Account of a Recruiting Effort among Students in Baden-Württemberg (2003)

(Sent via email from a colleague in a Christian college-aged student group)

Your information about the Holic Movement is very good and helpful. This evening in our Christian college student group in our town (not too far from Stuttgart, where the Holic Group has a location), we had contact with two members. Sadly, one of my friends had a co-leader in children’s ministry who stumbled into this group, so I had busied myself recently with this topic. Therefore, thank God (in the truest sense of the phrase), I was able to “expose” the two members of the Holic Cult tonight. I would like illustrate for you, briefly, one approach which functioned very well for me. After signs indicating membership in this cult emerged in conversation, I attempted to keep [one of] them with me as long as possible. In the meantime, another member had approached newcomers among us, but (thank God again) one of the newcomers was familiar with the group and could be on the defensive. Then I simply yet very directly asked the man who had been conversing with me, whether he was in the Holic community, or in the community which is labeled as such but which gives itself no name. And I said that I wanted a clear “yes” or “no” answer. He responded by saying “yes.” The “trick” is this, that these people have at least partially Christian teachings (even if falsely understood) as a foundation, and lying is a sin (even) for them, which would make them impure. Subsequently, they cannot lie, and, if someone requests a direct answer of “yes” or “no,” they must give such an answer.

It could naturally also be the case that the person to whom I was speaking hadn’t yet been well trained in conducting a recruiting conversation. But perhaps this tactic is fruitful, and many Christian communities could “protect” themselves this way.

We will attempt to protect the young Christians in our town, and to enlighten them about this cult. They should be aware that there is “nothing” for them to gain here [from the cult].

I feel quite sorry for the members of the cult, who really are searching for God, but have simply fallen among false “prophets.”