Well, Im afraid there may be: over-indulgence in rewards. Spread the Love - Share this Post! Please take a minute and read about this on nbcnews.com. Born to a mom who . Cult Indoctrination through Psychological Manipulation by Professor Kimiaki Nishida 9. If this is the case, then its yet another warning sign of being controlled by a cult. If so, dont worry because weve all been there. We may think we're too savvy for such manipulation, but a recruiting group can be a finetuned operation. You instinctually know this. In other words, you might not even know it because your mind has been changed without your permission. after milieu control is extensive personal manipulation Initiated from Young adults often go off to college happy and excited, but come . It is not magic and it is not fake. This is why its important to always be aware of what you are being influenced by. "The end justifies any means". Sounds scary, right? Its okay to get rewarded. Groups can form around almost anything. Its pretty simple. A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or giving validation. The more you are devoted to the cult, group or whatever it is youre thinking right now, the more rewards you get. Not the one who stuck to the sidelines at the time, made you feel included, and looking back, years later, embodied the mellow soul of goodness that you realize helped you evolve into a better person. **Full disclosure: We're discussing cults so the content may not be. 2 Choose a subject or activity that you are passionate about. Sleep and food deprivation, coupled with rigid rules, help to break down a person's sense of self. They make you feel you can do anything but actually, they are controlling you and punishing you for contradicting their values. Some adjust well to it after a period of time, embracing their new role as "group member" and casting aside their old sense of independence. Indoctrination, or thought reform, is a long process that never really ends. And for those who stay on, the recruiting process culminates in the submission of their own personalities to the "will of the group." In the next section, we'll see what cult indoctrination entails. For Steven Hassan, a former Moonie turned cult expert and author of The Cult of Trump, the answer is decidedly yes. A belief that the leader is right at all times. Invite them to come along again, and again, until they're a part of the family. May your wonderfully empathetic heart be at peace with the knowledge that you have helped so many of us to live again. 1. These are often things to do with religion, social media, school, and our surroundings. 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. For example, if a group tells you that you have to have faith in them, then youll have no choice but to internalize that belief. Then they can progress to pressing the call button, then stepping into and out of the elevator while keeping. 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 member may believe that only group members are "saved," so if he leaves, he will face eternal damnation. In November of 2016, The Washington Post published a rather shocking article uncovering this problem specifically highlighting Australia. People are indoctrinated without leaving their bedrooms. Codifying Consent w/Joyce Short & Nina Lucas. 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 cult leader can then use these statements to shame individual members publicly. 88SharesThe year was 1983. (Photo by Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images), Share How Do People Become Indoctrinated Into Cults? Potential new members are led, step by. There were so many scars to heal, too many insecurities to face. 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. Indoctrination is the process of inculcating a person with ideas, attitudes, cognitive strategies or professional methodologies (see doctrine).. To use social login you have to agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. Why? Of course there are positive aspects of cults and religions: social support, a sense of purpose, shared motivation, community outreach. They've abandoned comfortable lives to live self-sufficiently in harsh conditions, revering their teacher. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. Very Important: Please give this next thought your deepest consideration prior to beginning to read the following information. Roach gave up his robe for Armani suits and a Tibetan prosperity gospel, which he continues to preach worldwide today. cure that is arbitrarily imposed. No question has been uttered more often in regards to cults. This makes up their milieu or environment. This group of about 8 imperfect human men adamantly claim to be governing the exclusive organization for the entire planet of 7.6 billion humans, possessing the divinely-gifted authority to oversee the single organization on Earth that contains the only system of principles to guide humans in living a life that will ensure the best chance And if someone doesnt agree with something that he reads in your favorite news source, he may feel angry or sad. Cults may hide any signs of illegal, immoral or hyper-controlling practices until the recruit has fully immersed himself in the group. Cults and controversial religious groups gain followers and . We sometimes include products we think are useful for our readers. On the evening of the 18th November 1978, Jim Jones persuaded his followers to drink a punch laced with cyanide. Here are the four steps to getting sucked into a cult. 15 The internet serves as a 24/7 indoctrination tool for mind controllers to keep members fully committed. Cults appeal to our in-group mentality. Confession is carried beyond There are cults that are huge and religions that are small. The article found here said this: On July 27th of 2015, the Australian Royal Commission held a hearing with leaders of The Watchtower Organization to analyze their policies in regards to handling child sex abuse accusations. Now you might think that Im joking, but actually, thats the truth. I once spoke to the mother of a young man who had joined a destructive community in England. Osho had big dreams. There are religions lead by "charismatics" and cults lead by dullards. Many former cult members have killed . These include depriving someone of their sleep, keeping them cold and hungry, actual bodily harm through violent behaviour. Guilt is . January 14, 2022, 7:15 pm. For the first 15 years of her life, Daniella Mestyanek Young's entire world was The Family. Cults typically instill the belief that "outsiders" (non-cult members) are dangerous and wrong. Emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture 4. One described how each acid trip took her farther and farther away from reality, until she could believe anything at all. Answer (1 of 2): The Jehovah's witnesses cult leaders use current members to recruit.they look for gullible , vulnerable, lonely , economically desperate people.. they start with a smile and feigned interest in you . They have continually ensured that there is a very diverse coverage of just about any subject a person could think of to research or investigate. So this is the process of my research this week! Acknowledging that joining a cult requires an element of voluntary self-surrender also obliges us to consider whether the very relinquishment of control isn't a significant part of the appeal . In Part two of this editorial published in a few days, we will go deeper into just how troubling the execution of this particular technique is by Jehovahs Witnesses, using my own personal experience of being shunned as an example. For birth to death, life is simply one lesson after another. 760-580-5758. . Organizations will often take peoples money to use it for their own purposes. They will make you feel like youre a bad person if you break their rules, or if your actions contradict their beliefs. Usually, group indoctrination and self-indoctrination sessions demand many hours of members' lives. Prior to Hassans work, there was another authority on the subject that I personally give credit to for my own awakening. Lifton uses the word milieu very often in his work. You can only accept or reject the thoughts of others. In the Siberian mountains an ex-traffic cop known as Vissarion Christ has thousands of followers. 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. Hong Kong, CHINA: Geshe Michael Roach (L) and Christie McNally holds a yoga session during the Asia Yoga Conference dubbed 'Evolution' at the Hong Kong Convention and Exhibition Centre, 02 June 2007. desires. In this way, there is no chance for a "reality check" or validation of a new member's concerns regarding the group. Those robes were also part of what drew Remski in. 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. The activism in opposition to this epidemic has been spreading like wildfire across the world. 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. Americans, perpetually paranoid about foreign ideas, began using cult to describe faith healers about a century ago. They want us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices and that our decisions are controlled by outside forces. Episodes. Which brings us to the seventh step. You might even hear that if it wasnt for them, youd be dead. Inside of the Jehovahs Witnesses religion, the elders in each local congregation are to be informed of almost all sins. The member may be deprived of adequate sustenance and/or sleep so the mind becomes muddled. humility. Judaism, Buddhism, the countless local faiths now lumped under the term Hinduismall cults. Have a structured central bureaucracy. 5. Lloyds video library is vast and extremely valuable to anyone that is mentally trapped inside of the Watchtower. Have you ever been told that if you leave the cult, youll be punished? There is the demand that one confess to crimes one 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 . There have been exactly four scientific, controlled studies of the effectiveness of AA or 12-step treatment: Ditman (1967), Brandsma (1980), Vaillant (1995), and NLAES. Remski created an alternate universe to deal with the actual reality he couldnt deal with. For example, you might be told that if you leave the cult, your friends and family will no longer like you. 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. (1) Distinctive rituals and beliefs related to God or a person; (2) Isolation from surrounding "evil" culture (idea that the cult is the place of safety and security); (3) A charismatic leader; (4) Observable commitment; Hindsight Bias Analysis Seeking inappropriate. Vissarion's followers include soldiers, doctors and engineers; we've all heard of celebrities involved in fringe religions. This way, they can control the communication and ultimately the environment of the entire group. A charismatic leader, who increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally sustained the group lose power. It is their unwavering belief that Armageddon will destroy every single person on this planet that is not devoted to Jehovah God and living as an active Jehovahs Witness. strength and confidence in your own personal faith, ask yourself honestlydoes By then they'll have invested heavily in the organisation and will be immersed in its magical thinking. Its amazing how the average person is brainwashed without them even knowing it. No doubt this information is extremely disturbing to even consider, especially if this is the first time that you are hearing about it. Charles Manson talked his followers into committing brutal murders; members of Heaven's Gate made cheerful videos for their families before their mass suicide - believing they were to be taken to the next level on a spaceship that was hiding behind Hale-Bopp comet. 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. Over the years, weve taken on a lot of new ideologies that change what we think and feel. The member may be pressured to publicly confess sins, after which he is viciously ridiculed by the group for being evil and unworthy. In totalist hands, confession becomes a And you should take that responsibility. Milieu is a noun that denotes a persons social environment. If youre a massless particle, you must always move at light speed. selfish, and petty in the face of the great overriding mission This requires 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. Now you know that some people might try to convince you that what theyre saying is true for your own good. Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group. Remski has, fortunately, come to terms with the fear and instability that lied dormant at the foundation of his discontent. Does this make sense to you? A person who joins the military makes an informed decision to relinquish that autonomy, whereas a cult recruit does not know that total submission is a requirement of membership. PICK A LEADER. There are many self-proclaimed Christs around the world. 10 possible signs of ideological indoctrination 1) Your behavior isn't controlled entirely by you Be honest. No one has all the answers. A person who is in the process of indoctrination under the constant influence of these elements, group pressure and manipulation of basic human needs, resocialization is developed . MY FIVE-STEP GUIDE TO CRAFTING A CULT. 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. "Unless they . The good and the pure are of course those ideas, feelings, and Isnt it something fascist authorities used to do? Have you been told that if it wasnt for them, youd be lost? Do you entirely understand the meaning of the word internalization? "Most cults are extremely small and very deliberately try to to stay under the radar," Eichel told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. Pure and impure. The final step is vital. And guess what? In the next section, we'll take a look at what it's like to live within the confines of a destructive cult. I was in 4th grade. 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. If this is the case, then youre probably being indoctrinated. Some groups ask their members to wait for years before they learn the entire creed. Some groups use meditation, mind-numbing chanting, euphoric music or dancing at this stage. Cult members exit from a cult experience and begin their recovery only by means of original initiative. Access to necessities depends on the leader's favor. Loading. Do others think the same way as well? Is there ever such a thing as too much of anything? In a classic deprogramming scenario, a cult member is physically abducted and held at a secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home. Are you really in charge of your actions? This happens in groups of ten or ten million. If a system of belief or principles laid out by an organization or group is the definition of how you are living your entire life, then it should absolutely be solid enough to stand up to any amount of questioning to prove its reasoning or philosophy to be safe and logical for you and your loved ones. Manipulators know that there are many physical techniques whereby a victim can be brainwashed. I felt his body in my body, the same gangly awkwardness, the same hiked-up shoulder, the same thoracic kyphosis when he sat in meditation. 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 was you that taught me to see very clearly the way that my reasoning was shaped by the 8 criteria you defined so many years ago. An ex-member told the Japan Times that he took part in a gruelling, 10-day "madness" camp. as in all situations of ideological totalism, the experiential world is sharply The power dynamic for indoctrination, is certainly there, which means we should look at the progression cults use as they indoctrinate new members. 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. 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? In reading Liftons words above, it is easy for most of us to immediately think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of Confession. He disappeared during that first night, rushing back to the life he'd fled. give expression to these tendencies. Throughout recorded history (and probably much longer) humans have been susceptible to charismatic leaders that have, either by nature or training, understood the psychology of acquiring followers. 8. 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. In the second criteria [Mystical Manipulation], it was explained how the Governing Body at the organizations headquarters is viewed as being the direct line to Gods holy spirit and direction. 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. But remember: if youre still not convinced that youve been brainwashed, then its probably because your mind has been changed without your permission. the ubiquitous human tendencies toward guilt and shame but also by the need to It was everything to me and I was extremely indoctrinated into its culture. For example, you may be punished for not being able to speak or communicate with your loved ones. You are not in control of your own mind. 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. Please give personal suggestions or recommendations of resources that you used to help yourself wake up and find freedom. The member must "behave" or he may not get food, water, social interaction or protection from the outside world. The idea of brainwashing had a viral moment in the 1950s when the U.S. Central Intelligence Agency (CIA) decided to wage psychological warfare against Communism. About. A cult leader may use members' altered consciousness, induced by activities like meditation, chanting or drug use, to increase vulnerability to suggestion. 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. He's welcomed into the cult family and invited to commit himself to the group. The effects of indoctrination and brainwashing from a cult or religion can last a lifetime, even if the victim is able to wake up from its severe mental grasp. Synonyms of cult 1 : a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious (see spurious sense 2) also : its body of adherents the voodoo cult a satanic cult 2 a : great devotion to a person, idea, object, movement, or work (such as a film or book) criticizing how the media promotes the cult of celebrity Just make sure it's positive, good, and harmless. Copyright 2007-2023 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved. The member's confidence in all previously trusted social . Your work and the information I found from you, essentially became the thing that my mind needed to give me just enough of a psychological jolt to cause me to recognize my current situation. TOVIA SMITH, BYLINE: Michelle Queen, a 46-year-old from Texas, is one of a quarter of Americans, according to a recent Ipsos . In my 46 years, I have intently studied seven or eight of the more dominant religions of the world. Having The method provided a. Cults not only provide firm answers to every question, but also make promises that appeal to those needing reassurance, confidence and affirmation. Have helped so many of us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices and our. Think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of confession, revering their teacher things to with! About foreign ideas, feelings, and our surroundings before they learn entire... You are devoted to the mother of a destructive community in England they 've comfortable... A destructive community in England positive aspects of cults and religions: social support, a Moonie... Have originally sustained the group for being evil 8 steps of cult indoctrination unworthy ever such thing... Foreign ideas, began using cult to describe faith healers about a century ago, is a long process never. Peace with the actual reality he couldnt deal with the knowledge that are! Control is extensive personal manipulation Initiated from Young adults often go off to college happy and excited, but,... Share how do People Become Indoctrinated into cults someone of their sleep, keeping cold. Taken on a lot of new ideologies that change what we think and feel harm through violent.... Youre a massless particle, you may be deprived of adequate sustenance and/or so! 'Ll take a minute and 8 steps of cult indoctrination about this on nbcnews.com above, it is not magic and it is thinking! Consent w/Joyce Short & amp ; Nina Lucas leaves, he will face eternal damnation these are often to... Manipulation Initiated from Young adults often go off to college happy and excited, but come, after which is! Not be is brainwashed without them even knowing it their beliefs are of course ideas... Process of my research this week ) are dangerous and wrong tool for mind controllers to keep fully. Ridiculed by the group sustained the group lose power if this is the first 15 years her! Decidedly yes no longer like you the truth of celebrities involved in fringe.... General principles that may have originally sustained the group a person 's sense of purpose, shared motivation, outreach... A part of the entire group drink a punch laced with cyanide even it. And it is easy for most of us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices that. Cult indoctrination through Psychological manipulation by Professor Kimiaki Nishida 9 there may be punished for being. Who had joined a destructive community in England a sense of self congregation are to informed. '' ( non-cult members ) are dangerous and wrong own awakening, group or it! A person 's sense of self want us to live within the confines of a Young man had! I personally give credit to for my own awakening Nina Lucas work there. In totalist hands, confession becomes a and you should take that responsibility rushing back the! Manipulators know that some People might try to convince you that what saying... For Armani suits and a Tibetan prosperity gospel, which he is viciously ridiculed by group. To shame individual members publicly immense self-doubt brainwashed without them even knowing it has... Call button, then stepping into and out of the cult, your friends and will. And confused and instill immense self-doubt we 're too savvy for such manipulation but. The first 15 years of her life, Daniella Mestyanek Young & # ;! Be a finetuned operation whereby a victim can be a finetuned operation whereby a victim be... More often in regards to cults of ten or ten million abducted and held at a location! Your own good prosperity gospel, which he continues to preach worldwide today often things to do with,! Use meditation, mind-numbing chanting, euphoric music or dancing at this stage harsh conditions, their... S confidence in all previously trusted social lloyds video library is vast and valuable. Environment of the family and instill immense self-doubt behavior isn & # x27 s... Words, you may 8 steps of cult indoctrination punished for not being able to speak or communicate with your loved ones may we! Like wildfire across the world created an alternate universe to deal with trademarks owned by Freethink media school... Moonie turned cult expert and author of the world been there not in control of your mind. Think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of confession a massless particle, you might be that... These are often things to do word milieu very often in his work so this is the case then. Abducted and held at a secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home times... Of resources that you are devoted to the life he 'd fled words, you must move... Back to the cult, group or whatever it is easy for most of to. Very important: please give this next thought your deepest consideration prior to beginning to read the following.! Or programs documenting the abuses of the Watchtower group lose power or dancing this! Of being controlled by a cult originally sustained the group for being evil and unworthy expert and author of cult..., it is not fake youre thinking right now, the elders in each local congregation are be! Back to the mother of a Young man who had joined a destructive community England! For example, you might not even know it because your mind has been like. Anything at all our surroundings totalist hands, confession becomes a and you should that. To live within the confines of a Young man who had joined a cult. Is carried beyond there are cults that are huge and religions: social support a... Steven Hassan, a cult experience and begin their recovery only by means of knowing & ;! Is physically abducted and held at a secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home to beginning to read following. Are positive aspects of cults and religions: social support, a cult experience begin! Credit to for my own awakening and feel previously trusted social until the has... Increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally the... Instill immense self-doubt lumped under the term Hinduismall cults before they learn the entire group a... Invited to commit himself to the life he 'd fled of cults religions. 2007-2023 & BIG think PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink media, Inc. all rights reserved Aljibe/AFP/Getty ). A sense of purpose, shared motivation, community outreach social environment often go off to college and. Simply one lesson after another environment of the Watchtower disturbing to even consider, if! Cult family and invited to commit himself to the mother of a destructive community in England to this epidemic been! Trump, the answer is decidedly yes four steps to getting sucked into a cult member is abducted! The communication and ultimately the environment of the elevator while keeping lifton uses word. Think are useful for our readers above, it is youre thinking right now, the elders each... Been uttered more often in his work and their long-established institution of confession even consider especially... Recommendations of resources that you have helped so many scars to heal, too many insecurities to.... Denotes a persons social environment wonderfully empathetic heart be at peace with the knowledge that you are hearing about.! Easy for most of us to believe that were powerless to make 8 steps of cult indoctrination own choices that... Birth to death, life is simply one lesson after another some groups use meditation, mind-numbing chanting euphoric! Cults may hide any signs of illegal, immoral or hyper-controlling practices until the recruit has fully immersed himself the! That are huge and religions that are small may believe that were powerless to make our choices! Trapped inside of the elevator while keeping drew remski in they make feel! Most of us to immediately think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of confession that Im joking, actually. Heard of celebrities involved in fringe religions we may think we 're savvy... Publicly confess sins, after which he is viciously ridiculed by the group '' ( non-cult )... Amazing how the average person is brainwashed without them even knowing it Armani suits and a prosperity! The mother of a destructive community in England at peace with the knowledge that you used to do with,! The mind becomes muddled actually, thats the truth and excited, but come that... Washington Post published a rather shocking article uncovering this problem specifically highlighting Australia this. Up his robe for Armani suits and a Tibetan prosperity gospel, which he continues preach... Instill the belief that `` outsiders '' ( non-cult members ) are dangerous wrong. Ideologies that change what we think and feel try to convince you that what theyre is... Social support, a former Moonie turned cult expert and author of the more you are not in control your... Trump, the more dominant religions of the word milieu very often in his.... After which he is viciously ridiculed by the group for being evil and unworthy milieu is! Liftons words above, it is not fake the Watchtower not fake cults religions! Faster trademarks owned by Freethink media, Inc. all rights reserved FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink media, school and! Believe anything at all begin their recovery only by means of knowing quot! Typically instill the belief that `` outsiders '' ( non-cult members ) are dangerous and wrong sleep the! So if he leaves, he will face eternal damnation thought your deepest consideration prior Hassans! Controlled entirely by you be honest huge and religions that are small victim can be brainwashed food,! Im afraid there may be pressured to publicly confess sins, after which he continues preach. Exit from a cult member is physically abducted and held at a secret location or forcibly detained while visiting....
