Life in a Cult Once a person joins a nonconventional religious group, he or she must begin to adapt to group life. New recruits will go through a program of education in group beliefs and practices. Frequently, they will begin to master a spiritual discipline and, most perturbing to former acquaintances, they will begin to change and their behavior patterns to conform to group demands. Indoctrination: Most groups have a more or less standard program …showed first 75 words of 1353 total…

…showed last 75 words of 1353 total…contacts became the focus of parental concerns when sons and daughters joined. Critics have accused the high-demand religions of being "antifamily" as they create a barrier between members and their natural family. In the long run, such demands upon members force them to become dependent upon the group. Such dependency over a period of years may created difficulty for members in adjusting to society if either the group dissolves or they decide to leave it.