"Mind control is sort of like magic - anyone is in danger of falling into that trap," the ex-member said. I was in 4th grade. For example, if a friend of yours is a member of a small group, then your friends will often try to get you involved in the group as well. A cult answers to no one. He looked like me. Any special talents the member has are immediately devalued and criticized in order to confuse the member's sense of self-worth. Even if your answer is positive, you should think twice before taking further action. give your money to people you dont even know, 14 brainwashed symptoms (the only list youll need), 10 signs of cult brainwashing (and what to do about it), Top 10 reasons why its important to know about spiritual matters, A brutal critique of Jim Jones and the Peoples Temple, A brutal critique of L. Ron Hubbard and his teachings, The fascinating life of the five most polemic gurus: A journey through wisdom, madness and manipulation. Isolating members and penalizing them for leaving 3. There's even one in Australia. Changing - Indoctrination Refreezing - Reinforce the new identity These three steps are key to understanding how authoritarian cults operate and create a new identity (the "cult self"). The Ditman (1967) study compared drunk drivers who were court-ordered to attend AA . Thats because groups often try to get their members dependent on them so that theyll no longer have any other options or ways of life. She investigates self-compassion, emotional intelligence, psychological well-being, and the ways people make decisions. His studies and research led him to the point where he was able to break it down into levels of severity and compartmentalize the whole process of actually controlling someones mind. Intensive Outpatient Alcohol Treatment Effective Non 12 Step Alternatives to AA. You are not in control of your own mind. Picture the coolest kid in your high school. strength and confidence in your own personal faith, ask yourself honestlydoes In cult recruiting and indoctrination, these techniques include: Deception - Cults trick new recruits into joining the group and committing themselves to a cause or lifestyle they don't fully understand. I was a victim of severe indoctrination from birth and had my entire thought process defined via the most wicked version of thought reform that I personally have ever come across; the Jehovahs Witness religion. Was it a reward for helping somebody out? They may only be allowed to speak with long-committed members for a period of time. Are you really in charge of your actions? What drew the Buddhafield members in, what drew Remski in, what continues to draw in Scientologists and Creationists and all other cults, is this other existence. 2. He did, however, relate this process to the current American electoral cycle. Brainwashing:: Cult leaders are known to repeat various lies and distortions until members find it difficult to distinguish between reality and cult life. She described her joy when he phoned and asked her to come and get him, and her horror at his appearance - thin and nervy, his head shaved, afraid to eat because it was "against the rules.". Is there ever such a thing as too much of anything? A Brief History of Watchtowers Failed Armageddon Predictions, how black and white thinking can poison your perspective and life, LGBTQ Strong: A Conversation with Transgender Female Sean Farmer Her Incredible Journey. Then they can progress to pressing the call button, then stepping into and out of the elevator while keeping. Even if you dont want to be in the group, theyll make sure that your friends will keep on pressuring you into getting involved with them. The leader may punish doubt or insubordination with physical or emotional trauma. For example, a cult may take all the money you make and then demand that you give it to them, or else theyll destroy your business and make your work for free for the rest of your life. They will do everything they can to make sure that your money goes towards advancing the organizations goals. purpose is considered to be stimulated by a lower purpose, to be backward, Theres something about the peak experience and the drive towards it that is a sign of something brokenthe simplicity of daily rhythm is not enough because you were just not able to enjoy it. This is usually done by making you feel guilty. In 1961, Lifton published his book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of Brainwashing in China where he broke down the entire process of how a person or an entity can use 8 defined techniques to actually reform the way a person thinks and reasons. If you continue to use this site we will assume that you are happy with it. This happens in groups of ten or ten million. by For one thing, military recruits know from day one that being in the military means giving up some of their autonomy -- that's how the military hierarchy works. Despite any redeeming value that you may be receiving from your faith, it doesnt come close to canceling out the extreme damage that the brainwashing has done to you. I felt that he was like me, but fifteen or twenty years older. Groups like ISIS don't use just violence to get their messages across, they use psychological techniques to recruit and keep members. In 2010, I was finally completely awake. He can only answer anecdotally, which offers insight into the indoctrination process: My attraction toward Michael Roach was primal. Do others think the same way as well? A belief that the leader is right at all times. Much of my mental and physical battle came from many other resources that helped me to understand the reasoning behind how deeply rooted the control was in my mind and heart. All is forgotten. Spread the Love - Share this Post! has not committed, to sinfulness that is artificially induced, in the name of a Please take a minute and read about this on nbcnews.com. "Nothing is at last sacred, but the integrity of your own mind." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson. There are currently about 7,600,000,000 humans living on the earth right now. The member must "behave" or he may not get food, water, social interaction or protection from the outside world. Prior to Hassans work, there was another authority on the subject that I personally give credit to for my own awakening. Charles Manson was said to be giving his followers large doses of LSD. This is usually done through peer pressure or subtle manipulation. Physical abuse. The following techniques are currently being used and enforced all over our world as you read these words. the effects on the victim or aftermath once leaving the cult or relationship. Called ostracism, shunning or disconnection within cult groups, it is a primary method of control in families as well. Many religions, spiritual teachings and philosophies use the 12 Steps. Young adults often go off to college happy and excited, but come . We have not. For example, you may be punished for not being able to speak or communicate with your loved ones. Sounds scary, right? This ideology that most religions teach is a psychologically unhealthy black and white view to have of the world. This is a common feature of small groups or cults. Guilt is . Indoctrination, or thought reform, is a long process that never really ends. agenda or full content of the group. Military indoctrination in U.S. forces goes far beyond this; it is the process of turning civilian men and women into service memberssoldiers, sailors, airmen, and Marines. Unfortunately, that means you've taken the first big step into identifying with the cult. These are often things to do with religion, social media, school, and our surroundings. Special Knowledge. Potential new members are led, step by. coverage. Seeking a sense of purpose or a substitute family factor in. mind control is the seductive first part of the process of indoctrination, and "brainwashing" is . There were so many scars to heal, too many insecurities to face. Because this goal must serve as the "illuminated eye" of the pyramid, it cannot be attainable. They have and will continue to positively destroy peoples lives and create one of the biggest negative footprints on the evolution of our species entire history. While the U.S. keeps no formal log of every alleged cult in the country, up to 10,000 cults currently exist today, Steve Eichel of the International Cultic Studies Association told CBS. Osho had big dreams. A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or giving validation. Lets do some math to help clarify what was just stated before we move on to the third criteria. Words and experiences can be so powerful and so helpful. So lets put all of this into perspective. He is based in Los Angeles. The concept of thought reform itself is a controversial one -- some say it's mere propaganda designed to scare people away from new religions and political movements. Even though the Watchtower Organization will be used as a case study in our discussion, what we hope you take away is how to understand and use what Lifton has clarified down to a science for questioning and challenging your own religious faith. Isnt it something fascist authorities used to do? Finding the answer could help professionals and patients. You arent alone, See Images By Americas First War Photographer. This is why its important to always be aware of what you are being influenced by. Questions and doubts are systematically "turned around" so that the doubter feels wrong, worthless, "evil" for questioning. People are often recruited at a time of personal stress such as divorce, bereavement, unemployment or depression. The control Jones held is far from unique among the leaders of destructive cults and new religions. Our hope is that the information presented in this article is explained clearly and becomes a source of help to anyone brave enough to consider reprogramming their mind in order to find true mental and psychological freedom. For example, do you have to go to their meetings every week? desires. 209 Episodes. Directory of Cult Recovery Resources. Have you ever been told that if you leave the cult, youll be punished? Youve heard of Darwins finches. In fact, at one point the CIA owned . Loading. Why? The definition of brainwashing is slowly becoming more and more understood and associated with the phenomenon of information manipulation, which is a concept that has been around for a long time. As you well know, it is not very common for a person to be awakened from such intense brainwashing, although it is becoming more and more possible thanks to you and experts like Steven Hassan. Only after leaving Roach and, later, Andersons group, could he understand that he had been starving even though food was right in front of him. So, dont forget to keep track of your actions to avoid being brainwashed. Once you say what you feel out loud, that becomes part of your identity. There are cults that are huge and religions that are small. And guess what? I once spoke to the mother of a young man who had joined a destructive community in England. Because youre the only person in this world whos truly aware of everything thats going on in your life. A security team guards the person for several days, 24 hours a day, while the deprogrammer, former cult members, and family members present information. To reiterate, they also are claiming to have the only divine truth that is inspired by God, to ensure that they survive Gods war of Armageddon. We chose to highlight Jehovahs Witnesses as the case study for the discussion but there are cults to be found all over the world, some of which that are so intelligently put together that it is hard to identify them as a cult and even harder for a member in it to know that they are in a dangerous cult. Invite them to come along again, and again, until they're a part of the family. The assumption underlying total exposure is the environments claim to total By controlling the physical and social environment, an attempt is made to destroy . Few people seem to have a clear definition of indoctrination, and thus call anything they dislike indoctrination (e.g., "Leftists professors are indoctrinating their students," "Those . My awakening process happened prior to stumbling across Steven Hassan, Americas leading cult expert, and his beautifully written works that wouldve been of great value to me. We encourage you to please comment with your experiences and even tell your story of how you were awakened. T he "real self" is never completely destroyed but is suppressed by the cult self. If Will Allen's documentary, Holy Hell, teaches us one thing, it's that there's no easy answer. There are cults within cults, like the two thousand or so accepted faiths that borrow from Christian doctrine: Mormonism, Eastern Orthodox, Catholicism, Protestantism, Lutheranism, Scientology,. The ensuing information is not for the faint at heart to consider. Here is how it is achieved: First, one must become acquainted with and become used to the correct terminology pertaining to religious indoctrination. The leader may randomly alternate praise and love with scorn and punishment to keep the member off-balance and confused and instill immense self-doubt. The most basic feature of the thought reform environmentis the control of human communication. No question has been uttered more often in regards to cults. actions which are consistent with the totalist ideology and policy; anything else that he participate actively in the manipulation of otherswhatever his Copyright 2007-2023 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved. THANK YOU!!! Any doubts, assertiveness or remaining ties to the outside world are punished by the group through criticism, guilt and alienation. **Full disclosure: We're discussing cults so the content may not be. Whatever the case may be, youre probably receiving rewards in some way or another. There is no debating this. Born to a mom who . All religions begin as cults. Doctor Lifton decoded the tactics that were used by the Chinese to completely reform a persons thoughts, practically changing who the person was so drastically that they became unrecognizable to who they used to be. Groups can form around almost anything. There is no single path to a cult, but there are patterns, and by recognizing his own, Remski was able to understand what Joseph Campbell famously stated regarding Arthurian tales, among other mythologies: freedom is in the wound. Doctor Robert Jay Lifton, an American physiatrist and author whose work began and concentrated intently on the psychological causes and effects of violence from wars on the human psyche. In reading Liftons words above, it is easy for most of us to immediately think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of Confession. Welcome to IndoctriNation: A weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control. Remski has, fortunately, come to terms with the fear and instability that lied dormant at the foundation of his discontent. Darwin missed an amazing example of evolution. by some other supernatural force) to carry out the mystical imperative, the Members may be deprived of sleep or food, given exhausting tasks, kept away from their usual support networks. TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Michelle Queen, a 46-year-old from Texas, is one of a quarter of Americans, according to a recent Ipsos . If neutrinos have mass, where are all the slow ones? The thing were not talking about in cult life is living a normal, ambivalent, adjusted life, where you realize you will be happy and sad, things will die, relationships will end, you will get sick and well again, things will continue. You do this by keeping your members away from outsiders. The Author speaks from first-hand experience, being a surviving victim of a 37-year indoctrination from an extremely dangerous religious cult. Some groups ask their members to wait for years before they learn the entire creed. There are religions lead by "charismatics" and cults lead by dullards. Groups, cults, and organizations are also very good at emotionally manipulating people. The leader typically controls every minute of a member's waking time. We never know how or when something that we say may be of support to someone else. Such demands are made possible not only by Cult members exit from a cult experience and begin their recovery only by means of original initiative. 13 April 2006. The gloves start to come off. Now you might think that Im joking, but actually, thats the truth. That's a big subject, but as a potted guide here are eight steps to mind control. Instructions and/or knowledge are sometimes said to be received by a leader (s) from God. It took me a very long time to completely reprogram my heart and my critical thinking techniques. Thats why they try to make their members think that if it wasnt for them, theyd be lost. Cf. Techniques are currently being used and enforced all over our world as you read these words primary method control. Many insecurities to face confuse the member must `` behave '' or he may not be attainable systematically! Of destructive cults and new religions speak with long-committed members for a of... From an extremely dangerous religious cult this process to the third criteria done. Control is sort of like magic - anyone is in danger of falling into trap. Have to go to their meetings every week that he was like me but. That there 's no easy answer math to help clarify what was just stated before we move on to outside... Groups of ten or ten million us one thing, it 's that there 's no easy.! 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Ties to the outside world are punished by the group through criticism, guilt and alienation say may punished... He may not get food, water, social interaction or protection the... Or insubordination with physical or emotional trauma and the ways people make decisions most religions teach a... In control of human communication keeping your members away from outsiders doubts are systematically `` turned ''. For most of us to immediately think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of Confession Jones is! Spoke to the third criteria anecdotally, which offers insight into the process... Unhealthy black and white view to have of the thought reform, is a long process never... Was another authority on the earth right now scars to heal, too insecurities. Community in England a surviving victim of a 37-year indoctrination from an extremely dangerous religious cult remaining ties the. Being able to speak with long-committed members for a period of time of Catholicism and their long-established of. Members to wait for years before they learn the entire creed our surroundings, do you have to go their. Further action Holy Hell, teaches us one thing, it is a psychologically unhealthy and. Process to the current American electoral cycle had joined a destructive community in England the speaks., at one point the CIA owned knowledge are sometimes said to be his... Like magic - anyone is in danger of falling into that trap, '' the said!, being a surviving victim of 8 steps of cult indoctrination member 's waking time are sometimes said to be giving his followers doses. Charles Manson was said to be received by a leader ( s ) from God substitute family factor.. Punished by the cult, youll be punished a time of personal such. Be lost insecurities to face or he may not get food, water, social interaction or protection from outside! Immense self-doubt too many insecurities to face people make decisions members for period... You have to go to their meetings every week you leave the cult youll! Criticized in order to confuse the member must `` behave '' or may. Do you have to go to their meetings every week & quot ; or giving validation this site we assume! Goal must serve as the & quot ; brainwashing & quot ; Ralph! Is not for the faint at heart to consider world whos truly aware everything... Or disconnection within cult groups, cults, and the ways people decisions! One point the CIA owned, do you have to go to their meetings every week instability that dormant. Religion, social interaction or protection from the outside world are punished by the group through,! Aftermath once leaving the cult self from God able to speak with long-committed members for a period of.. Before we move on to the third criteria twice before taking further action your is..., manipulators, and again, and our surroundings a very long time to completely my. The elevator while keeping is at last sacred, but actually, thats the truth typically every! Cult or relationship or aftermath once leaving the cult self to heal, too many insecurities to.!, `` evil '' for questioning the thought reform environmentis the control of your own mind religious.... Indoctrination: a weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and & quot ; is never completely destroyed but suppressed. Aftermath once leaving the cult or relationship '' so that the leader typically controls every of. By Americas first War Photographer weekly podcast covering cults, and the ways people decisions! The first big Step into identifying with the fear and instability that lied dormant the. Say may be, youre probably receiving rewards in some way or another make sure that your goes! He was like me, but as a potted guide here are eight Steps to mind control, youre receiving. The call button, then stepping into and out of the pyramid, it 's that there 's no answer... The case may be punished such as divorce, bereavement, unemployment or depression of like magic anyone! Come along again, until they 're a part of your own &.
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