Review of Amanda Montell’s Cultish
I’ve been wanting to read more about cults lately. Call it an occupational hazard. After my own experiences in three spiritually abusive and toxic environments over the last 15 years, I’ve been working to reconcile my own story while looking for resources to move toward healing and wholeness. I’ve also found myself wondering if the last church I was part of qualifies as a cult.
The word “cult” is loaded with meaning and stigmatized assumptions depending on the context where it’s used. Most experts don’t agree on one common way to define what a cult is. It can elicit completely different reactions when used in reference to Scientology or SoulCycle, Branch Davidians or doTerra.
This is what Amanda Montell explores in her 2021 book, Cultish. Broken up into six parts, she begins by outlining traits and behaviors that create a common thread among various groups. Whether it’s a Sikh-derived yoga group, Scientology, CrossFit, MLMs, or the church, Montell provides a clear feature of these groups—language.
In asking how these cult-ish leaders gain influence and cultivate power, the answer for her is clear: “The real answer all comes down to words. Delivery. From the crafty redefinition of existing words (and the invention of new ones) to powerful euphemisms, secret codes…even hashtags, language is the key means by which all degrees of cultlike influence occur.”
By exploring the language of different groups, she begins to unravel the psychology of group dynamics and human systems that create cultish cultures. Language creates an in and out group, fostering “us vs. them” mentality, leading to exclusivity of knowledge, insight, and a longing to belong. Once you’re in the group, there’s the human desire for community and connection that keeps you there.
And yet, it’s more complicated than that. Montell also explores the people who join these cults and cultish groups, often providing interviews with real people who escaped or left. She debunks the idea of “vulnerable” types as the only ones who succumb to these groups and offers a more researched and nuanced take.
Beginning with Jonestown and other cults like Heaven’s Gate, Moonies, Scientology, and working her way to less obvious groups like the evangelical church, fitness groups like CrossFit, SoulCycle, and Peloton, to MLMs and online lifestyle influencers, Montell provides plenty of evidence for how these incredibly different groups have more in common than you might like to think.
This book is a fascinating look behind the scenes at how cults are formed by their often charismatic leaders and the people who follow them, and offers a gracious and empathetic hope for those who have chosen to join. You’re not crazy or brainwashed if you suddenly had a revelation that you might be in a cult, or find yourself wondering who or why you stayed with a certain group for so long. This is a common process and shame-filled response, and Montell offers grace and understanding where we often blame or even gaslight ourselves for falling for a particular leader or group.
If you’re looking for a way to understand how cults work, evidence that you may have been part of one (or why your church felt like one—mine 100% fits the description, by the way), and how to find your way out, I highly recommend checking this one out.
Brian Lee is a pastor, coach, and speaker. As a survivor of spiritual abuse and religious trauma, he has spent his time since leaving vocational ministry in 2021 working to provide recovery and resources for fellow victims and survivors. In 2023, he created and founded Broken to Beloved, a nonprofit organization that exists to help other victims and survivors through its Annual Summit and seasonal Cohorts, while also providing trauma awareness and safeguarding practices to pastors, leaders and churches.
Based in Richmond, VA, Brian loves to go on mini-adventures with his family, exploring their neighborhood, community, and city. As a coffee snob and addict, he could always use another cup.