I've learned through experience that unsafe groups and abusive relationships can be found most everywhere, including online. I've also been reminded that it isn't necessarily the philosophy or theme or focus of a group that will indicate possible trouble, it is the behavior.
Even chat rooms, online gaming, and other endeavors can be problematic. People online can be manipulative, controlling, groups can and are formed that fit all the red flag signs of a destructive group.

I have to agree.
I find the net, the worst place for finding fakes

It is unfortunate that even in churches, many church leadera are a source of abuse and controlling relationships.

One day all the crooked paths will be made straight. [/list]

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SarahL
I've learned through experience that unsafe groups and abusive relationships can be found most everywhere, including online. I've also been reminded that it isn't necessarily the philosophy or theme or focus of a group that will indicate possible trouble, [b:c8fa1ec35b]it is the behavior.[/b:c8fa1ec35b]
Even chat rooms, online gaming, and other endeavors can be problematic. [b:c8fa1ec35b]People online can be manipulative, controlling, groups can and are formed that fit all the red flag signs of a destructive group.[/b:c8fa1ec35b]

Excellent Post!

Two websites to take cautionary measures: www.farrakhanfactor.com and www.seventhfam.com

You have claimed on other threads that the group is stalking and/or harassing you.

Is the only contact you have had with this group through posts and exchanges on-line?

Have you ever met with the group through any activities in person face-to-face?

It is very unusual for such a group to take any further action with someone only involved on-line.

Did you file criminal reports with the police?

If so what was the net result? What action have authorities taken?

Recruitment Techniques of cults on the web:

[www1.his.no]

:shock: Wow! I just got verbally (textually) blasted by a member (call them Ham) on the Freedom of Minds forum. Ham kept accusing me of making false statements and of giving therapeutical advice to another member (Blue) who had asked for opinions about a crisis situation. Ham said I was making false generalisations, and making statements that could cause somebody harm. My response had been approved by the forum moderator.

I promise, I prefaced my response to Blue with the fact that I am not a professional. Then, I just related my experience that was similiar to Blue's, and told about my treatment program. Then, Ham started criticising Blue, in the crisis situation, off handedly for not just forgeting and getting on with living.

I am wondering if anyone else has had a similiar circumstance develop while interacting on that forum, or on another form regarding cults and survivors. :?:

[b:ac71d7af93]This post edited for clarity and detail on June 9, 2006.[/b:ac71d7af93]

Abusive Online Groups and Relationships:

It's possible for people to be "brainwashed" over the internet. During my research on a certain dangerous religious group, a leading cult expert examined some of the text written by this group's leader and advised me that was written in a way that can create a [b:ac71d7af93]hypnotic[/b:ac71d7af93] state. The writing that was being examined was comprised of lengthy text segments, and I observed it to make various points which were supposed to make logical sense among one another but the logic was actually self-referencing and the points did not necessarily lead to one another when read with a clear and alert mind.

I experienced this hypnotic state myself (unintentionally of course), before I was aware of the hypnotic issue with this writing. During my research of this group, it was necessary to read a large amount of the group leader's written material. In spite of the fact that I had conclusive evidence that this was an unsafe religious group whose information should not be internalized as truth without very in-depth evaluation, I found that when I was fatigued, it was possible to unintentionally enter a markedly different, suggestible state of mind. For me, this state would last between 1 and 2 seconds, and during those few seconds, the kinds of impressions I had about the material were markedly different and not in-line with the facts I knew to be true. It was obvious to me at the time that these brief incidents represented an altered state of consciousness and were not based upon a conscious decision on my part to accept the material. In order for it to happen, I had to both spend a long time reading the material and become fatigued while doing it (I don't know if both of these conditions are required for other people). I did not realize these incidents were specifically the result of text-based hypnosis until the cult expert noted this about the writing style and presentation (I had not told the cult expert about my own experiences with it at that point).

This type of hypnosis-generating writing could be be presented on paper or posted to the internet and it would have the same effect.

Furthermore, controlling relationships that capitalize upon undue influence can be developed over internet chat or instant messaging, with the group's leadership functioning as the gurus or counselors and the others functioning as the followers. This is most likely to happen when the followers have previously become very comfortable with internet chat -- the average grandmother is probably not going to be able to develop the right level of intimacy in an online relationship for this to be successful.

A comment I got from a parent regarding an internet-active cult I researched went like this: "Out of all the things I knew to watch out for, I didn't know I had to protect my children from [b:ac71d7af93]religion[/b:ac71d7af93] on the [b:ac71d7af93] internet![/b:ac71d7af93]" (emphasis is from the source).

--NCCG_Concern

[www.geocities.com]

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nccg_concern
Abusive Online Groups and Relationships:

It's possible for people to be "brainwashed" over the internet. Text content on web pages can be presented in a way that invokes a suggestible state (like other written material can do, that's not an internet-only thing).

Sounds more like "persuasion" to me than a "suggestible state." If this is the case, then everything we read "brainwashes."

I think your redefinition of ideas and words could just as easily be called brainwashing.

Sincerely,
Derek

Quote
nccg_concern
Abusive Online Groups and Relationships:

It's possible for people to be "brainwashed" over the internet. Text content on web pages can be presented in a way that invokes a suggestible state (like other written material can do, that's not an internet-only thing).

Furthermore, controlling relationships that capitalize upon undue influence can be developed over internet chat or instant messaging, with the group's leadership functioning as the gurus or counselors and the others functioning as the followers. This is most likely to happen when the followers have previously become very comfortable with internet chat -- the average grandmother is probably not going to be able to develop the right level of intimacy in an online relationship for this to be successful.

A comment I got from a parent regarding an internet-active cult I researched went like this: "Out of all the things I knew to watch out for, I didn't know I had to protect my children from [b:99cc2d8bef]religion[/b:99cc2d8bef] on the [b:99cc2d8bef] internet![/b:99cc2d8bef]" (emphasis is from the source).

--NCCG_Concern

[www.geocities.com]

Main Entry: per·sua·sion
Pronunciation: p&r-'swA-zh&n
Function: noun
Etymology: Middle English persuasioun, from Middle French or Latin; Middle French persuasion, from Latin persuasion-, persuasio, from persuadEre
1 a : the act or process or an instance of persuading b : a persuading argument c : the ability to persuade : PERSUASIVENESS
2 : the condition of being persuaded
3 a : an opinion held with complete assurance b : a system of religious beliefs; also : a group adhering to a particular system of beliefs
4 : KIND, SORT
synonym see OPINION

Main Entry: per·suade
Pronunciation: p&r-'swAd
Function: transitive verb
Inflected Form(s): per·suad·ed; per·suad·ing
Etymology: Latin persuadEre, from per- thoroughly + suadEre to advise, urge -- more at SWEET
1 : to move by argument, entreaty, or expostulation to a belief, position, or course of action
2 : to plead with : URGE
- per·suad·er noun

You just gave the definition for persuasion in your last post. Its stuff like this that gives cult deprogrammers a bad name.

Sincerely,
Derek