Hitler, Stalin, Mao and the other Communists, do they come under this category.??geezerfreak <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: Date: Fri, 22 Sep 2006 22:36:42 -Subject: [FairfieldLife] The Guru Papers by Kramer Posted a few years ago but worth reading again.Excerpt from The Guru Papers:Most cults follow a predictable progression of two distinct stages,which indicates that what is involved is more a function of howauthoritarian structures work than of the particular teachings of agiven guru.This first stage is messianic with the message being that all laborsof the
organization, including the guru's, are aimed at a higherpurpose beyond the group, such as saving mankind. During this phasethe guru is confident that he will eventually be acknowledged as theone who will lead the world out of darkness. The major emphasis is onproselytizing to bring in new converts. The continual increase innumbers satisfies the guru's need for power and adulation. Whilethere is still hope of becoming the acknowledged herald of a neworder, he remains happy and relatively benign in his treatment ofthose who have surrendered to him.As long as the guru still sees the possibility of realizing hisambitions, the way he exercises power is through rewarding theenthusisams of his followers with praise and positions in hishierarchy. He also whets and manipulates desire by offering carrotsand promising that through him the disciples' desires will berealized, possibly even in this lifetime. The group itself
becomes anecho of the guru, with the members filling each other's needs.Everything seems perfect: everyone is moving along the appropriatespiritual path. The guru is relatively accessible, charming, evenfun. All dreams are realizable, even wonderful possibilities beyondone's ken...A time inevitably comes when the popularity and power of the groupplateaus and then begins to wane. Eventually it becomes obvious thatthe guru is not going to take over the world, at least not in theimmediate future. When the realization comes that humanity is toostupid or blind to acknowledge that higher authority and wisdom of theguru, the apocalyptic phase enters and the party is over. Then one oftwo things generally happens: the first is that the guru's messageturns pessimistic or doomsday, voicing something like this: Sooncivilization is going to break down and face amazing disasters --except for us, who are wisely withdrawing
to protectdt ourselves andretain our purity. This group will survive as a pocket of lightamidst the darkness; then afterwards we will lead forth a new age.The other possibility is that in order to attract more people, theguru makes increasingly extreme promises and bizarre claims that offeroccult powers, quick enlightenment, or even wish fulfillment in themundane sphere around wealth, love, and power... Either of these tacks-- predicting disaster or making grand promises --- is counterproductive in the long run, since most people would prefer to alignwith an optimistic viewpoint and are taken aback by the outrageous claims.The attitude of benign superiority toward outsiders characteristic ofthe expansionistic phase dramatically shifts when the group turnsapocalyptic. It is the outsiders who will receive the brunt ofwhatever cataclysm the guru claims will come. Now there are direwarnings about the dangers of
associating with anyone not on thispath. The fervor shifts from world-saving to a holocaust mentalityfocused on the survival and protection of the group. Any member wholeaves threatens the cohesiveness of the whole group. This mountingmistrust is not totally paranoid because as the group becomes moreclosed and bizarre, outsiders react more negatively.. .The transition from optimistic expansionism to the paranoid doomsdaymode involves a heavy turnover of people. Those not really seriousleave, and others begin surreptitiously to question the leader'somniscience. In an attempt to counteract this, the group becomesmore militaristic, demanding even greater obedience...When the guru realizes that most people are not going to acknowledgehim, he often compensates, if he can afford it, by building monumentaledifices that proclaim his greatness. This includes monuments ortemples, buildings, model communities and
learning centers... Whenever a guru's power needs are not being satisfied by expansion, he generally seeks more adulation from and control over those who have surrendered to him. He does so by dictating more directly how they spend their daily lives... Though the guru needs his disciples evenmore attached to him, he becomes more remote, sending his dictatesdown the line. Although the guru usually preaches the unity of allhumanity he becomes increasingly more separate. His message is oflove, but he shows little concern for those under him, as they havebecome mere tools for his ambitions. Often he consciously orunconsciously blames those around him for the failure of his messianicaspirations. This stage commonly results
