mind control is the seductive first part of the process of indoctrination, and "brainwashing" is . Brainwashing:: Cult leaders are known to repeat various lies and distortions until members find it difficult to distinguish between reality and cult life. You can only accept or reject the thoughts of others. Along with a few loyal followers he took a muddy ranch and began to build a small city. This problem is not new to Jehovahs Witnesses. 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. 1. Are you really in charge of your actions? 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. Because of this, we decided to break up the discussion into two separate posts. 13 April 2006. 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. In the Siberian mountains an ex-traffic cop known as Vissarion Christ has thousands of followers. the ubiquitous human tendencies toward guilt and shame but also by the need to Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and Agnostics all practice it as a means of recovery. She investigates self-compassion, emotional intelligence, psychological well-being, and the ways people make decisions. You must use their methods to achieve success or happiness. Isolation - Cults cut off members from the outside world (and even each other) to produce intense introspection, confusion, loss of perspective and a distorted sense of reality. Now I want you to think about it. 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. Here is a great example of an empathetic activist exposing the issue. And you should take that responsibility. . The most basic feature of the thought reform environmentis the control of human communication. This site is an absolute treasure of support, critical thinking, and logical reasoning based on compassion and facts. But I hope you can understand that none of this is true. For birth to death, life is simply one lesson after another. Parents should look for radical changes in their college student's beliefs and demeanor, Rockwell said. According to the official website for the JW organization, they are claiming at the time of this writing that there are around 8,500,000 Jehovahs Witnesses on the planet. The power dynamic for indoctrination, is certainly there, which means we should look at the progression cults use as they indoctrinate new members. His steps are quoted in italics with my comments included below each step. Sometimes people might even do it to themselves. PICK A LEADER. Scientologists often target celebrities for recruitment due to their influence and wealth. Remski admits to his intense drive for crisis-type experiences of love that left him feeling manic. It is the action that a group of leaders takes when they have knowledge of a situation where a child has been molested that matter. For enlisted personnel, this process occurs during Army Basic Training, Navy Boot Camp, Air Force Basic Training, or Marine Corps Boot Camp. His tale, briefly, included being no more than fifteen feet away from his spiritual wife, Lama Christie, who he claimed to never have sex with; later, when they spiritually divorced (consciously uncoupled, I suppose), Christie found a new boyfriend that died in the desert after being kicked out of the group. This makes up their milieu or environment. This is where trauma enters. For example, do you have to go to their meetings every week? Special Knowledge. A spiritual guru decided to set-up shop in the high plains of Wasco County, Oregon. Why? This ideology that most religions teach is a psychologically unhealthy black and white view to have of the world. In the social sciences, internalization means that the individual accepts a groups values and norms. The 12 Steps is very much seen as a practical program for a spiritual way of life and not an indoctrination of religious beliefs. So this is the process of my research this week! 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. 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. becoming a cult in itself. This is why its important to always be aware of what you are being influenced by. 88SharesThe year was 1983. You arent alone, See Images By Americas First War Photographer. Opposing critical thinking 2. He went on to study various people from many situations of either imprisonment or indoctrination of some sort. Why? 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. Do you have to attend their retreats and seminars on a regular basis? Do you understand why you do what you do? A cascade of affection, support and approval poured over the recruit. Love Bombing. human welfare. The immediate hurdle is recognizing youve been indoctrinated. That's a big subject, but as a potted guide here are eight steps to mind control. 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. I chose The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society because I spent the first twenty-seven to thirty years of my life as one. It was like he was me, but perfected in this way that I imagined. 1. Induced Dependency - Cults demand absolute, unquestioning devotion, loyalty and submission. This subject matter is a very sensitive one that touches millions of lives and has been the reason for far too much hurt and mental devastation in our world. He is loved again when he acknowledges that his devotion to the cult is the only thing that will bring him salvation. In reading Liftons words above, it is easy for most of us to immediately think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of Confession. Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on . Steps Download Article 1 Learn the organization's foundations. Welcome to IndoctriNation: A weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control. They might use fear or guilt as a tool to get you to believe their message. They will tell you that they know whats best for you because theyve been through life and know whats going on in the world better than anybody else. 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. desires. A destructive cult uses countless techniques to get its members to stay, commit themselves and take part in what may be harmful activities. Osho had big dreams. Why? Do you entirely understand the meaning of the word internalization? 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. He looked like me. Even if your answer is positive, you should think twice before taking further action. 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"). Indoctrination is the process of inculcating a person with ideas, attitudes, cognitive strategies or professional methodologies (see doctrine).. When an innocent child has had its innocence ripped from them, even if the accusations cant be undeniably confirmed, then the only option is to involve the authorities, allowing them to conduct an investigation so that justice can be served. Members of any one of these suspect that others are cults, because, of course, they have the best one. The method provided a. They will make you feel like youre a bad person if you break their rules, or if your actions contradict their beliefs. They reminded him of his Catholic upbringing, one filled with violence and abuse, yet, as he says of Roach, represented a demilitarized, more feminine version of the robes of my childhood. Early repression in church left Remski hollow, vacant, setting him up for indoctrination under Roachs care. The recruit must see smiling, friendly, happy people - a living advertisement. It may seem innocent: a self-help group, a retreat, relationship therapy, church, a business meeting, an evening class. STEP ONE: IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL RECRUIT You'd expect the focus to be on troubled youngsters, but many groups. I was appointed to a position called a Ministerial Servant and came very close to being appointed as an Elder, which is the highest position of leadership within a congregation. There are cults that are huge and religions that are small. Cults may keep new recruits from talking to other new recruits. divided into the pure and the impure, into the absolutely good and the 760-580-5758. . as in all situations of ideological totalism, the experiential world is sharply Other groups have been associated with the physical or sexual abuse of vulnerable members. This is the whole point of a cult. 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, Christian Science. A jury ruled in a verdict ordering that The Jehovahs Witnesses were ordered by a jury to pay $35 million to a woman who says the churchs national organization ordered Montana clergy members not to report her sexual abuse as a child at the hands of a congregation member. Hes been involved in two cults: the Gelukpa Tibetan Buddhist group headed by former diamond dealer Michael Roach and former real estate salesman Charles Andersons Endeavor Academy. 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. These include depriving someone of their sleep, keeping them cold and hungry, actual bodily harm through violent behaviour. Written down, the signs seem clear: 1. Charles Manson was said to be giving his followers large doses of LSD. Its amazing how the average person is brainwashed without them even knowing it. A cult member's sense of self is systematically destroyed. He outlined several ways to identify cults. Episodes. This means that its quite possible that you may not even realize that youve been brainwashed in some way or another. This body of men that is comprised of anywhere from eight to twelve men is a unit of self-proclaimed representatives for Gods faithful and discreet slave class.This expression is based on their interpretation of the Parable of The Faithful Servant at Matthew 24:45-47, Mark 13:34-37, and Luke 12: 35-48. So, dont forget to keep track of your actions to avoid being brainwashed. Continuing control relies on absolute obedience and members being afraid to leave. The leader may offer occasional gifts and special privileges to encourage continued submission. They may even be used on you. "Phobia indoctrination is the programming of irrational fears of ever leaving the group, or even questioning the leadership's authority. Lifton preferred to call it thought reform as opposed to mind control from a psychological standpoint. Control from a psychological standpoint and approval poured over the recruit if break! 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