Spiritual Perversion
Steve Sanchez

Review by Alan Gordon

When reading Spiritual Perversion, a true-life tale of immersion in and escape from a California New Age cult, we get a clear sense that this is not only Sanchez’ first published full-length work, but also that it will probably be his last.

Despite a lack of linguistic polish that might be found among classic literary works, Spiritual Perversion’s strengths are not literary so much as an honesty and clarity from the author about what led him into a cult at a young age, what kept him there despite horrible mental abuse, and the author’s struggle in overcoming the cult’s stranglehold on his psyche so that he could break free and recover.

Sanchez conveys in his work the conundrum of being so totally immersed in a cult that by the time the cult leader’s iniquities are seen in the clear light of day, there seems to be nowhere else to turn — a real problem for cult victims everywhere. This book, which in its creation served as a healing tool for its author, is not for general audiences, and yet it may serve a great benefit for individuals who themselves struggle to find acceptance in abusive quasi-religious cults. The great irony is that someone immersed in such a cult will not readily accept a book such as this as a gift from an outsider, nor are they likely to come across it on their own. For would-be purchasers seeking to share it with a loved one trapped in the bonds of culthood, this reviewer suggests waiting until the cult member shows clear signs of dissatisfaction with the cult’s leadership before presenting it, so that its healing message can be received in maximum clarity.

Finally, a congratulations is due to Steve Sanchez, who holds back nothing in his self-examination. Sanchez displays great courage in his expressions of remorse for the abuse he himself foisted upon other cult members in his attempts to displace the abuses heaped upon him. At the same time, Sanchez deserves praise for his courage in making up with and publicly banding together with other former cult members (some of whom had previously victimized him or been victimized by him) in order to discredit the cult at whose hands he suffered so badly.

TurnKey Press, 2005: ISBN 0-9754803-3-2