QuotecorboyI dont know how much of this applies, but long ago, we came up with a term 'strategic rejection'. Am not sure how much this older entry matches up with what you have seen. But that after so very many years people feel afraid to exercise their first amendment rights to discuss an important part of their lives, even with the protection of a computer handle, signals
Forum: "Cults," Sects, and "New Religious Movements"

QuotecorboyMy guess is that that technique you mention where there's a commerical, and at the very end of it, something's included that seemingly 'makes no sense'-- is this a method of inducing a subtle shock or disorientation, designed to enhance susceptibility to the previous message? I have heard that one way to make people suggestible is to shock them, or stun them for an
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

There is also the very dangerous cult of Neil Brick et al who openly claim to have been turned into "Manchurian candidates" by the MKUltra program and trhe Freemasons. Lest you think I am being sarcastic, see this link: I use the google search link because Brick's been at it long enough to have his little army of internet peeps warning him to switch links when one appears in
Forum: Coercive Persuasion and Undue Influence

Has your cult experience affected your ability to find and keep a good job? I have found that mine has, in several ways. One is in having to explain those stretches of time spent in recovery, and another is the problem of resentful cult members finding ways to contact a boss or clients with their malicious gossip. Even when I have gotten past those obstacles, there have been the misunderstand
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

I looked into Falun Gong because I wanted to take up Tai Chi and I saw the controversy around it, and I thought it was a form of Tai Chi, so I wanted to avoid getting into yet another cult. I found a book "Power of the Wheel" that has a good objective critique of it. Without coming out and calling it a "cult", the authors present all the flags of cult-hood, including a
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I think it is true that a certain amount of anxiety about relationships never goes away completely, but I look to seeing those feelings become more brief as recovery happens. They become brief if you learn the methods of identifying triggers and ignore the "false" triggers while avoiding the genuine ones. I also found that repetitious hobby activity helps a lot. Kind of like art the
Forum: Recovery from Destructive Cults and Groups

In my efforts to deal with the PTSD that I have, I have occasionally gone to 12-step meetings as a last resort. They can be helpful if they are run by responsible people. I think the best thing is to try to get your relative to sit down with you and a licensed psychologist, together. The psychologist knows what the ethical standards are and could ask the right questions to get at the problem
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Thank you for posting that article. NatLFed does not do violence "as NatLFed", of course. What it does is arrange for violence to happen to people it wants to see silenced. It arranges for people to fail to be credible witnesses, it arranges for the authorities to be reluctant to pursue certain cases. It protects the perpetrators of the crimes. Lewis Lent enjoyed NatLFed protection f
Forum: Terrorist and Extremist Groups

I was once a member of NatLFed. It bothers me to see that oftentimes people want to limit this cult to a certain time-frame, set of members, arenas of activity, etc. NatLFed was, and still is, a kind of meta-cult that specialized in forming fronts that were directly connected to it as well as infiltrating other groups, especially other cults, in order to force compliance with its own goals. Na
Forum: Terrorist and Extremist Groups

Rickety, I think the biographies of most cult-leaders show that they started out as "one-member cults" because they share the same personality traits of severe narcissism, control freaks, etc. You can count yourself strong for having recognized the problem while it was still "one-member". When I went to a psychologist for help because of cult issues in my family, I did no
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

Has anyone here encountered cults that succeed in running under the radar of larger churches or alongside them as "para-church ministries"? These are often political or financial cults. Sometimes one denomination's activists are infiltrating another denomination in a kind of warfare, using deception to try to win converts. They are able to get "good press" because
Forum: Destructive Churches

Isn't ebay an MLM? I mean, they have affiliates who get percentages of the fees and they have people selling ebay services as teams.... I'm not sure I'd call ebay a cult, but I think it is an MLM. There is something about all MLM behavior that is cult-like, but is it a controlling cult? When you look at the way comunication between sellers and their customers is controlle
Forum: Multi Level Marketing and Commercial Schemes

QuotecorboyOne thing to do re your friend is set some ground rules.......Finally, if any of this seems hard to do, therapy might be a help. You might not even need to be in it for long. Thank you, lots of good reminders there. Well, the thing about hyper-vigilance is that it is triggered as much by my own internal stress level as by specific actions outside, and this has been a terrifically
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

QuotedrumplerQuotenccg_concernAbusive 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.
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

Quotesandip260382Well hailmary,I did not know much about you PAS. I am telling you as per my knowledge regarding PAS.Though PAS is quiet a common term, yet many confusion & wrong belief is assocoated with this term.PAS normally follows few rules.First rule involves active blocking of contact between child & absent parent. Next law concludes false or non distinct abuse of the absen
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

QuoteWaysplusmeansQuoteSarahLI'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
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships

I am a cult survivor. Not important which one, just that years ago I was recruited to a controlling cult similar to many you list here and that left me with a lot of wariness after I left it. One of the problems is that with the PTSD that remians, I can sometimes be "hypervigilant". I am wondering if I am being hypervigilant now, or if a trusted friend is in fact acting as a cult re
Forum: Abusive and Controlling Relationships