What is a Cult and how does Cults work?

[InCiDeR]

I think this topic is very important to discuss. Who knows, maybe it will benefit us all.

I hope we will be able to stay open for different viewpoints in this thread.

If disagreement occur, please do some effort focusing your thought on the message and not the messenger.

---

What is a cult?

According to wikipedia following gives a general cultural account of "cult":


The word cult in current popular usage is a pejorative term for a new religious movement or other group whose beliefs or practices are considered abnormal or bizarre by the larger society.

Usage of the word has been controversial. One reason is that the word "cult" (as used in the pejorative sense) is considered a subjective term, used as an ad hominem attack against groups with simply differing doctrines or practices, and without a clear or consistent definition.

The word originally denoted a system of ritual practices. The word was first used in the early 17th century denoting homage paid to a divinity and borrowed via the French culte from Latin cultus "worship", from the adjective cultus "inhabited, cultivated, worshipped", derived from the verb colere "care, cultivate."

In the 1930s cults became the object of sociological study in the context of the study of religious behavior. They have been criticized by mainstream Christians for their unorthodox beliefs. In the 1970s the anticult movement arose, partly motivated by acts of violence and other crimes committed by members of some cults. Some of the claims of the anti-cult movement have been disputed by other scholars, leading to further controversies.

Discrimination against cult members has been an ongoing issue in some nations, as well as concerns about doomsday cults and destructive cults. Governments have undertaken various policies towards cults, ranging from tolerance to hostility, and this has also been a source of controversy.(...)
Source/read more (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult)

Other sources than wikipedia have of course other definitions. But for now, I will just point to wikipedias description.


How Cults Work
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As a complement to the video above, I also present following reading:
Cult Watch (http://www.cultwatch.com/howcultswork.html)

---

So....what does cult means to you?

Would it be possible to say that most things are a cult or "cult like" in one way or another?
For example governments, companies, sport teams, families, gathering of friends etc etc?

Thoughts?

http://www.kom.lu.se/uploads/pics/Great-minds_01.png

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Hello there!

I was told that my childhood family was "cult-like" by a social worker, once.

That led me to believe that maybe "cult-like" means a system that completely counters and silences your natural instincts to suit its own agendas.
The members are recruited from the fringes of society in many cases, and they eventually become the enablers of the "machine".

There are many Christian groups that fall into the category of cult. And I was raised as one, so that's saying something.

Cults also seem to put a lot of financial pressure on people in some respects. Even many churches are aggressive in their tithe panhandling.
There are lots of traveling singers and preachers who live almost solely off of income gained from performing in churches.

A really popular cult in the early 1900s was the Theosophical Society. They really bent a lot of existing religious beliefs out of shape to pave the way for people like Hitler (and Maitreya)!

And in the USA we've always had the Freemasons, another society with shaded windows and locked doors, so to speak.
Why the secrecy if nothing is amiss? I always ask myself.
One look around DC and it's kind of obvious that the structures themselves reflect a very dogmatic point of view...

[Ellisa]

The term 'cult' always has a negative meaning, and it has always seemed to me that a 'cult' is the non-mainstream religion that someone else professes. Often such cults have a charismatic leader who requires specific behaviour, of a sometimes confronting type, and they often involve cultists wearing conforming clothing (especially the female members) and contributing donations of money.

Now the question arises-- if this is a description of a cult, why are not some, if not all, of the more established religions vilified as cults?

[mosquito]

... Often such cults have a charismatic leader who requires specific behaviour, of a sometimes confronting type, and they often involve cultists wearing conforming clothing (especially the female members) and contributing donations of money.

Now the question arises-- if this is a description of a cult, why are not some, if not all, of the more established religions vilified as cults?

Sounds like most governments/countries fit the bill too !

[Flash]

What I know on an outsider basis to make sure you do not get into one:

They have an hermetic language that only initiates can understand (computer people must be part of a cult if we rely only on this item)
You feel push to comply with the majority's ways without understanding why
You start not respecting your inner feelings, needs, intuitions
They have group thinking (call group think in sociology) pathologies
If you think differently you feel guilty or worthless
When quitting the cult, extreme guilt surface
You are often fed for only the minimal maintenance of your body (underfed)
You often lack sleep while in the cult due to cult ceremonies and rituals

The interesting thing is that, as mentioned by mariposafe above, most governments and countries fit the bill to. If you are an American, when talking against USA, guilt surface. Everything is done for all of us to have group think (publicity, Fox news, etc) We are more and more pushed, through new laws and obligations to comply, to be like the majority without having power on our own lifes. Those with intuition, inner feelings and different knowledge are now pursued if they follow up on it. WE are now fed nutrient less foods, and most people sleep only 6 hours a night in our culture, which is truly not enough for the majority (science reveals that we need on average between 7 and 8 hours).

It seems that cults and dictatures have quite a lot of similarities.

[markpierre]

Girl Scouts of America fits the standard criteria. Boy Scouts for that matter. Any military, any church or religion. Any effort to police the mind from without.

Anything that disagrees with your cult, is a cult. I think the term should be burned.

[Nothingness]

Until we transcend our egos completely, aren't we all self-cults? Laughing. Until we transcend to any degree, aren't we all pretty much nutty buddies operating in an insane asylum? Our egos want to think we are perfect, and we are evolved, but isn't that an illusion? And if we are highly enlightened, what are we doing in a body anyway? And, if we do complete shadow work, don't we encompass some cult aspects?

[Tesla_WTC_Solution]

Well, there seem to be two groups of people here,
people who like to define things and people who don't, lol!

I don't mind giving examples of something specific if it helps people to understand the meaning.

No offense... ?

[Lifebringer]

The way I understand a cult is: "To be a member of a group that wishes to remove themselves from others that don't believe as they do, and not think further than the lessons taught to put things together that are logical, loving, and non-violent, yet the leader has ulterior motives and beliefs, and are leading them slowly into his way of thinking, occasionally lying on others, belittling others publicly to instill fear of NOT believing as the leader says." UTAH Jeff, comes to mind. A bunch of old men forming a religion, where raping children or raising children to teen age and selecting them as wives, regardless of if they are daughters of the same father. Weird, non-sensicle? behaviors? Alter offerings of blood from animals and children. Jesus said during the Sabaath that the animals sacrificed were to be stopped. We can see that there are some who still believe in blood sacrifice. Cult like?

You betcha!
The lies to the wars which sacrifice our volunteers?

You betcha.

[Lifebringer]

Just being able to question what doesn't feel right, shows we are not cult. Most leaders don't allow for discussion just dictatorship doctrine, yes?

[earthadvocate]

Thank you for posting this movie and it is so descriptive of what a cult is, it made me laugh because it is so true! I have been a member of such a cult for 25yrs and I am lucky that I left and survived but it took me another 5yrs to make the transition to a normal human, and even now I think I still have a lot to catch up. It is hard for most people to truly understand unless you have been a member of those. I recommend Steve Hassan (freedomofmind.com) for whoever is trying to cop with leaving a cult.
Thank you again for posting this!

[RMorgan]

Hey brother,

Well, in my opinion, a cult is formed when a group of people, who can´t live in peace with the idea that no one has objective answers to the most significant existential questions, get together to follow fabricated explanations to the phenomenon of life, so they can support each other and pretend they have answers to everything, getting rid, at least temporally and superficially, of the agony that is trying to live with the unknown.

Where do we come from? What is our purpose here? Where we go when we die? This whole stuff is as old as the human race, and the fact is that no one has the answers. However, the vast majority of people simply can´t go on with their lives without answering such questions, they think it´s too painful, so they´d rather pretend they know it all than to live in peace with the mysteries of life.

That´s why people end up participating in the most weird cults and religions. This is a business, a supply/demand game. As long as people can´t find strength within themselves to admit that life is a completely mysterious phenomena, they will demand answers and there will always be people who will be extremely happy to supply them in exchange for money, sex, servitude, loyalty, energy, etc...

Of course, this leads to the most dramatic internal and external conflicts...You know, you can lie to your consciousness, but not to your sub-consciousness; Deep inside, every cult follower and religious person knows that they are just lying to themselves. There are consequences.

I, for one, am perfectly comfortable with the agnostic perspective. I don´t need to make up fake answers to pretend I know things I don´t actually know.

Knowledge is absolute; Either you know something or you don´t...Fake knowledge is called belief, which is simply fabricated and unfounded pseudo-knowledge that people create to make life "easier".

I´d rather examine life humbly, through the neutral perspective of the unknown, than doing it through the distorted and biased lens of fabricated dogmas and belief systems.

Well, to sum up, cults and religions are drug dealers; Dogmas and beliefs are the drugs they sell; The vast majority of people are dogmatic junkies; To be cured from such addiction, the first step is to admit you have a problem, but I don´t see many people willing to admit that, though.

Raf.

[InCiDeR]

Thank you all for your inputs. I will come back to you later regarding your well thought replies on this matter.

But first I have to watch a "cult-like" event taking place:

Final in the World Championship of icehockey between Sweden and Switzerland

The only reason I will watch this is of course to find clues if this should be considered a cult... :rolleyes:

(This one's on me. Maybe I am beyond saving, feeling the needs to watch this game?)

[Ellisa]

There is a difference between a cult and a dictatorship. The cultists are usually in the cult because of a voluntary decision to join-- the same is not true of a lot of the people living under a dictatorship, and they usually cannot leave.

Similarly cultists find some sort of answer to questions which they have about their life and their relationship with others and the way forward within the cult- at least to start with. Dictatorships do not encourage such introspection!

InCiDeR- You have nicely illustrated one feature of cult membership. There has to be a reason for joining-- and the motivation is part of the cult behaviour.

How did your team go? My Aussie Rules Football team (I agree that is a cult, if not a religion for a whole town!) have just lost for the first time this season!

[Sidney]

What I know on an outsider basis to make sure you do not get into one:

They have an hermetic language that only initiates can understand (computer people must be part of a cult if we rely only on this item)
You feel push to comply with the majority's ways without understanding why
You start not respecting your inner feelings, needs, intuitions
They have group thinking (call group think in sociology) pathologies
If you think differently you feel guilty or worthless
When quitting the cult, extreme guilt surface
You are often fed for only the minimal maintenance of your body (underfed)
You often lack sleep while in the cult due to cult ceremonies and rituals

The interesting thing is that, as mentioned by mariposafe above, most governments and countries fit the bill to. If you are an American, when talking against USA, guilt surface. Everything is done for all of us to have group think (publicity, Fox news, etc) We are more and more pushed, through new laws and obligations to comply, to be like the majority without having power on our own lifes. Those with intuition, inner feelings and different knowledge are now pursued if they follow up on it. WE are now fed nutrient less foods, and most people sleep only 6 hours a night in our culture, which is truly not enough for the majority (science reveals that we need on average between 7 and 8 hours).

It seems that cults and dictatures have quite a lot of similarities.

Very similar to dealing with a sociopath. They make sure you feel plenty of guilt when you disagree with them.

[wobbegong]

Thank you all for your inputs. I will come back to you later regarding your well thought replies on this matter.

But first I have to watch a "cult-like" event taking place:

Final in the World Championship of icehockey between Sweden and Switzerland

The only reason I will watch this is of course to find clues if this should be considered a cult... :rolleyes:

(This one's on me. Maybe I am beyond saving, feeling the needs to watch this game?)

LOL!
Great thread mate, thanks. The film is brilliant! I think it pretty much sums it up, I couldn't add much to it. Just a thought on what you said:

Would it be possible to say that most things are a cult or "cult like" in one way or another?
For example governments, companies, sport teams, families, gathering of friends etc etc?
Maybe not many situations have ALL the features pointed out in the film, but you mention companies, that's a good example, I worked for a major computer company in the eighties and some of the antics it used to come up with were very, very, close to that.

...at 5'17"...doesn't the guy remind of someone we know?

[InCiDeR]

Before I go into some deeper thoughts, one thing stroke me:

Could this thread be considered "cult-like" or a cult in miniatyr.

I mean, IF we find some common grounds what a cult represent and how it works, should we be considered a "cult" as well?

How many members in a group have to agree before a "cult"-status can be declared?

How "big" must a group of like-minded be before it turns into a "cult" in other peoples eyes?


EDIT: Sweden won. But I am sure they just did it to keep me in line and not leave the group. I think most swedish players are paid by CIA. ;)

[Prodigal Son]

Having been raised in the Jehovah's Witness religion, I can tell you that it is a perfect example of a cult. They are usually pyramids where only those at the top know the real agenda. Eash subsequent tier is privy to less and less. The entire ideology is concocted from and built upon a false premise or foundation. It discourages higher education for fear of its members learning critical thinking skills or thinking independently. It substitutes "heresy" with "apostasy". It disowns and shuns those who leave it or attempt to question its edicts or interpretations, even sometimes not being content with that, attempting to destroy their lives altogether.

This is a good Huffington Post article on the subject:

What Is A Cult? Recognizing And Avoiding Unhealthy Groups (http://www.huffingtonpost.com/jayanti-tamm/the-c-word_2_b_848340.html)

P.S. .... my first post on my new MacBook .... this thing is driving me nuts :loco:

[InCiDeR]

http://www.advantum.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/ikea-logo.jpg

Working for IKEA is the most sought after job in Sweden, they recieve thousands of applications everyday. Why is that?

If you examine how people feel and think about the company they work for, often you find IKEA at top in such a survey in Sweden. How come?

I believe it is because they use many strategies described in this thread, because if you ask former employees a whole different picture appear:


The use mentors (called ambassadors) to teach you the "IKEA-way".
All personell have to use certain clothes.
They are trained to use certain phrases and language.
You should not think that you did something good, instead ask yourself how you could do it better.
They use big staged events to promote and praise certain employees.
They take care of all your "social problems", like child care, so you don't have to bother friends, family or others.
IKEA personell gives the owner, Ingvar Kamprad, a christmas gift from their salary every year that goes to a special charity fund. [like Kamprad needs that, the worlds 5th (http://www.bloomberg.com/billionaires/2013-05-17/aaa) richest]
Kamprad are always correct and anything that he does can be justified.
Questions, suggestions, or critical inquiry are not welcome
Required dependency upon the ambassadors for even the most basic problem-solving.
Reporting an employee for disobedient actions or thoughts is mandated and rewarded.
Former employees are shunned and perceived as hostile.
etc etc



Inside the cult of Ikea


In the drawer of my hotel room in Almhult, there is a copy of the Gideon New Testament and the 2013 Ikea catalogue. That is because I am staying in the Ikea Hotel, in a small town in Smaland, southern Sweden - "the beating heart" of the world's largest furniture company. The twin publications are the first sign that this is no ordinary town, but the centre of a cult: Northern Europe's very own Pyongyang, where the Allen key has replaced the nuclear bomb, and Ingvar Kam-prad, Ikea's founder, is the locals' Kim Il-sung.(...)
Source (http://www.canada.com/story.html?id=df90aad0-8be7-4cf4-b39a-2ab4e7214c3c)

IKEA, Cult Branding Done Right
ZgUwkxitCts


People are camping outside. Traffic jams are so severe that highway exits must be shut down. Traffic lights are rendered useless requiring police to direct traffic. Is it a new Star Wars film? No, it’s the opening of a new Ikea store.(...)
Cult Branding (http://www.cultbranding.com/knowledge-center/cb-profiles/ikea-cult-brand-profile/)


The Cult of IKEA

In the relatively modest canon of IKEA commentary/criticism it's impossible to find a piece in which, in one way or another, the description of the Swedish furniture giant is not couched in religious terms.

Just a few examples: a headline in the April 29, 2000 edition of the Toronto Star announcing the opening of the new IKEA showroom in Emeryville, CA proclaims, "Ikea spreads its cult to San Francisco area"; Matthew DeBord, In a recent article in Feed magazine, writes, "In a world of frantically fluctuating lifestyle trends. . .

IKEA functions as a rock-solid cathedral, a place to go for the sacred wisdom of good design." IKEA's new magazine, Space, writes DeBord, is "a glossy Bible that delivers, pre-packaged, the Gospel according to Ingvar Kamprad [IKEA's founder]."

While many would regard these metaphors as so much hyperbole, a little playfully figurative language at the expense of IKEA and its fans, the idea of IKEA as a sort of emerging world religion is not as far-fetched as it sounds. Simply put (in the Nike-ad sense of the word)

IKEA knows religion; more than that, it is not at all shy about borrowing rather liberally from the various rhetorical and symbolic apparati of religion or using what we might call a linguistic, visual and architectural grammar of religion to sell its myriad products.

Take, for example the current (2001) IKEA catalogue, everywhere in which there is evidence of a shift toward a visual and linguistic vocabulary through which the notion of "better living" (as in the IKEA motto "affordable solutions for better living") is defined as living in a world in which one's physical environment facilitates or increases the likelihood of spiritual awakening or fulfillment.

IKEA, in short, has begun to hawk its products with the promise that through our purchase and use of them (if we were to totally IKEA-ize our domestic world) we might achieve something close to the Zen idea of kensho (satori). Accordingly, the cover of the new catalogue invites us to "Uncover [our] inner home." Inside on p. 12, superimposed on a photograph of an IKEA-ized bedroom (white walls and bed linens, blond wood, just a few objects arranged carefully on shelves in front of tall windows, the only color supplied by two orange pillows and a blue bowl), we are greeted with the invitation to "Enjoy peace of mind," along with a caption that declares, "When everything clicks in a room, you create your own personal center for well-being."

The appropriation of Zen imagery and Zen-infused axioms continues elsewhere.(...)
Source/read more (http://lapetitezine.org/TomHartman.htm)

[Warlock]

I believe most, if not all people, belong to some type of cult, whether they know it, or not.

Warlock

[InCiDeR]

What is a cult?

I think the meaning of cult is time dependent. In the Roman Empire, Christians were sometimes considered a cult because they worshiped Jesus rather than the Roman gods.

In modern time I see a shift from religion oriented movement towards spiritual, and even further more to companies. In my point of view religious belief system or ideas must not necessarily be a part of a cult. One of the more "invisible" cults are actually companies, therefore my post about IKEA.


So when do a cult become "no cult"?

I believe there has to be some kind of acceptens threshold in peoples mind and/or amount of members that has to be overcome. What that would be or how large, I have no idea. 1%? 5% 10%... of the population in a certain area, country, world?

If the government acknowledge the "cult" or not is not that important in my opinion.

---

I also consider friendship a sort of cult in miniatyr. Like minded people often develop a special communication style and humour, which people outside the group not always follows or understand.

Sooner or later an unofficial leader emerge. A person members have confident in and often turns to with questions. In the group there are often consensus, even though not all group members agree, they rarely speak up. Mind control light?

The above would also suit a supporter team in sports pretty well. But in this case the forces within the group are stronger and they all have a common, fixed and easily spotted goal. Victory for "their" team by all means necessary...

---

What is the core of a cult, why does it work?

Concerted efforts at influence and control lie at the core of cultic groups, programs, and relationships. Many members, former members, and supporters of cults are not fully aware of the extent to which members may have been manipulated, exploited, even abused.

The following list of social-structural, social-psychological, and interpersonal behavioral patterns commonly found in cultic environments may be helpful in assessing a particular group or relationship.

In my opinion this are the 6 major:


Exclusive. They may say, "We're the only ones with the truth; everyone else is wrong; and if you leave our group your salvation is in danger." Use of unique abbreviations and specific language.


Secretive. Certain teachings are not available to outsiders or they're presented only to certain members, sometimes after taking vows of confidentiality.


Authoritarian. A human leader expects total loyalty and unquestioned obedience.


Manipulative. Demanding total commitment and loyalty from its followers.


Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).


Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.


http://www.spiritwatch.org/noquest3.JPG

Then of course there are other important factors, I list them here in unsorted order:
‪
The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).


The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).


The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.


‪The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).


‪The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).


The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt iin order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.


‪Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.


The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.


The group is preoccupied with making money.


Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.


Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.


‪The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.


---

Which of all the above that are active in a specific cult are dependent on its goals and achievements. In my opinion it is not static and it change over time.

The hardest part is that cult members themselves are totally unaware what is going on and lack self-awareness!

*It is impossible to reflect those that have no mirrors*...


SO... DO YOU WANT TO BECOME A CULT LEADER?.. ;).

[InCiDeR]

I think this should go here as well. A post (http://projectavalon.net/forum4/showthread.php?59276-Q-and-A-about-Ron-Hubbard-Bill-Robertson-Scientology-the-Free-Zone-Ron-s-Org-Planet-Earth.-Jim-and-the-Future&p=676615&viewfull=1#post676615) made previously by our lovely Paula:

---

Eight Traits of the Disinformationalist (http://www.whale.to/b/sweeney.html)
by H. Michael Sweeney <HMS@proparanoid.com> 
copyright (c) 1997, 2000 All rights reserved 

(Revised April 2000 - formerly SEVEN Traits) 
 




1) Avoidance. They never actually discuss issues head-on or provide constructive input, generally avoiding citation of references or credentials. Rather, they merely imply this, that, and the other. Virtually everything about  their presentation implies their authority and  expert knowledge in the matter without any further justification for credibility. 




2) Selectivity. They tend to pick and choose opponents carefully, either applying the hit-and-run approach against mere commentators supportive of opponents, or focusing heavier attacks on key opponents who are known to directly address issues. Should a commentatorbecome argumentative with any success, the focus will shift to include the commentator as well.




3) Coincidental. They tend to surface suddenly and somewhat coincidentally with a new controversial topic with no clear prior record of participation in general discussions in the particular public arena involved. They likewise tend to vanish once the topic is no longer of general concern. They were likely directed or elected to be there for a reason, and vanish with the reason.




4) Teamwork. They tend to operate in self-congratulatory and complementary packs or teams. Of course, this can happen naturally in any public forum, but there will likely be an ongoing pattern of frequent exchanges of this sort where professionals are involved. Sometimes one of the players will infiltrate the opponent camp to become a source for straw man or other tactics designed to dilute opponent presentation strength. 




5) Anti-conspiratorial. They almost always have disdain for 'conspiracy theorists' and, usually, for those who in any way believe JFK was not killed by LHO. Ask yourself why, if they hold such disdain for conspiracy theorists, do they focus on defending a single topic discussed in a NG focusing on conspiracies?

One might think they would either be trying to make fools of everyone on every topic, or simply ignore the group they hold in such disdain.Or, one might more rightly conclude they have  an ulterior motive for their actions in going out of their way to focus as they do. 




6) Artificial Emotions. An odd kind of 'artificial' emotionalism and an unusually thick skin -- an ability to persevere and persist even in the face of overwhelming criticism and unacceptance. This likely stems from intelligence community training that, no matter how condemning the evidence, deny everything, and never become emotionally involved or reactive.

The net result for a disinfo artist is that emotions can seem artificial. Most people, if responding in anger, for instance, will express their animosity throughout their rebuttal. But disinfo types usually have trouble maintaining the 'image' and are hot and cold with respect to pretended emotions and their usually more calm or unemotional communications style.

It's just a job, and they often seem unable to 'act their role in character' as well in a communications medium as they might be able in a real face-to-face  conversation/confrontation. You might have outright rage and indignation one moment, ho-hum the next, and more anger later -- an emotional yo-yo. With respect to being thick-skinned, no amount of criticism will deter them from doing their job, and they will generally continue their old disinfo patterns without any adjustments to criticisms of how obvious it is that they play that game -- where a more rational individual who truly cares what others think might seek to improve their communications style, substance, and so forth, or simply give up. 




7) Inconsistent. There is also a tendency to make mistakes which betray their true self/motives. This may stem from not really knowing their topic, or it may be somewhat 'freudian', so to speak, in that perhaps they  really root for the side of truth deep within.


8) BONUS TRAIT: Time Constant. Recently discovered, with respect to News Groups, is the response time factor. There are three ways this can be seen to work, especially when the government or other empowered player is involved in a cover up operation:
[continued here (http://www.whale.to/b/sweeney.html)]

---

Twenty-Five Ways To Suppress Truth:  (http://www.whale.to/m/disin.html)  

The Rules of Disinformation  (Includes The 8 Traits of A Disinformationalist)  

by H. Michael Sweeney
 copyright (c) 1997, 2000 All rights reserved
 (Revised April 2000)



Twenty-Five Rules of Disinformation 

Note: The first rule and last five (or six, depending on situation) rules are generally not directly within the ability of the traditional disinfo artist to apply. These rules are generally used more directly by those at the leadership, key players, or planning level of the criminal conspiracy or conspiracy to cover up. 



---

Thank you Paula for this great post! :)

[Padmé]

A.J.Miller...

ML2Oa4Oigvo

[markpierre]

No experience comes unbidden. What we refer to commonly as 'cultist', is a microcosm of larger society. If you've given your autonomy
and power to anything outside of yourself, or smaller than your Source, you're practicing that behavior. Well, we all do that.
And the need to belong to something in an intimate way is as old as that opportunity becoming lost in our loss of 'tribe', and diminishing sense of family. 2 distinct issues.

It's not such a bad way to discover 'what isn't', and probably much faster than standing outside of it both in comprehension and experience and judging it,
while continuing to participate in the larger cult we call acceptable human behavior and calling that 'what is'.
Look at some of the abhorrent things that we accept as reasonable and rational.
'Judgement' is a good example.

[greybeard]

One of the biggest influences in my life was the saying attributed to the Buddha.

"Put no head above your own"

People are drawn into cults because they feel a lack---an inability to "fix" their lives or accept what is.
A lack of self, personal led direction.
The true teacher guru does not look for followers, or personal gain in any way.
He/she points to the Truth which is contained within every conscious being.

No body can give you what you already have


The Truth requires work to uncover it within-- a teacher can point the way but its up to the self to find the Self within.

Chris

[Kraut]

Here are some personal observations about typical cult aspects. These are gained from having been a Watchtower peddler for most of my life, for a long time being a full believer. Religious cults will convince you that they alone have the truth or the way to salvation and enlightenment and that all other religions or spiritual groups are in darkness and have nothing to offer, so you have to avoid them at all costs, so as not to become tainted. A really detrimental thing is that they will condition you to develop a strong "us vs. them" attitude, so you will always see non cult members with suspicion or worse look down on them.

Another dangerous factor is that the cult will subtly influence your intake of information. This happens in a subtle way, they may not tell you "don't read this..." but will make you believe that certain information is not good for you and may be dangerous, so you start limiting your sources of information yourself, without really being aware of it. So you, your views, your hopes, your likes, everything is shaped by the cult and it's standards of what is good and bad. In time you loose complete sense of who you are, or should you have been born into such a cult you may never have figured out who you are in the first place.

[InCiDeR]

I just finished watching "Kumare". A wonderful, but also revealing documentary about human psyche and how we all looking for answers.
Thank you RMorgan for pointing this movie out! :)


Kumare (http://thepiratebay.sx/torrent/8173307/Kumare.2011.LIMITED.DVDRip.XviD-GECKOS)

A documentary about a man who impersonates a wise Indian Guru and builds a following in Arizona. At the height of his popularity, the Guru Kumaré must reveal his true identity to his disciples and unveil his greatest teaching of all.
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1865425/)

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Die Welle (http://thepiratebay.sx/torrent/6807831/Die_Welle__The_Wave_2008_DVDrip_German_English_Subs_Klam)

A high school teacher's unusual experiment to demonstrate to his students what life is like under a dictatorship spins horribly out of control when he forms a social unit with a life of its own.

Based on a true story.
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt1063669/?ref_=sr_1)

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Das Experiment (http://thepiratebay.sx/torrent/6074694/Das_Experiment_a.k.a_The_Experiment_2001_720p_BRRip_H.264_AAC_5.)

The movie is based on the infamous "Stanford Prison Experiment" conducted in 1971. A makeshift prison is set up in a research lab, complete with cells, bars and surveillance cameras. For two weeks 20 male participants are hired to play prisoners and guards. The 'prisoners' are locked up and have to follow seemingly mild rules, and the 'guards' are told simply to retain order without using physical violence. Everybody is free to quit at any time, thereby forfeiting payment. In the beginning the mood between both groups is insecure and rather emphatic. But soon quarrels arise and the wardens employ ever more drastic sanctions to confirm their authority.
IMDb (http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0250258/?ref_=fn_al_tt_1)

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This (http://www.utorrent.com/) might come in handy if you interested in above movies!

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I guess all the above movies shows in different ways how a "cult" is born.

They all leaves me with following answer:

BE WHAT YOU ARE. BE YOUR OWN CULT LEADER :)

[DeDukshyn]

I find the similarities between "cult" and "culture" fascinating. Scale seems to be the main difference from a function standpoint.

[InCiDeR]

For you that more like to listen and watch than to read:


MIND CONTROL: How people become trapped in Cults
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How normal people like you and I can easily become gradually duped over a period of time into becoming deceived by a destructive cult!

This video also reveals another frightening scenario: how a handful of corrupt people in positions of authority in the military could issue unjust unconstitutional orders to their subordinates to carry out acts of violence against their fellow countrymen, citizens who are guilty of nothing more than exercising their God-given Constitutional rights to keep and bear arms and protect their lands and their homes and the lives of themselves and their families!

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The Marks of a Cult
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I Escaped a Cult (Nat Geo 2012)
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The courageous stories of three people who escaped the clutches of abuse, mind control, and fear in two dangerous religious cults.

Original aired on National Geographic April 2012. Fundamentalist Latter Day Saints, Warren Jeffs, Aggressive Christianity Missionary Training Corps.