Even the most intense religious indoctrination can be overcome. For Steven Hassan, a former Moonie turned cult expert and author of The Cult of Trump, the answer is decidedly yes. 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 To be clear, the term cult was initially used for a ritual actcultus comes from Latin, meaning worship. Throughout the world the word is still used to cite a religious group. We encourage you to please comment with your experiences and even tell your story of how you were awakened. In Scientology, this is accomplished through a rigorous process of indoctrination through written and tape-recorded materials. If you notice yourself becoming increasingly devoted to any type of group, then its time for you to take a step back and get your mind checked for any signs of brainwashing. One last priceless resource that should be recognized is the work of jwfacts.com. 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. humility. Just make sure it's positive, good, and harmless. Please copy/paste the following text to properly cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Julia Layton So this is the process of my research this week! 2. At the time of this writing, Doctor Lifton is still alive and well. Admit it. becoming a cult in itself. Then, lets get a clearer idea of what indoctrination truly is. And if someone doesnt agree with something that he reads in your favorite news source, he may feel angry or sad. In the social sciences, internalization means that the individual accepts a groups values and norms. You may or may not be aware of the global epidemic that is spreading of countless former members of the organization coming out with severe accusations of covered up crimes of child molestation, occurring inside of the organization all over the world. 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. Its pretty simple. The more you are devoted to the cult, group or whatever it is youre thinking right now, the more rewards you get. That's a big subject, but as a potted guide here are eight steps to mind control. Author Douglas Rushkoff lists 20 common steps of indoctrination in destructive cults. In reading Liftons words above, it is easy for most of us to immediately think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of Confession. 9. She dreams to create an uplifting documentary one day, inspired by her experiences with strangers. Cults may keep new recruits from talking to other new recruits. Thats because groups are very good at making their members obey their rules and norms. A cult member's sense of self is systematically destroyed. A cascade of affection, support and approval poured over the recruit. So, dont forget to keep track of your actions to avoid being brainwashed. Such demands are made possible not only by This is the whole point of a cult. 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. 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. The following techniques are currently being used and enforced all over our world as you read these words. That is, they try to make people believe in their values and beliefs so that they will no longer have doubts about them. 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. In the Siberian mountains an ex-traffic cop known as Vissarion Christ has thousands of followers. Seeking a sense of purpose or a substitute family factor in. The more isolated a person, the more likely they are to invest in a new belief system. They want us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices and that our decisions are controlled by outside forces. These are often things to do with religion, social media, school, and our surroundings. They teach ideology that goes against commonly accepted notions while dehumanizing people outside of their group. Are you really willing to give your money to people you dont even know? If that group has some, to borrow a term from Alan Watts, inside dope, then in your mind its not a cult at all. This is an example of a very cult-like rule. Thats how you can avoid being indoctrinated. Have you found yourself being asked to do things that you feel are stupid? Signs of Indoctrination. 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. This is done by making the members rely on the cult for their daily needs. That is a living leader, who has no. This will make this information more reachable online to those that may be seeking help in regards to escaping a cult. Jehovahs Witnesses have one unalterable rule that they simply refuse to compromise on. Prior to Hassans work, there was another authority on the subject that I personally give credit to for my own awakening. We owe this to ourselves to question everything. How do you feel when you read your favorite news source? There's even one in Australia. The 12-step method was co-founded in 1939 by Bill Wilson (with Robert Smith) after, he claimed, God had visited him in a "flash of light" during a stay in hospital. On the evening of the 18th November 1978, Jim Jones persuaded his followers to drink a punch laced with cyanide. 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. 8) separation of existence - members of the group have the right to life and existence, the rest ones - don't have it, i.e. Lloyds video library is vast and extremely valuable to anyone that is mentally trapped inside of the Watchtower. There are cults that are tax-free and religions that are not. Every religion that I researched had an absolute line drawn in the sand, between good and evil. 1. 6 replies to The Steps of Indoctrination. Inside of the Jehovahs Witnesses religion, the elders in each local congregation are to be informed of almost all sins. Instructions and/or knowledge are sometimes said to be received by a leader (s) from God. Most of us are familiar with the classic definition of brainwashing: an attempt to control a persons beliefs and behavior using psychological techniques. Since then it has taken on a negative meaning, essentially reserved for any ideology I dont subscribe to.. An ex-member told the Japan Times that he took part in a gruelling, 10-day "madness" camp. The control Jones held is far from unique among the leaders of destructive cults and new religions. Cults mislead new recruits/members as to the true expectations and activities of the group. He is based in Los Angeles. 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. Answer (1 of 3): "Deprogramming" implies an outside initiative. Lets repeat that one more time for clarity. About. Theyll make sure that youll no longer have anything else to do except go to their meetings and attend their seminars. Some groups ask their members to wait for years before they learn the entire creed. Here are the four steps to getting sucked into a cult. makes it virtually impossible to attain a reasonable balance between worth and If this is the case, then Im sure that youre being either indoctrinated or brainwashed. Pure and impure. Do you feel uncertain about whether your beliefs belong entirely to you or not? my religion or organization use this technique? cure that is arbitrarily imposed. 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. You can only accept or reject the thoughts of others. 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 rule is very cult-like because its very confusing, and it also contradicts itself. This means that its quite possible that you may not even realize that youve been brainwashed in some way or another. Isnt it something fascist authorities used to do? Episodes. Please take a minute and read about this on nbcnews.com. Cults appeal to our in-group mentality. 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. Does this make sense to you? 10 possible signs of ideological indoctrination 1) Your behavior isn't controlled entirely by you Be honest. Cults may hide any signs of illegal, immoral or hyper-controlling practices until the recruit has fully immersed himself in the group. But even with good intentions, if a group or organization that you belong to is made up of the following defined criteria, then it is absolutely using brainwashing mind control techniques to indoctrinate you. I was born and raised in a religious cult. Increasingly, groups use the internet. I was in 4th grade. Cults mislead new recruits/members as to the true expectations and activities of the group. Groups like ISIS don't use just violence to get their messages across, they use psychological techniques to recruit and keep members. The inevitable next step But wait a minute. It's also known as "thought reform," "brainwashing" and "coercive persuasion," and it involves the systematic breakdown of a person's sense of self. 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. . There are currently about 7,600,000,000 humans living on the earth right now. For birth to death, life is simply one lesson after another. Lacey Wood says: January 24, 2022 at 8:19 am. 13 April 2006. He called his commune Rajneeshpuram. We also highly recommend looking into Doctor Robert Jay Liftons work or Steven Hassans work, which can both be found on Amazon in the links provided. The most basic feature of the thought reform environmentis the control of human communication. 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. 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. 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 . the effects on the victim or aftermath once leaving the cult or relationship. 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. Mr. Liftonif somehow you manage to read this article, I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to you. You see, everything is not black and white, but rather that there are many shades of gray. All is forgotten. Words and experiences can be so powerful and so helpful. means of exploiting, rather than offering solace for, these vulnerabilities The leader typically controls every minute of a member's waking time. 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 . Because your behavior might not be completely under your control. Osho had big dreams. Rigid rules and rituals may be introduced. And guess what? Yes, there's actually a standard psychological step-by-step guide, for building your very own cult. environment They [the group] are the agents chosen (by history, by God, or You do this by keeping your members away from outsiders. Remember, the whole point of this website and this global conversation is for all of us to work together and help each other. MY FIVE-STEP GUIDE TO CRAFTING A CULT. Guilt is . In November of 2016, The Washington Post published a rather shocking article uncovering this problem specifically highlighting Australia. Love Bombing. Some groups use meditation, mind-numbing chanting, euphoric music or dancing at this stage. "Mind control is sort of like magic - anyone is in danger of falling into that trap," the ex-member said. If you buy through links on this page, we may earn a small commission. One described how each acid trip took her farther and farther away from reality, until she could believe anything at all. by some other supernatural force) to carry out the mystical imperative, the The ensuing information is not for the faint at heart to consider. Directory of Cult Recovery Resources. You cant choose for yourself whether or not you believe in their beliefs because theyre telling you that its right for your life. The final step is vital. Sometimes people might even do it to themselves. It is my personal belief and opinion that this religion is a cult in the truest sense of the word. Youve heard of Darwins finches. The technique described here is actually a pretty common one used by many religious groups around the world. Sleep and food deprivation, coupled with rigid rules, help to break down a person's sense of self. Invite them to come along again, and again, until they're a part of the family. We may think we're too savvy for such manipulation, but a recruiting group can be a finetuned operation. But, Remski continues. 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. And this is an effective way of controlling people. Thats why they try to make their members think that if it wasnt for them, theyd be lost. Click here to read Part Two: How Cults Use Brainwashing and Mind Control Techniques to Achieve Indoctrination. Get counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. Follow. 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. Judaism, Buddhism, the countless local faiths now lumped under the term Hinduismall cults. If Will Allen's documentary, Holy Hell, teaches us one thing, it's that there's no easy answer. There are cults that are huge and religions that are small. I chose The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society because I spent the first twenty-seven to thirty years of my life as one. They might use fear or guilt as a tool to get you to believe their message. For one thing, military recruits know from day one that being in the military means giving up some of their autonomy -- that's how the military hierarchy works. Because of this, we decided to break up the discussion into two separate posts. But these days, brainwashing can take many forms, and it doesnt always happen in a cult or with a charismatic leader. 1. Indoctrination or "brainwashing" is the process through which a . 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. It will only happen when they are personally re. You must use their methods to achieve success or happiness. Because this goal must serve as the "illuminated eye" of the pyramid, it cannot be attainable. This problem is not new to Jehovahs Witnesses. Milieu is a noun that denotes a persons social environment. They call it the two witness rule. You can watch Governing Body helper Gary Breaux describe and even defend the two witness rule here. But remember: if youre still not convinced that youve been brainwashed, then its probably because your mind has been changed without your permission. Have a structured central bureaucracy. Modern day experts such as Steven Hassan have done the same. Have you ever had to spend all your time with people who are in a specific group? Physical abuse. A belief that the leader is right at all times. It is illogical to the Nth degree for us to think or feel that we know more about these subjects than these experts do. Special Knowledge. Do you have to attend their retreats and seminars on a regular basis? A spiritual guru decided to set-up shop in the high plains of Wasco County, Oregon. Once you say what you feel out loud, that becomes part of your identity. Was it a reward for spending time with your family and friends? 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. These methods include persuasion, deception, and pressuring us to do what they want. The next step the cult will take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences. For that, we can follow a convenient eight step process. Seeking inappropriate. If youre a massless particle, you must always move at light speed. It took me a very long time to completely reprogram my heart and my critical thinking techniques. (Remski documents Roachs journey exceptionally here.). purpose is considered to be stimulated by a lower purpose, to be backward, And if thats the case, then chances are youre being indoctrinated. Theyre just manipulating you. There are religions lead by "charismatics" and cults lead by dullards. **Full disclosure: We're discussing cults so the content may not be. Its amazing how the average person is brainwashed without them even knowing it. 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. This is a central doctrine of their belief system. The 12 steps are religious indoctrination disguised in lies and thought-stopping mantras. The ex-member said that, we 8 steps of cult indoctrination to break up the discussion into two separate posts rewards.: an attempt to control a persons beliefs and behavior using psychological techniques earn small. Cite this HowStuffWorks.com article: Julia Layton so this is a noun that denotes a beliefs. A substitute family factor in outside initiative school, and pressuring us to work together and help other! Remski hollow, vacant, setting him up for indoctrination under Roachs care to avoid being brainwashed these... 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