inifinitymike:

Actually some groups called "cults" like Scientology and the Kabbalah Centre specifically target Hollywood stars and celebrities.

And most stars don't join cults.

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rrmoderator
inifinitymike:

Actually some groups called "cults" like Scientology and the Kabbalah Centre specifically target Hollywood stars and celebrities.

And most stars don't join cults.

That's very true, and it's sneaky as hell too for cults like moneytology to do that. However, i still think the reason stars actually JOIN cults like that is because many of them are high off their fame.

infinitymike:

It seems more likely that the same vulnerabilities that potentially make anyone a cult victim, apply to stars too.

It is funny to me that Elvis was smart enough to avoid scientology, but Priscilla and Lisa were not.

Of course, Elvis wasn't smart enough to avoid dying at 42 sadly.



I think Celebs are drawn to kookie beliefs because mainstream ones cannot help with with a framework for why they were chosen to the special that supports them being special

I think celebs suffer from low self esteem - it's why they seek out fame and that extreme adoration and approval - whicc is never enough because if you don't believe you're worthy to start with, it doesn't matter how much external validation you get

as Elvis said in his last show "I know three chords, but I faked them all for a long time"

so off the beaten track groups that take a more personal interest in you than mainstream groups

especially ones that have levels of knowledge that are revealed as you work your why up, as scientology claims...

makes celebs vulnerable

I am of the opinion that stars love such strange groups because it kind of separates them from non Celebrities. I think that they are constantly seeking such groups because it is important to always have something new. There are always new strange groups which are for a while in fashion but soon another one appears and the old one is written off.

I do believe that it is a typical kind of problem with attention. Most celebrities have a lot of issues if they do not get the right kind of attention. But I would also say that it has something to do with showing how different you are in comparison to all the other human beings of social life. I do not necessarily believe that they really do care about being a better or even good icon or about their image in public life, because when it comes to religious views it is only about a personal belief.

One way it can start...

[culteducation.com]

Bob Dylan's experiences have ranged from ultra-orthodox Judaism to born-again Christianity. It seems to me that these stars have a longing for something deeper than what they themselves propagate. They need to attach themselves to someone or some movement that has "all the answers" or has
a way of making them feel fulfilled.

"It seems more likely that the same vulnerabilities that potentially make anyone a cult victim, apply to stars too."

I agree with this. Love bombing, etc. can work on those that are unaware of these techniques.

RE: Sri Chimnoy -
when Carlos Santana was really deep into that stuff he, like most devotees of this weirdo added a name on to his - for a while he was known as Devadip Carlos Santana. Also, I don't know how many of you know who the awesome Jazz guitarist John McLaughlin is - he played with Miles Davis circa 1970-74. Well, after that he made about 2 or 3 records with an outfit called the Mahavishnu Orchestra. Why Mahavishnu? Because he became Mahavishnu John McLaughlin.
Another rocker who fell under Chimnoy's spell was Jon Anderson, of YES - although he didn't append any goofy monikers to his name, one of YES's best albums - the double LP, Tales From Topographic Oceans was heavily inspired by the guru.
Yes, he was a passing 70s cult phenom thing whose "influence" came and ebbed just as quickly, Chimnoy is also an accomplished musician and boy was I surprised when about two years ago Sri Chimnoy played a concert (I think he was playing the violin, if I'm not mistaken - I could be, so don't crucify me...) in San Diego - not at some rock club but at Copley Symphony Hall (The Copley family were the former owners of the last, lonely newspaper in this gawd-forsaken town. The paper is now owned by a private equity firm).

Also - not to do w/Sri Chimnoy, but did you know that Cat Stevens is not the only one to turn Muslim & change his name (like all Islamic converts) - his new moniker being Yusuf Islam, but long before that, in the turbulent 60s, the Byrds' frontman, Jim McGuinn also converted to Islam and he became Jim McGuinn. Admittedly, not an imaginative name change, but I guess it did the trick for the Mufti bosses.