Council on Mind Abuse
Encyclopedia
The Council on Mind Abuse (COMA) was a Canadian non-profit organization promoting education about "cults
" from 1979 to 1992.
by Ian Haworth attracted the attention of Robert C. Tucker, a psychiatric counselor. In 1984, Ian Haworth wrote to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
to warn doctors in Ontario
about a mass-mailing from Narconon
, Scientology's
drug and alcohol program.
Robert C. Tucker assumed the role of Director in 1987 when Haworth returned to London to found the Cult Information Centre
, a non-sectarian, educational charity.
. Litigation aimed at revealing the sources of COMA's funding proved problematic. In 1992, Director Tucker announced the end of COMA after his seven year involvement, noting the damage that lawsuits by Scientology
and others had done. He also described the merging goals of cults
and corporations: "We have to recognize that cults are successful organizations with techniques now being borrowed by other successful organizations: corporations and others in the power structure
interested in how to get people into working for free, and totally motivated
."
, focusing on exposing the dangers of cults as a public speaker, expert witness and consultant, as well as publishing articles in the national and international media. As late as 2000, Robert C. Tucker was still an active speaker and writer on the subject, attending the ICSA
2000 Conference in Seattle, Washington and talking about his book An Age For Lucifer, which postulated an emerging spirituality of Social Darwinism
. Tucker died on March 15, 2003 in Mexico
of a heart attack.
Cults
Cults is a suburb on the western edge of Aberdeen, Scotland. It lies on the banks of the River Dee and marks the eastern boundary of Royal Deeside.Cults, known for its historic granite housing, sits approximately six miles from the coast of the North Sea...
" from 1979 to 1992.
Beginnings
COMA's Founder and President was Ian Haworth, an international anticult activist from the United Kingdom Haworth also co-founded FOCUS Network in 1982 in Dallas, Texas. The September 10, 1983 article "Cults" in the Toronto StarToronto Star
The Toronto Star is Canada's highest-circulation newspaper, based in Toronto, Ontario, Canada. Its print edition is distributed almost entirely within the province of Ontario...
by Ian Haworth attracted the attention of Robert C. Tucker, a psychiatric counselor. In 1984, Ian Haworth wrote to the College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario
The College of Physicians and Surgeons of Ontario is the governing body for medical doctors in Ontario, Canada.The college issues certificates of registration for all doctors to allow them to practise medicine as well as:...
to warn doctors in Ontario
Ontario
Ontario is a province of Canada, located in east-central Canada. It is Canada's most populous province and second largest in total area. It is home to the nation's most populous city, Toronto, and the nation's capital, Ottawa....
about a mass-mailing from Narconon
Narconon
Narconon is a residential program aimed at substance abusers, headquartered in Hollywood, Los Angeles, California. It operates through several dozen treatment centers worldwide, chiefly in the United States and Western Europe. Each Narconon center is independently owned and operated under a license...
, Scientology's
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
drug and alcohol program.
Robert C. Tucker assumed the role of Director in 1987 when Haworth returned to London to found the Cult Information Centre
Cult Information Centre
The Cult Information Centre is a British organization that provides information and advice to members of what the organization terms as cults, as well as affected family members, members of the press and scholarly researchers. The organization also serves as a resource for information on...
, a non-sectarian, educational charity.
Litigation
COMA was a target for lawsuits as early as January 1983. COMA remained actively involved in co-operative efforts with other agencies to end ritual child abuseChild abuse
Child abuse is the physical, sexual, emotional mistreatment, or neglect of a child. In the United States, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and the Department of Children And Families define child maltreatment as any act or series of acts of commission or omission by a parent or...
. Litigation aimed at revealing the sources of COMA's funding proved problematic. In 1992, Director Tucker announced the end of COMA after his seven year involvement, noting the damage that lawsuits by Scientology
Scientology
Scientology is a body of beliefs and related practices created by science fiction and fantasy author L. Ron Hubbard , starting in 1952, as a successor to his earlier self-help system, Dianetics...
and others had done. He also described the merging goals of cults
Cults
Cults is a suburb on the western edge of Aberdeen, Scotland. It lies on the banks of the River Dee and marks the eastern boundary of Royal Deeside.Cults, known for its historic granite housing, sits approximately six miles from the coast of the North Sea...
and corporations: "We have to recognize that cults are successful organizations with techniques now being borrowed by other successful organizations: corporations and others in the power structure
Hierarchy
A hierarchy is an arrangement of items in which the items are represented as being "above," "below," or "at the same level as" one another...
interested in how to get people into working for free, and totally motivated
Motivation
Motivation is the driving force by which humans achieve their goals. Motivation is said to be intrinsic or extrinsic. The term is generally used for humans but it can also be used to describe the causes for animal behavior as well. This article refers to human motivation...
."
After Dissolution
Ian Haworth continues as General Secretary of the Cult Information CentreCult Information Centre
The Cult Information Centre is a British organization that provides information and advice to members of what the organization terms as cults, as well as affected family members, members of the press and scholarly researchers. The organization also serves as a resource for information on...
, focusing on exposing the dangers of cults as a public speaker, expert witness and consultant, as well as publishing articles in the national and international media. As late as 2000, Robert C. Tucker was still an active speaker and writer on the subject, attending the ICSA
ICSA
The acronym ICSA may refer to:* Institute of Chartered Secretaries and Administrators* International Cultic Studies Association* International Computer Security Association* Intercollegiate Sailing Association...
2000 Conference in Seattle, Washington and talking about his book An Age For Lucifer, which postulated an emerging spirituality of Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism
Social Darwinism is a term commonly used for theories of society that emerged in England and the United States in the 1870s, seeking to apply the principles of Darwinian evolution to sociology and politics...
. Tucker died on March 15, 2003 in Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
of a heart attack.