Karl Kahler (graduate of the 14th Way Corps) 
www.ex-way.com

This book is a history of The Way and an account of Mr. Kahler's involvement from 1980 to 1987. Mr. Kahler believes The Way is a destructive and dangerous organization, and wrote this book because none like it existed.  He wanted to inform non-members, to give current members a different perspective, and to offer ex-members a journey back in time that could be both entertaining and healing.

From  the introduction to the book:

The Way International is an Ohio-based Bible ministry often called a cult, a label it has done everything in its power to deserve.

Margaret Thaler Singer

The country's leading authority on cults now calls on her 50 years of experience to write this definitive book on the subject. Singer's shocking expose reveals what cults are and how they work.

The foremost expert on mind control shows that cults are more dangerous than ever before, and advises readers what they can do about their shocking infiltrations into the workplace, which comes in the guise of training programs and "new age" workshops aimed at coercion.

Mary Alice Chrnalogar

Leaders of many religious groups (even including several mainstream churches) are twisting the Scriptures to subtly coerce cooperation from their members. In the process, personalities are changed and lives ruined. Mary Alice Chrnalogar is a deprogrammer with an international reputation. Chrnalogar reveals how classic mind control techniques are used to systematically seduce followers into total obedience.

Twisted Scriptures: A Path To Freedom From Abusive Churches shows readers how to tell when churches are suppressing freedom of speech, intimidating followers, and distorting the Bible. Twisted Scriptures is invaluable as a self-help guide and as a tool for families and friends to free loved ones from destructive groups.

Flo Conway and Jim Siegelman

Provides an analysis of the techniques used by cults and certain "self help" agencies to alter the personality of the client. It presents a model, using catastrophe theory, in which the person is driven to a snapping point. After this snap, the personality is drastically changed, and often it requires another snap to rectify the situation. The cases discussed include those annoying cults and "self help" groups which roam college campuses In addition, the effects of stress are discussed in industrial settings.

Steven Hassan

Steven Hassan was recruited from college into the Unification Church ('the Moonies'). Mr. Hassan was a Moonie for over two years, during which time he rose from recruit to Unification Church Manhattan NY main lecturer and Unification Church national headquarters assistant director. Then Mr. Hassan's family had him 'forcibly deprogrammed' while he was convalescing from a bad automobile accident. After much emotional resistance Mr. Hassan's Unification Church belief faltered and he regained the rational detachment required to view his experiences objectively.

Mr. Hassan grew to despise the abusive mind control techniques he had *experienced and used* as a Unification Church member and leader -- he now describes the Unification Church as a 'destructive cult'. Mr. Hassan returned to college to study psychology, then developed his own 'exit counseling' techniques that rely on discussion rather than anxiety-creating confrontation to break a destructive cult's hold upon its members.

Mr. Hassan's powerfully-written text first describes his experience as a destructive cult's member and leader, then describes his extensive experience as an exit counselor helping members of many destructive cults. Mr. Hassan describes how destructive cults attract, recruit, isolate and control their members, rewarding attitudes and behaviors approved by cult leaders and punishing attitudes and behaviors not approved by cult leaders. Cult members' lives revolve around this programmed reward and punishment, an environment that quickly confuses and forces cult members into obedience.

"Combatting CULT MIND CONTROL" is suitable both for social workers getting their first exposure to destructive cults, and also for concerned family members trying to understand what their loved one is experiencing as a cult member.