Christian Cults and the Concept of Hell (Robert Pardon, Michael Langone)

The inculcation of fear is a control tactic that is commonly observed in cultic groups. Those that are ostensibly Christian will often use threats of hell as one means of instilling fear designed to strengthen leaders’ hold on group members. Though most mainstream Christians accept the concept of hell, cultic groups distort and misapply the concept. Frequently, those who leave cultic Christian groups can benefit by understanding how mainstream Christians conceive of hell and how cultic groups use hell as a control tactic. This panel will explore: (1) Historical and cultural contexts that may contribute to cultic formulations of hell (e.g., Dante’s Inferno, what we would today consider inhumane punishments for misdeeds). (2) Contemporary ideas about hell that are inconsistent with cultic views. (3) Cases of former cult members whose recovery involved a reevaluation of the views of hell that resulted from their group experience.