Posted by Monika Kosz on March 19, 2005 at 11:12:29
In Reply to: Some thoughts posted by Suggestion on March 19, 2005 at 09:40:41:
You are absolutely right saying that I am actually doing a study on organizational culture more than trying to do a study on the cult itself. This is also true that I could be asking about any sect, such as the Hari Krishnas or Moonies. There was nothing that was specific to this sect, nor anything that indicated I was knowledgeable of the difficulties in asking such generic questions, irrelevant to your specific sect.
However, I have to also understand the mechanisms that were present in your sect to reach the proper conclusions about the organizational culture. Without this understanding I won't be able to write my work without avoiding content - related errors.
The full topic of my work is: Organizational culture of a sect on the basis of Children of God. I should have stated it at the very beginning to avoid confusion. As I mentioned in some other post I have not had much experience with Internet communication (this is my poor excuse).
You are right that I had supposed before posting my questions that you would not be willing to answer them. I even considered resigning from interview and basing my work on the materials that are on this site and in other publications, but I just felt that I should find the answers directly from reliable source.
As for my difficulty with dealing with your psychology, it must be far more difficult for you to answer the questions I have asked. My work is not focused on the psychological demage and abuses, but concerns the objective (meaning unemotional) study of the culture. I know that it may sound ofending to you.
It does not, however, mean that I do not mention the abuses and manipulation techniques. I just don't devote the whole work to it (the topic is different and my major is different. I study the American Culture and my seminar was concerned with organizational behaviour. Some people for example are writing about the culture shock that the American managers working in Polish surrounding experience).
I write about sect and particularly about yours because it is American in its origin and because I am interested in it. There are no other reasons for chosing this topic.
My comparison with a concentration camp might have been irrelevant. I have read many books devoted to this topic and I find it comparable in terms of psychological demage done to the person. The rate of suicides is also comparable. But this is really not the topic I want to develop with you.
The methodology I chosen I cannot really change because I cannot pre - assume what your perception of the culture is, I don't have any conclusions. In my work I do not have to prove anything I have to research some area and present the outcome.
You are right that I should define any term I use, I will.
Thank you for your help.