified by the Branch Dividian group. This type started at one time on orthodox teaching and values, even belonging to a major denomination (the Branch Dividians broke away from the Seventh Day Adventists), but no longer see the Bible as authority, and will even make their leader a Messiah or God. The ultimate end of this creates "Jonestown" incidents, where their leader will cause them to do abnormal things such as mass suicide, or in Wacoís case, gunning down intruders, feeling righteous in their own "persecution complex".

Others of the 5000 American cults would include the "Mind- Control and Consciousness Cults", such as Scientology, EST, and the New Age Movement, who mix Eastern philosophy with Western Psychology; cults that are off-shoots of Hinduism-Buddhism, such as the Hare Krishnas, Divine Light Mission, and Transcendental Meditation; and cults that are occultic in nature, involved in devil worship, sacrifice, and witchcraft, such as the one that killed students at Spring Break in Matamoros, Mexico in 1989.

But, we ask again, why would anyone want to be involved in such things? Are they deranged, needing to be institutionalized? Are they the poor and homeless, or less intelligent beings?

On the contrary, many of those that join cults are of higher than normal intelligence, and leave their university studies of law or business in order to follow this new religion. Yes, some poor and homeless help fill the ranks, but as the higher classes ran the revolution for the original communists, so do the smarter and richer youth, the cults. Unfortunately, when they leave a few years later, they many times will end up in a mental institution, divorced, or on drugs.

There is something in the soul of man that desires to worship. And if not channeled in the right direction, it will worship something else (even sports, money, a career). This same soul of man desires to be a part of something, to belong, to cheer a cause.

So when a powerful, exhuberant leader comes along, such as Hitler, many masses will follow. Iím sure they were thrilled to wave the flags as the parades marched by. And they were led astray to the point of being willing to massacre millions of Jews for "their cause" and "for God."

And when a group comes along that shows a person such open love, such as when the Moonies "love bomb" a new convert, any lacks from their childhood, lack of father or lack of understanding, are covered and their emotions cloud their free thinking. If a person feels enough love, he may even compromise his own morals and values, to keep up that sense of belonging. This same kind of positive peer pressure, in other areas, causes some youth to lose their virginity or to try drugs.

The other reason that people get deceived and fall into these destructive organizations is because they are not knowledgeable about what they say they believe.

Once-a-week religion will not satisfy your inner self, nor that or your children. With bombings at the World Trade Center, hurricanes in Florida, and mass murders at McDonaldís, this world is looking for a saviour and faith of some kind. But just having it preached to you, or going through the motions, will not meet that need.

I joined the Children of God because they were living what they believed every day, and were willing to put their lives on the line for it. It was only later that I began to realize I was being deceived and was letting myself buy into their new doctrines which included prostitution for conversions and child sex.

To quote the Bible again, Jesus said, "If ye continue in my word, then are ye my disciples indeed, and ye shall know the truth, and the truth shall make you free." (Jn 8:31-32) The problem is that few really know the Word or what they believe, but only take what is handed to them without searching it out.

I had a friend from South Africa who told me that Christians in America were babyish and immature. He said, "We donít have Sunday School for adults where I come from. The people there go home and search things out; they study, cross reference, and study other books. God would have it that we all have the same relationship with Him, whether clergy or layman."

Anyone can fall into a cult. The people behind those walls in Waco love their children, are looking for love themselves, and are trying to love God, though they are deceived. They are to be pitied, not scorned.

The best we can do is try to get them, and others, out of their deception and situation. And we need to take heed, lest we, or our children, fall into the same or worse.

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Marlene***is a free-lance writer living in Amarillo. She has written a book entitled, How to Keep Your Kids From Falling Into Cults.

Email: sword@post1.com