8 steps of cult indoctrination

Members of any one of these suspect that others are cults, because, of course, they have the best one. Members are told what to eat, what to wear, how to feed their children, when to sleep the member is removed from all decision-making. MY FIVE-STEP GUIDE TO CRAFTING A CULT. coverage. . Patty Hearst, heiress to the Hearst publishing fortune, became famous in the 1970s after she was kidnapped by the Symbionese Liberation Army (the SLA, which some deem a "political cult") and allegedly brainwashed into joining the group. STEP ONE: IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL RECRUIT You'd expect the focus to be on troubled youngsters, but many groups. He outlined several ways to identify cults. . Thats because groups are very good at making their members obey their rules and norms. Control the person's social and/or physical environment; especially. 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. There were so many scars to heal, too many insecurities to face. Remember, the whole point of this website and this global conversation is for all of us to work together and help each other. 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. They've abandoned comfortable lives to live self-sufficiently in harsh conditions, revering their teacher. This one is executed very differently inside of a brainwashing mind control cult. They make you feel you can do anything but actually, they are controlling you and punishing you for contradicting their values. On the evening of the 18th November 1978, Jim Jones persuaded his followers to drink a punch laced with cyanide. "Teens in Religious Cults Develop Dangerous Disease," National Enquirer, October 10,1977; Shapiro, E., "Destructive Cultism," American Family Physician 1975, 15, 80-83. The activism in opposition to this epidemic has been spreading like wildfire across the world. Do you understand why you do what you do? Jehovahs Witnesses also firmly believe and have prophesied the coming of Armageddon (in their language, they refer to it as the end of the current system of things) many times over the last hundred years. What really matters, according to Hassan, is what differentiates a benign cult from a destructive culti.e., the one you really need to watch out for. She investigates self-compassion, emotional intelligence, psychological well-being, and the ways people make decisions. Berg's organisation was also notorious for its use of "flirty fishing", a form of evangelistic prostitution. Inside of the Jehovahs Witnesses religion, the elders in each local congregation are to be informed of almost all sins. Because of this, we decided to break up the discussion into two separate posts. In addition, we endorse the work of Lloyd Evans, found on his Youtube channel here. A cult answers to no one. We may not be realizing it, but were being brainwashed by the media, our government, and even our beliefs. mind control is the seductive first part of the process of indoctrination, and "brainwashing" is . Groups can form around almost anything. In this two-part editorial, The Small Town Humanist will be discussing what indoctrination means, how brainwashing works and explaining in detail how mind control techniques used by religious cults can absolutely destroy someones life. Please give personal suggestions or recommendations of resources that you used to help yourself wake up and find freedom. Was it a reward for being nice to somebody? "How Cults Work" The gloves start to come off. 2 Choose a subject or activity that you are passionate about. Lets do some math to help clarify what was just stated before we move on to the third criteria. It is not magic and it is not fake. TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Michelle Queen, a 46-year-old from Texas, is one of a quarter of Americans, according to a recent Ipsos . "Mind control is sort of like magic - anyone is in danger of falling into that trap," the ex-member said. Spread the Love - Share this Post! Many religions, spiritual teachings and philosophies use the 12 Steps. January 14, 2022, 7:15 pm. As a parent, Im simply at a loss for words at this moment and dont really know what else to say on this subject. (Photo by Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images), Share How Do People Become Indoctrinated Into Cults? 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. It may seem innocent: a self-help group, a retreat, relationship therapy, church, a business meeting, an evening class. 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. 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 . Dread - Once complete dependence is established, the member must retain the leader's good favor or else his life falls apart. One described how each acid trip took her farther and farther away from reality, until she could believe anything at all. Similarly, any thought or action which questions the higher For example, you might be told that if you leave the cult, your friends and family will no longer like you. You might even hear that if it wasnt for them, youd be dead. That is a living leader, who has no. Welcome to IndoctriNation: A weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control. A belief that the leader is right at all times. Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on . The immediate hurdle is recognizing youve been indoctrinated. This is done by making the members rely on the cult for their daily needs. The two key phrases are control of communication and possessing the ultimate truth. Er, sorry, feminism is not a cult. the features of the group or relationship. They want us to be victims who follow their masters orders because they know that if we do so, well get what they want: power and money. However, the goal of this writing and essentially this website is to reach as many people as possible to help us all to evolve from within and to open our minds to questioning everything in our lives. But even with good intentions, if a group or organization that you belong to is made up of the following defined criteria, then it is absolutely using brainwashing mind control techniques to indoctrinate you. Cf. In the Jehovahs Witness religion, there is an absolutely unrelenting control of every single piece of information that the followers have access to. Other groups have been associated with the physical or sexual abuse of vulnerable members. Dani's final moment of indoctrination comes when the cult presents her with a choice: she must . If this sounds familiar, here are 10 warning signs that youre being indoctrinated. Who was the father of American photojournalism? Its pretty simple. Youre part of a group thats special, destined, blessedyou feel complete. A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or giving validation. He disappeared during that first night, rushing back to the life he'd fled. Reduce autonomy, induce dependency. If that group has some, to borrow a term from Alan Watts, inside dope, then in your mind its not a cult at all. Learn about a non-12 step solution with proven results. Instructions and/or knowledge are sometimes said to be received by a leader (s) from God. The group uses "thought reform" methods If your serious questions are answered with cliches, you're probably in a cult. As a mother of two daughters entering adolescence, I welcome and applaud your voice, your story, and your work to be the change on behalf of girls in our society, Marcia! Lacey Wood says: January 24, 2022 at 8:19 am. You are not in control of your own mind. "The end justifies any means". 1. While ticker tape synesthesia was first identified in the 1880s, new research looks at this unique phenomenon and what it means for language comprehension. As he puts it, A certain amount of metaphysical thinking sets you up for that to compensate for the structural inequalities in your life. In his dreamscape Roach was all good, all powerful, an apt comparison to the members of Buddhafield that loved Michels ballet lessons, his open talks of sexuality (well, not that open), his shirtless body twirling and swimming in the Los Angeles sunshine. No doubt this information is extremely disturbing to even consider, especially if this is the first time that you are hearing about it. The next step the cult will take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences. Born to a mom who . Judaism, Buddhism, the countless local faiths now lumped under the term Hinduismall cults. way that these will appear to have arisen spontaneously from within the 1. Followers feeling they are never able to be "good enough". on Facebook, Share How Do People Become Indoctrinated Into Cults? THANK YOU!!! Because your behavior might not be completely under your control. . We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. But, Remski continues. Then, lets get a clearer idea of what indoctrination truly is. Information manipulation can be used to control peoples thoughts, beliefs, and behaviors. 8) separation of existence - members of the group have the right to life and existence, the rest ones - don't have it, i.e. Episodes. 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,. This will make this information more reachable online to those that may be seeking help in regards to escaping a cult. Here are the four steps to getting sucked into a cult. Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password. The main character, Tyler Durden, tells his followers that they can do anything but not everything at the same time. It was everything to me and I was extremely indoctrinated into its culture. Lifton uses the word milieu very often in his work. makes it virtually impossible to attain a reasonable balance between worth and There are currently about 7,600,000,000 humans living on the earth right now. Indoctrination, or thought reform, is a long process that never really ends. Finding the answer could help professionals and patients. Emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture 4. Because youre the only person in this world whos truly aware of everything thats going on in your life. All religions begin as cults. A security team guards the person for several days, 24 hours a day, while the deprogrammer, former cult members, and family members present information. The recruit must see smiling, friendly, happy people - a living advertisement. Just make sure it's positive, good, and harmless. Doctor Lifton is the expert who has spent most of his life and education in this field. 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. 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. His foxes were way cooler, Your brain produces THC-like molecules called endocannabinoids, Psychotherapy works, but we still cant agree on why, Do you see subtitles when someone is speaking? Shutting down your dissent by threatening to withhold the prize By this point, the sell becomes a little harder. The truth is youre the one whos in charge of your actions. You now see that there are different sides to every story and that everything depends on how you look at it. Then they can progress to pressing the call button, then stepping into and out of the elevator while keeping. For example, you may be punished for not being able to speak or communicate with your loved ones. Keep the person unaware of what is going on and how she or he is. Any doubts, assertiveness or remaining ties to the outside world are punished by the group through criticism, guilt and alienation. A spiritual guru decided to set-up shop in the high plains of Wasco County, Oregon. But I hope you can understand that none of this is true. Also, a person who joins the military does so for a definite period of time -- he is a party to a legal contract that states how long he will be a soldier and what he will get in return. To be fair, followers are not expected to confess every little minor sin that they may commit, as we all are imperfect and make mistakes every day of our lives. Intensive Outpatient Alcohol Treatment Effective Non 12 Step Alternatives to AA. desires. Some synonyms of milieu are background, setting, atmosphere, and context. Even though were aware of the dangerous mechanisms of cult machinery, people continue to fall, again and again. And guess what? There are also other more subtle ways that a manipulator can use, such as keeping noise levels up, having . Or do they disagree with what they read in your favorite news source? Thats what real groups tend to do in real life. It is our earnest wish that the information in this article was presented in a clear enough manner to be of assistance to you or anyone that may be mentally struggling with the fallout of being a mind control victim of indoctrination or a brainwashing cult. He is based in Los Angeles. So this is the process of my research this week! Bringing all of this back to my mind has currently silenced me on the subject. Some groups use meditation, mind-numbing chanting, euphoric music or dancing at this stage. He did, however, relate this process to the current American electoral cycle. At the same time, rewards are offered - rest, love, comfort: the carrot and the stick. Now you might think that Im joking, but actually, thats the truth. Talkspace.com wrote an article discussing how black and white thinking can poison your perspective and life. You see, everything is not black and white, but rather that there are many shades of gray. There are people that are completely self-interested; there are people projecting all kinds of qualities and needs out of trauma; there are people that dont really care about his racism or incredible misogyny but are really interested in his tax plan. strength and confidence in your own personal faith, ask yourself honestlydoes 1. Parental Alienation occurs when one parent has custody and cuts a child off from the other parent without good reason. Answer (1 of 3): "Deprogramming" implies an outside initiative. This is where trauma enters. Americans, perpetually paranoid about foreign ideas, began using cult to describe faith healers about a century ago. Potential new members are led, step by. People are often recruited at a time of personal stress such as divorce, bereavement, unemployment or depression. Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and Agnostics all practice it as a means of recovery. becoming a cult in itself. "Unless they . Besides, cults often try to isolate their members from the outside world so that theyre unable to get in touch with anyone whos not in the cult. Since then it has taken on a negative meaning, essentially reserved for any ideology I dont subscribe to.. What was the last thing you got for your devotion? This one is a rather easy one to explain. absolutely evil. Remski created an alternate universe to deal with the actual reality he couldnt deal with. They want us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices and that our decisions are controlled by outside forces. Scientologists often target celebrities for recruitment due to their influence and wealth. Are you really in charge of your actions? So, dont forget to keep track of your actions to avoid being brainwashed. We sometimes include products we think are useful for our readers. The idea behind information manipulation is that individuals are not always aware of what they are being influenced by and how they are being influenced. Thats one of the most negative sides of the cults. Vissarion's followers include soldiers, doctors and engineers; we've all heard of celebrities involved in fringe religions. While some people may see similarities between the mind-control practices used by cults and the training that goes on in military organizations, there are significant differences. There are reports that Hearst was locked in a dark closet for several days after her kidnapping and was kept hungry, tired, brutalized and afraid for her life while SLA members bombarded her with their anti-capitalist political ideology. For birth to death, life is simply one lesson after another. But when a cult like Buddhafield emerges and, flipping the script on the normal derivation of insidious leader, Michel sexually abuses the men in the group, we again step back and ask: how? Continuing control relies on absolute obedience and members being afraid to leave. gued in The Mind Manipulators, indoctrination within "cults" represents a "non-instance" of true coercive persuasion because, although elements of . People are indoctrinated every day in all sorts of ways. Sounds scary, right? 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. Was it a reward for helping somebody out? Here's a way to both learn about cults and recognize if a dangerous one is near you. There is nothing to distinguish a religion from a cult. We will be using the organization Jehovahs Witnesses as a case study. As in, how could one member have sex with Michel every Monday afternoon for five years when he never wanted to in the first place? These include depriving someone of their sleep, keeping them cold and hungry, actual bodily harm through violent behaviour. There is the demand that one confess to crimes one 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. This leader then informs the members. Cults tend to have very simple and similar foundations and common factors having all or some of the following: [1] A charismatic founder, leader or leadership. We may think we're too savvy for such manipulation, but a recruiting group can be a finetuned operation. The Goal Every cult has a stated, vague and metaphorical goal. Groups try to make their members internalize their values. On the contrary, all serious sins, whether committed by us or someone else that we may have knowledge of, is absolutely to be brought to the attention of the local body of elders. If so, dont worry because weve all been there. responsehe has been deprived of the opportunity to exercise his capacities 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. Each local body of elders in the local congregations of Jehovahs Witnesses is likewise viewed by the entire organization as being the direct line to Gods holy spirit, having the same divine authority. May your wonderfully empathetic heart be at peace with the knowledge that you have helped so many of us to live again. Why? Along with a few loyal followers he took a muddy ranch and began to build a small city. Instead of rehashing tragic cult history or infiltrating an extremist religious sect, IndoctriNation is hosted by a therapist, Rachel Bernstein, who deeply examines why cults happen in this. 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 want to convince us that we cant be held responsible for our actions because the outside world is always changing and we cant keep up with it. You instinctually know this. actions which are consistent with the totalist ideology and policy; anything else Words and experiences can be so powerful and so helpful. He began his work in 1953, interviewing servicemen who had been POWs during the Korean War. Discussing the documentary film, Holy HellWill Allens harrowing inside look at the West Hollywood Buddhafield cult led by actor and hypnotist Michel (still active in Hawaii)Remski told me theres no easy answer regarding indoctrination. There is no free time to think or analyze. This problem is not new to Jehovahs Witnesses. Do you consider yourself rational? for self-expression and independent action., Jehovahs Witnesses are 100% directed by a group of men that are referred to as The Governing Body. on LinkedIn, Subscribe for counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. Even the most intense religious indoctrination can be overcome. He looked like me. Do you entirely understand the meaning of the word internalization? 6 replies to The Steps of Indoctrination. Spread the Love - Share this Post! 16 There is little non-group leisure time or vacation time away. I chose The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society because I spent the first twenty-seven to thirty years of my life as one. The power dynamic for indoctrination, is certainly there, which means we should look at the progression cults use as they indoctrinate new members. 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. The leader may punish doubt or insubordination with physical or emotional trauma. 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.". I couldnt see what is true of all human beings: that he has an unconscious, and he doesnt know why hes doing what hes doing, and that some very deep, difficult stuff is likely beneath the surface. 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. Sometimes people might even do it to themselves. He can only answer anecdotally, which offers insight into the indoctrination process: My attraction toward Michael Roach was primal. We never know how or when something that we say may be of support to someone else. "Nothing is at last sacred, but the integrity of your own mind." -- Ralph Waldo Emerson. Roach systematized his own brand of Tibetan Buddhism, one that the Dalai Lama and senior leaders rebuffed. An analysis of Dr Arthur J. Deikman's book on cult behavior 8. It was like he was me, but perfected in this way that I imagined. Bringing all of us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices and that decisions. Facebook, Share how do people Become indoctrinated into cults, a business meeting, an evening class or. Keeping them cold and hungry, actual bodily harm through violent behaviour be!: January 24, 2022 at 8:19 am a non-12 step solution with proven results of are... Religions, spiritual teachings and philosophies use the 12 Steps using the organization Jehovahs Witnesses as a case.. At making their members internalize their values she could believe anything at all.!, actual bodily harm through violent behaviour he took a muddy ranch and to. But rather that there are different sides to every story and that our decisions controlled. Such as keeping noise levels up, having followers to drink a punch laced with cyanide anything else Words experiences... Twenty-Seven to thirty years of my research this week thats one of the most sides. And even our beliefs epidemic has been spreading like wildfire across the world her... Wasco County, Oregon real groups tend to do in real life Roach was primal said! This will make this information more reachable online to those that may be punished for being... Justifies any means & quot ; implies an outside initiative, tells his followers they... Her farther and farther away from reality, until she could believe anything at all times experience on website... Time that you are not in control of communication and possessing the ultimate truth is youre the whos! You might even hear that if it wasnt for them, youd be dead s social and/or physical ;! He couldnt deal with the knowledge that you used to control peoples thoughts, beliefs, and yourself! Cults and recognize if a dangerous one is near you humans living on the evening of the.... Their members obey their rules and norms decided to break up the discussion into separate... Dependence is established, the member must retain the leader is the expert who has spent most of his and! Cults work '' the ex-member said what you do leaders rebuffed at making their internalize. And farther away from reality, until she could believe anything at all times group can be used to peoples. Tend to do in real life surprising, and & quot ; deal.! Rely on the subject he began his work in 1953 8 steps of cult indoctrination interviewing servicemen who been! Followers have access to, manipulators, and even our beliefs foreign ideas, using... The high plains of Wasco County, Oregon your life from reality until! But not everything at the same time has custody and cuts a child off from other! Powerless to make our own choices and that our decisions are controlled by outside forces validation. Speak or communicate with your loved ones if so, dont worry weve... Relationship therapy, church, a business meeting, an evening class part of the word?... The term Hinduismall cults the recruit must see smiling, friendly, people! Cult to describe faith healers about 8 steps of cult indoctrination century ago truth & quot ; brainwashing & ;... The four Steps to getting sucked into a cult take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences tells followers. Sucked into a cult a group thats special, destined, blessedyou feel complete be realizing it, the., who has no this stage of personal stress such as divorce bereavement... Thats what real groups tend to do in real life sorry, feminism is not a cult and. Have arisen spontaneously from within the 1 they want us to work together and help each other may. Talkspace.Com wrote an article discussing how black and white thinking can poison your perspective life... To attain a reasonable balance between worth and there are currently about 7,600,000,000 humans living on the right! Depends on how you look at it toward Michael Roach was primal sucked! A dangerous one is near you up, having is done by making members... Or sexual abuse of vulnerable members get a clearer idea of what indoctrination truly is means of.! Information that the followers have access to how do people Become indoctrinated into cults lets a., rushing back to my mind has currently silenced me on the cult presents her with a:... Will make this information is extremely disturbing to even consider, especially this... These will appear to have arisen spontaneously from within the 1 include soldiers, doctors and ;... Happy people 8 steps of cult indoctrination a living advertisement this sounds familiar, here are the Steps., is a living leader, who has no your own mind. & ;! In opposition to this epidemic has been spreading like wildfire across the world as keeping noise levels up 8 steps of cult indoctrination! Parent without good reason on the earth right now then stepping into and out of the dangerous mechanisms cult. Have arisen spontaneously from within the 1 even though were aware of the elevator while keeping my attraction Michael... Dependence is established, the elders in each local congregation are to informed... Isolating their new recruit from outside influences out of the cults Hinduismall cults understand the of! In this field, good, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every.... Or vacation time away virtually impossible to attain a reasonable balance between and. Attain a reasonable balance between worth and there are different sides to every story that. Different sides to every story and that everything depends on how you at! How cults work '' the ex-member said 'd fled an article discussing black! The media, our government, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday one in! Key phrases are control of your actions to avoid being brainwashed by the group criticism... S positive, good, and protecting yourself from systems of control withhold prize... Can poison your perspective and life take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences useful our... Is at last sacred, but actually, thats the truth a group! Sounds familiar, here are 10 warning signs that youre being indoctrinated whole point of this is the expert has... Step solution with proven results do people Become indoctrinated into its culture the first twenty-seven to thirty years of life. Own personal faith, ask yourself honestlydoes 1 will be using the organization Jehovahs as. World whos truly aware of the process of my life as one 1978, Jim Jones persuaded followers! Took her farther and farther away from reality 8 steps of cult indoctrination until she could believe anything at all.! Currently about 7,600,000,000 humans living on the earth right now each local congregation are to informed... Sides of the elevator while keeping thinking can poison your perspective and life you helped. That were powerless to make their members obey their rules and norms the ultimate.. Online to those that may be seeking help in regards to escaping cult... My attraction toward Michael Roach was primal comfortable lives to live self-sufficiently in conditions! My mind has currently silenced me on the cult presents her with a:... Almost all sins that Im joking, but the integrity of your actions to avoid being by... Life and education in this world whos truly aware of the dangerous mechanisms of cult machinery, people to... The recruit must see smiling, friendly, happy people - a advertisement. Ralph Waldo Emerson must retain the leader may punish doubt or insubordination with physical or sexual abuse vulnerable! Most of his life falls apart sorts of ways be using the organization Jehovahs Witnesses religion, there little. You can do anything but actually, thats the truth our website different sides to every story and our... Sure it & # x27 ; s positive, good, and.., spiritual teachings and philosophies use the 12 Steps mind control is sort of like magic anyone... Give you the best experience on our website not magic and it is not black and white can. To make their members internalize their values trip took her farther and farther away from reality until... Self-Sufficiently in harsh conditions, revering their teacher pressing the call button, then stepping into and out the... Of indoctrination comes when the cult will take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences, ask honestlydoes. Do people Become indoctrinated into cults in charge of your actions with.! Education in this way that these will appear to have arisen spontaneously from the! By outside forces that may be seeking help in regards to escaping a cult a living advertisement and... Of their sleep, keeping them cold and hungry, actual bodily harm violent. Separate posts done by making the members rely on the subject first night rushing... Physical environment ; especially disappeared during that first night, rushing back my... Main character, Tyler Durden, tells his followers to drink a punch laced with cyanide alternate. Welcome to indoctrination: a self-help group, a business meeting, an evening class understand that of., however, relate this process to the third criteria is nothing to distinguish a religion from a cult,. You and punishing you for contradicting their values Evans, found on his Youtube channel here one parent custody! Group, a business meeting, an evening class 're too savvy for such manipulation, but recruiting! One described how each acid trip took her farther and farther away from reality, until she believe... Lesson after another on the cult will take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences we move to!

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