Cult Information Centre
{{Short description|Organization}}
{{Use British English|date=August 2022}}
{{For|the Canadian organization formerly known as the Cult Information Centre|Info-Cult}}
{{Infobox organization
| name = Cult Information Centre
| logo = File:Cult Information Centre logo.png
| type = Charitable organisation
| founded_date = {{start date and age|1987}}
| founder = Ian Haworth
| location = London, England
| origins =
| key_people =
| focus = Cult education
| revenue =
| endowment =
| num_volunteers =
| num_employees =
| num_members =
| owner =
| Non-profit_slogan =
| homepage = {{url|www.cultinformation.org.uk}}
| dissolved =
| footnotes =
}}
The Cult Information Centre (CIC) is a British anti-cult organisation.{{Cite book |url=https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofne0000unse_d3h6/page/76 |title=Encyclopedia of New Religions: New Religious Movements, Sects and Alternative Spiritualities |publisher=Lion Hudson Plc |year=2004 |isbn=0-7459-5073-6 |editor-last=Partridge |editor-first=Christopher |pages=[https://archive.org/details/encyclopediaofne0000unse_d3h6/page/76 76]}}{{Cite news |last=Lane |first=Megan |date=2000-07-26 |title=Cults: Playing for keeps |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/uk/852207.stm}} The organisation also serves as a resource for information on controversial religious groups,{{Cite news |last=Shipman |first=Martin |date=2004-04-13 |title=Tourist board defends pounds 11,000 cash grant to 'cult' group |work=Western Mail |publisher=2004 MGN Ltd.}}{{Cite news |last=Shipton |first=Martin |date=2004-04-02 |title=Storm over pounds 180,000 grant to Welsh 'cult'. |work=Western Mail |publisher=2004 MGN Ltd.}} therapy cults,{{Cite news |last=Staff |date=2001-07-22 |title='Self help' cults target professionals. |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.}}{{Cite news |last=Hampshire |first=Mary |date=2000-11-28 |title=I was raped.. then lured into misery by church fanatics. |work=The Mirror |publisher=2000 MGN LTD}} and political cults.{{Cite news |last=Kirby |first=Terry |date=March 27, 2004 |title=Grieving parents warn of dangers of 'political cults'. |work=The Independent |publisher=Independent Newspapers (UK) Ltd.}}
History
{{See also|Ian Haworth}}
The Cult Information Centre was founded in 1987 by Ian Haworth,{{Cite news |last=Kon |first=Andrea |date=2005-07-25 |title=In the Hot Seat: Just the Job |work=The Evening Standard |publisher=Solo Syndication Limited}}Chryssides, George. 1999. Exploring New Religions. London, GBR: Continuum International Publishing.{{Cite book |last=Gurr |first=Nadine |title=The New Face of Terrorism: Threats from Weapons of Mass Destruction |last2=Benjamin Cole |publisher=I.B.Tauris |year=2002 |isbn=1-86064-825-8 |pages=134, 158, 182, 193, 308}} who had previously been involved with the Council on Mind Abuse, and gained charitable status in the United Kingdom in 1992.{{Cite book |last=Arweck |first=Elizabeth |title=Researching New Religious Movements |publisher=Routledge |year=2006 |isbn=0-415-27754-X |pages=69, 132, 194, 442, 443}}
Reception and criticism
John Campbell of the evangelical Christian group, the Jesus Army, called the Cult Information Centre "unethical" and its views "absolute nonsense".{{Cite news |last=Bacon |first=Hanna |date=1999-07-16 |title=Sixth formers on cult alert |work=BBC News |publisher=BBC |url=http://news.bbc.co.uk/1/hi/education/393334.stm}}
William Shaw contacted the Cult Information Centre in his 1993 investigation of cults, and was explicitly critical of its methods and the reliability of its research throughout his book. His opinion was that individuals had joined cults out of "their own hunger to believe" and is dismissive of "absurd scare stories".{{Cite book |last=Medway |first=Gareth J. |title=Lure of the Sinister: the unnatural history of Satanism |publisher=NYU Press |year=2001 |isbn=0-8147-5645-X |pages=277}}
A complaint was made in 2010 to the Charity Commission challenging the organisation's charitable status. The single complainant was never identified publicly.{{Cite web |last=Doward |first=Jamie |date=4 March 2012 |title=Cults watchdog faces danger of being shut down |url=https://www.theguardian.com/world/2012/mar/04/cult-information-centre-closure-threat |access-date=2013-10-31 |publisher=The Observer}} The complaint was not upheld and the organisation remains listed and regulated by the Charity Commission.{{Cite web |last=Doward |first=Jamie |date=30 June 2016 |title=Data for financial year ending 30 June 2016 |url=http://beta.charitycommission.gov.uk/charity-details/?regid=1012914&subid=0 |access-date=2017-09-21 |publisher=The Observer}}
See also
References
{{Reflist}}
{{Opposition_to_NRMs}}
Category:Organizations established in 1987