Episode 14 Cults

The Dark Mystery Lounge

History of cults, different kinds, what to look out for, and how to get out.  Keep it civil in the comment section, nasty comments will be deleted.   #cults #escapingacult #brainwashing    Helpful links: https://www.daretodoubt.org/cults https://cult-escape.com/help/ https://culteducation.com/directory-of-cult-recovery-resources.html https://cultrecovery101.com/recovery-links/ https://healingtreenonprofit.org/resources/crisis-lines-and-helpful-sites/ For Sea Org members: https://theaftermathfoundation.org/

Transcript

00:00Hello and welcome to the Dark Mystery Lounge. Today we're going to talk about cults. Well,

00:05we're not going to be focusing on any particular cult, but cults as a whole. How they came to be,

00:11kinds of cults, yes there are different kinds, who are prime targets for cults,

00:16warnings, and how to escape if you happen to find yourself in one. So let's jump right into it.

00:21Now when you hear the word cult, what comes into your mind? Maybe this? Or maybe this? Or due to

00:35recent events, maybe this guy? It seems our perspective of cults has twisted over the years.

00:40Long ago the word cult meant something different. If we take a look at what the definition

00:46is from the Merriam-Webster dictionary. Cult, which shares the origin with culture and cultivate,

00:53comes from the Latin cultus, a noun with meanings ranging from telling or cultivating to training

01:00or educating to adoration. In English, cult has evolved a number of meanings following a fairly

01:07logical path. The earliest known uses of the word, recorded in the 17th century, broadly denoted worship.

01:14From here, cults came to refer to a specific branch of a religion or rites and practices of that branch,

01:22as in the cult of Dionysus. By the early 18th century, cult would refer to a non-religious

01:29admiration or devotion, such as to a person, idea, or fad, i.e., the cult of success. Finally,

01:36by the 19th century, the word came to be used, a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious. I mean,

01:43Jesus and his followers in the beginning were considered a cult, but over time it molded into

01:49what is now modern-day Christianity. Even some branch-offs of groups from Judaism and Islam are

01:55considered to be cults. Nowadays, cult is more of a derogatory term used for a group that, to normal

02:01society, is considered just weird or dangerous. Cults can range from a small group of people to as high as

02:08a million people. Normally, they follow a leader, someone who is charming, charismatic, maybe not the

02:14best looking, but he or she carries this charm to them. They know how to pull you in and what buttons

02:20to push. They don't have to exactly be religious, per se. They can be political cults as well, or maybe

02:26a yoga cult. Yep, those do exist. But some countries don't really like to use the term cult, so they will

02:32use the term new religious movement, or NRM. But no matter what kind of label you slap on a group,

02:38majority of the time, these cults don't end very well.

02:45In this section, we're going to take a look at just some of the types of cults out there.

02:50I'm not going to touch on every single kind, because if I did, this would be an extremely long

02:55video, and I don't want to do that to you. Destructive cult generally refers to a group whose

03:00members have, through deliberate action, physically injured or killed other members of their own

03:06group or other people. Now, this can come in many forms. Most complaints in a cult are things like

03:12sexual abuse, physical abuse, forced child labor, child abuse, fraud, human trafficking, and much,

03:18much more. These groups tend to take time to build up their trust between the guru or leader and its

03:25members. And once that awful deed is done, the blame is shifted away from the group and on a

03:30common enemy. In the case of sexual or physical abuse, that member often blames themselves for

03:36displeasing their leader. Examples of these kinds of cults, People's Temple, Synanon, NXIVM,

03:42Children of God, The Manson Family, and um, yeah, I'm not going there. Doomsday cults have a

03:50the end is near message to their doctrine. A lot of groups will pick a certain date or year when this

03:57is going to happen. An apocalyptic timetable, if you will, for the change that is going to happen,

04:02often referred to as millenarianism. Now, oftentimes, when I've studied different cults over time,

04:08I found that if you want to have your group dissipate very quickly, pick a date when you

04:13predict that this change is going to happen, watch time pass, and the leader either has to lie like

04:18crazy to keep their followers, or those members are going to run for the hills. Now, most of these

04:23doomsday groups either self-destruct within the group, like with Jonestown and Heaven's Gate,

04:28but can also bring on their prophecy outside of the group, like Um Shinrikyo. With these types of

04:34groups, their primary interests are a political action or ideology. They can either be far left or

04:41far right agendas. I'm sure you can find political cults in any country. Some examples of political

04:47cults are the Ayn Rand Institute, Unification Church aka the Moonies, Workers Revolutionary Party,

04:55and Democratic Workers Party. When it comes to UFO groups that fit in this category, it's usually a

05:01belief that they can communicate with extraterrestrial beings. There are some groups that are relatively

05:07harmless, but then there are some that have taken it too far. Now, I know when you think of UFO cults,

05:12the very first one that comes to mind is Heaven's Gate, and you'd be right. They made fame, or should

05:17I say infamy, with their mass suicide. But shortly before, the Solar Temple had its mass suicide in

05:24multiple places, and the news media briefly thought that they were linked, but found out later that to

05:29be untrue. But the unusual way that they left, and with the website that they left behind, yes,

05:35it's still up and running, and it screams 90s dial-up tone for me, but still interesting. At first,

05:41Heaven's Gate seemed to be relatively harmless on the surface. Yes, they brainwashed their members,

05:46but unlike people's temple, they didn't allow children. It would kick people out if they didn't

05:51follow the rules. Plus, members could come and go as they pleased. Some even left and came back

05:56several times. Not trying to praise them by any means, what happened was tragic, truly. Scientology

06:02does have a sci-fi story about Xenu. Because L. Ron Hubbard was a science fiction writer,

06:08so naturally he would incorporate some of that into Scientology. Unarius Academy is relatively

06:14harmless, and I really haven't heard anything negative about it. Same goes with Rayleighism.

06:19Even though they do seem a bit weird in their beliefs, but if they're not harming anyone,

06:24then that's perfectly fine. Now with this group, normally you would think of the Mormons. Mainstream

06:30Mormons do believe they will practice polygamy in the afterlife, but there are some that would rather

06:35practice it like now. Like how they used to a long time ago when their founder Joseph Smith started it,

06:40also claiming to be a prophet. There are many sects of fundamentalist Mormons that practice polygamy.

06:46The most infamous, of course, is the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints,

06:52or FLDS. But there were others like the Kingston clan and the Alderaid group. Now these groups,

06:58domestic violence and child abuse are common. FLDS leader Warren Jeffs had like 65 wives and was a

07:05pedophile. Some of his wives were like 12, 13, 14 years old, and that just screams nope, nope, nope.

07:14This one is self-explanatory. Racism and racial purity is their main objective. The Ku Klux Klan is the most

07:21notorious, which started after the Civil War. They started out as a Christian cult, and are now widely known for

07:27shooting and lynching black people. Aryan Nation, National Alliance, and the Alt-Right are just a few

07:33examples of so many groups that promote hatred at a level that is just terrible and violence is often

07:40the norm. There are groups like this of all races and in different countries all over the world. Either

07:45way, this is just another group that I have no problem noping out of. For these groups, they are

07:51considered to be counterfeit Christian sects. Those that don't really fit within the denominations

07:56of Christianity. They will take parts of the Bible and run with it, or they will have their own

08:02interpretation of the Bible instead of accepting the Bible as a whole. Some examples are Christian

08:08Science, Jehovah's Witnesses, and the Unity Church. The term brainwashing when it comes to cults is

08:16controversial, but it does happen. The best example of it is with the Heaven's Gate exit statements. They are

08:22out there on YouTube if you want to check them out. It's the Heaven's Gate database if I remember right.

08:27But in those videos, even though they were interviewed in small groups, and sometimes individually,

08:33they all reacted the same way. They are virtually conveying the same message but with different

08:37wording. A lot of them have been in that group for over two decades, whereas the newest member was

08:43only in for six months. They all were excited about committing suicide, or exiting their vehicles,

08:49as they called it, and got emotional when talking about meeting up with T, which is the co-founder

08:54that died many years ago. They are exhibiting the same behaviors of their leader, Doe, who did the

09:00same thing the night before. Even though these were very smart, very articulate people, they all fell

09:07under the same spell. Now there are certain things that have to take place for brainwashing to happen.

09:13It's not overnight. It's very gradual. And before you know it, you are willing to do anything that a

09:18normal person of sound mind wouldn't do. Number one, love bombing. This technique is a way to make

09:26cults seem inviting and leave you with a good impression, lavishing you with a lot of positive

09:31attention and praise and affection. So in your mind, you're thinking, these people aren't so bad.

09:36Number two, isolation. Getting the person away from outside distractions. This could be in the form of

09:42a two-week retreat or seminar, and eventually can grow into either moving into a compound or communal

09:49living situation or small town. Number three, criticism. This can take the form of a us-versus-them

09:55mentality, building up your superiority, saying how lucky you are to be a part of this group, and finding

10:01a common enemy to give an example of who you would be if you left the group. In a way, implanting in

10:08your mind that if your family is critical of your newfound faith, that they really don't love you

10:14and don't want to see you grow as a person. Number four, fatigue. This is one of the most common ways

10:20to manipulate someone into compliance. Lack of sleep and nutritious food will turn your brain into mush,

10:26and when you are worn out, you will accept almost any suggestion. You get a lot of guilt if you

10:31are sleeping too much or eating more than you should. Number five, social pressure. It's when

10:37some people assume that the actions and beliefs of the others are appropriate, and because everyone

10:43does that, it must be justified. This works especially well when a newcomer isn't sure what to think,

10:49how to behave, or what to do. A lot of people in such situations will simply look at what others do

10:56and mimic it. Number six, mystical manipulation. This refers to the control of circumstances

11:03or information by the cult leader to convey the impression that they command supernatural wisdom,

11:09divine favors, or magical powers. This could come on gradually as the cult grows and sighs and the

11:15leader becomes consumed by power. Number seven, chanting or singing. The act of chanting mantras is an

11:22important feature of many religions, especially Buddhism and Hinduism, and almost every church

11:28has some sort of hymn singing worship. Number eight, punishment and rewards. It's basically what it

11:34sounds like. If you do what you're told and please the leader and the people of the group, you get

11:39rewarded with either more responsibility, a new rank, a new trophy, or a badge, and held as an example for

11:46others to straighten up and fly right. But if you screw up, that's when the abuse happens, either

11:52physical or mental. Often the cult member will blame themselves for having displeased their leader.

11:57Number nine, repetition. Constant repetition is another powerful persuasion tool. Although it may seem

12:04too simplistic to be effective, but repeating the same message over and over again makes it familiar

12:10and easier to remember. When repetition is combined with social pressure, it delivers a message without

12:17fail. Number 10, fear of alienation. This step normally applies to the thought of, why don't I just leave?

12:24Then you have to rationalize it with, well, my parents, brothers, sisters, and friends are all here.

12:29I don't want to lose them. And that's a very good way to keep people in line. Number 11, new identity.

12:36Once all of this manipulation has been applied to strip you of who you once were, it's time to build

12:41you back up into this supreme being or special person. Often a name change will happen, and with

12:47it a sense of pride, because now you are one of us. Now these are not in order per se, and not all these

12:54techniques are done. Sometimes just sleep deprivation, poor eating habits, and extreme exercise might be

13:00enough. Sometimes it takes a lot of one-on-one time with a guru or leader, but these are just

13:06the most common tactics that are used.

13:13So how do you know whether or not the group that you are in is a cult or not? How can you tell?

13:18Number 1, questions. Are you allowed to ask questions if you are doubting? Are you able to express these

13:24questions you have openly? If not, well then you might be in a cult. Number 2, information. How much do you

13:31know about what's going on in the outside world? Are you being told that if you consume any kind of info

13:38from outsiders that bad things will happen to you? And if this sounds like you, you might be in a cult.

13:44Number 3, children. What is the group's stance on children and the treatment of children? If they

13:49don't allow it, why not? And if they do, well take a look around at the kids in the group. Their body

13:54language might give off signs that something is not right. Number 4, honesty and secrets. Normally,

14:00if you ask someone who is a member of a religion, what do you believe? They could give you a brief

14:05overview in about a minute or so. But with cults, they like to keep things a mystery to draw you in.

14:12Number 5, leaving. What happens if a person leaves? Do they still get to talk to their friends or other

14:18members? Or are they forced to disconnect? My biggest tool when researching any cult,

14:24group, or religion, I do my research. Never, ever go into something with blind faith. Knowledge is

14:30power. All you have to do is a simple Google or Bing search and that can save you in the long run.

14:38This might be a shorter section because there is a simple answer for this. Everyone. When you see a

14:44mass suicide or a cult leader who was arrested for abuse on TV or newspaper and you sit there thinking,

14:50wow, those people must have been idiots. Or that will never happen to me. I would never fall for

14:55something like that. Not so fast, honey. Anyone is a target. You just have to be in the right place at

15:01the right time and in the right state of mind to be a target. The perfect target for a cult to recruit

15:06you is when you are at your most vulnerable. Loss of a job. Loss of a loved one. Divorce. Depression and

15:12anxiety. Suicidal thoughts. Your business failing. Terminal illness and loneliness are perfect targets.

15:19When you are desperately trying to find answers to your problems, then that's the perfect time.

15:24All of a sudden you see an advertisement of some sort. Maybe the internet or a billboard when you're

15:30driving. Or someone just outside a storefront asks you if you want to take a personality test or

15:36stress test. Or a celebrity is endorsing some group. Since you're not in the right frame of mind,

15:41you might say, why not? What arm could it do? These people are not looking to recruit the village

15:46idiot. They want smart, successful people. People that they can build up in their own image and then

15:52parade you to the world as a success so they can recruit others. Or maybe you are a spiritual seeker.

15:58Not finding the right faith that speaks to your soul. Be careful when searching. Do your research

16:03before you talk to someone in that group or buy their book or online course. Remember, knowledge is power.

16:13If you find yourself in one of these harmful groups or you know someone who is in a cult,

16:17how do you get them out? Sadly, there's no easy answer. Everyone who escapes a cult has what I like

16:23to call a light bulb moment. When they start to see the cracks in what was a perfect foundation,

16:28they start to see things in a whole new light. That leader all of a sudden starts to not look

16:33like the prophet or god that they claim to be. They have flaws. The rules start to have flaws.

16:38Things are not adding up and you just feel miserable. When it's time for them to leave,

16:43a way will always present itself in different ways. There are many underground groups that help people

16:49escape and hats off to them. It's not an easy task. I've heard many former cult members that when they

16:55went into a cult, it was because they wanted to help people. They didn't realize the path to doing

17:00just that was not a smooth one. And even when you leave, you feel a lot of conflicting emotions.

17:06You're happy to have your freedom, but scared of the unknown. And it takes a long time to get a sense

17:11of normal, whatever normal may be. Live your life for you. Never be ashamed. Don't be afraid to speak out.

17:18Your story might inspire someone to get out of a cult. Here are some useful tips from daretodoubt.org.

17:24Number one, make a plan. If you need somewhere safe to go, reach out to a family member or friend

17:31outside of the group. Say you need help. If you don't have anyone outside of the group, go to the

17:36nearest police department or domestic violence shelter. Number two, pack a go bag. You may need

17:42to leave at a moment's notice. Try to have a bag or backpack ready with a change of clothes, food,

17:49and filled water bottles. Unless you're afraid the bag might be discovered, be prepared for any

17:54opportunity to leave by keeping money and a cell phone on you if you have them. Wear sturdy shoes.

18:00Number three, don't tell anyone you're leaving. They may try to talk you out of it, block you,

18:05or report your plans to others. Keep your doubts and intentions a secret. Try to go about your business

18:12as usual to avoid suspicion. Number four, reach out to others who left. Talking with others who

18:18have left your group can help encourage and validate your decision to leave. They might be

18:23able to help you. Try finding them on Facebook through friends and family they may have mentioned.

18:28Read stories of other ex-members for encouragement and validation in online support forums. Use public

18:35library computers if you can avoid your search history being discovered. Number five, get professional

18:41counseling. There are therapists and experts specializing in cult recovery who want to help you.

18:47Many were once cult members themselves. Say you are in a destructive group and need help leaving. They

18:53will help you find safety, learn how to filter harmful programming from your own truth, and give you

18:59tools to rebuild a life for yourself outside of the group. Remember, there are people that care and want

19:06to help. I know this isn't one of my normal videos where I talk about a serial killer or a murderer. This

19:14is a passion project. You see, I have some strange hobbies. I like to research cults and other forms of

19:20extreme human behavior. Cult are just something fascinating. What they believe in, if they believe in

19:25anything, how it came to be, and if it ended, what happened? What was their downfall? Now, I'm not trying

19:31to bash anyone's faith by any means. I mean, I'm a believer in God too, but I did my research heavily

19:36into all faiths and groups before I found one that suited me. I don't go into anything half-assed, but when

19:42it comes to cults, I've seen so many ex-members talk about their experiences, and it's just awesome when I see

19:49how much they've overcome and how happy they are in the end. I want everyone to have a happy ending,

19:55and having that information about these different cults can save you from going down that scary

20:00rabbit hole that you might not be able to get out of. This topic was sparked by something that

20:05happened a few months ago. See, my husband and I live in the Bible Belt and often get flyers in

20:10the mail for a church service happening around Christmas or Easter, and so when my husband and

20:16I received two letters, not back to back, but within a month of each other, I opened it thinking it's

20:21another one inviting us to some kind of Easter service. Then two words caught my eye. Kingdom

20:28Hall. I giggled a little because I knew exactly who it was from. It was the local Jehovah's Witness

20:34Kingdom Hall. We even got a handwritten letter after that one. I looked it up and found that yeah,

20:40that's a thing now. They're not doing the door-to-door thing right now with all these viruses floating

20:44around. I threw it away, but I just thought it was amusing that they're trying to recruit people in my

20:49neighborhood with those letters. Heck, I even lived down in Clearwater, Florida for a time and I have

20:56walked around the downtown area many times and I just got this off feeling while I was down there.

21:01It was just creepy and a little off-putting, especially with all those cameras. Anyways guys,

21:06thank you so much if you've made it this far into my video. If you enjoyed this video, smash that like

21:12button and don't forget to subscribe. Tickle that little bell icon so you don't miss the next episode.

21:17You never know who I will cover next. Thank you for hanging out with me in the Dark Mystery Lounge.

21:22This is Phoenix signing out. Have a good evening and stay safe.

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