Sectarian drifts: document of the French Bishops’ Conference

We publish here a document of the bishops of France on sectarian drifts, by Sr. Chantal-Marie SORLIN, Head of the Office of the Episcopal Conference for Sectarian Drifts, June 2014

Translation by Ana Azanza. Original text in French .

This list of criteria follows a behavioral process in four chronological steps:

1. The cult of personality

The members of the group feel attracted and grouped around a founder with a complex personality in his career and pretensions…

1.1 The birth of the group

A dysfunction in the discernment of vocations can have dire consequences. Examples abound of candidates for the priesthood rejected in one diocese but accepted in another. The same applies to the recognition of an association of the faithful or a community. Likewise, the Swiss bishops have just recalled this requirement: “when candidates for the priesthood or religious life change their place of formation or community, information must circulate among the directors in a clear and precise manner.”

1.2 The cult of the founder

It happens in certain groups that the founder or superior in some way takes the place of Christ: the members of the group venerate him, put him on a pedestal, swear absolute obedience to him. God passes directly and only passes through it. His word is… Word of the Gospel. And his writings come to supplant the Scriptures, which of course can only be understood by the explanations of the “master.” Such an investment in the founder naturally allows us to proclaim him “Shepherd for life” (the Good Shepherd, the good and the bad Shepherds). And of course, any revelation of the founder’s scandalous conduct is met with denial, denunciation of conspiracy and persecution.

1.3 Outside the group, there is no salvation

The group is not presented as complementary to what already exists, but is thought of as exclusively alternative. It is through him and only through him that salvation comes to the Church today. Everything else in the Church is accused of lukewarm, infidel, modernism. From this elitism arises the “holistic” character of these communities: all vocations are claimed in the group that is thus self-sufficient as an “ark of salvation” and a parallel church. The group wants to be self-sufficient even in discernment or support: psychologists outside the group are the devil! Sometimes confession is forced only before a priest of the community, since it is said that others cannot understand the charism. The formation is strictly internal and disproportionately emphasizes the founder’s thinking.

1.4 Above the law

The inhabitants of the “Heavenly City” that constitutes the group are no longer of the world. Thus, contrary to the mandates of the bishops, he does not contribute to the Cavimac (old-age, sickness and disability insurance for religious). Not to mention breaches at an economic level, or with labour law or safety regulations. In addition, the group’s “nebulous legal framework” exposes recalcitrant members to all kinds of abuse without them being able to resort to anything or anyone.

2. Cut with the outside

Following the leader entails multiple ruptures for his followers (relational, social, economic, health, intellectual, spiritual and ecclesial…).

2.1 Breakups

There are multiple and lock the recruit in a real bubble totally disconnected from reality:

family breakdowns from the moment the family asks questions;
friendly breakups;
social rupture with change of name and disappearance of the surname;
interruption of studies, of the profession;
economic ruptures: the person cedes all his or her assets into the hands of the group;
information breakdown: you don’t watch TV, you don’t listen to the radio or read the press; there is an index of forbidden readings;
Health disturbances: psychologists are demonized, vaccines are prohibited, alternative medicines and psychotherapy are imposed, collusion with related doctors in the community.
ecclesial rupture: functioning apart from the hierarchy and the parish; distrust of the authorities;
and even internal rupture between the members: absence of interpersonal relationships. Duty to inform between members.

2.2 Control of the election of confessors and spiritual directors

2.3 Faulty training

nourished exclusively by the writings of the founder or by a tendentious selection of authors. The emphasis is not placed on the Word of God.

2.4 A group-specific vocabulary

creating new words or changing the meaning of common words.

2.5 The multiplicity of devotions without doctrinal unity

with escalation of rules, signs and asceticism of all kinds according to the inspirations, whims and discoveries of the one in charge. The presence and action of the devil is emphasized, hence the frequency of acts of liberation and exorcism; The dualistic vision makes the world be considered evil and any criticism of the group as a persecution of the “saints”.

2.6 Inhumane living conditions with risks to physical, mental and spiritual health

In these problematic communities the same deficiencies are found as in sectarian groups in general: nutritional deficiencies, lack of sleep, lack of hygiene of life and care, exhaustion from work, etc. And if an accident occurs, the irresponsibility that caused it is covered up with a completely mystical interpretation of the event.

2.7 What poverty?

They usually go to get food from the Food Bank. Members are not registered with social security but apply for CMU (Universal Health Coverage). Work is for the people of the world but begging is practiced with the “real” poor: the worries of the world are for the pagans… However, the community as such is not disdainful of real estate investments and others that need large amounts of money.

2.8 Disincarnation

Some groups, by their design and system, have gone so far as to break the bond that unites children with their parents: parental authority is transferred to the “pastor”, children become children of the community; the image of the parents is devalued.
In the field of health: the evidence of the need for therapeutic treatment gives way to a dangerous slogan: “The Lord heals us, we have faith in him!”

2.9 Painism and the cult of suffering

The difficulties – objective – encountered are sublimated by the invitation to sacrifice. The answer to them is along these lines: “In suffering, you carry the cross that will save your friends; you found yourself with the cross, therefore you are on the right path, very close to Jesus; you suffer pain, so you grow by fighting your weaknesses; You suffer because your conversion is still insufficient. “If you can’t stand it, it’s because you’re not praying enough; you haven’t forgotten yourself enough.” It is necessary to take into account the large proportion of people who are not in good health in some groups: depression, suicide attempts, suicides, triggering or aggravation of psychiatric diseases.

3. Handling

Multi-face manipulation aims to not only attract members but also retain them.

3.1 Proselytizing

The members of the group leave their citadel to go and convert the others who are supposed to all live in ignorance and error. The other is not an object of interest or curiosity, nor is he a promise of enrichment. The other is only truly accepted when he is denied in his difference and his contribution. He is only interesting as a potential convert.

3.2 Obtaining vocations

You have to seduce and attract people to the community. Recruitment is fast, the hunted game is usually young and inexperienced. If the person being recruited asks certain questions, the group presses them to know that the doubt comes from the devil. All this is contrary to canon 219 of the Code of Canon Law: “All the faithful enjoy the right not to be subjected to any obligation in the choice of a state of life.”

3.3 Confusion of external and internal forum

In her wisdom, the Church recommends a distinction between the internal and external forum, between the roles of confessor and spiritual director, and the office of Superior. However, we realize that the confusion of the two roles is commonplace. In the same way, counseling should never be made internally to a Christian community or association, in order to preserve the freedom of individuals and reduce the abuse of power, the struggle for influence, the risk of consultation challenging the secrecy of spiritual accompaniment, various blunders and indiscretions that quickly merge into a restricted circle. If the same subject manages the important positions of the community, the spiritual and psychological follow-up, and even the confession, we can guess the influence he can have on people. This distinction between the public and the private is further undermined by the fashion for “transparency,” or in other words, by public confessions. Under the cover of fraternity and compassion, the person is mocked in his or her intimacy and forced into a kind of psycho-spiritual exhibitionism, that is, a psychic violation.

3.4 Special requirements

It is often heard: Never speak ill of the founder or any superior, and immediately denounce anyone who violates this vow. Also about unity: any criticism (i.e., the slightest legitimate questioning or the slightest personal thought), any disobedience, endangering fraternity.

3.5 Imposed secrecy as an absolute rule

Since the function of these associations is supposed to be the service of the Church, all members should be allowed to converse freely and openly with members of the hierarchy, whenever necessary. When we do good works we are not afraid of the light. However, adherents are sometimes forbidden to speak to the local bishop because they are considered incapable of understanding the charism… Similarly, all internal documentation that must remain hidden is available.

3.6 Lies, deception, and cover-ups

Concealment can be done from the beginning, i.e. to obtain approval (documentation presented to the authorities and “internal” documentation to which the members themselves do not have access are different). Then, even when the authority manages to penetrate the functioning of the group, it strives to disrupt the surveillance and the actions taken to clean up the situation.

3.7 Authoritarianism of the boss and submission of the members

Obedience — it is even a matter of submission — is elevated to the dignity of a greater virtue, and it is so unconditionally and without limits, much stronger than in a traditional religious community. However, authentic obedience is neither authoritarianism nor infantilization, obedience passes through mediations and not magic wands like “God told me”… “Little leaders” can be invaded by a certain pleasure in advising and ordering others. Spiritual bossing.

3.8 All questioning comes from the evil one

“I decided to share my doubts and questions with the founder. His answer was short and precise: “I feel that you are no longer part of the community. Eleven years of common life, of common faith, were swept away by these few words written on a piece of paper. In this system of certainties, there could be no doubts or questions. To answer doubts was to recognize the possibility of having them. Exclusion was the only answer. Antiquity, solemn commitment for life, sacrifices made, energy given without counting counted for nothing…”

3.9 Humiliation and guilt

The rebel, the one who asks never gets good press in a deviant community. And in general, she pays dearly for her antics with humiliation and guilt: “To explain oneself is to distrust r… depression is the denial of God… to love is to descend into the mire… to be silent is to love… tension is the only fruit of our wickedness… to rest is not to love enough… to complain is to be selfish… to defend oneself is not to be docile to the Gospel.” Those who do not fall into silent submission, and who therefore take risks, contaminate those around them, that is why they are purely and simply fired. Inside they are slandered from head to toe: the rebel is a Judas. The relational dynamic with the group is simplified to the extreme: submission or exclusion. Verbal negotiation is impossible, we are in the absolute or nothing. The other is reduced to the status of an object: it is assimilated, absorbed or rejected. He cannot be the subject of discourse and, therefore, an interlocutor in dialogue. In fact, a different word, thus arousing doubt, creates anxiety in the group and sets in motion the defense mechanisms that these exclusions express. Within the group, otherness is unbearable.

3.10 Exit

Under what conditions? Any exit already makes you a sinner in front of the other members. No one will speak to the traitor. And since the adept had broken with all his ancient knowledge, he finds himself alone.
Under what economic conditions? Is what he gave back when he arrived? Is he given what he has been putting into the common box? After having abandoned a profession, after having worked for years voluntarily of course and without social security, the one who leaves is naked like Job… However, canon 702 §2 of the Code of Canon Law stipulates that the institute shall keep equity and evangelical charity toward the member who separates from it.
In what physical and mental state? Life has been so difficult that the person is crushed. Some suffer serious psychic destruction: how many depressions, how many suicide attempts, how many suicides! In fact, people who leave the group feel guilty, end up with a feeling of total failure.
In what spiritual condition? Some keep the faith, because before this unfortunate experience that they have just lived, they truly encountered Christ. Many do not want to know more about Church or religion…

4. The incoherence of life

When one looks closely at the lives of the “gurus”, there is a great distance between words and deeds in terms of money, power, and morals.

4.1 The “extraordinary life” of the faithful

At the level of charity, his attitude usually leaves something to be desired towards the weakest, towards people whose economic situation has changed, towards other members of the Church, etc.

The founder must be subject to the same ordinary rules and constitutions that apply in the community…!

4.2 Money

Pooling of assets: Given the lack of stability offered by modern life and the likelihood that members will leave the community after a few years, it is advantageous to hold a member’s assets until his or her death, so that if he or she decides to leave, these assets can be returned to him or her when he or she leaves the community. But when he leaves, the former member often leaves naked like Job, when the Code of Canon Law speaks of equity. We understand that in these conditions there are many who, even when they are lucid to see the defects, do not have the strength or means to leave.
The exploitation of the work of the partners.
Financial management must always be honest and transparent. However, some groups master the art of fictitious ownership in sub-associations, screen associations
Donations and collection of inheritances.

4.3 Others

There are also crimes in sectarian groups, and typified crimes: pedophilia, rape, touching, ephebophilia…
In conclusion, a single criterion, of course, cannot be enough to qualify a group as a sectarian community. Only a set of criteria combined makes it possible to become aware of the pathological character of a community or an association. But it is indeed surprising how many of the symptoms described are repeated in a number of groups today. Moreover, all of these excesses just noted in certain Catholic communities are ultimately identical to those found in sectarian groups in general. The three temptations of power, of having it and of enjoying it are quite universal.