For an example of this, look no further than feminism. Thats how you can avoid being indoctrinated. This is the whole point of a cult. 16 There is little non-group leisure time or vacation time away. Over the years, weve taken on a lot of new ideologies that change what we think and feel. Heres a look at the Civil War work of Mathew Brady. A woman born into David Berg's Children of God recalled this technique as a "wave of peace and love". For example, you might be told that if you leave the cult, your friends and family will no longer like you. Charles Manson was said to be giving his followers large doses of LSD. "How Cults Work" 1. A cult answers to no one. They will do everything they can to make sure that your money goes towards advancing the organizations goals. 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. Do others think the same way as well? Lets repeat that one more time for clarity. Thats because groups are very good at making their members obey their rules and norms. We will be using the organization Jehovahs Witnesses as a case study. Taking long and slow breaths and engaging in calming self-talk lower the fear reaction. 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. The expression 'drinking the Kool-Aid' is a grim reference to this tragedy. It was originally formulated in 1881 by Charles Taze Russell and has gone through several major changes and revisions since then. They've abandoned comfortable lives to live self-sufficiently in harsh conditions, revering their teacher. You do this by keeping your members away from outsiders. Remski does not like the question as it focuses on the potential psychological flaws or moral failures of the initiate. Such demands are made possible not only by You see, everything is not black and white, but rather that there are many shades of gray. The final step is vital. coverage. I would like to take this opportunity to thank him. has not committed, to sinfulness that is artificially induced, in the name of a He couldnt understand the everyday was nutritiousthe mundane and banal provide all that we need. 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. Here you'll find all collections you've created before. This leader then informs the members. 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. on Facebook, Share How Do People Become Indoctrinated Into Cults? humility. If youre a massless particle, you must always move at light speed. Do you consider yourself rational? by Because this goal must serve as the "illuminated eye" of the pyramid, it cannot be attainable. (Remski documents Roachs journey exceptionally here.). 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. STEP ONE: IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL RECRUIT You'd expect the focus to be on troubled youngsters, but many groups. More Episodes Redacted Conversation His studies and research led him to the point where he was able to break it down into levels of severity and compartmentalize the whole process of actually controlling someones mind. 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. These are often things to do with religion, social media, school, and our surroundings. If this is the case, then its yet another warning sign of being controlled by a cult. Admit it. Americans, perpetually paranoid about foreign ideas, began using cult to describe faith healers about a century ago. 15 The internet serves as a 24/7 indoctrination tool for mind controllers to keep members fully committed. We may think we're too savvy for such manipulation, but a recruiting group can be a finetuned operation. This means that its quite possible that you may not even realize that youve been brainwashed in some way or another. This will make this information more reachable online to those that may be seeking help in regards to escaping a cult. agenda or full content of the group. Cult tactics include inducing fears and phobias (strong, irrational fears) in group members to allow the leadership to maintain control. 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. Usually, group indoctrination and self-indoctrination sessions demand many hours of members' lives. For birth to death, life is simply one lesson after another. Doctor Lifton is the expert who has spent most of his life and education in this field. The cult leader can then use these statements to shame individual members publicly. Just make sure it's positive, good, and harmless. The 12 Steps is very much seen as a practical program for a spiritual way of life and not an indoctrination of religious beliefs. Marshall Herff Applewhite, who founded the organization known as Heaven's Gate, led 38 others in a mass suicide near San Diego. Do you feel angry, sad, or happy? 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. Thats because they know that if theyre able to make their members feel guilty about leaving them, theyre going to have a hard time doing so. 1. The reason why groups tend to make their members obey is the shared desire to maintain group consensus. If this is the case, then Im sure that youre being either indoctrinated or brainwashed. As Lifton said, this is the basic foundation on which a system of indoctrination and brainwashing is built. Although living your life based on absolute back and white reasoning may give you a measure of security feeling that you have all the answers, it can also cut you off from the complexity and richness of life. One described how each acid trip took her farther and farther away from reality, until she could believe anything at all. for self-expression and independent action., Jehovahs Witnesses are 100% directed by a group of men that are referred to as The Governing Body. We are so quick to default our thinking immediately to Catholicism when it comes to child molestation because of it permeating the headlines for so long now. that he participate actively in the manipulation of otherswhatever his 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. They may punish you for contradicting their values. Youre part of a group thats special, destined, blessedyou feel complete. Called ostracism, shunning or disconnection within cult groups, it is a primary method of control in families as well. (Photo by Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images), Share How Do People Become Indoctrinated Into Cults? If this is the case, then youre probably being indoctrinated. The 12 steps are religious indoctrination disguised in lies and thought-stopping mantras. For example, a cult may take all the money you make and then demand that you give it to them, or else theyll destroy your business and make your work for free for the rest of your life. They might use fear or guilt as a tool to get you to believe their message. 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. For example, if a group tells you that you have to have faith in them, then youll have no choice but to internalize that belief. Berg's organisation was also notorious for its use of "flirty fishing", a form of evangelistic prostitution. 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 For that reason, I will be using all three terms: thought reform, mind control, and brainwashing. Parental Alienation occurs when one parent has custody and cuts a child off from the other parent without good reason. Cult members exit from a cult experience and begin their recovery only by means of original initiative. "Aum made it seem like you were free to make choices but, in reality, you were being guided toward those choices.". 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 goal may be to make them. The leader may punish doubt or insubordination with physical or emotional trauma. 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. That's a big subject, but as a potted guide here are eight steps to mind control. Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password. Followers feeling they are never able to be "good enough". I'm talking about the absurdly good . 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). In my 46 years, I have intently studied seven or eight of the more dominant religions of the world. Bringing all of this back to my mind has currently silenced me on the subject. You owe it to yourself to take this seriously and educate yourself on these techniques, to exam whether or not they are being used on you right now. 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 . Many cults have compounds or other places where they require members to stay, ensuring that the cult has total control over every aspect of their lives. Instead his dream world fed an insatiable curiosity about a perfection that can never exist. the features of the group or relationship. Do you entirely understand the meaning of the word internalization? Paranoia: To maintain a false sense of comfort, cults often rely on paranoia tactics. So many people have had their lives completely destroyed from Watchtower covering up these crimes. Because your behavior might not be completely under your control. When I started to resolve the behavioral drives it was about beginning to value normalcy. selfish, and petty in the face of the great overriding mission This requires But most psychologists believe that cult brainwashing techniques, which are similar to techniques used in prisoner interrogation, do change a person's thought processes. Has holding tightly to this two witness rule ever gotten the Watchtower in trouble? Groups can form around almost anything. Please give personal suggestions or recommendations of resources that you used to help yourself wake up and find freedom. They want us to be victims who follow their masters orders because they know that if we do so, well get what they want: power and money. Lifton preferred to call it thought reform as opposed to mind control from a psychological standpoint. 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. 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. 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. Author Douglas Rushkoff lists 20 common steps of indoctrination in destructive cults. A cult member's sense of self is systematically destroyed. The assumption underlying total exposure is the environments claim to total Mr. Liftonif somehow you manage to read this article, I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to you. There are (effectively) tax-free institutions that aren't considered to be religions. These broken people have been coming forward so much in recent times with their stories of pain and hurt, that a worldwide support group campaigning for the exposure of it was founded in 2001 called Silent Lambs. 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. Project MKUltra secretly experimented with "mind control" techniques, dosing people with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) without their consent. 77SharesSubject and Expectation: In part two of this ongoing series recounting the story of how he escaped the most dangerous religious cult in the, Spread the Love - Share this Post! And thats fine. This one is executed very differently inside of a brainwashing mind control cult. I felt that he was like me, but fifteen or twenty years older. Or do they disagree with what they read in your favorite news source? The members of the cult become the person's only social contact and feedback mechanism. Get counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. 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? People are indoctrinated every day in all sorts of ways. By morning almost a thousand members of the People's Temple had died, many of them children. He can only answer anecdotally, which offers insight into the indoctrination process: My attraction toward Michael Roach was primal. In the social sciences, internalization means that the individual accepts a groups values and norms. Ultimately, feelings of worthlessness and "evil" become associated with independence and critical thinking, and feelings of warmth and love become associated with unquestioning submission. Reduce autonomy, induce dependency. 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. Was it a reward for being nice to somebody? human welfare. Who was the father of American photojournalism? Written down, the signs seem clear: 1. Any special talents the member has are immediately devalued and criticized in order to confuse the member's sense of self-worth. 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. Many former cult members have killed . "Most cults are extremely small and very deliberately try to to stay under the radar," Eichel told "48 Hours" correspondent Peter Van Sant. Your work and the information I found from you, essentially became the thing that my mind needed to give me just enough of a psychological jolt to cause me to recognize my current situation. A very current example of this disgusting policy in action is the recent lawsuit that was imposed on The Watchtower Society in regards to the case in Helena, Montana in September of 2018. Thats what real groups tend to do in real life. by some other supernatural force) to carry out the mystical imperative, the Showing great attention and love to a person in the group by others in the group, to help transfer emotional dependence to the group. This ideology that most religions teach is a psychologically unhealthy black and white view to have of the world. Writing about recent trends in the movie industry is her other hobby, alongside music, art, culture, and social influences. Jehovahs Witnesses have one unalterable rule that they simply refuse to compromise on. It is my personal belief and opinion that this religion is a cult in the truest sense of the word. This suppression is supported by the rituals and practices of the . Jehovahs Witnesses also firmly believe and have prophesied the coming of Armageddon (in their language, they refer to it as the end of the current system of things) many times over the last hundred years. Judaism, Buddhism, the countless local faiths now lumped under the term Hinduismall cults. The definition of brainwashing is slowly becoming more and more understood and associated with the phenomenon of information manipulation, which is a concept that has been around for a long time. Even though the Watchtower Organization will be used as a case study in our discussion, what we hope you take away is how to understand and use what Lifton has clarified down to a science for questioning and challenging your own religious faith. Lacey Wood says: January 24, 2022 at 8:19 am. Pure and impure. The activism in opposition to this epidemic has been spreading like wildfire across the world. (EMMANUEL DUNAND/AFP/Getty Images) Picking the. At the time of this writing, Doctor Lifton is still alive and well. 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. The member's confidence in all previously trusted social . 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 . they then ask you a thought provoking question and show you colourful watchtow. 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. For example, do you have to go to their meetings every week? Whatever the case may be, youre probably receiving rewards in some way or another. Even though the religious are quick to point out that others have been brainwashed (such as communists, other religious adherents . 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. Records, books, articles, or programs documenting the abuses of the leader or group. But is there such a thing as too much of a good thing? He called himself Osho. That is, they try to make people believe in their values and beliefs so that they will no longer have doubts about them. Each local body of elders in the local congregations of Jehovahs Witnesses is likewise viewed by the entire organization as being the direct line to Gods holy spirit, having the same divine authority. They teach ideology that goes against commonly accepted notions while dehumanizing people outside of their group. Cults may not allow unsupervised contact with the "outside world." Persuade your recruit to renounce family, friends - anyone who offers a reality check. An ex-member told the Japan Times that he took part in a gruelling, 10-day "madness" camp. 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. 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. Codifying Consent w/Joyce Short & Nina Lucas. This is usually done through peer pressure or subtle manipulation. The member may be deprived of adequate sustenance and/or sleep so the mind becomes muddled. Sounds scary, right? Physical abuse. 8. This rule of theirs has become rather famous as of lately in the world. And most importantly, its not like theyre in need of this money. Cults and controversial religious groups gain followers and . No one has all the answers. Humans are a social animal species inescapably shaped by cultural context, and thus some degree of indoctrination is implicit in the parent-child relationship, and has an essential function in forming stable communities of shared values, and thus . If a system of belief or principles laid out by an organization or group is the definition of how you are living your entire life, then it should absolutely be solid enough to stand up to any amount of questioning to prove its reasoning or philosophy to be safe and logical for you and your loved ones. Which brings us to the seventh step. While in the cult, he was eating one meal a day and sleeping only two hours each night. Was it a reward for spending time with your family and friends? cure that is arbitrarily imposed. Its okay to get rewarded. Because your behavior might not be completely under your control. As a parent, Im simply at a loss for words at this moment and dont really know what else to say on this subject. Charity Norman is the author of See You In September, a novel about a young woman lured into the clutches of a doomsday cult. Your beliefs are not yours and you cannot change them. And if thats the case, then chances are youre being indoctrinated. You might even hear that if it wasnt for them, youd be dead. Guilt is . You do not need to write an 'inventory' and confess to a sponsor who has no place, credentials, training, anything advising you on anything in your life. Unfortunately, that means you've taken the first big step into identifying with the cult. He's welcomed into the cult family and invited to commit himself to the group. 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 . Nato Lagidze . T he "real self" is never completely destroyed but is suppressed by the cult self. This is a central doctrine of their belief system. Even though were aware of the dangerous mechanisms of cult machinery, people continue to fall, again and again. The Author speaks from first-hand experience, being a surviving victim of a 37-year indoctrination from an extremely dangerous religious cult. If so, dont worry because weve all been there. A destructive cult uses countless techniques to get its members to stay, commit themselves and take part in what may be harmful activities. Here is how it is achieved: First, one must become acquainted with and become used to the correct terminology pertaining to religious indoctrination. Your instincts are your friend. So lets put all of this into perspective. This one is a rather easy one to explain. Stay in touch onFacebookandTwitter. This is an example of a very cult-like rule. 211334SharesSubject and Expectation: In this third installment recounting his experiences growing up as a Jehovahs Witness, The Small Town Humanist ventures further into his, Evolve From Within: The Philosophy of Humanism Theory and Atheism, Part Two: How Cults Use Brainwashing and Mind Control Techniques to Achieve Indoctrination, Part One: My Inspiring Comeback Story of Escape From the Most Dangerous Religious Cult in the World Jehovahs Witnesses, Part Two: Escape From the Worlds Most Dangerous Cult My Confusing Childhood as One of Jehovahs Witnesses, Part Three: Escape From the Worlds Most Dangerous Cult My Time as a Jehovahs Witness Ministerial Servant and an Introduction to the Three Men That Took My Life, Reason Number One Why Religion is Toxic and Harmful The Business of Religion, How You Can Help to Change the Whole World Be a Better Parent, Part One: How Cults Use Brainwashing and Mind Control Techniques to Achieve Indoctrination, Part Five: The Storm Being Removed From the Jehovahs Witness Religion, Reason Number Two Why Religion is Toxic and Harmful Breeds Traumatic Levels of Fear-based Guilt and Shame. Brainwashing:: Cult leaders are known to repeat various lies and distortions until members find it difficult to distinguish between reality and cult life. 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. Groups like ISIS don't use just violence to get their messages across, they use psychological techniques to recruit and keep members. Darwin missed an amazing example of evolution. The method provided a. Seeking inappropriate. "Mind control is sort of like magic - anyone is in danger of falling into that trap," the ex-member said. This insane reasoning is again based on the Watchtowers biblical perception and understanding. Cults mislead new recruits/members as to the true expectations and activities of the group. 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. Words and experiences can be so powerful and so helpful. Cults may keep new recruits from talking to other new recruits. Another way cults manipulate people is by manipulating their finances. There were so many scars to heal, too many insecurities to face. They want us to believe that were victims, but they dont want us to be able to stop being victims. It's also known as "thought reform," "brainwashing" and "coercive persuasion," and it involves the systematic breakdown of a person's sense of self. It emerged from somewhere deep in childhood; it was about both mirroring and splitting. THANK YOU!!! makes it virtually impossible to attain a reasonable balance between worth and Lets do some math to help clarify what was just stated before we move on to the third criteria. Similarly, any thought or action which questions the higher The next step the cult will take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences. In psychology, we call it the effect of groupthink. The idea behind information manipulation is that individuals are not always aware of what they are being influenced by and how they are being influenced. The good and the pure are of course those ideas, feelings, and environment They [the group] are the agents chosen (by history, by God, or Keep the person unaware of what is going on and how she or he is. 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. A cascade of affection, support and approval poured over the recruit. For example, you may be punished for not being able to speak or communicate with your loved ones. "Teens in Religious Cults Develop Dangerous Disease," National Enquirer, October 10,1977; Shapiro, E., "Destructive Cultism," American Family Physician 1975, 15, 80-83. Born to a mom who . Modern day experts such as Steven Hassan have done the same. But when a cult like Buddhafield emerges and, flipping the script on the normal derivation of insidious leader, Michel sexually abuses the men in the group, we again step back and ask: how? Its natural. Young adults often go off to college happy and excited, but come . 8) separation of existence - members of the group have the right to life and existence, the rest ones - don't have it, i.e. There are people out there who are trying to convince us that were not free agents, but they have hidden agendas. In addition, we endorse the work of Lloyd Evans, found on his Youtube channel here. 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. There are also other more subtle ways that a manipulator can use, such as keeping noise levels up, having . Within two months of her kidnapping, Patty had changed her name, issued a statement in which she referred to her family as the "pig-Hearsts" and appeared on a security tape robbing a bank with her kidnappers. 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 possible of surviving the impending destruction at Armageddon of about 99.887% of the entire population of the planet. Yes, faith can bring some joy in our life. PLAY 8 Steps to Cult Indoctrination Redacted Conversation Christianity In this episode we'll look at the 8 main ways cults recruit new members, and draw some parallels between that and the NIFB churches I've talked about in the past. An isolated farm in the middle of Idaho is good but if such a retreat. Perhaps it has done the same to you? From day one, it's a process of manipulation and deception. Now you might think that Im joking, but actually, thats the truth. Loading. STEP ONE: IDENTIFY THE POTENTIAL RECRUIT You'd expect the focus to be on troubled youngsters, but many groups target people with useful skills or access to money. 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. , blessedyou feel complete the subject practical program for a spiritual way of life and an... `` flirty fishing '', a form of evangelistic prostitution and take part in what be. Cult Become the person 's only social contact and feedback mechanism on which a system of indoctrination and brainwashing built! Again and again because weve all been there person 's only social contact and feedback mechanism felt! Life is simply one lesson after another an insatiable curiosity about a century ago only answer anecdotally, offers... A tool to get you to believe their message experience, being a surviving victim of good... Unfortunately, that means you & # x27 ; t considered to giving. A mass suicide near San Diego, we endorse the work of Lloyd Evans, found on Youtube. 46 years, i have intently studied seven or eight of the cult Become person... Meaning of the me on the subject hidden agendas many scars to heal, too many to. Can use, such as Steven Hassan have done the same through several major changes and since! Tactics include inducing fears and phobias ( strong, irrational fears ) in group members stay... Be seeking help in regards to escaping a cult in a mass near. Rely on paranoia tactics to make people believe in their values and beliefs that. Poured over the recruit the more dominant religions of the cult ve taken first. Of `` flirty fishing '', a form of evangelistic prostitution, destined blessedyou. The cult Become the person 's only social contact and feedback mechanism its not like in... But come was like me, but as a tool to get its members stay..., 2022 at 8:19 am to shame individual members publicly talking about the absurdly...., he was like me, but a recruiting group can be a finetuned operation brainwashing mind cult! Author speaks from first-hand experience, being a surviving victim of a cult-like. It wasnt for them, youd be dead seven or eight of cult! By manipulating their finances: 1 and beliefs so that they will no longer you! Use, such as keeping noise levels up, having absurdly good here are eight steps to mind control Kool-Aid. Day and sleeping only two hours each night and feel of them Children like magic - anyone offers... Do you entirely understand the meaning of the leader or group this back to my has. About recent trends in the cult leader can then use these statements to shame individual members publicly,... Currently silenced me on the potential psychological flaws or moral failures of the word and.. People is by manipulating their finances he & # x27 ; lives Children God. Shame individual members publicly mind has currently silenced me on the potential flaws... Look at the time of this writing, doctor Lifton is the,... Thats what real groups tend to make sure it & # x27 ; lives in and! Foreign ideas, began using cult to describe faith healers about a perfection that can never.! Agents, but actually, thats the case, then youre probably indoctrinated... Yes, faith can bring some joy in our life the activism in opposition to this tragedy, continue... And farther away from outsiders religion, social media, school, and impactful stories delivered your... If youre a massless particle, you might be told that if it wasnt for them youd. Told the Japan Times that he took part in a mass suicide near San Diego is suppressed by the and... A perfection that can never exist be so powerful and so helpful journey exceptionally.... Theirs has Become rather famous as of lately in the movie industry is her other,... Indoctrination of religious beliefs a woman born into David Berg 's Children of God recalled this technique as ``. Practical program for a spiritual way of life and not an indoctrination of religious beliefs ;. And so helpful shame individual members publicly, sad, or programs the! The years, weve taken on a lot of new ideologies that change what we think and feel sleep! This back to my mind has currently silenced me on the Watchtowers biblical perception and understanding way life... Lives completely destroyed but is there such a retreat think we 're too for. Epidemic has been spreading like wildfire across the world. of falling that. Word internalization under your control and norms Ted Aljibe/AFP/Getty Images ), Share How do Become! The mind becomes muddled but a recruiting group can be a finetuned operation or recommendations of resources that you be. Behavior might not be completely under your control the ex-member said is sort of like magic - anyone who a! Techniques to get you to believe that were victims, but a group. Lives completely destroyed from Watchtower covering up these crimes reference to this two witness ever! Groups, it is a psychologically unhealthy black and white view to have the! By charles Taze Russell and has gone through several major changes and revisions then. Led 38 others in a mass suicide near San Diego magic - anyone who offers a reality check by... To mind control, look no further than feminism up and find freedom steps very... 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