Does this apply to your personal Church?

[The Learner]

INFORMATION CONTROL
Deception:
a. Deliberately withhold information
b. Distort information to make it more acceptable
c. Systematically lie to the cult member
Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including:
a. Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, media
b. Critical information
c. Former members
d. Keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigate
e. Control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking
Compartmentalize information into Outsider vs. Insider doctrines
a. Ensure that information is not freely accessible
b. Control information at different levels and missions within group
c. Allow only leadership to decide who needs to know what and when
Encourage spying on other members
a. Impose a buddy system to monitor and control member
b. Report deviant thoughts, feelings and actions to leadership
c. Ensure that individual behavior is monitored by group
Extensive use of cult-generated information and propaganda, including:
a. Newsletters, magazines, journals, audiotapes, videotapes, YouTube, movies and other media
b. Misquoting statements or using them out of context from non-cult sources
Unethical use of confession
a. Information about sins used to disrupt and/or dissolve identity boundaries
b. Withholding forgiveness or absolution
c. Manipulation of memory, possible false memories

 

[The Learner]

BEHAVIOR CONTROL
Regulate individual’s physical reality
Dictate where, how, and with whom the member lives and associates or isolates
When, how and with whom the member has sex
Control types of clothing and hairstyles
Regulate diet – food and drink, hunger and/or fasting
Manipulation and deprivation of sleep
Financial exploitation, manipulation or dependence
Restrict leisure, entertainment, vacation time
Major time spent with group indoctrination and rituals and/or self indoctrination including the Internet
Permission required for major decisions
Rewards and punishments used to modify behaviors, both positive and negative
Discourage individualism, encourage group-think
Impose rigid rules and regulations
Punish disobedience by beating, torture, burning, cutting, rape, or tattooing/branding
Threaten harm to family and friends
Force individual to rape or be raped
Encourage and engage in corporal punishment
Instill dependency and obedience
Kidnapping
Beating
Torture
Rape
Separation of Families
Imprisonment
Murder

 

[The Learner]

THOUGHT CONTROL​

1. Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth
   a. Adopting the group’s ‘map of reality’ as reality
   b. Instill black and white thinking
   c. Decide between good vs. evil
   d. Organize people into us vs. them (insiders vs. outsiders)
2. Change person’s name and identity
3. Use of loaded language and clichés which constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts and reduce complexities into platitudinous buzz words
4. Encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts
5. Hypnotic techniques are used to alter mental states, undermine critical thinking and even to age regress the member
6. Memories are manipulated and false memories are created
7. Teaching thought-stopping techniques which shut down reality testing by stopping negative thoughts and allowing only positive thoughts, including:
   a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking
   b. Chanting
   c. Meditating
   d. Praying
   e. Speaking in tongues
   f. Singing or humming
8. Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism
9. Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy allowed
10. Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful
11. Instill new “map of reality”

 

[The Learner]

EMOTIONAL CONTROL​

1. Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings – some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish
2. Teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt
3. Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault
4. Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness, such as:
   a. Identity guilt
   b. You are not living up to your potential
   c. Your family is deficient
   d. Your past is suspect
   e. Your affiliations are unwise
   f. Your thoughts, feelings, actions are irrelevant or selfish
   g. Social guilt
   f. Historical guilt
5. Instill fear, such as fear of:
   a. Thinking independently
   b. The outside world
   c. Enemies
   d. Losing one’s salvation
   e. Leaving or being shunned by the group
   f. Other’s disapproval
   f. Historical guilt
6. Extremes of emotional highs and lows – love bombing and praise one moment and then declaring you are horrible sinner
7. Ritualistic and sometimes public confession of sins
8. Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority
   a. No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group
   b. Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc.
   c. Shunning of those who leave; fear of being rejected by friends and family
   d. Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and roll
   e. Threats of harm to ex-member and family

 

[The Learner]

Steven Hassan's BITE Model of Authoritarian Control

BITE Model of Authoritarian ControlTM Many think of mind control as an ambiguous, mystical process that is difficult to define. Mind control refers to a specific set of methods and techniques, such as hypnosis or … Steven Hassan’s BITE Model of Authoritarian Control Read More

freedomofmind.com

 

[The Learner]

Cult Info Since 1979

Become a Member of ICSA Membership - Donations - Fundraising 2024 ICSA ANNUAL INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE Call for Proposals is now closed. Conference Registration Information Coming Soon JULY 3-6, 2024 BARCELONA, SPAIN Conference Theme: Evidence-based Practices in Cult Recovery

www.icsahome.com

Cult Behaviours: Dependence on a Leader - Reviewing Prof Arthur J. Deikman’s Work - Ragged University

This is the second part of a review and digest of the work which Arthur Diekman published on cult behaviours manifest in every day life. As a professor of psychology he stressed how cult behaviours are intimately woven in the human's psyche and [...]

raggeduniversity.co.uk

BELGIUM: The Information and Advice Centre on Harmful | WWRN - World-wide Religious News

BELGIUM: (II) About the Recommendation of the Cult Observatory on “cult victims” | Human Rights Without Frontiers

BELGIUM: Some reflections about the Recommendation of the Federal Cult Observatory on “cult victims” (II) Version en français I Version en français II By Willy Fautré, Human Rights Without Frontiers HRWF (12.07.2023) - On June 26, the Federal Observatory on Cults (CIAOSN/ IACSSO), officially...

hrwf.eu

 

[The Learner]

time is short google historical development of the first vision account
google an introduction to the first vision