Combatting cult mind control

Nonetheless, I have learned that fast action is often necessary. If someone is being worked upon in a mind control environment, sometimes the difference of even a few hours can be crucial. (p18)

Any group that engages in outright deception to pursue its ends, whether religious or secular in its apparent orientation, I define as a destructive cult. (p.19)

"mind control" may be understood as a system of influences that disrupts an individual's identity (beliefs, behaviour, thinking, and emotions) and replaces it with a new identity. In most cases, that new identity is one that the original identity would strongly object to if it knew in advance what was in store. (p.21)

His strategy, "serve and help people until they are dependent on you, then control them."

The report (from the Japanese bar association), which estimates that only 1 percent of consumer fraud victims complain, concludes that $165 million is only the 'tip of the iceberg' (p.24)


None of these destructive cults deliver what they promise; all, in the long run, entrap their members and destroy their self-esteem. (p.25)

By accepting the way in which I was deceived, I set myself up to begin deceiving others. (p.33)

I strived to be the perfect "son" of the "True Parents" - obedient and loyal (these two virtues were valued above all else). (p.36)

I found that "walk-aways" were people who had been able to maintain contact with people outside the destructive cult. (p.47)

Surveys of present and former cult members indicate that the majority of people recruited into destructive cults were approached at a vulnerable time of stress in their lives. The stress is often due to some kind of major transition: moving to a new town, starting a new job, breaking off a relationship, experiencing financial instability, or losing a loved one.  People in such situations tend to have defence mechanisms that are overloaded or weakened. If they don't know how to spot and avoid destructive cults, they are easy prey. (p.63)

The essence of mind control is that it encourages dependence and conformity, and discourages autonomy and individuality. (p.69)

A person who actively participates in his own punishment will come to believe he deserves it (p.75)

Obedience to a leader's command is the most important lesson to learn. The leaders cannot command someone's inner thoughts, but they know that if they command behaviour, heart and minds will follow. (p.75)

The new member is typically assigned to proselytising duty as soon as possible. Research in social psychology has shown that nothing firms up one's beliefs faster than trying to sell them to others. Making new members do so crystallises the cult identity quickly. (p.86)

Each time the member is able to step out of his shoes and into the shoes of another - whether a member of a different group, or even his parents or his leader - he is weakening his psychological rigidity. Indeed, encouraging a cult member psychologically to take another perspective enables him to test his reality. In this process, the information he was programmed with takes on a new light.
The way to undo blind faith is to introduce new  perspectives. (p.178)






(Steven Hassan - Combatting cult mind control)