-Caveat Lector- Below please find information from two URL's about mind control. Sincerely, Neil Brick Excerpts from http://www.shassan.com/srmind.htm Mind Control - The B.I.T.E. Model >From Chapter Four of Combatting Cult Mind Control (Park Street Press, 1990) by Steven Hassan Destructive mind control can be understood in terms of four basic components, which form the acronym BITE: I. Behavior Control II. Information Control III. Thought Control IV. Emotional Control These four components are guidelines. Not all groups do every aspect or do them extremely. What matters most is the overall impact on a person’s free will and ability to make real choices. A person’s uniqueness, talents, skills, creativity, and free will should be encouraged, not suppressed. Destructive mind control seeks to "make people over" in the image of the cult leader.... I. Behavior Control... Need to ask permission for major decisions...Need to report thoughts, feelings and activities to superiors...Rewards and punishments (behavior modification techniques- positive and negative)...Individualism discouraged; group think prevails...Rigid rules and regulations...Need for obedience and dependency II. Information Control... Use of deception...Deliberately holding back information...Distorting information to make it acceptable...Outright lying... Access to non-cult sources of information minimized or discouraged...Former members...Compartmentalization of information; Outsider vs. Insider doctrines...Information is not freely accessible...Information varies at different levels and missions within pyramid....Leadership decides who "needs to know" what...Spying on other members is encouraged...Pairing up with "buddy" system to monitor and control...Reporting deviant thoughts, feelings, and actions to leadership....Extensive use of cult generated information and propaganda ...Misquotations, statements taken out of context from non-cult sources...Unethical use of confession...Past "sins" used to manipulate and control; no forgiveness or absolution III. Thought Control Need to internalize the group’s doctrine as "Truth"...Map = Reality....Black and White thinking...Good vs. evil...Us vs. them (inside vs. outside) Adopt "loaded" language (characterized by "thought-terminating clichés"). Words are the tools we use to think with. These "special" words constrict rather than expand understanding. They function to reduce complexities of experience into trite, platitudinous "buzz words". Thought-stopping techniques (to shut down "reality testing" by stopping "negative" thoughts and allowing only "good" thoughts); rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism. a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking b. Chanting c. Meditating d. Praying e. Speaking in "tongues" f. Singing or humming 5. No critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy seen as legitimate 6. No alternative belief systems viewed as legitimate, good, or useful IV. Emotional Control Manipulate and narrow the range of a person’s feelings....Make the person feel like if there are ever any problems it is always their fault, never the leader’s or the group’s. ...Excessive use of guilt...Identity guilt...Excessive use of fear...Fear of thinking independently...Fear of the "outside" world...Fear of enemies...Fear of leaving the group or being shunned by group...Fear of disapproval....Extremes of emotional highs and lows. 7. Phobia indoctrination : programming of irrational fears of ever leaving the group or even questioning the leader’s authority. The person under mind control cannot visualize a positive, fulfilled future without being in the group. a. No happiness or fulfillment "outside"of the group b. Terrible consequences will take place if you leave: "hell"; "demon possession"; "incurable diseases"; "accidents"; "suicide"; "insanity"; "10,000 reincarnations"; etc. c. Shunning of leave takers. Fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family. d. Never a legitimate reason to leave. From the group’s perspective, people who leave are: "weak"; "undisciplined"; "unspiritual"; "worldly"; "brainwashed by family, counselors"; seduced by money, sex, rock and roll. Excerpts from http://www.shassan.com/faq.htm What is the difference between a destructive cult and a cult? Essentially a destructive cult is a pyramid-shaped authoritarian regime with a person or group of people that have dictatorial control. It uses deception in recruiting new members (e.g. people are NOT told up front what the group is, what the group actually believes and what will be expected of them if they become members). It also uses mind control techniques to keep people dependent and obedient. Destructive cults try to "clone" people to become small versions of the cult leader, rather than respect people's individuality, creativity and self-will. Is all mind control bad? Being in control of your own mind includes being in touch with your feelings, having the ability to think analytically, question, look at issues from multiple perspectives, having control of your behavior to take periodic "time-outs" in order to reflect and be able to have access to information which may be "negative" to the group leadership. Destructive cults have a long history of manufacturing propaganda against "enemies". Groups have mounted a campaign to attempt to convince members and the general public not to listen to me or read my materials because too many people were leaving their ranks. DECLARATION & DISCLAIMER ========== CTRL is a discussion and informational exchange list. Proselyzting propagandic screeds are not allowed. Substance—not soapboxing! These are sordid matters and 'conspiracy theory', with its many half-truths, misdirections and outright frauds is used politically by different groups with major and minor effects spread throughout the spectrum of time and thought. That being said, CTRL gives no endorsement to the validity of posts, and always suggests to readers; be wary of what you read. CTRL gives no credeence to Holocaust denial and nazi's need not apply. Let us please be civil and as always, Caveat Lector. ======================================================================== Archives Available at: http://home.ease.lsoft.com/archives/CTRL.html http:[EMAIL PROTECTED]/ ======================================================================== To subscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SUBSCRIBE CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] To UNsubscribe to Conspiracy Theory Research List[CTRL] send email: SIGNOFF CTRL [to:] [EMAIL PROTECTED] Om
