--- In [email protected], "dhamiltony2k5" <dhamiltony...@...> wrote: > > Michael Langone, in his article "Cults, Violence, and the > Millennium," suggests the following three characteristics as > essential in > > the definition of a cultic group: > 1. centralized control by a charismatic leader
Yes, that certainly WAS the case under MMY. I can't say that's the case now. Neither Hagelin, da King, nor Bevan have much charisma whatsoever. > 2. an us vs. them mentality that isolates Somewhat as far as the TMO is concerned. Not at all as far as regular meditators are concerned. > 3. a lack of tolerance for dissent Well, you can dissent but you just won't get on courses. > > > > > > LNI cult-test: > > > > Identifying Traits of Abusive Groups > > > > Control-oriented leadership leader claims to be an all-knowing, > > liberated being. > > > > Hierarchical structure with an elite inner circle including > > leader's assistants. > > > > Group leader not accountable to any authorities, as are, for > example: > > military commanders, ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of > > mainstream denominations. > > > > Polarized us vs. them or black and white mentality causing conflict > > with wider society. > > > > Manipulation of members by alternating guilt/anxiety/fear/ostracism > > and attention. > > > > Group perception of being spiritually unique/elite and separate > from > > normal culture. > > > > Denunciation of other spiritual/religious leaders and groups. > > > > Mind-numbing techniques (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in > > tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are > > used to suppress doubts about group and leader. > > > > Spiritual practices emphasize experience rather than rationality. > > > > Sexual abuse - leader uses power to sexually exploit members. > > > > Economic exploitation of members by leader and assistants. > > > > Confidentiality of members private affairs (legal, medical) > violated > > by leader and assistants. > > > > Members' subservience to group causes them to cut or weaken ties > with > > family, friends, and personal goals and activities that were of > > interest before joining group. > > > > Reliance on outside professional help, doctors, therapists, etc., > > discouraged. > > > > Leader poses as self-sacrificing divine agent who only promotes > > members' well-being. > > > > Service is inner directed toward the group not the surrounding > > community. > > > > Revamping of members' cultural/moral values to suit leader's > > lifestyle and program. > > > > Conformity to group's/leader's values, life style, mode of dress, > > diet, esthetics, and so on. > > > > Promotion of dependence on group/leader often disguised. > > Important personal decisions must be approved by leader members > > seek his blessing. > > > > Phobia induction vis-à-vis leaving the group/leader. > > > > Painful exit process ex-members ridiculed, threatened, and dumped. > > > > LNI Note: If you check any of these items as characteristics of the > > group you are concerned about, and particularly if you check many > of > > them, you should reexamine the group and your relationship to it. > > Such reexamination usually runs against the dictates of the group > > leaders and will be difficult for the member to do. Begin by > speaking > > to outside health and legal professionals and ex-members. If your > > group is indeed healthy and non-abusive, there is nothing to fear > > from taking these cautionary steps. > > > > > > > > > > Rick posted "Features of Healthy and Unhealthy Religious Cults" > just > > > one week after founding this group (FFL). Check out message 11: > > > > > > http://groups.yahoo.com/group/FairfieldLife/message/11 > > > > > > A few highlights: > > > > > > "No expensive entry fees or initiations." > > > > > > "No obsessive scheduling, such that every moment of one's waking > > > life is controlled by the group." > > > > > > "No flat affect (zombie-like absence of emotions). No excessively > > > auto--matic, robot-like behavior." > > > > > > "No crusading agenda to "save the world" or "convert all > > > souls to the true way." Rather, an emphasis on becoming > > > individually > > > transformed so that one is better aligned with the God-Self and > > > involved in a simple, non-grandiose form of service to one's > > > fellow beings." > > > > > > "No turning cult members into watched objects who have no privacy > in > > > their solitary behavior or relationships with others. No > > > manipulative system of rewards and punishments. No totalitarian > > > structure of per-mission and non-permission regarding basic > > > behaviors including personal hygiene, interpersonal communication, > > > etc. No Orwellian system of in--formers who convey information to > > > leaders about persons behind their back. No Machiavellian > techniques > > > of setting members against each other or against outsiders. No > > > ganging up on individual members to criticize or humiliate or > coerce > > > them; no "working on them" to violate their own sense of > > > conscience or autonomy. No brainwashing or mind-control." > > > > > > "No suppression of dissent, doubt, critical thinking, sincere > > > questions, discussion or independent judgment. No regarding of > > > leader's or sacred text's teachings as infallible. No > > > attachment to doctrinal certainty." > > > > > > Just some highlights, there's plenty more. > > > > > > > om > > >
