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World Religions, Conestoga College, Winter 2009
100 Characteristics of Cults
1. The Guru is always right.
2. You are always wrong.
3. No Exit.
4. No Graduates.
5. Cult-spea! spe"ial language
#. Group-thin$ %uppression o& 'issent$ and En&or"ed Con&or(ity in Thining
). *rrationality.
+. %uspension o& dis,elie&.
. 'enigration o& "o(peting se"ts$ "ults$ religions...
1. /ersonal atta"s on "riti"s.
11. *nsisten"e that the "ult is T0E NY Y.
12. The "ult and its (e(,ers are spe"ial.
13. *ndu"tion o& guilt$ and the use o& guilt to (anipulate "ult (e(,ers.
14. n6uestiona,le 'og(a$ Sacred Science $ and *n&alli,le *deology.
15. *ndo"trination o& (e(,ers.
1#. ppeals to 7holy7 or 7wise7 authorities.
1). *nstant Co((unity. 1+. *nstant *nti(a"y.
1. %urrender To The Cult.
2. Giggly wonder&ulness and starry-eyed &aith.
21. /ersonal testi(onies o& earlier "on8erts.
22. The "ult is sel&-a,sor,ed.
23. 'ual /urposes$ 0idden gendas$ and lterior 9oti8es.
24. ggressi8e :e"ruiting.
25. 'e"epti8e :e"ruiting.
2#. No 0u(or.
2). You Can;t Tell The Truth.
2+. Cloning < You ,e"o(e a "lone o& the "ult leader or other elder "ult (e(,ers. 2. You (ust "hange your ,elie&s to "on&or( to the group;s ,elie&s.
3. The End =usti&ies The 9eans.
31. 'ishonesty$ 'e"eit$ 'enial$ >alsi&i"ation$ and :ewriting 0istory.
32. 'i&&erent e8els o& Truth.
33. New"o(ers "an;t thin right.
34. The Cult *(plants /ho,ias.
35. The Cult is 9oney-Gru,,ing.
3#. Con&ession %essions.
3). %yste( o& /unish(ents and :ewards.
3+. n *(possi,le %uperhu(an 9odel o& /er&e"tion.
3. 9entoring.
4. *ntrusi8eness.
41. 'istur,ed Guru$ 9entally *ll eader.
42. 'istur,ed 9e(,ers$ 9entally *ll >ollowers.
43. Create a sense o& powerlessness$ "o8ert &ear$ guilt$ and dependen"y.
44. 'ispensed existen"e
45. *deology 8er Experien"e$ ,ser8ation$ and ogi"
4#. ?eep the( unaware that there is an agenda to "hange the(
4). Thought-%topping anguage. Thought-ter(inating "li"h@s and slogans.
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4+. 9ysti"al 9anipulation
4. The guru or the group de(ands ultra-loyalty and total "o((it(ent.
5. 'e(ands &or Total >aith and Total Trust
51. 9e(,ers Get No :espe"t. They Get ,used.
52. *n"onsisten"y. Contradi"tory 9essages
53. 0ierar"hi"al$ uthoritarian /ower %tru"ture$ and %o"ial Castes
54. >ront groups$ (as6uerading re"ruiters$ hidden pro(oters$ and disguised propagandists
55. Aelie& e6uals truth
5#. se o& dou,le-,inds
5). The "ult leader is not held a""ounta,le &or his a"tions.
5+. E8ery,ody else needs the guru to ,oss hi( around$ ,ut no,ody ,osses the guru around.
5. The guru "riti"iBes e8ery,ody else$ ,ut no,ody "riti"iBes the guru.
#. 'ispensed truth and so"ial de&inition o& reality
#1. The Guru *s Extra-%pe"ial.
#2. >lexi,le$ shi&ting (orality
#3. %eparatis(
#4. *na,ility to tolerate "riti"is(
#5. Charis(ati" eader
##. Calls to ,literate %el&
#). 'on;t Trust Your wn 9ind. #+. 'on;t >eel Your wn >eelings.
#. The "ult taes o8er the indi8idual;s de"ision-(aing pro"ess.
). You we The Group.
)1. e 0a8e The /ana"ea.
)2. /rogressi8e *ndo"trination and /rogressi8e Co((it(ents
)3. 9agi"al$ 9ysti"al$ nexplaina,le orings
)4. Tran"e-*ndu"ing /ra"ti"es
)5. New *dentity < :ede&inition o& %el& < :e8ision o& /ersonal 0istory
)#. 9e(,ership :i8alry
)). True Aelie8ers
)+. %"apegoating and Ex"o((uni"ation ). /ro(ised /owers or ?nowledge
+. *t;s a "on. You don;t get the pro(ised goodies.
+1. 0ypo"risy
+2. 'enial o& the truth. :e8ersal o& reality. :ationaliBation and 'enial.
+3. %eeing Through Tinted enses
+4. You "an;t (ae it without the "ult.
+5. Ene(y-(aing and 'e8aluing the utsider
+#. The "ult wants to own you.
+). Channeling or other o""ult$ un"hallengea,le$ sour"es o& in&or(ation.
++. They 9ae You 'ependent n The Group.
+. 'e(ands >or Co(plian"e ith The Group
. New"o(ers Need >ixing.
1. se o& the Cogniti8e 'issonan"e Te"hni6ue.
2. Grandiose existen"e. Ao(,asti"$ Grandiose Clai(s.
3. Ala" nd hite Thining
4. The use o& hea8y-duty (ind "ontrol and rapid "on8ersion te"hni6ues.
5. Threats o& ,odily har( or death to so(eone who lea8es the "ult.
#. Threats o& ,odily har( or death to so(eone who "riti"iBes the "ult.
). ppropriation o& all o& the (e(,ers; worldly wealth.
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+. 9aing "ult (e(,ers wor long hours &or &ree.
. Total i((ersion and total isolation.
1. 9ass sui"ide.
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