Cults and the LGBTQ Community: A Systematic Review Using PRISMA

Abstract

For individuals in the LGBTQ community, the thought of religion or religious groups usually elicit some reaction. There are many both mainstream and fringe groups that have strong, anti-LGBTQ viewpoints. This often is hard for someone who was raised religious and finds comfort in the church. The purpose of the current research was to conduct a structured literature review on academic literature exploring a connection between LGBTQ and cults. I used the PRISMA methodology to examine this topic. While there were some interesting findings, I was unable to find extensive connections between the topics, especially in regards to cults. The findings of my research suggest that most the religious institutions explored have anti-LGBTQ views. These views can create communities not accepting of LGBTQ individuals, and, in turn, have often made LGBTQ individuals turn away from the church. There is hope, and we are seeing many more mainstream religious groups become increasing accepting of the LGBTQ community.