actions which are consistent with the totalist ideology and policy; anything else The member may be pressured to publicly confess sins, after which he is viciously ridiculed by the group for being evil and unworthy. Codifying Consent w/Joyce Short & Nina Lucas. He is based in Los Angeles. They want us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices and that our decisions are controlled by outside forces. absolutely evil. 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. Lloyds video library is vast and extremely valuable to anyone that is mentally trapped inside of the Watchtower. Theyre just manipulating you. Cults may hide any signs of illegal, immoral or hyper-controlling practices until the recruit has fully immersed himself in the group. 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. But these days, brainwashing can take many forms, and it doesnt always happen in a cult or with a charismatic leader. Why? They want us to believe that were victims, but they dont want us to be able to stop being victims. Was it a reward for spending time with your family and friends? You enjoy receiving various types of rewards. This is the whole point of a cult. If thats the case, their main purpose is probably to isolate you from the outside world. The final step is vital. The most basic feature of the thought reform environmentis the control of human communication. If Will Allen's documentary, Holy Hell, teaches us one thing, it's that there's no easy answer. A belief that the leader is right at all times. Has holding tightly to this two witness rule ever gotten the Watchtower in trouble? If this is the case, then youre probably being indoctrinated. Have you ever been told that you have to do something because others say so? 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. Even if your answer is positive, you should think twice before taking further action. Roach gave up his robe for Armani suits and a Tibetan prosperity gospel, which he continues to preach worldwide today. This is usually done by making you feel guilty. Which brings us to the seventh step. Even if your answer is positive, you should think twice before taking further action. Are you really in charge of your actions? So many people have had their lives completely destroyed from Watchtower covering up these crimes. Do you entirely understand the meaning of the word internalization? 16 There is little non-group leisure time or vacation time away. on Facebook, Share How Do People Become Indoctrinated Into Cults? They will do anything they can to make you feel guilty and make you feel like youre a bad person if you dont follow the cults rules and values. 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. Because your behavior might not be completely under your control. The members of the cult become the person's only social contact and feedback mechanism. The goal may be to make them. Then, lets get a clearer idea of what indoctrination truly is. Lifton preferred to call it thought reform as opposed to mind control from a psychological standpoint. 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. Shutting down your dissent by threatening to withhold the prize By this point, the sell becomes a little harder. In a classic deprogramming scenario, a cult member is physically abducted and held at a secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home. Many former cult members have killed . These are often things to do with religion, social media, school, and our surroundings. There are religions lead by "charismatics" and cults lead by dullards. Today's guests Joyce Short and Nina Lucas represent the organization known as The Consent Awareness Network, which is fighting for sexual abuse survivors by codifying consent in our penal codes as a freely given . Theres something about the peak experience and the drive towards it that is a sign of something brokenthe simplicity of daily rhythm is not enough because you were just not able to enjoy it. 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. 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. He called his commune Rajneeshpuram. This is where it all starts. All is forgotten. Access to necessities depends on the leader's favor. This is a central doctrine of their belief system. Increasingly, groups use the internet. 5. Learn about a non-12 step solution with proven results. Youre part of a group thats special, destined, blessedyou feel complete. The recruit must see smiling, friendly, happy people - a living advertisement. Studies show talk therapy works, but experts disagree about how it does so. Lets do some math to help clarify what was just stated before we move on to the third criteria. 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. Cults often try to make their members feel guilty if they decide to leave the cult. STEP ONE: IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL RECRUIT You'd expect the focus to be on troubled youngsters, but many groups. Cult tactics include inducing fears and phobias (strong, irrational fears) in group members to allow the leadership to maintain control. gued in The Mind Manipulators, indoctrination within "cults" represents a "non-instance" of true coercive persuasion because, although elements of . So this is the process of my research this week! Christianity was once a cult, as was Islam. She investigates self-compassion, emotional intelligence, psychological well-being, and the ways people make decisions. Once all ties to the outside world have been cut, the member feels like his only family is the group, and he has nowhere else to go. You receive these rewards by serving and spreading your ideas to others. 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"). Have you been told that if it wasnt for them, youd be lost? Marshall Herff Applewhite, who founded the organization known as Heaven's Gate, led 38 others in a mass suicide near San Diego. Do you have to attend their retreats and seminars on a regular basis? A cult answers to no one. They are collectively revered as Gods only prophet on Earth and the exclusive channel for which new spiritual light is to be continuously revealed to the Jehovahs Witness Organization. Doctor Lifton decoded the tactics that were used by the Chinese to completely reform a persons thoughts, practically changing who the person was so drastically that they became unrecognizable to who they used to be. Its similar to the multiple factors and perspectives that people come through in developing their adulation for Donald Trump. Writing about recent trends in the movie industry is her other hobby, alongside music, art, culture, and social influences. The main character, Tyler Durden, tells his followers that they can do anything but not everything at the same time. 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. What was the last thing you got for your devotion? Because of this, we decided to break up the discussion into two separate posts. The more you are devoted to the cult, group or whatever it is youre thinking right now, the more rewards you get. You instinctually know this. 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. 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. 15 The internet serves as a 24/7 indoctrination tool for mind controllers to keep members fully committed. 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 expression 'drinking the Kool-Aid' is a grim reference to this tragedy. Some even work on the principle that 'two heads are better . Project MKUltra secretly experimented with "mind control" techniques, dosing people with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) without their consent. Those in power distribute rewards for "good" behavior and . Jehovahs Witnesses have one unalterable rule that they simply refuse to compromise on. You can only accept or reject the thoughts of others. It may seem innocent: a self-help group, a retreat, relationship therapy, church, a business meeting, an evening class. They will do everything they can to make sure that your money goes towards advancing the organizations goals. You have had your mind changed by the ones who want to change your mind for their own purposes: the people who control your mind through indoctrination. "Unless they . Many religions, spiritual teachings and philosophies use the 12 Steps. Follow. THANK YOU!!! Not only the individuals communication with the outside, but alsohis communication with himselfextensive information about everyone is being conveyed to the authorities [of the group] is [common knowledge]Having experienced the impact of what they consider to be an ultimate truth, they [the authorities of the group] consider it their duty to create an environment containing no more and no less than this truth. [The group member] is deprived of the combination of external information and inner reflection which anyone requires to test the realities of his environment and to maintain a measure of identity separate from it. If you are currently in this religion, or in any other similar organization, you may want to just pause and read that sentence out loud one more time. Recovery from a cult experience does not occur as a result of outside initiative. In the thought reform milieu, He outlined several ways to identify cults. For the first 15 years of her life, Daniella Mestyanek Young's entire world was The Family. 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. But, Remski continues. They call it the two witness rule. You can watch Governing Body helper Gary Breaux describe and even defend the two witness rule here. Guilt is . 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. The cult leader can then use these statements to shame individual members publicly. To Create Your Very Own Cult Begin by creating your own reality. Get counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. Signs of Indoctrination. "Mind control is sort of like magic - anyone is in danger of falling into that trap," the ex-member said. 209 Episodes. Heres a look at the Civil War work of Mathew Brady. Copyright 2007-2023 & BIG THINK, BIG THINK PLUS, SMARTER FASTER trademarks owned by Freethink Media, Inc. All rights reserved. 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. Emphasizing special doctrines outside scripture 4. Perhaps it has done the same to you? The similarities between cults and being in love with a narcissist fall into three basic categories: the people involved. Brainwashing:: Cult leaders are known to repeat various lies and distortions until members find it difficult to distinguish between reality and cult life. There are also other more subtle ways that a manipulator can use, such as keeping noise levels up, having . 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 . She dreams to create an uplifting documentary one day, inspired by her experiences with strangers. Nato Lagidze 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. The truth is youre the one whos in charge of your actions. 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. For others, it's a perpetually stressful existence. One can be punished for contradicting their values and beliefs. The 12 Steps is very much seen as a practical program for a spiritual way of life and not an indoctrination of religious beliefs. At the time of this writing, Doctor Lifton is still alive and well. Share. IndoctriNation. 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. Sleep and food deprivation, coupled with rigid rules, help to break down a person's sense of self. 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. A parishioner regularly goes to the confession booth to confess their sins to the Father behind the cold metal divider, gets the assignment of how many Hail Marys to utter that will atone their sins, and the person goes on with their day. human welfare. Cults are dangerous because they typically rely on . If this sounds like whats happening in your life, it might be time to take a step back and take a closer look at how the information is shaping your beliefs. His steps are quoted in italics with my comments included below each step. Just make sure it's positive, good, and harmless. Buddhists, Muslims, Christians and Agnostics all practice it as a means of recovery. Was it a reward for doing something you enjoyed doing? But you know what? In psychology, we call it the effect of groupthink. Lets repeat that one more time for clarity. 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. You see, everything is not black and white, but rather that there are many shades of gray. Are you really in charge of your actions? A healthy endocannabinoid system is critical to the human bodys immune functions. Osho had big dreams. A cult member's sense of self is systematically destroyed. 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. Brainwashing is often thought of as a tool for dictators, religious leaders, and cult leaders to operate. Step five is tougher. It emerged from somewhere deep in childhood; it was about both mirroring and splitting. Groups try to make their members internalize their values. Its okay to get rewarded. This leader then informs the members. The member must "behave" or he may not get food, water, social interaction or protection from the outside world. At the same time, rewards are offered - rest, love, comfort: the carrot and the stick. Derek Beres is working on his new book,Whole Motion: Training Your Brain and Body For Optimal Health(Carrel/Skyhorse, Spring 2017). 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