2. Cult (totalist type)
A group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion
or dedication to some person, idea, or thing and employing
unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control
(e.g., isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use
of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience,
powerful group pressures, information management, suspension
of individuality or critical judgment, promotion of total
dependency on the group and fear of leaving it, etc.), designed to
advance the goals of the group’s leaders, to the actual or possible
detriment of members, their families, or the community.
West & Langone, 1986, pp. 119-120
3. cult , n.
1. a) A religion or religious sect generally considered to
be extremist or false, with its followers often living in an
unconventional manner under the guidance of an authoritarian,
charismatic leader. b) The followers of such a religion or sect.
2. A system or community of religious worship and ritual.
3. The formal means of expressing religious reverence;
religious ceremony and ritual.
4. A usually nonscientic method or regimen claimed by its
originator to have exclusive or exceptional power in curing a
particular disease.
5. a) Obsessive, especially faddish, devotion to or veneration
for a person, principle, or thing. b) The object of such devotion.
6. An exclusive group of persons sharing an esoteric, usually
artistic or intellectual interest.
Source: The American Heritage® Dictionary of the English Language, Third Edition
4. “Brainwashing” has become almost a household word in the last
three decades or so. In 1961, Robert J. Lifton wrote the definitive book on the
subject, Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism, after studying
the effects of mind control on American prisoners of war under the
Communist Chinese.
Marks of a Mind Control Cult
Milieu Control Mystical Manipulation
"Milieu" is a French word meaning In religious cults, God is ever-present in the workings of
“surroundings; environment.” Cults are the organization. If a person leaves for any reason, accidents
able to control the environment around or ill-will that may befall them are always attributed to God's
their recruits in a number of ways, but punishment on them. For the faithful, the angels are always said
almost always using a form of isolation. Recruits to be working, and stories circulate about how God is truly doing
can be physically separated from society, or they can be warned marvelous things among them, because they are "the truth." The
under threat of punishment to stay away from the world's organization is therefore given a certain “mystique" that is quite
educational media, especially when it might provoke critical alluring to the new recruit.
thinking. Any books, movies or testimonies of ex-members of the
group, or even anyone critical of the group in any way are to
be avoided. Demand for Purity
Information is carefully kept on each recruit by the mother
organization. All are watched, lest they fall behind or get too far The world is depicted as black and white with little room for
ahead of the thinking of the organization. Because it appears that making personal decisions based on a trained conscience. One's
the organization knows so much about everything and everyone, conduct is modeled after the ideology of the group, as taught in
they appear omniscient in the eyes of the recruits. its literature. People and organizalons are pictured as either good
or evil, depending on their relationship to the cult.
Universal tendencies of guilt and shame are used to control
Doctrine Over Person individuals, even after they leave. There is great difficulty
in understanding the complexities of human morality, since
Human experience is subordinated to doctrine, no matter how everything is polarized and over-simplified. All things classified
profound or contradictory such experiences seem. The history of as evil are to be avoided, and purity is attainable through
the cult is altered to fit their doctrinal logic. The person is only immersion into the cult's ideology.
valuable insomuch as they conform to the role models of the cult.
Commonsense perceptions are disregarded if they are hostile to
the cult's ideology.
The Cult of Confession
Loading the Language Serious sins (as defined by the organization) are to be
confessed immediately. The members are to be reported if found
walking contrary to the rules.
Lifton explains the prolific use of "thought-terminating
There is often a tendency to derive pleasure from self-
cliches," expressions or words that are designed to end the
degradation through confession. This occurs when all must
conversation or controversy. We are all familiar with the use
confess their sins before each other regularly, creating an intense
of the cliches "capitalist" and "imperialist," as used by antiwar
kind of “oneness" within the group. It also allows leaders from
demonstrators in the 60's. Such cliches are easily memorized and
within to exercise authority over the weaker ones, using their
readily expressed.
"sins" as a whip to lead them on.
They are called the "language of non-thought," since the
discussion is terminated, not allowing further consideration. The "Sacred Science"
Dispension of Existence The cult's ideology becomes the ultimate moral vision for
the ordering of human existence. The ideology is too “sacred"
The cult decides who has the "right" to exist and who does not. to call into question, and a reverence is demanded for the
They decide who will perish in the final battle of good over evil. leadership. The cult's ideology makes an exaggerated claim for
The leaders decide which history books are accurate and which possessing airtight logic, making it appear as absolute truth with
are biased. Families can be cut off and outsiders can be deceived, no contradictions. Such an attractive system offers security.
for they are not fit to exist!
5. Cult Techniques of Coercive Persuasion
ISOLATION Recruits are isolated from GUILT Guilt is used endlessly to force
society and from contact with opposing points members to work harder and without relief.
of view to prevent critical judgment. Guilt about mankind’s sorry state and the
PEER GROUP PRESSURE Recruits member’s personal ‘sins’ are used as levers to
doubt their own convictions when everyone force acceptance of ‘holier’ beliefs.
around them acts totally convinced of other FEAR Physical and spiritual fear are
beliefs. constantly injected to maintain group loyalty.
LOVE BOMBING A beguiling sense The slightest negative thought is held to be
of belonging is contrived through flattery, soul threatening. Tragic contaquences for self
touching, hugging. and family are prophesied for anyone leaving
the group.
REMOVAL OF PRIVACY One is
never left alone to think through and sort out CHANTING AND SINGING
possibly confusing new experiences. Constant repetition of mind-narrowing chants
block rational thought and induces a quasi-
SLEEP DEPRIVATION AND hypnotic state of high susceptibility.
FATIGUE Adequate sleep it prevented, CHILDLIKE DEPENDENCE is
work hours are excessive over long periods
promated by denying opportunities for normal
of time, making members vulnerable and
decision-making.
disoriented.
NO QUESTIONS are allowed. Blind
GAMES Playing strenuous games with acceptance is mandatory.
confusing rules builds increasing dependence
on group leaders for correct answers, thus DRESS Conformity in drest removes one’s
undermining the member’s decision-making individuality and promotes disorientation.
skills. ELITISM Only the group is righteous:
INDOCTRINATION Members are everyone else it satanic, or at best misguided.
conditioned to stop thinking and to accept REPLACEMENT OF
without question the ‘revealed truths’ from the RELATIONSHIPS is promoted by
‘master.’ Fatigue prevents the members from sabotaging communication between members
seeing the contradictions. and families. Cult-arranged marriages further
CONFESSION Recruits are maneuvered disrupt previous ties.
into sharing innermost secrets. This helps REJECTION OF OLD VALUES Old
destroy personal egos, induces them to buy life values are constantly denounced to make
the new ‘truths.’ Later any escape possibilities them seem worse than they were.
are compromised by the knowledge that these
exaggerated secrets may be revealed.
FINANCIAL COMMITMENT
Members burn their bridges to the real world
CHANGE OF DIET Omission of by donating earnings, savings, cars and other
nutrients increases susceptibility to assets to the cult, thereby limiting escape
manipulation of one’s emotional ‘highs’ and possibilities for lack of money to start over
‘lows.’ again.
