Cults and cult mechanics

[serpent]

I do a lot of reading on cults and their different tactics etc.... I was wondering if any else had interest in these areas. Or possibly had experiences first hand with cults. I've only encountered the more common ones, I would love to meet and possibly allow recruitment into a "kool-aid" cult. Would be very dangerous but i would like a chance to see how it all works from the inside. Gets some first hand experience at recruiting. That's a life skill.

EDIT:: Just kidding about the recruiting part. I know how dangerous they can be and wouldn't get anyone involved with them.

[serpent]

General function of cults. Please feel free to share any information you have. I am not part of a cult and I am not an expert.

1.) All large cults either have a belief in a god, or god like alien species. All devil worshiping cults remain relatively small. The most fierce militant cults are also of god believing doctrines.

2.) The ideal age of recruitment is age 20 to 25 as they are most susceptible to coercive recruitment techniques. It is commonly believed that middle class white persons are the most susceptible.

3.) The basic process of turning someone who is a little lost in life and looking for purpose and acceptance into a member involves separating them from their old life. They must be cut off from their old friend and family, and made so their new friends, are the cult, and their new family is the cult. After this has been achieved, indoctrination can begin.

4.) It is true cults use exhaustion and improper nutrition to break downs people's will in some cases to help with indoctrination. Not always though.

5.) Cults change their mechanics and how they operate as they grow.

6.) Cults can be VERY dangerous. Destroy lives of members socially in a lot of cases. Rare cases physically.

6.) Lots of cults aren't really dangerous. A cult in a lot of cases is simply a 'fringe religion'. And may not use coercive techniques, and rely on regular religious recruitment tactics. IE The Mormon religion is commonly referred to being a cult in books discussing cult mechanics.

That's all for now, I just wanted to get this going.

[ThisIsNecessary]

Personally, I think that all major organized religions are just big cults. We're just so used to seeing them around that we don't think about the kind of pathetic herd-mentality that can be used to manipulate the sheep.

I grew up in a family of Jehovah's Witnesses...and of course, like any cult, big or small, they outright deny that they are a cult. I will attest to the simple fact that my family had good intentions and that I still love them, but are sadly spiritually stunted because of the dangerous propaganda that they circulate exclusively through their own literature. It can be quite scary really.

I couldn't stand to be involved with any organized religion especially this one so I left the faith years ago. For anyone interested to see some background here's a good video that speaks nothing but truth; YouTube - Jehovah's Witnesses: History of Shame (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ZlHbz5G4UTM)

Also of particular interest would be this next video explaining the tactics of conditioning; YouTube - Ex-Jehovah's Witness, Therapist discusses MIND CONTROL (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vISWAgy_emg)

Because of this cult's tightly closed community, the issues of brainwashing, abuse, and all sorts of other atrocities go highly unnoticed by outsiders who remain content with the idea that the JWs are merely nothing more than an evangelical sect of Christianity. I couldn't even begin to list all the examples of what's so messed up about that faith...but the fact is that its almost not worth it because the world's biggest religions utilize the same techniques and are no different really, so it would be redundant to restate what most of us here already know.

Sorry if I sound bitter, but I have every right to be towards a community that allows such things to go on behind closed doors, I have seen the lives of many once close friends ruined in so many different ways, and barely escaped a similar fate myself. I'll leave it at that.

[Jastiv]

I think that the occult is almost like the opposite of being in a cult. Instead of brainwashing, you get to think for yourself. At one time I thought that maybe being in a cult would be good because it would give me purpose and meaning. But I already hate doing what other people want , so I figured the occult is a better path for me.

I suppose if a skilled magician really wanted to start a cult he could. The problem is he might not really like the results he gets, being swarmed with mindless followers that is...