[dcmininni]

The person interviewed in the article downplays the dangers of cults in general, without really talking about any of there activities aside from the films (which are the focal point of the article). Just saying kids, many cults are dangerous and many do a real good job seeming innocuous . Look up the BITE model, learn it and recognize it. https://www.freedomofmind.com/Info/BITE/bitemodel.php

[Gibbon1]

I have a very simple test for 'cults' which is

'What happens if you try to leave'

[LyleCantor]

Gwern's Notes on Brainwashing & 'Cults': http://lesswrong.com/lw/imu/notes_on_brainwashing_cults/

[M_Grey]

That article sounds like it was written by a member of that cult... going on about how warm and nurturing 'Ruth' appeared to be.

[matt_wulfeck]

I think part of that is to answer questions like "why would some believe this maniac?"

[vidarh]

Indeed, when I saw the title, I first assumed it'd be about the Heaven's Gate cult [1] (which ended up committing collective suicide)

[1] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Heaven%27s_Gate_(religious_gro...