Rick Ross is the founder and executive director of the Rick A. Ross Institute. He is an internationally known expert regarding destructive cults, controversial groups, and movements. Since 1982 he has been studying, researching, and responding to the problems often posed by such groups or movements. So we decided to put him under the gun about why cult leaders aren't supposed to doink their flock:So, why is it considered abuse for cult leaders to sleep with their followers?
Well, there is an imbalance of power and the cult leader is exploiting that imbalance in order to obtain favors he normally wouldn't be able to receive.Because he is old and ugly? I mean, women are attracted to powerful men—that's an old thing.
But we are speaking of a guru—a revered mentor—someone in a position of great power and authority. While it's not against the law, it is certainly frowned upon in our society for people in those positions to abuse their authority. It is no different from if a psychiatrist were to have an affair with a particularly vulnerable patient.But in that case the relationship is clearly defined as non-sexual and the patient is seeking medical help. Isn't the cult thing more like a teacher-student relationship?
Well again, even teacher-student relationships are frowned upon, but no—I would say it is different. These people have great authority. These people have such authority that they are telling their followers how to live their lives. Literally. Their followers come to them with life decisions, and these gurus make those decisions. "Should I get married?" "Should I go to grad school?" This is the kind of power we are talking about.And I would say it is wrong for a person in that position to use his position to obtain sexual favors. It is wrong on several levels. First of all, it is wrong because we are speaking about people who purport to be celibate. The gurus often purport to be celibate, they encourage their followers to be celibate, and then, clandestinely, they request sexual favors. It would be different if they said, "Hey, I am a normal person, and I like to have sex, and I'm interested in a couple of the women here, and I want to have sex with them."But they don't do that. They purport to be celibate, and then they have sex in secret. It's a lie. In my opinion it is the same as if a Catholic priest were to use his position in the clergy to obtain sexual favors.Hngh… I am stumped. I think you got me.
It's like, several years back, a young student of Sri Chinmoy's was trying to break a Guinness Record for holding his breath, and he drowned himself in his bathtub. Now, he had wanted to pursue a relationship with a --Wait, what?
He drowned himself in his bathtub while trying to attain the Guinness World Record for holding his breath. Hahaha! Ooh. I'm sorry. It's not funny. I'm sorry.
No, it really is not. And I am sure if you were a member of his family…I know. I'm sorry. It's not.INTERVIEWED BY VICE STAFF
Well, there is an imbalance of power and the cult leader is exploiting that imbalance in order to obtain favors he normally wouldn't be able to receive.
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But we are speaking of a guru—a revered mentor—someone in a position of great power and authority. While it's not against the law, it is certainly frowned upon in our society for people in those positions to abuse their authority. It is no different from if a psychiatrist were to have an affair with a particularly vulnerable patient.But in that case the relationship is clearly defined as non-sexual and the patient is seeking medical help. Isn't the cult thing more like a teacher-student relationship?
Well again, even teacher-student relationships are frowned upon, but no—I would say it is different. These people have great authority. These people have such authority that they are telling their followers how to live their lives. Literally. Their followers come to them with life decisions, and these gurus make those decisions. "Should I get married?" "Should I go to grad school?" This is the kind of power we are talking about.And I would say it is wrong for a person in that position to use his position to obtain sexual favors. It is wrong on several levels. First of all, it is wrong because we are speaking about people who purport to be celibate. The gurus often purport to be celibate, they encourage their followers to be celibate, and then, clandestinely, they request sexual favors. It would be different if they said, "Hey, I am a normal person, and I like to have sex, and I'm interested in a couple of the women here, and I want to have sex with them."
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It's like, several years back, a young student of Sri Chinmoy's was trying to break a Guinness Record for holding his breath, and he drowned himself in his bathtub. Now, he had wanted to pursue a relationship with a --Wait, what?
He drowned himself in his bathtub while trying to attain the Guinness World Record for holding his breath. Hahaha! Ooh. I'm sorry. It's not funny. I'm sorry.
No, it really is not. And I am sure if you were a member of his family…I know. I'm sorry. It's not.INTERVIEWED BY VICE STAFF