Do You Belong To A Cult?

by DannyHaszard 14 Replies latest watchtower beliefs

  • DannyHaszard
    DannyHaszard

    Do You Belong To A Cult?
    American Chronicle - Beverly Hills,CA,USA
    ... Cults today understand the needs of their recruits and do everything possible to fill the gap that has been previously void (the bait). ... Stan Grimes

    Stan Grimes is a graduate of Indiana University and works as a social worker. Stan Grimes [email protected] May 5, 2006 What is mind control? According to FACTNet, "mind control" refers to all coercive psychological systems, such as brainwashing, thought reform, and coercive persuasion.” In other words, changing a person’s beliefs, attitudes, ethics, and other thought processes without the person realizing it. FACTNet describes a cult as: “a destructive group which uses mind control to deceivingly influence its members.” From these definitions, a cult is not necessarily judged on its belief system, but on the techniques used to instill its belief system. Mind control conjures pictures of naked, half-starved prisoners roped to a wooden chair sitting beneath a single light bulb and being fed drugs to induce psychedelic hallucinations. That occurs only in movies in today’s world. Mind control has become much more sophisticated. Cults today understand the needs of their recruits and do everything possible to fill the gap that has been previously void (the bait). For example, they will appeal to the insecurities of the single parent by offering friendship for their children and perhaps a singles activity for the parent. They will appeal to the loneliness of the elderly by offering activities for seniors. In other words, cults seek to gain the trust of their members. Once trust is established, the ideas, philosophies, ethics, and beliefs held by the cult are slowly spoon-fed to its members (the hook). You never feed a newborn a steak. You start with soft foods and work your way up to more solid nutrition. What seems to be innocuous acceptance by an organization becomes the hook. The line is developed through guilt. If a cult can make its members feel guilty for not accepting certain beliefs or performing certain tasks, the hook is set and the line slowly pulls the new recruit into the organization. The continued use of bait and hook develops a doubting recruit into a solid member. The recruit has been duped without knowing it. The interesting thing with this entire process is that most members of the cult have been brainwashed similarly and become the fishermen/women for new recruits. Without knowing it, they are captured fish trying to capture other fish. It is circular and sometimes deadly. One need only remember Jim Jones and the People’s Temple, and Guyana to understand just how deadly brainwashing and cultism can be. Remember David Koresh and the Branch Davidians? How about the Hale Bopp followers? All of these groups were extremist groups, which practiced some type of mind control. Cults do not have to be of a religious nature. There are UFO cults, cults for social change, mysticism cults, and many others. Cultism is everywhere. If you belong to one and it is harmless to society, and it makes you happy, go for it. Some observers might consider extreme religious groups as cults, but most such groups do little harm. In fact, they offer solace to those in need of love and acceptance. An individual seeks comfort and security through many social outlets. The underlying goal of such outlets needs to be examined. Before joining a cult, search for former members, research its history, or listen to your mind. A mind is a terrible thing to waste.
    ------------------------------------------ Suggested 50 minute video from the Discovery channel highly recommended by Danny Haszard Discovery channel video scroll midway down page get a real player upgrade Doomsday Cults (Discovery Channel) modem (low bandwidth) version DSl/Cable (high bandwidth) version

  • DannyHaszard
    DannyHaszard
    A mind is a terrible thing to waste.


  • lovelylil
    lovelylil

    Good morning Danny,

    Thanks for the post. I am going to check out the video. Have a nice day, Lilly

  • Scully
    Scully

    Thanks, Danny.

    I've been reading Steven Hassan's Combatting Cult Mind Control and am finding it utterly fascinating in how the WTS employs unethical mind control techniques just like the Moonies used on Hassan to ensnare people and retain their services to the Organization™.

  • mathead
    mathead

    That is right!! , guilt is used to keep members under control to the point where you can't masturbate without fear of god looking in with disgust. Just read the youth book and so many other WTS literature about masturbation. It seems our sex organs are sinful or something.

  • DannyHaszard
  • AK - Jeff
    AK - Jeff

    Do You Belong To A Cult?

    NO! But I used to. Thanx for the posting Danny.

    Jeff

  • DannyHaszard
    DannyHaszard

    Is it a (harmless) culture or (harmful) cult?Common Properties of Potentially Destructive and Dangerous Cults

    -The cult is authoritarian in its power structure. The leader is regarded as the supreme authority. He or she may delegate certain power to a few subordinates for the purpose of seeing that members adhere to the leader's wishes and roles.

    -The cult's leaders tend to be charismatic, determined, and domineering. They persuade followers to drop their families, jobs, careers, and friends to follow them. They (not the individual) then take over control of their followers' possessions, money, lives.

    -The cult's leaders are self-appointed, messianic persons who claim to have a special mission in life.

    -The cult's leaders center the veneration of members upon themselves.

    -The cult tends to be totalitarian in its control of the behavior of its members.

    -The cult tends to have a double set of ethics. Members are urged to be open and honest within the group, and confess all to the leaders. On the other hand, they are encouraged to deceive and manipulate outsiders or nonmembers.

    -The cult has basically only two purposes, recruiting new members and fund-raising. Established religions and altruistic movements may also recruit and raise funds. The cults may claim to make social contributions, but in actuality these remain mere claims, or gestures. Their focus is always dominated by recruiting new members and fund-raising.

    -The cult appears to be innovative and exclusive. The leader claims to be breaking with tradition, offering something novel, and instituting the only viable system for change that will solve life's problems or the world's ills. While claiming this, the cult then surreptitiously uses systems of psychological coercion on its members to inhibit their ability to examine the actual validity of the claims of the leader and the cult.
    -------------
    Poet and writer Mark Twain sez: "if a million people believe in a stupid thing for a hundred years,it's STILL a stupid thing".

    The stats out there suggest that your risk of being inducted into a destructive cult are twice the statistical risk of contracting chicken pox

    Jehovah's Witnesses don't proselytize they metastasize.
    Are they knocking at your door?

  • fullofdoubtnow
    fullofdoubtnow

    Do You Belong To A Cult?

    NOT ANY MORE, THANK GOODNESS!

    Good post Danny, thanks

  • gumby
    gumby

    Here's a question for ya Danny.

    Do you feel any of the GB are aware of these tactics of mind controlling.....or did it just come as a natural consequence that elite groups naturally fall into?

    Did any of the GB actually read up on how to control people, and then put these tactics into place in their doctrines and teachings......or did it come as a natural consequence elite groups fall into?

    I've never been one to feel any of the GB studied up on how to control people through guilt and intimidation......but rather always felt it was a consequence all groups fall into who claim certain beliefs and acts are required to please god and that THEY alone have found the answers on how to do that. In others words.........controling people was NOT their main objective for monitary purposes, but rather started out with good intentions only to turn sour because of the misguided and wrongful claims they make.

    Gumby

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