Students at the University of Canterbury are being warned about unofficial groups approaching people on campus using what have been described as “aggressive recruiting” tactics.
UC senior chaplain John Fox has urged students to be cautious about what he called “dodgy practices” targeting students on and around the campus.
“UC has one of the most healthy and diverse faith landscapes in NZ,” he said in a social media post seen by the Herald.
“We have 13 Christian clubs, as well as Muslim, Jewish, Buddhist, Bah’ai and secular meditation groups, as well as UC chaplains and Catholic Tertiary Chaplaincy, and thriving local faith groups from all over the place.
“There are also a variety of other unofficial groups, some come on to campus without being a club, some are door-knocking around it.
“Some of those have a history of aggressive recruiting, dodgy practices, and pressuring, even sometimes harassment.”
Alongside the warning, Fox outlined how students could distinguish recognised campus organisations from “one of the dodgy ones”.
“[UC] clubs and local churches are all transparent. You should be able to see our branding, and know where we live,” he wrote.
“Ask what church or club the group is attached to. If they’re legitimate, they’ll tell you.
“If anyone is pressuring you, or you don’t want to talk, say ‘No thank you.’ If they’re legitimate, they’ll back off.
“If you’re stuck or upset or run into trouble, call our friends at UC Security, or you can PM or email the Chaplaincy.”
Anke Richter, the founder of Christchurch-based group Decult, which aims to raise awareness about cults, said university students are often targeted by “high control” religious groups posing as clubs or bible study groups, particularly at the start of the academic year when new students are adjusting to campus life.
“That’s actually a very well-known recruitment strategy to come to campuses, especially to target new students,” Richter said.
She said students do not need to be inherently vulnerable to be recruited, but are often experiencing a temporary vulnerability during major life changes.
“You don’t have to be an overall vulnerable person to start with,” she said.
“There’s a specific vulnerability that is just there because you’re in a new environment.”
Richter said moving cities, leaving home and starting university can leave students searching for connection and belonging.
“You’re looking for a new community, it can be disorienting,” she said.
Richter said Decult had their own volunteers approached while in the university area.
She said some of the more well-known groups that target students have South Korean origins and often present themselves as Bible study groups, frequently changing their names and concealing their leadership structures.
“Some have these confusing names that all sound very similar, and then they often change the names,” Richter said.
Richter said exclusivity is a major warning sign, particularly when groups claim to be the only true expression of a faith.
“It’s a really big warning sign if they tell you as a Christian group that all other Christian churches are wrong,” she said.
She said secrecy and discouraging independent research are also common tactics.
“They don’t want you to Google,” she said.
“A legitimate group would say, yeah, here’s our website, just have a look at that.”
Richter said many groups use “love bombing”, overwhelming new recruits with attention, gifts or food to create a sense of instant belonging.
“For some people, that might be the hook, that they feel really seen and accepted and loved,” she said.
She said harmful behaviour often emerges gradually.
“It’s often like a frog slowly boiling in water,” she said.
“You don’t see the abuse or the control or the indoctrination upfront.”
Richter said members may later be isolated from friends and family and face increasing demands on their time and finances.
“Another big marker for cult groups is the exploitation of your time and money,” she said. “They keep you busy.”
She encouraged students who feel uneasy to trust their instincts and ask questions.
“If it’s their way or the highway, well, that’s clearly a massive, massive warning sign,” she said.
Richter said students should be cautious about sharing personal information and should feel confident saying no.
“You’ve got to set boundaries, even if that feels rude. You have to be strong,” she said.
She said leaving a high-control group can be traumatic, particularly when fear is used to maintain control.
“They tell you that if you leave, bad things will happen to you,” she said.
Richter said support is available and urged people not to feel ashamed.
“There are thousands of people in New Zealand who’ve gone through the same thing,” she said. “Everyone can be susceptible.”
In 2017, the Herald revealed a secretive Korean “cult” had opened a branch in New Zealand, with University of Auckland students being targeted.
One law student and former attendee of the Shincheonji church claimed the group paid for a friend’s airfare to “escape his family” in Auckland to live with believers in South Korea.
Another student allegedly donated his entire university fee.
Shincheonji’s teaching claims the Book of Revelation is written in secret metaphors or parables, and only church founder Lee Man-Hee, as the pastor promised in the New Testament, is capable of deciphering it.