Chapter 5–Cult Psychology Since my departure from the Moon cult, I have counseled or spoken with many thousands of former cult members. These people come from every sort of background and range in age from 12 to 85. Although some of them clearly had severe emotional problems before becoming involved, the great majority were stable, intelligent, idealistic people. Many had good educations and came from respectable families. Many were born or raised into totalistic groups, but still managed to leave. Many were able to form relationships and have successful careers. Many more struggled and suffered from a myriad of psychological and life issues related to their cult involvement. The fact that many were intelligent, well-adjusted and from good homes hardly surprises me. When I was a leader in the Moonies, we selectively recruited “valuable” people—those who were strong, caring and motivated. Indeed, a cult will generally target the most educated, active and capable people it can find. People with emotional problems, on the other hand, always had trouble handling the rigorous schedule and enormous psychological pressures we imposed on them. It took lots of time, energy, and money to recruit and indoctrinate a member, so we tried not to waste our resources on someone who seemed liable to break down. Like any other business, large cult organizations watch these cost/benefit ratios. Cults that endure for more than a decade need to have competent individuals managing the practical affairs that any organization with long-term objectives must do. The big groups can afford to hire outsiders to perform executive and professional tasks, but a hired professional is never trusted as much as someone who is psychologically invested in the group. Moreover, cult members don’t have to be paid for their services. Cults thus try to recruit talented professionals—to run their affairs, to put a respectable face on their organizations, and to ensure their success. Outsiders who deal with the leadership of destructive cults never cease to be amazed that they aren’t scatterbrained kooks. I hear comments such as, “I never knew there were so many brilliant people in these types of groups,” or “That leader is really a very nice, kind, insightful person. How could he ever join a group like this?” Occasionally I am asked whether there is some kind of typical problem family from which cult members tend to come. The answer is _no_. Anyone, regardless of family background, can be recruited into a cult. The major variable is not the person’s family but the cult recruiter’s skill and the recruit’s life situation. Participation in destructive cults does sometimes provide some people with an outlet for aspects of themselves that they did not find in their family life or social activities. For example, many people have a genuine impulse to work together with others as a team for a variety of social or religious causes. Relatively few communities, though, offer such organized activity to idealistic people. Cult life gives them just such an opportunity, along with the apparent benefits of “belonging” that comes from an intense group experience. I support anyone’s search for more meaningful ways to develop relationships with other people—but, as I have learned, people who are engaged in that search are often more vulnerable than others to cult recruitment. I have also noticed that many idealistic young people recruited into cults are struggling to assert their individuality, and some are going through a period of rebellion. For these young people, cult membership can be a way of substituting cult authority figures who become a surrogate family when they are away from home. I have occasionally come across more serious problems, such as alcoholism or drug addiction within the family, which made the person feel a strong desire to escape the dysfunctional family as soon as possible. However, there does not appear to be a consistent pattern in the type of family from which recruits come. The majority seem relatively normal. So, what makes a person vulnerable to cults? How does a friendly, kind, insightful human being become a member of a destructive cult? If he or she is like most cult members, he or she is probably approached during a time of unusual stress, perhaps while undergoing a major life transition. Intense stress is commonplace in the modern world. Many people experience great pressure at work or school, or tension from family problems, social relationships, health concerns, new jobs, new homes, money crises, or combinations of several of these stresses at once. Usually our defense mechanisms help us cope, but we all have vulnerable moments. Human beings all have these “life-cycle” kinds of events: graduation, moving, death of friends and family, break-up of relationship or marriage, loss of job, and so on. Although we may succumb to mind control in weak moments, it is by no means permanent. Whenever recruits leave the group environment long enough and they begin discovering revealing books, articles or testimonies by former members, they almost always break away. The problem occurs when people rely on the group for all key information. Not knowing any better, they give the cult the benefit of the doubt. They may assume that any problem is merely the result of a member’s idiosyncratic behavior, not the system itself. One particular cult member I counseled told me that whenever he had caught his Moonie recruiter in a lie, he disregarded it because he assumed that lying was just a personal problem she had. Such judgment errors are common among people who are innocent of the nature of cults. This chapter, then, is designed to help you put yourself in the shoes of a cult member—to understand the psychology and something of what their life in a cult is like. It endeavors to identify some of the most basic themes of life in destructive cults, the common denominators they all share, in terms of what members do and say. The Cult Experience What is it like to be in a destructive cult that uses mind control? How does it feel? How does one think? Since there are so many different types of mind control cults, it would be impossible to describe the beliefs and practices of each one, or even each type. The best way to learn about a specific group is to locate a former member, or a former member’s written or video account. Ex-members are a great source of information. Still, certain themes of cult membership are more or less universal. Here are the nine most common ones. The Doctrine Is Reality There is no room in a mind control environment for regarding the group’s beliefs as mere theory, or as a way to interpret or seek reality. The doctrine is reality. Some groups go so far as to teach that the entire material world is illusion. Therefore, all thinking, desires and action—except, of course, those prescribed by the cult—do not really exist. The most effective cult doctrines are those “which are unverifiable and unevaluable, in the words of Eric Hoffer.”[91] They may be so convoluted that it would take years to untangle them. By then people have been directed away from studying the doctrine to more practical pursuits, such as fundraising and recruiting. Doctrine is to be accepted, not understood. Therefore, the doctrine must be vague and global, yet also symmetrical enough to appear consistent. Its power comes from its assertion that it is the one and only truth—and that it encompasses everything. Since mind control depends on creating a new identity within the individual, cult doctrine always requires that a person distrust their authentic self. The doctrine becomes the “master program” for all their thoughts, feelings and actions. Since it is the “Truth,” perfect and absolute, any flaw in it is viewed as a reflection of the believer’s own imperfection. They are taught that they must follow the prescribed formula, even if they don’t really understand it. At the same time, the cult member is told that they should work harder and have more faith, so they will come to _understand_ the truth more clearly. Reality is Black and White, Good Versus Evil Even the most complex cult doctrines ultimately reduce reality into two basic poles: black versus white; good versus evil; spiritual world versus physical world; us versus them. There is never room for pluralism. The doctrine allows no outside group to be recognized as valid (or good, or godly, or real), because that would threaten the cult’s monopoly on truth. There is also no room for interpretation or deviation. If the doctrine doesn’t provide an answer directly, then the member must ask a leader. If the leader doesn’t have an answer, they can always brush off the question as unimportant or irrelevant. “Devils” vary from group to group. They can be political or economic institutions (communism, socialism, or capitalism); mental-health professionals (psychiatrists, psychologists, or deprogrammers); metaphysical entities such as Satan, spirits, or aliens; or just the cruel laws of nature. Devils are certain to take on the bodies of parents, friends, ex-members, reporters, and anyone else who is critical of the group. The “huge conspiracies” working to thwart the group are, of course, proof of its tremendous importance. Some groups cultivate a psychic paranoia, telling members that spirit beings are constantly observing them, and even taking possession of them whenever they feel or think in non-cult ways. Moon once ordered me, and busloads of other members, to see the movie _The Exorcist_, which showed horribly graphic scenes of demonic possession. Afterward, we were brought to Tarrytown to hear Moon rant about “how God had made _The Exorcist_ movie and how it was a prophecy of what would happen to people who left the Unification Church.” It was years after I had left the cult when I started studying phobias that I was able to trace back my own programming to that very night. After watching that movie and then hearing that speech, fear of Satanic possession took over my unconscious. I never had any conscious doubts about Moon or the group until my deprogramming. Elitist Mentality Members are made to feel part of an elite corps of humankind. This feeling of being special, of participating in the most important acts in human history, with a vanguard of committed believers, is strong emotional glue that keeps people sacrificing and working hard. As a community, cult members feel they have been chosen—by God, history, fate or some other supernatural force—to lead humanity out of darkness into a new age of enlightenment. Cult members have a great sense not only of mission, but also of their special place in history. They believe they will be recognized for their greatness for generations to come. In the Moonies, we were told that monuments and historical markers would someday be erected to commemorate us, because of our sacrifices. Ironically, members of cults look down on anyone involved in other cult groups. They are very quick to acknowledge that “Those people are in a cult” or “_They_ are the ones who are brainwashed.” They are unable to step out of their own situations and look at themselves objectively. This feeling of elitism and destiny, however, carries a heavy burden of responsibility. Members are told that if they do not fully perform their duties, they are failing all of humanity. The rank-and-file member is humble before superiors and potential recruits, but arrogant to outsiders. Almost all members are told when they are recruited that they, too, will become leaders one day. However, advancement will be achieved only through outstanding performance or political appointment. In the end, of course, the real power elite stays small. Most members do not become leaders, but stay among the rank and file. Nevertheless, cult members consider themselves better, more knowledgeable, and more powerful than anyone else in the world. As a result, cult members often feel _more_ responsible than they have ever felt in their lives. They walk around feeling as though the world sits on their shoulders. Cult members don’t know what outsiders mean when they say, “You shouldn’t try to escape reality and responsibility by joining a cult.” The Group Will Over Individual Will In all destructive cults, the self must submit to group policy and the leader’s commands. The “whole purpose” or group purpose must be the focus; the “self purpose” must be subordinated. In any group that qualifies as a destructive cult, thinking _of_ oneself or _for_ oneself is wrong. The group comes first. Absolute obedience to superiors is one of the most universal themes in cults. Individuality is bad. Conformity is good. A cult member’s entire sense of reality becomes externally referenced. They learn to ignore their own inner self and trust the external authority figure. They learn to look to others for direction and meaning. Rank-and-file cult members typically have trouble making decisions, probably because of the overemphasis on external authority. In their state of extreme dependency, they need someone to tell them what to think, feel and do. Leaders of different cults have come up with strikingly similar tactics for fostering dependency. They transfer members frequently to new and strange locations, switch their work duties, promote them and then demote them on whims, all to keep them dependent and off balance. Another technique is to assign impossibly high goals, tell members that if they are “pure” they will succeed, and force them to confess their impurity when they inevitably fail. Strict Obedience: Modeling the Leader A new member is often indoctrinated and groomed to give up old thought and behaviors by being paired with an older cult member, who serves as a model for the new member to imitate. In Bible groups, this is sometimes referred to as _shepherding_ or _discipling_. The newcomer is urged to _be_ this other person. Mid-level leaders are themselves urged to act like their superiors. The cult leader at the top is, of course, the ultimate model. One reason why a group of cultists may strike even a naive outsider as spooky or weird is that everyone has similar odd mannerisms, clothing styles and modes of speech. What the outsider is seeing is the personality of the leader passed down through several layers of modeling.[92] Happiness Through Good Performance One of the most attractive qualities of cult life is the sense of community it fosters. The love seems to be unconditional and unlimited at first, and new members are swept away by a honeymoon of praise and attention. But after a few months, as the person becomes more enmeshed, the flattery and attention are turned away, toward newer recruits. Most members continue to believe that the group has the “highest level” of love on earth. However, experientially, the cult member learns that in the group, love is not unconditional, but depends on good performance. Behaviors are controlled through rewards and punishments. Competitions are used to inspire and shame members into being more productive. If things aren’t going well—if there is poor recruitment, or unfavorable media coverage, or defections—it is always individual members’ fault, and their ration of “happiness” will be withheld until the problem is corrected. In some groups, people are required to confess sins in order to be granted “happiness.” If they can’t think of any sins, they are encouraged to make some up. Many people come to believe that they really committed these made-up sins. Real friendships are a liability in cults, and are covertly discouraged by leaders. A cult member’s emotional allegiance should be vertical (up to the leader), not horizontal (toward peers). Friends are dangerous, in part because if one member leaves, they may take others with him. Of course, when anyone does leave the group, the “love” formerly directed to them turns into anger, hatred and ridicule. Relationships are usually superficial within cults, because sharing deep personal feelings, especially negative ones, is highly discouraged. This feature of cult life prevails even though a member may feel they are closer to their comrades than they have ever been to anyone before. Indeed, when cult members go through hardship (fundraising in freezing cold or broiling heat) or persecution (being harassed by outsiders or arrested for violating the law), they often feel a depth of camaraderie and shared martyrdom that is exceptional. But because the only real allegiance is to the leader, a closer look shows that such ties are actually quite shallow, and sometimes just private fantasy. Manipulation through Fear and Guilt Cult members come to live within a narrow corridor of fear, guilt and shame. Problems are always their fault—the result of _their_ weak faith, _their_ lack of understanding, _their_ “bad ancestors,” evil spirits, and so forth. They perpetually feel guilty for not meeting standards. The leader, doctrine and group are always right. They are wrong. They also come to believe that evil is out to get them. Phobias are the ultimate fear weapon of mind control. Shame and guilt are used daily through a variety of methods, including holding up some member for an outstanding accomplishment or by finding problems in the group and blaming members for causing them. In every destructive cult I have encountered, fear is a major motivator. Each group has its devil lurking around the corner, waiting for members so it can tempt and seduce them, to kill them or drive them insane. The more vivid and tangible the devil, the more intense the cohesiveness it fosters. Emotional Highs and Lows Life in a cult can be like a roller-coaster. Members swing between the extreme happiness of experiencing the “truth” with an insider elite, and the crushing weight of guilt, fear and shame. Problems are always due to their inadequacies, not the group’s issues. They perpetually feel guilty for failing to meet objectives or not conforming to standards. If they raise objections, members are likely to get the “silent treatment” or be transferred to another part of the group. These extremes take a heavy toll on a person’s ability to function. When members are in a high state, they can convert their zeal into great productivity and persuasiveness. But when they crash, they can become completely dysfunctional. Most groups don’t allow the “lows” to last very long. They typically send the member back through indoctrination programs to charge them up again. It is not uncommon for someone to receive a formal reindoctrination several times a year. The Scientology ‘Rehabilitation Project Force’ usually takes several years to complete and reduces members to abject slavery. Some long-term members do burn out without actually quitting. These people can no longer take the burden or pressure of performance. They may be permanently reassigned to manual labor in out-of-the-way places, where they are expected to remain for the rest of their lives. Or, if they become a burden, they may be asked (or told) to leave. One man I counseled had been sent home to his family after ten years of cult membership, because he started to demand more sleep and better treatment. They kicked him out because, as they told him, they didn’t want him to “infect” other members, who might start making demands as well. Changes in Time Orientation An interesting dynamic of cults is that they tend to change people’s relationship to their past, present and future. Cult members tend to look back at their previous life with a distorted memory that colors everything dark. Even the most positive memories are skewed toward the bad. The cult member’s sense of the present is manipulated, too. They feel a great sense of urgency about the tasks at hand. I remember well the constant feeling that a time bomb was ticking beneath my feet, and that the world might become a heaven or a hell, depending on how well I performed in my current project. Many groups teach that the apocalypse is just around the corner. Some say they are preventing the apocalypse; others merely believe that they will survive it. When you are kept extremely busy on critical projects all the time—for days, weeks or months—everything becomes blurred. To a cult member, the future is a time when they will be rewarded, once the great change has finally come. Or else it will be the time when they will be punished. In most groups, the leader claims to control—or at least have unique knowledge of—the future. He knows how to paint visions of future heaven and hell that will move members in the direction he desires. If a group has a timetable for the apocalypse, it will likely be two to five years away—far enough not to be discredited any time soon, but near enough to carry emotional punch.[93] In many cults, these predictions have a way of fading into the background as the big date approaches. In other groups, the timetable is believed right until it actually fails to come true. Often the leader just issues a new timetable that moves the big event up a few years. After he does this a few times, a few long-term members may become cynical. Of course, by then there is a whole set of new members who are unaware that the leader has been shifting the timetable. The Jehovah’s Witnesses failed in many predictions for the end of the world, yet it remains one of the largest contemporary cults, numbering millions. When I was in the Moonies, no one knew about Moon’s failed prophecies that the old world would end and the Moon movement would take over, first in 1960 and then in 1967.[94] Moon predicted that World War III would occur in 1977. When that didn’t happen, all eyes were on 1981. People recruited around 1977 have told me how clearly they remember the magical, whispered excitement of the word “1981” on their lecturers’ lips.[95] When 1981 produced nothing more dramatic for the Unification Church than President Ronald Reagan’s inauguration (which Sun Myung Moon himself attended), talk had already turned to dates farther ahead. No Way Out In a destructive cult, there is never a legitimate reason for leaving. Unlike healthy organizations, which recognize a person’s inherent right to choose to move on, mind control groups make it very clear that there is _no_ legitimate way to leave. Members are told that the only reasons that people leave are weakness, insanity, temptation, brainwashing (by deprogrammers), pride, sin, and so on. Members are thoroughly indoctrinated with the belief that if they ever do leave, terrible consequences will befall them, their family and/or humanity. Although cult members will often say, “Show me a better way and I will quit,” they are not allowed the time or given the mental tools to balance the evidence for themselves. They are locked in a psychological prison. This belief—that there is no way to leave and still be fulfilled and be a good person—is at the heart of Lifton’s eighth criterion, “Dispensing of Existence” (first described in _Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism_, and found in the essay in the appendix to this book). Essentially, Lifton outlined the totalistic notion that if you are in the group, you have a right to exist and if you leave, you do not. Violent cults may take this to an extreme, to justify the killing of former members and reinforce the notion that people have to stay. They must work, fight and follow orders or else they will die—not just symbolically, as in the Moonies, but in actuality. People who do actually leave cults are extremely courageous—and they can have a very important role. They can provide inspiration to those who are under mind control, especially if the former members are happy, accomplished and open about their cult involvement. These heroic people, by speaking out about their experience, are a potent and dangerous force to cult leaders and mind controllers everywhere. When former members hide their cult involvement—whether through shame, doubt, guilt, fear or anger—they are missing a valuable opportunity: to free themselves and, by their example, to help free others. Chapter 5 Endnotes 91. Eric Hoffer, The True Believer (New York: Harper & Row, 1951), 77. 92. Yeakley, Flavil. The Discipling Dilemma, (1988), Gospel Advocate Co, Nashville TN. 93. For instance, Ron Hubbard: “A handful of us are working our guts out to beat Deadline Earth. On us alone depends whether your kid will ever see sixteen or your people will ever make it at all. A few of us see the world has got a chance if we don’t dawdle along the way. Our chance is a thin chance at best. We are working as hard as we can in Scientology. And, the only slim chance this planet has rests on a few slim shoulders, overworked, underpaid and fought —the Scientologist. Later on, if we make it, what will be your answer to this question? Did you help? … The world has an optimistic five years left, a pessimistic two.After that, Bang or just a whimper.On us alone depends whether your kids will ever see sixteen or your people will ever make it at all.Our chance is a thin chance at best. We are working as hard as we can in Scientology.”Auditor Magazine, (1967), 9. 94. Michael Warder, “Bribemasters,” Chronicles (June 1988), 31. 95. “Central Figure,” Master Speaks (Feb 13. 1974), 6.“Untitled,” Master Speaks (Jan 3. 1972).“Parents’ Day,” Master Speaks (March 24. 1974).