Before answering the question as to why anyone would join a cult it is important to first understand what is a cult. The first image that comes to a lot of people's minds are groups such as the Manson Family, Jonestown and the Branch Davidian in Waco, Texas. When the average person takes an interest in the teachings of a cult, most of the time it is not immediately apparent that the group they are looking into is a cult. The followers of the groups mentioned above as well as modern day cults are lured in very subtle ways, appealing to a side of that person that is vulnerable at the moment. When looking into the belief system of a religious group, it is important to note the following:

Does this group claim to be the only ones who possess the truth about God and consider anyone who rejects their "truth" to be an apostate (dissenter or heretic)?

Are their teachings relatively new and established by a person who claims to have received this special revelation directly from God?

Is this group led by an individual or small but powerful leadership that holds control of the group’s teachings and practices?

Does this group send to its members an apocalyptic message claiming that their religion or group is the only one that can protect them from the "end of the world."

Does this group possess methods to reinforce their beliefs and standards where opposing views are ridiculed and often misrepresented?

These are some of the main characteristics of a cult. Religious cults are primarily religious groups that have been established by an individual who claims to have direct access to God and for some reason God has chosen him or her to be His mouthpiece in order to communicate with this individual's followers. A couple of examples of this would be Charles Taze Russell, founder of the Jehovah's Witnesses and Joseph Smith, founder of the Mormons/The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints. Both groups teach their followers beliefs that are relatively new in comparison to traditional belief systems such as Christianity.

The leaders of these groups also teach that their belief system is the one and only that will lead to salvation. They discourage or at times outright tell their followers that research into teachings of other religions or beliefs can lead to spiritual darkness or even demonic possession. If you are interested in what another religion believes, the leaders of these groups will provide the information for you. Research into any other belief system must be monitored by them. The Jehovah's Witnesses are a prime example of this as many of their publications attempt to teach what other religions supposedly believe yet their followers are discouraged from reading literature from other religions, especially if that literature contains information about their own religion. Anything about their own religion that is written by someone else is strongly prohibited especially if it is anything negative.

One would have to ask, if a religious group believes, beyond a doubt, that they are teaching the truth, why discourage your followers from reading or listening to other information from other religions? If a religion has nothing to hide regarding their background or their leaders, why prohibit your followers from reading or listening to critics of their religion? Logic would seem to do dictate that when one has nothing to hide, one has nothing to fear.