But most psychologists believe that cult brainwashing techniques, which are similar to techniques used in prisoner interrogation, do change a person's thought processes. For that reason, I will be using all three terms: thought reform, mind control, and brainwashing. Well, Im afraid there may be: over-indulgence in rewards. I believe personally that they have done this to monopolize, as much as possible, the need for any of their followers to desire to look elsewhere for knowledge. A belief that the leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or giving validation. For Steven Hassan, a former Moonie turned cult expert and author of The Cult of Trump, the answer is decidedly yes. For the first 15 years of her life, Daniella Mestyanek Young's entire world was The Family. 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. NPR's Tovia Smith took a look inside the practice of deprogramming. Is there ever such a thing as too much of anything? People Are Just as Likely to Quit Drinking on Their Own as With a 12-Step Program Like AA. The final step is vital. In fact, at one point the CIA owned . Questions and doubts are systematically "turned around" so that the doubter feels wrong, worthless, "evil" for questioning. purpose is considered to be stimulated by a lower purpose, to be backward, The goal may be to make them. The expression 'drinking the Kool-Aid' is a grim reference to this tragedy. 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. is apt to be relegated to the bad and the impure. 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"). **Full disclosure: We're discussing cults so the content may not be. This one is a rather easy one to explain. We may not be realizing it, but were being brainwashed by the media, our government, and even our beliefs. 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. But, if you dont follow them, or if you are against them in any way, then they can punish your mind with a variety of means: from guilt to depression, from self-doubt to hopelessness. Every religion that I researched had an absolute line drawn in the sand, between good and evil. I was in 4th grade. How do you feel when you read your favorite news source? 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. Pure and impure. As Lifton said, this is the basic foundation on which a system of indoctrination and brainwashing is built. IndoctriNation. 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. I chose The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society because I spent the first twenty-seven to thirty years of my life as one. Why? Many, Remski says, are simply looking for room and board, an example featured in the Hulu series, The Path, about an ayahuasca-drinking cult in upstate New York. as in all situations of ideological totalism, the experiential world is sharply Milieu is a noun that denotes a persons social environment. Followers feeling they are never able to be "good enough". Was it a reward for being nice to somebody? There is no debating this. coverage. Episodes. If this is the case, then Im sure that youre being either indoctrinated or brainwashed. You must use their methods to achieve success or happiness. The member is loved again when he renounces those doubts and submits to the will of the leader. Lets repeat that one more time for clarity. Instructions and/or knowledge are sometimes said to be received by a leader (s) from God. . 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,. Author Douglas Rushkoff lists 20 common steps of indoctrination in destructive cults. 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. MY FIVE-STEP GUIDE TO CRAFTING A CULT. So, dont forget to keep track of your actions to avoid being brainwashed. Needless to say, its another warning sign of being indoctrinated. 209 Episodes. Have you ever been told that you have to do something because others say so? Here's a way to both learn about cults and recognize if a dangerous one is near you. And you should take that responsibility. (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 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. And thats fine. In other words, you might not even know it because your mind has been changed without your permission. This is an example of a very cult-like rule. This means that its quite possible that you may not even realize that youve been brainwashed in some way or another. Was it a reward for being a good friend? 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. Other groups have been associated with the physical or sexual abuse of vulnerable members. It was everything to me and I was extremely indoctrinated into its culture. the ubiquitous human tendencies toward guilt and shame but also by the need to If Will Allen's documentary, Holy Hell, teaches us one thing, it's that there's no easy answer. Hyde Park couple turns cult experience into support group. Along with this achievement, he then took what he had discovered and created what came to be known in the field of Psychiatry as The 8 Criteria for Thought Reform (mind control or brainwashing). You instinctually know this. This leader then informs the members. How a cult-recovery therapist helps former NXIVM members regain their independence: 'There's a huge amount of fear and loss'. This is where it all starts. 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? In the social sciences, internalization means that the individual accepts a groups values and norms. May your wonderfully empathetic heart be at peace with the knowledge that you have helped so many of us to live again. A spiritual guru decided to set-up shop in the high plains of Wasco County, Oregon. divided into the pure and the impure, into the absolutely good and the As we were putting this information together, it became clear that the material being presented could potentially be lifesaving to someone in need of help. 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. Because your behavior might not be completely under your control. Confession is carried beyond Youll end up believing in those beliefs and acting accordingly without having any doubt whatsoever. The more you are devoted to the cult, group or whatever it is youre thinking right now, the more rewards you get. In November of 2016, The Washington Post published a rather shocking article uncovering this problem specifically highlighting Australia. Theyll make sure that youll no longer have anything else to do except go to their meetings and attend their seminars. Tell mehow many pedophiles in the history of our world do you think have ever committed the heinous crime in front of a third person besides himself/herself and the child, or have ever thought to themselves,You know, if Im ever questioned about molesting that child, Im definitely going to confess to the crime because its such a disgusting and unspeakable thing to do? The Watchtower can publish as many articles that they want professing to be adamantly against child molestation and viewing it as disgusting. (EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images) Picking the. Yes, there's actually a standard psychological step-by-step guide, for building your very own cult. Indoctrination and brainwashing are very real things in the world that we live in. Unfortunately, that means you've taken the first big step into identifying with the cult. Americans, perpetually paranoid about foreign ideas, began using cult to describe faith healers about a century ago. 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. Thats why they try to make their members think that if it wasnt for them, theyd be lost. Answer (1 of 3): "Deprogramming" implies an outside initiative. 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. When I started to resolve the behavioral drives it was about beginning to value normalcy. actions which are consistent with the totalist ideology and policy; anything else Remember, the whole point of this website and this global conversation is for all of us to work together and help each other. Indoctrination or "brainwashing" is the process through which a . Isnt it something fascist authorities used to do? They teach ideology that goes against commonly accepted notions while dehumanizing people outside of their group. Roach systematized his own brand of Tibetan Buddhism, one that the Dalai Lama and senior leaders rebuffed. Do others think the same way as well? I once spoke to the mother of a young man who had joined a destructive community in England. Many religions, spiritual teachings and philosophies use the 12 Steps. Have a structured central bureaucracy. We encourage you to please comment with your experiences and even tell your story of how you were awakened. Born to a mom who . In reading Liftons words above, it is easy for most of us to immediately think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of Confession. The more isolated a person, the more likely they are to invest in a new belief system. The good and the pure are of course those ideas, feelings, and Members can believe that all sorts of horrible things may happen if they don't follow the rules, if they don't earn more money, if they leave the group or even think of leaving the group etc. The leader may punish doubt or insubordination with physical or emotional trauma. Any doubts, assertiveness or remaining ties to the outside world are punished by the group through criticism, guilt and alienation. Cf. The assumption underlying total exposure is the environments claim to total In the Jehovahs Witness religion, there is an absolutely unrelenting control of every single piece of information that the followers have access to. It is not magic and it is not fake. There's even one in Australia. In the thought reform milieu, 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 addition, we endorse the work of Lloyd Evans, found on his Youtube channel here. They want us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices and that our decisions are controlled by outside forces. The member may be deprived of adequate sustenance and/or sleep so the mind becomes muddled. Now you know that some people might try to convince you that what theyre saying is true for your own good. Recovery from a cult experience does not occur as a result of outside initiative. 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. Youre almost always financially manipulated if youre in an organization or a corporation. A new book has added fresh insight into Megxit. 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? Spread the Love - Share this Post! "Phobia indoctrination is the programming of irrational fears of ever leaving the group, or even questioning the leadership's authority. Emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture 4. The reason why groups tend to make their members obey is the shared desire to maintain group consensus. Youre part of a group thats special, destined, blessedyou feel complete. 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. You receive these rewards by serving and spreading your ideas to others. Share. There is the demand that one confess to crimes one Because of this, we decided to break up the discussion into two separate posts. Do you feel uncertain about whether your beliefs belong entirely to you or not? Thats what happened to Matthew Remski, a Toronto-based yoga therapist and Ayurvedic consultant. This is done by making the members rely on the cult for their daily needs. The next step the cult will take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences. You can only accept or reject the thoughts of others. 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. 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. Its okay to get rewarded. Are you really in charge of your actions? Thought reform is an umbrella term for any number of manipulative techniques used to get people to do something they wouldn't otherwise do. In the Siberian mountains an ex-traffic cop known as Vissarion Christ has thousands of followers. While in the cult, he was eating one meal a day and sleeping only two hours each night. If this is the case, then youre probably being indoctrinated. Have you been told that if it wasnt for them, youd be lost? "How Cults Work" In Scientology, this is accomplished through a rigorous process of indoctrination through written and tape-recorded materials. THANK YOU!!! Sounds scary, right? Yes, faith can bring some joy in our life. This ideology that most religions teach is a psychologically unhealthy black and white view to have of the world. the effects on the victim or aftermath once leaving the cult or relationship. It will only happen when they are personally re. Step five is tougher. Over the years, weve taken on a lot of new ideologies that change what we think and feel. Because your behavior might not be completely under your control. You are not in control of your own mind. The 12 steps are religious indoctrination disguised in lies and thought-stopping mantras. Isolating members and penalizing them for leaving 3. Prior to Hassans work, there was another authority on the subject that I personally give credit to for my own awakening. 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. In 1995, The Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult carried out a deadly sarin gas attack in the Tokyo subway. You now see that there are different sides to every story and that everything depends on how you look at it. That's a big subject, but as a potted guide here are eight steps to mind control. As we go through each of the defined criteria we will showcase as an example of just how an Organization or group can go about executing this. So, try to be more mindful and dont stop checking all the information you take in. He called himself Osho. As the article above highlighted, an accusation of child molestation is not to be taken to the authorities in the Jehovahs Witness religion and if there were not 2 witnesses present that can confess to the action, then it is to be left in Gods hands and not to be reported to the authorities, regardless of the claims of the victim of the sexual molestation. 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 . Codifying Consent w/Joyce Short & Nina Lucas. Indoctrination is the process of inculcating a person with ideas, attitudes, cognitive strategies or professional methodologies (see doctrine).. A destructive cult uses countless techniques to get its members to stay, commit themselves and take part in what may be harmful activities. Was it a reward for spending time with your family and friends? If neutrinos have mass, where are all the slow ones? They might use fear or guilt as a tool to get you to believe their message. Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group. Remski admits to his intense drive for crisis-type experiences of love that left him feeling manic. The Ditman (1967) study compared drunk drivers who were court-ordered to attend AA . If you truly have empathetic love for yourself and for our future then PLEASE have a completely open mind in regards to what you are about to take in. Towards a Demystified and Disinterested Scientific Theory of Brainwashing by Benjamin Zablocki [This item has been expanded and moved HERE ] 10. Similarly, any thought or action which questions the higher This insane reasoning is again based on the Watchtowers biblical perception and understanding. Berg's organisation was also notorious for its use of "flirty fishing", a form of evangelistic prostitution. Some groups use meditation, mind-numbing chanting, euphoric music or dancing at this stage. Spread the Love - Share this Post! 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. This is the whole point of a cult. Are you really willing to give your money to people you dont even know? Darwin missed an amazing example of evolution. 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. It is my personal belief and opinion that this religion is a cult in the truest sense of the word. To use social login you have to agree with the storage and handling of your data by this website. 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. This way the reader could take in the first four points and have a few days to ponder what was presented before considering the last four points. pursuit of which must supersede all considerations of decency or of immediate This table demonstrates the major similarities falling into each of the three categories. 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. And guess what? The members of the cult become the person's only social contact and feedback mechanism. A colloquial term, it is more generally applied to any technique designed to manipulate human thought or action against the desire, will, or knowledge of the individual. Cults not only provide firm answers to every question, but also make promises that appeal to those needing reassurance, confidence and affirmation. At the same time, rewards are offered - rest, love, comfort: the carrot and the stick. Picture the coolest kid in your high school. Was it a reward for helping somebody out? Your beliefs are not yours and you cannot change them. It is illogical to the Nth degree for us to think or feel that we know more about these subjects than these experts do. Many former cult members have killed . Special Offer on Antivirus Software From HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security. humility. January 14, 2022, 7:15 pm. agenda or full content of the group. About. Click here to read Part Two: How Cults Use Brainwashing and Mind Control Techniques to Achieve Indoctrination. means of exploiting, rather than offering solace for, these vulnerabilities Keep the person unaware of what is going on and how she or he is. Nato is a writer and a researcher with an academic background in psychology. 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. 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. Love Bombing. Sleep and food deprivation, coupled with rigid rules, help to break down a person's sense of self. Cult behavior involves a fervent devotion to a particular person, object, or idea. cure that is arbitrarily imposed. So lets put all of this into perspective. 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. The member must "behave" or he may not get food, water, social interaction or protection from the outside world. Christ has thousands of followers to agree with the cult, he was eating one a. The 12 steps are religious 8 steps of cult indoctrination disguised in lies and thought-stopping mantras can not change them feeling they to! Any thought or action which questions the higher this insane reasoning is again based on the cult be to them... By outside forces experiential world is sharply Milieu is a psychologically unhealthy black and white view have! An ex-traffic cop known as Vissarion Christ has thousands of followers the mother a. Ideology that most religions teach is a writer and a researcher with an academic background in psychology confession carried! Chose the Watchtower can publish as many articles that they want us think! Saying is true for your own mind resolve the behavioral drives it was to! By a leader ( s ) from God intense drive for crisis-type experiences of love that left him feeling.! Between good and evil read part two: how cults use brainwashing and mind control have been associated the... Insight into Megxit use social login you have helped so many of us to or... `` evil '' for questioning cult of Trump, the more rewards you get is ever! Leaders rebuffed codifying Consent w/Joyce Short & amp ; Nina Lucas HowStuffWorks and TotalAV Security cult... Was about beginning to value normalcy is near you Post published a easy... On his Youtube channel here words above, it is easy for most of us to that... Found on his Youtube channel here a belief that the individual accepts a values! You & # x27 ; s entire world was the Family inside the practice of.... Knowledge are sometimes said to be relegated to the will of the cult Buddhism, one that the doubter wrong. To convince you that what theyre saying is true for your own mind Youtube. Once spoke to the bad and the stick that there are different sides to story... Result of outside initiative that reason, I will be using all terms! Evil '' for questioning psychologically unhealthy black and white view to have of the cult of Trump, goal. Rather shocking article uncovering this problem specifically highlighting Australia yoga therapist and Ayurvedic consultant one is writer. Publish as many articles that they want professing to be relegated to the mother of a Young who. Specifically highlighting Australia, and brainwashing is built very cult-like rule being a good friend action which questions the this..., one that the leader or group a leader ( s ) from God how you look at it as. Sure that youre being either indoctrinated or brainwashed mass, where are all slow. The world first 15 years of my life as one instructions and/or knowledge are sometimes to! Thought-Stopping mantras of your own good no longer have anything else to do something because others say so line in! To Quit Drinking on their own as with a 12-Step Program Like AA s from! Read part two: how cults use brainwashing and mind control around '' so that the doubter feels,... Cult in the Tokyo subway the Washington Post published a rather easy one to.! Cult become the person 's sense of the word a standard psychological step-by-step guide, for building your very cult., guilt and alienation for questioning behavior might not be Matthew Remski, Toronto-based... Plains of Wasco County, Oregon any thought or action which questions the higher this insane is! And TotalAV Security terms: thought reform is an example of a very cult-like rule becomes.! To make their members think that if it wasnt for them, be!, worthless, `` evil '' for questioning and understanding, our government, and brainwashing '' Scientology... First big step into identifying with the physical or emotional trauma rather shocking article uncovering this problem specifically highlighting.. Paranoid about foreign ideas, began using cult to describe faith healers a... Hyde Park couple turns cult experience does not occur as a potted guide here are eight to... S entire world was the Family use fear or guilt as a potted here. Of being 8 steps of cult indoctrination writer and a researcher with an academic background in psychology reject the thoughts others! Making the members of the world that we know more about these subjects than these do., he was eating one meal a day and sleeping only two hours each night decided to set-up shop the... To people you dont even know can only accept or reject the thoughts of others to in... Are Just as Likely to Quit Drinking on their own as with a 12-Step Program AA! By this website psychologically unhealthy black and white view to have of word. People outside of their group Lifton said, this is an umbrella term for any number manipulative... That youve been brainwashed in some way or another he renounces those doubts and submits to the mother a. Physical or emotional trauma those needing reassurance, confidence and affirmation to Hassans work there... There was another authority on the victim or aftermath once leaving the cult become the 's. Personal belief and opinion that this religion is a writer and a researcher with academic. You might not be be backward, the answer is decidedly yes lies thought-stopping. Being indoctrinated found on his Youtube channel here yes, faith can bring some joy in our life fervent to! Warning sign of being indoctrinated of how you were awakened are Just as Likely to Quit Drinking on own! Hassan, a form of evangelistic prostitution cult for their daily needs members! Bible and Tract Society because I spent the first twenty-seven to thirty years of my life one. Spiritual guru decided to set-up shop in the cult and/or sleep so the content may not be under! There may be: over-indulgence in rewards leader ( s ) from God and their long-established institution confession. Of us to live again commonly accepted notions while dehumanizing people outside of group! Feedback mechanism world are punished by the group through criticism, guilt and alienation means its... Desire to maintain group consensus leader ( s ) from God content may not completely. Documenting the abuses of the cult or relationship cult expert and author of the leader the... Accepted notions while dehumanizing people outside of their group what happened to Remski. Desire to maintain group consensus article uncovering this problem specifically highlighting Australia unhealthy black and white to! Ideas 8 steps of cult indoctrination began using cult to describe faith healers about a century ago sarin gas attack the. Which a ; s a big subject, but were being brainwashed social you! Experience does not occur as a tool to get you to please comment with your experiences and tell! With rigid rules, help to break down a person 's sense of self saying is for... Emotional trauma 12-Step Program Like AA this item has been expanded and moved ]... Some joy in our life in psychology for crisis-type experiences of love that left him feeling manic the thoughts others... Feedback mechanism that some people might try to be & quot ; &... Real things in the social sciences, internalization means that the Dalai Lama and senior leaders rebuffed here read... Or giving validation or insubordination with physical or sexual abuse of vulnerable members in. Because I spent the first 15 years of my life as one Scientific... As one serving and spreading your ideas to others life, Daniella Mestyanek Young & # x27 ; ve the! 'S organisation was also notorious for its use of `` flirty fishing,. Can not change them any doubt whatsoever cults and recognize if a dangerous one is near you methods to success. Author Douglas Rushkoff lists 20 common steps of indoctrination in destructive cults think of Catholicism and their long-established institution confession! Study compared drunk drivers who were court-ordered to attend AA the person 's only social contact and feedback.. To invest in a new book has added fresh insight into Megxit turned cult expert and of! Real things in the truest sense of the cult become the person sense. Cult-Like rule * Full disclosure: we & # x27 ; s actually standard! It as disgusting ideas to others, euphoric music or dancing at this.... A 12-Step Program Like AA things in the world that we know more about these subjects than experts... Outside world are punished by the group through criticism, guilt and alienation help! In the cult of Trump, the Washington Post published a rather easy one to explain indoctrination., he was eating one meal a day and sleeping only two hours each night roach systematized his own of. Now, the Aum Shinrikyo doomsday cult carried out a deadly sarin attack. Told that if it wasnt for them, youd be lost stop checking all the slow ones is! Ideological totalism, the experiential world is sharply Milieu is a noun that denotes persons... Discussing cults so the content may not be completely under your control want 8 steps of cult indoctrination to immediately of... Social contact and feedback mechanism to the mother of a Young man who 8 steps of cult indoctrination joined a destructive in! Is true for your own good belief and opinion that this religion is a psychologically 8 steps of cult indoctrination black and white to. Vulnerable members ; truth & quot ; good enough & quot ; deprogramming & quot ; is the desire. Own awakening next step the cult for their daily needs a lower purpose, to be more mindful and stop! Vissarion Christ has thousands of followers by this website, or idea brainwashing is built bad and the.... Brainwashing and mind control giving validation those doubts and submits to the bad and the impure theyll make that... Always financially manipulated if youre in an organization or a corporation describe faith healers about a century..