Beseda kult ima latinski izvor in pomeni čaščenje. Kulti so največkrat združenja ljudi z enakim mišljenjem, ki se zavzemajo za skupen cilj. Kulti se med seboj zelo razlikujejo, vendar imajo kljub temu nekaj skupnih značilnosti, kot so hierarhična ureditev, na vrhu katere je vodja ali šef, in uporaba različnih obredov. Značilna je tudi skrivnostnost, katero poznajo samo člani. Navadno kulti predstavljajo zaprto družbo, ki je dostopna samo članom, širša publika pa nima dostopa do teh skupin. Velikokrat pripadniki uporabljajo različne simbole in znake sporazumevanja, ki jih poznajo le oni. Kulti so se pojavljali že zelo zgodaj v zgodovini in se pojavljajo še danes. Med najbolj znane kulte in sekte bi lahko uvrstili templjarje, iluminate, Sataniste in druge skupine ljudi.
Znotraj takšnih skupin so pogoste tudi psihične in fizične zlorabe članov. Vodja velikokrat svoje člane izkorišča, da izpolnijo njegove cilje. Pogoste so tudi razne umske spletke, ki jih uporablja voditelj za dosego ciljev. Člani velikokrat ne vedo, da so žrtve psiholoških trikov, saj imajo mnenje, da to morajo početi in da morajo ubogati svojega voditelja. Zelo pogosta tehnika, ki jo izvajajo vodje na svojih članih, je pranje možganov, s pomočjo katere spremenijo mišljenje svojih pripadnikov.
Za kulte je značilno tudi to, da človeka hitro zasvojijo, saj se takšne skupine ljudi družijo vsak dan in to zanje postane že rutina, katere so navajeni in jo težko zapustijo. Za osebe, ki zapustijo kulte je značilno, da se zelo težko vrnejo v prejšnji način življenja in da rabijo veliko časa, da se ponovno privadijo na stari način življenja, ki pa nikoli ni enak tistemu pred vključitvijo. Nekateri člani se v kulte že rodijo in so vanje vključeni celo življenje. Takšne osebe zelo težko razvijejo lastno mnenje o teh skupinah ljudi, saj je to edini način življenja, ki ga poznajo. V kultih, kamor je vključena vsa družina pogosto prihaja do razpada družin, saj so velikokrat zabrisane vloge članov družine.
Obstaja kar nekaj zavodov in ustanov, ki pomagajo nekdanjim članom pri vrnitvi v normalno življenje, kar pa je zelo dolg proces. Kljub tej pomoči takšni ljudje nikoli ne bodo več imeli takšnega življenja, kot so ga imeli pred vključitvijo v kult.The word cult has a Latin origin and means worshiping something. Cults are usually groups of people with similar interests and with same goals. There are lots of different cults, but they all have some common elements, which are hierarchy and they all use different rituals during their worship. At the top of the hierarchy is a leader or a boss, who controls his members. These types of groups are also known for their secrecy in groups. In cults members use a lot of symbols and hidden messages for their communication, and only they understand these messages. These groups are only available for their members and are closed for the public. Cults are not something new and typical for these times, because we can also spot them in early history. The most famous cults are probably The Templars, Illuminati, different satanic cults and many others.
Inside these groups we can see a lot of different types of abuse. We can see a lot of physical and psychological abuse among members. The leader is usually using his members to follow his ideas and ideals. He forces people to obey his tasks for achieving his goals. Members typically don’t know that they are mentally abused. A very common technique, that a leader uses to get the attention from members is brainwashing, which is very dangerous and has serious consequences on people. With this technique leader gets form members what he wants. And people trust him and they believe in every word he says. A brainwashing changes person’s mentality.
Cuts are very addicting and attracting to people. They are addictive because members of cults are hanging with each other every day and they become so used to their company, that they cannot live without it. It became a person’s routine and something they do every day. For people who left the cult is very hard to get back in to their life. They cannot live the life they lived before joining the cult. For them it is very difficult to live in a community without their cult, and they need a lot of time to settle back into their lifestyle. Some people are born into cults and they spend their life in there. They don’t know any other type of life. In cults where whole family is involved sometimes comes to the deconstruction of the families, and family members don’t know their role in family, which is a big problem. Sometimes leaders take the role of parents and people must obey them and call them father or mother.
Around the world are some institutes, which help ex cult members to get back into their old lifestyle. It is a very long and hard journey for them. Even with that type of help some people will never have a normal life again
