Post by breakingfree on May 19, 2016 12:43:16 GMT -5
Ok, let's have a look at how nutty this thread really is. There is some agreement here.
Behavior Control
1. Regulate individual’s physical reality
No. Friends do not think they are spacemen.
2. Dictate where, how, and with whom the member lives and associates or isolates
No. Just no.
3. When, how and with whom the member has sex
Well ok. They believe that you should have sex with your spouse only, not with other spouses or whatever.
4. Control types of clothing and hairstyles
Influence by women on women is not unusual. No idea why this happens but it does. Men on men influence does occur...men are often seen wearing ties on Sunday.
5. Regulate diet - food and drink, hunger and/or fasting
Totally nutty here. Sorry for the pun.
6. Manipulation and deprivation of sleep
Nutty...no pun here.
7. Financial exploitation, manipulation or dependence
Money is the least of the issue among F&W's in any church system in the world.
8. Restrict leisure, entertainment, vacation time
Nope although you won't get to host a meeting if you have a big screen TV. (Does anyone use TV these days)
9. Major time spent with group indoctrination and rituals and/or self indoctrination including the Internet
No idea what this means. Friends meet for 1 hour on Sunday and 1 hour on Wednesday. Major time? No
10. Permission required for major decisions
More nutty.
11. Thoughts, feelings, and activities (of self and others) reported to superiors
Only actual nutty people do this.
12. Rewards and punishments used to modify behaviors, both positive and negative
They beat on people? No
13. Discourage individualism, encourage group-think
Duh, all groups do this and it is silly for them all.
14. Impose rigid rules and regulations
Ok you have something here. No jewelry, no tattoos.
15. Instill dependency and obedience
Dependency on 2 hours of meetings/week? OOOOkaay.
Information Control
1. Deception:
a. Deliberately withhold information
About church situations, true.
b. Distort information to make it more acceptable
Duhh, standard politics
c. Systematically lie to the cult member
Wrong, when they lie, they actually believe it.
2. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including:
a. Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, other media
They don't even talk about information sources anymore
b.Critical information
What is this?
c. Former members
Lots of members talk with former members. Edgar Massey has lots of innie friends and they have no problems. More nutty.
d. Keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigate
Yes, busy two hours/week. There is no time left to 'investigate".
e. Control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking
What can I say, this is nutty.
3. Compartmentalize information into Outsider vs. Insider doctrines
True enough there.
a. Ensure that information is not freely accessible
More nutty.
b.Control information at different levels and missions within group
Some truth there.
c. Allow only leadership to decide who needs to know what and when
About the church, yes. All other info freely available.
4. Encourage spying on other members
Heard of that in the past. Now considered nutty.
a. Impose a buddy system to monitor and control member
Only for members with known problems like CSA.
b.Report deviant thoughts, feelings and actions to leadership
Maybe. Nutty people do that.
c. Ensure that individual behavior is monitored by group
Members are too busy to run around checking out others.
5. Extensive use of cult-generated information and propaganda, including:
a. Newsletters, magazines, journals, audiotapes, videotapes, YouTube, movies and other media
None of that nonsense happens.
b.Misquoting statements or using them out of context from non-cult sources
Big one, that really does happen.
6. Unethical use of confession
a. Information about sins used to disrupt and/or dissolve identity boundaries
Catholics have confessions. 2x2's don't confess too often.
b. Withholding forgiveness or absolution
More Catholic ideas.
c. Manipulation of memory, possible false memories
Nutty
Thought Control
1. Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth
Yes, this happens
a. Adopting the group's ‘map of reality’ as reality
Whatever that is. Some may well try to adopt the thinking of others.
b. Instill black and white thinking
Somethings yes, somethings no.
c. Decide between good vs. evil
Good thing for people to do.
d. Organize people into us vs. them (insiders vs. outsiders)
Yes, this does exist.
2.Change person’s name and identity
Nutty
3. Use of loaded language and clichés which constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts and reduce complexities into platitudinous buzz word
All language is loaded with meaning.
4. Encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts
Sounds good to think about good things.
5. Hypnotic techniques are used to alter mental states, undermine critical thinking and even to age regress the member
No hypnosis among 2x2's
6. Memories are manipulated and false memories are created
Nutty
7. Teaching thought-stopping techniques which shut down reality testing by stopping negative thoughts and allowing only positive thoughts, including:
a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking
Nutty
b. Chanting
Nuttty
c. Meditating
Yes they do that
d. Praying
Yes they do that
e. Speaking in tongues
No, maybe nutty
f. Singing or humming
They sing hymns.
8. Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism
Probably in some form.
9. Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy allowed
Good one there, yes
10. Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful
Yes
Emotional Control
1. Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings – some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish
Sounds nutty
2. Teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt
Nutty
3. Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault
True, the way is perfect and the people aren't.
4. Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness, such as
a. Identity guilt
Probably
b. You are not living up to your potential
Non-existent
c. Your family is deficient
Lol, now this list is getting nutty.
d. Your past is suspect
Ooookaay.
e. Your affiliations are unwise
Some affiliates probably are pretty stupid!
f. Your thoughts, feelings, actions are irrelevant or selfish
Sometimes are, sometimes are not
g. Social guilt
Nutty I think
h. Historical guilt
We made a mistake once, sorry.
5. Instill fear, such as fear of:
a. Thinking independently
Scary....??
b. The outside world
Out to getcha? No, not promoted anymore.
c. Enemies
Probably have a few, yep.
d. Losing one’s salvation
True here.
e. Leaving or being shunned by the group
Happens decreasingly.
f. Other’s disapproval
Happens.
6. Extremes of emotional highs and lows – love bombing and praise one moment and then declaring you are horrible sinner
Nutty
7. Ritualistic and sometimes public confession of sins
Nutty. They do the opposite.
8. Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority
Yes.
a. No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group
General belief yes.
b. Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc.
Probably believed but not spoken.
c. Shunning of those who leave; fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family
No shunning anymore except for actively destructive people.
d. Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and roll
True
e. Threats of harm to ex-member and family
Nutty
There are various and sundry cults. Steve Hassan does not intend that every characteristic /example listed in his BITE model applies to every cult. Several of the items you claim are "nutty", don't happen, or are decreasin in occurances are happening regularly in my area...and to me directly. But as you say, *insert nutty, sing-song testimony voice here* "The way is perfect but the people aren't"