ut what is the true definition of a cult?

The term mightconjure images of men and women dressed in

long, hoodedrobes, chanting together and drinking toxic Kool-Aid inpursuit of enlightenment. And
that is an extreme example ofwhat a cult might look like. However, many cults aren’t so easyto
spot.Steven Hassan escaped the Unification Church (also known asthe “Moonies”) in 1976 and has
since become a mental healthcounselor and one of the leading experts on mind control andcults.
According to Hassan, a cult is an organization thatexercises undue influence over its members to
make themdependent and obedient. Undue influence is defined aspersuasion that takes over any
free will or judgment; as a legalterm, it refers to a person or group taking advantage of theirposition
of power over others.In cults and other organizations that employ mind control,undue influence is
first imposed on victims by showering themwith praise and affection and promising a fantasy world
orelite status. Once a member is hooked, the organizationemploys a systematic method of control to
disrupt thatperson’s identity and ability to think independently andrationally.That process of gaining
undue influence follows what Hassancalls the BITE model:up in an MLM turns out to be
anightmare.”