Ron Burks lost 17 years of his life to the brainwashing by a fringe Bible cult.

"It seemed similar to conventional churches, but I had a personal pastor who made all major decisions in my life for me," he said.

Burks and his wife, Vicki, left the Shepherding Movement because he needed to take care of his parents back in his hometown. There, he went to his childhood church and was amazed at what he saw.

"The people at Mass were very nice, unlike what I was told for so long by my cult leader," Burks said, adding his transition back to traditional Christianity was solidified by the time he spent in the Asbury Theological Seminary in Wilmore, Ky.

They were lucky because they were able to leave. Millions of others, including thousands of college students, are still wrapped up in the teachings of cults all over the world. Many of the cults are considered fringe Bible groups.

Now a licensed counselor, Burks helps other ex-cult members learn to overcome the oppressive teachings. He volunteers at Wellspring Retreat and Resource Center, a non-profit cult rehabilitation center in Albany. Opened in 1991 by another ex-cult member, Paul Martin, the center is the only in-patient cult rehab facility in the world. They have treated more than 400 ex-cult members.

But they do not kidnap people away from cults, Burks said.

"We take the cult out of the member," he said, adding that patients come to them for assistance.

While there is not more cult activity in Southeast Ohio than other parts of the world, one reason that the center is located in this area is Ohio University, Burks said. The center has developed the largest ex-cult member survey in the world in correlation with the Ohio University Psychology Department.

Because many cults focus on recruiting college students, Burks said having the rehab center near OU can be beneficial to students as well.

"Being away from home for the first time, college students are willing to try new things to fit into a group," he said. "If a cult comes on campus to recruit and offers brothership, it may attract certain students."

In a four- or five-year college career, experts say a student is likely to be approached at least once by cult recruiters, according to a Dec. 9, 1997, Washington Post article. Many universities nationwide have taken steps to inform incoming students about the harms of cults on campus.

Terry Hogan, OU interim dean of students, said OU has not experienced any problems with cult activity on campus in recent years.

"We are always concerned about any activity that has a negative impact on students," he said.

While the Department of Student Affairs does not send pamphlets concerning cults to students, Hogan said they do monitor cult activity and would communicate to students directly if a problem presented itself.

Burks pointed out that many times people have a misconception of what is a cult and what is not.

"There is a difference between religious freedoms and human rights violations," he said.

While most students may not agree with the teachings of Bible study groups such as preachers of Campus Ministry U.S.A. or the odd activities of witchcraft occult groups, they are not necessarily cults, Burks said.

To be considered a cult, religious groups must practice deceptive and brainwashing practices on its members, he said. Cult members believe that everything is either totally good or evil; they believe in an "us and them" mentality with themselves as the elite; and the group thinks as a whole with its leader treated as a "prophet" of sorts, he said.

"Ex-cult members are left with many psychological problems and usually have the belief that they are going to hell because they have left the cult," he said.

If a student is worried that someone is active in a cult, there are warning signs. Burks said new cult members might exhibit rapid personality changes such as becoming very outspoken and spending inordinate amounts of time with the group they are involved with. They also might drop close friendships for a whole new set of friends.

If involved in religious group, Burks advises students to do research on the organization if they feel the group is asking for any vague commitments.

"Keep your eyes open, use your head and ask a lot of questions," he said.