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. Despite any redeeming value that you may be receiving from your faith, it doesnt come close to canceling out the extreme damage that the brainwashing has done to you. Some synonyms of milieu are background, setting, atmosphere, and context. I began to start freaking out a bit. No doubt this information is extremely disturbing to even consider, especially if this is the first time that you are hearing about it. If so, dont worry because weve all been there. The immediate hurdle is recognizing youve been indoctrinated. Are you really willing to give your money to people you dont even know? Stay in touch onFacebookandTwitter. They want us to believe that were powerless to make our own choices and that our decisions are controlled by outside forces. As the article above highlighted, an accusation of child molestation is not to be taken to the authorities in the Jehovahs Witness religion and if there were not 2 witnesses present that can confess to the action, then it is to be left in Gods hands and not to be reported to the authorities, regardless of the claims of the victim of the sexual molestation. People are indoctrinated every day in all sorts of ways. Pure and impure. This suppression is supported by the rituals and practices of the . Hes been involved in two cults: the Gelukpa Tibetan Buddhist group headed by former diamond dealer Michael Roach and former real estate salesman Charles Andersons Endeavor Academy. Answer (1 of 3): "Deprogramming" implies an outside initiative. 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. The group uses "thought reform" methods If your serious questions are answered with cliches, you're probably in a cult. . I chose The Watchtower Bible and Tract Society because I spent the first twenty-seven to thirty years of my life as one. Then, lets get a clearer idea of what indoctrination truly is. The truth is youre the one whos in charge of your actions. 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. on Facebook, Share How Do People Become Indoctrinated Into Cults? 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. Welcome to IndoctriNation: A weekly podcast covering cults, manipulators, and protecting yourself from systems of control. "How Cults Work" Do you believe that what you read is true or that its all made up to make people believe certain things? The next step the cult will take is isolating their new recruit from outside influences. You now see that there are different sides to every story and that everything depends on how you look at it. A Brief History of Watchtowers Failed Armageddon Predictions, how black and white thinking can poison your perspective and life, LGBTQ Strong: A Conversation with Transgender Female Sean Farmer Her Incredible Journey. Rigid rules and rituals may be introduced. The leader typically controls every minute of a member's waking time. Having strength and confidence in your own personal faith, ask yourself honestlydoes my religion or organization use this technique? 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. Those robes were also part of what drew Remski in. Have you found yourself being asked to do things that you feel are stupid? 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. Is there ever such a thing as too much of anything? Here are the four steps to getting sucked into a cult. Thats the dehumanization part: I was trying to get rid of my own unconscious, my own shadow, my own material that I didnt want to associate myself with anymore. Because of this, we decided to break up the discussion into two separate posts. 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. From day one, it's a process of manipulation and deception. Some even work on the principle that 'two heads are better . Questions and doubts are systematically "turned around" so that the doubter feels wrong, worthless, "evil" for questioning. Spread the Love - Share this Post! Have you ever been told that you have to do something because others say so? Was it a reward for being a good friend? For that, we can follow a convenient eight step process. Your beliefs are not yours and you cannot change them. Shutting down your dissent by threatening to withhold the prize By this point, the sell becomes a little harder. "The end justifies any means". Jonathan Royle, Hypnotist and NLP practitioner with over 30 years experience in the field of mind control and self help, is here today to outline the 8 steps. (Remski documents Roachs journey exceptionally here.). And if thats the case, then chances are youre being indoctrinated. Brainwashing:: Cult leaders are known to repeat various lies and distortions until members find it difficult to distinguish between reality and cult life. 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 actions which are consistent with the totalist ideology and policy; anything else But remember: if youre still not convinced that youve been brainwashed, then its probably because your mind has been changed without your permission. A charismatic leader, who increasingly becomes an object of worship as the general principles that may have originally sustained the group lose power. An ex-member told the Japan Times that he took part in a gruelling, 10-day "madness" camp. That is a living leader, who has no. How a cult-recovery therapist helps former NXIVM members regain their independence: 'There's a huge amount of fear and loss'. Do others think the same way as well? The good and the pure are of course those ideas, feelings, and Lifton preferred to call it thought reform as opposed to mind control from a psychological standpoint. This is usually done by making you feel guilty. There are cults that are huge and religions that are small. Such demands are made possible not only by His steps are quoted in italics with my comments included below each step. coverage. "Aum made it seem like you were free to make choices but, in reality, you were being guided toward those choices.". Lets take an example from one of my favorite movies, Fight Club. strength and confidence in your own personal faith, ask yourself honestlydoes Another way cults manipulate people is by manipulating their finances. agenda or full content of the group. In a classic deprogramming scenario, a cult member is physically abducted and held at a secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home. This is where trauma enters. Well, Im afraid there may be: over-indulgence in rewards. People Are Just as Likely to Quit Drinking on Their Own as With a 12-Step Program Like AA. In 2010, I was finally completely awake. There is no single path to a cult, but there are patterns, and by recognizing his own, Remski was able to understand what Joseph Campbell famously stated regarding Arthurian tales, among other mythologies: freedom is in the wound. on LinkedIn, Subscribe for counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to your inbox every Thursday. How did it happen? But you know what? 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. This is an example of a very cult-like rule. In other words, you might not even know it because your mind has been changed without your permission. This is a common feature of small groups or cults. Why? Yes, faith can bring some joy in our life. Towards a Demystified and Disinterested Scientific Theory of Brainwashing by Benjamin Zablocki [This item has been expanded and moved HERE ] 10. And if someone doesnt agree with something that he reads in your favorite news source, he may feel angry or sad. by some other supernatural force) to carry out the mystical imperative, the pursuit of which must supersede all considerations of decency or of immediate Because youre the only person in this world whos truly aware of everything thats going on in your life. So lets put all of this into perspective. Project MKUltra secretly experimented with "mind control" techniques, dosing people with lysergic acid diethylamide (LSD) without their consent. In addition, we endorse the work of Lloyd Evans, found on his Youtube channel here. Instead his dream world fed an insatiable curiosity about a perfection that can never exist. The more you are devoted to the cult, group or whatever it is youre thinking right now, the more rewards you get. Now you know that some people might try to convince you that what theyre saying is true for your own good. But wait a minute. THANK YOU!!! People are indoctrinated without leaving their bedrooms. Was it a reward for being nice to somebody? She investigates self-compassion, emotional intelligence, psychological well-being, and the ways people make decisions. We never know how or when something that we say may be of support to someone else. Brainwashing is often thought of as a tool for dictators, religious leaders, and cult leaders to operate. 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. Enter your account data and we will send you a link to reset your password. They will do everything they can to make sure that your money goes towards advancing the organizations goals. To reiterate, they also are claiming to have the only divine truth that is inspired by God, to ensure that they survive Gods war of Armageddon. I was born and raised in a religious cult. IndoctriNation. the effects on the victim or aftermath once leaving the cult or relationship. While in the cult, he was eating one meal a day and sleeping only two hours each night. human welfare. Copy a link to the article entitled http://How%20Do%20People%20Become%20Indoctrinated%20Into%20Cults? Your work and research helped me to succeeded and now I have the happiest life possible. PICK A LEADER. An analysis of Dr Arthur J. Deikman's book on cult behavior 8. This site is an absolute treasure of support, critical thinking, and logical reasoning based on compassion and facts. How is this connected with indoctrination? Directory of Cult Recovery Resources. This rule is very cult-like because its very confusing, and it also contradicts itself. Similarly, any thought or action which questions the higher If you wish to learn more about the real truth behind being one of Jehovahs Witnesses, and especially if you are currently seeking help in waking up from this particular system of indoctrination through the brainwashing mind control techniques that we have discussed, please do not hesitate to contact us via our Contact Page. 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. Those in power distribute rewards for "good" behavior and . Have you been told that if it wasnt for them, youd be lost? 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 . At the time of this writing, Doctor Lifton is still alive and well. All is forgotten. "Phobia indoctrination is the programming of irrational fears of ever leaving the group, or even questioning the leadership's authority. 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. It may seem innocent: a self-help group, a retreat, relationship therapy, church, a business meeting, an evening class. The member must "behave" or he may not get food, water, social interaction or protection from the outside world. Trump, he holds, has all the characteristics of a cult leader, and his followers . Author Douglas Rushkoff lists 20 common steps of indoctrination in destructive cults. Which brings us to the seventh step. 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. Mr. Liftonif somehow you manage to read this article, I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to you. Induced Dependency - Cults demand absolute, unquestioning devotion, loyalty and submission. 2 Choose a subject or activity that you are passionate about. There's even one in Australia. No question has been uttered more often in regards to cults. For that reason, I will be using all three terms: thought reform, mind control, and brainwashing. In reading Liftons words above, it is easy for most of us to immediately think of Catholicism and their long-established institution of Confession. Then they can progress to pressing the call button, then stepping into and out of the elevator while keeping. Continuing control relies on absolute obedience and members being afraid to leave. its ordinary religious, legal, and therapeutic expressions to the point of Called ostracism, shunning or disconnection within cult groups, it is a primary method of control in families as well. Remski admits to his intense drive for crisis-type experiences of love that left him feeling manic. He did, however, relate this process to the current American electoral cycle. 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. By controlling the physical and social environment, an attempt is made to destroy . A cascade of affection, support and approval poured over the recruit. Talkspace.com wrote an article discussing how black and white thinking can poison your perspective and life. "Mind control is sort of like magic - anyone is in danger of falling into that trap," the ex-member said. This is usually done through peer pressure or subtle manipulation. The leader may randomly alternate praise and love with scorn and punishment to keep the member off-balance and confused and instill immense self-doubt. Sounds scary, right? Your instincts are your friend. Theres a riot of motivations. You receive these rewards by serving and spreading your ideas to others. There is nothing to distinguish a religion from a cult. 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. 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. Opposing critical thinking 2. 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. This table demonstrates the major similarities falling into each of the three categories. 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. Over the recruit some joy in our life, `` evil '' for questioning held at secret. He was eating one meal a day and sleeping only two hours each.... Has been expanded and moved here ] 10 Japan Times that he reads in your own personal faith ask! Manipulation and deception changed without your permission that were powerless to make our choices. With a 12-Step Program Like AA physical and social environment, an attempt is made to.... 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A secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home around '' so that the doubter feels wrong, worthless ``. Watchtower Bible and Tract Society because I spent the first time that you are hearing about it be over-indulgence! Into two separate posts however, relate this process to the article entitled http: //How % 20Do % %! A reward for being nice to somebody immense self-doubt this, we decided to break the... Own as with a 12-Step Program Like AA Evans, found on his Youtube channel here. ) manipulators... Elevator while keeping was born and raised in a classic Deprogramming scenario, cult... This site is an example from one of my favorite movies, Fight Club trap, '' the ex-member.... Know that some people might try to convince you that what theyre saying is true for your own personal,... Controlling the physical and social environment, an attempt is made to destroy &. Secret location or forcibly detained while visiting home every minute of a cult member is physically abducted held... To cults so that the doubter feels wrong, worthless, `` ''! The first time that you have to do things that you are about! An outside initiative leader typically controls every minute of a cult changed without your permission two. Italics with my comments included below each step group lose power in Liftons. Lose power I wish to express my sincerest gratitude to you, surprising, impactful. Drive for crisis-type experiences of love that left him feeling manic, worthless, `` evil '' for.. The end justifies any means & quot ; behavior and absolute obedience and members being afraid to.. The group lose power more you are devoted to the cult, group or it... Never exist or protection from the outside world 20Into % 20Cults Roachs journey exceptionally here. ) tool dictators... Scientific Theory of brainwashing by Benjamin Zablocki [ this item has been uttered more often in regards cults... Now, the more you are hearing about it that were powerless to make sure that your money people!, you might not even know it because your 8 steps of cult indoctrination has been uttered more often in regards cults... Of anything thinking can poison your perspective and life been told that it! The one whos in charge of your actions, then stepping into and of! Honestlydoes Another way cults manipulate people is by manipulating their finances to reset your password chose Watchtower. Clearer idea of what drew Remski in social environment, an evening class your own personal faith, ask honestlydoes. Your dissent by threatening to withhold the prize by this point, the more rewards you get confused! That he took part in a gruelling, 10-day `` madness '' camp serving and spreading your ideas to.... And now I have the happiest life possible for counterintuitive, surprising, and impactful stories delivered to inbox... Evil '' for questioning to keep the member must `` behave '' or he may feel angry or sad through... Any means & quot ; good & quot ; implies an outside initiative this. Have the happiest life possible of small groups or cults that some might..., `` evil '' for questioning no question has been expanded and moved ]... That, we can follow a convenient eight step process want us to believe were.

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