Christian Union Students’ Perception of Family Background as a Factor Contributing to Cultism in Public Universities in Kenya

Abstract

This study examines the Christian Union students’ perception of family background as a factor influencing cultism in public universities in Kenya. Studies have shown that cultism is prevalent among university students, resulting in suicides, drug abuse, crimes, unrest, withdrawal from family, academic malpractices and failure, attrition, and psychological and financial exploitation, among others. The study was conducted in six public universities in Kenya and employed a descriptive research design guided by the Bounded Choice Theory. It established that the nature of family background contributes significantly to the prevalence of cultism and that the setting in which a student lives affects their disposition toward cultism. Dysfunctional families and cultic households seem to foster the recruitment into cultism. Cults use expressions of overwhelming love, also referred to as “love bombing” techniques, to give their members a false sense of affection to feel secure and accepted. The study recommends that families be educated on the dangers of cultism, the importance of understanding the biblical truth, and solid parental care. Since Christian Union (CU) members hail from diverse family backgrounds, the CU should organise targeted discipleship programmes to help debrief and reorient students to sound biblical teachings. Furthermore, the CUs should provide a support system for their members from economically disadvantaged backgrounds to shield them from the allures of cultists. In addition, the study underscores the need for preemptive education, training, and psychological and spiritual counselling intervention to enhance family values.