CULTS, CATHOLICS, AND THE ENSLAVEMENT OF THE MIND

Cults - they’re #different to put it lightly. Many have caused notoriety in the mass murder scene so their existence has been less than welcomed by the general public. They are typically led by the leader’s ‘intuitive’ knowledge that they are to be the messiah or some other ideal divine being such as god itself. The actual definition of cults is typically identified as a group or movement that shows an intense devotion to a person, idea, or cause, which usually comes at the cost of the individual’s autonomy. The unorthodox beliefs and practices significantly deviate from mainstream society - metal asf lol. Some key features of cults are the existence of authoritarian leadership, isolation from outside influences, and indoctrination, thought reform, or manipulation to maintain control over the beliefs and behaviors of the members. In other words, they do the most all the time.

Hmmm … but some of that sounds somewhat like mainstream religiousness going on with all the indoctrination stuff and thought reform aspect of a cult - however, there are distinctions such as the structure, general practices, and the psychological impact on the members separate religious sects to cults. The devil is in the details lol. Cults typically revolve around a leader who has ~charisma~ who manages to have unquestioning loyalty from the members, much like Edward Cullen fans during the Twilight saga, nothing would sway Team Edwardians down to the glitter and vampiric charm. The leader is seen as the ‘Absolute’ and can disperse punishment if objections occur within the population of the followers with compliance. This to follow the pseudo-sacred texts the leader has the followers comply with which can deviate from mainstream religions or be entirely made up by the leader themself. Mainstream religions have sacred texts and doctrines that guide the community in faith, but they are typically able to be open to interpretation by the individuals in the congregation and these types of systems have more distributed leadership structures and are (supposed to be) more open to change and in opposition, cults have it where it is more ‘right and wrong’, or there are more distinct absolutes. In practice, I have noticed that Catholicism practices absolutes as well but that typically originates from the congregation misinterpreting the ‘word of Christ’ versus the leader encouraging division for power. It came more in the way of ‘you curse or say God’s name in vain you’re going straight to Hell’ - a mindset that encouraged my many fuck it moments - if I am going to Hell already, might as well sin some more. That, versus a cult leader being like ‘She *committed cult sin* - lets kill / torture / outcast her until she complies’ type vibes.

Mainstream religions also are fairly open about their services and beliefs - but, for example, the Catholic church does have secrets in the Vatican which have been locked up for centuries and there are high levels of security clearance in order to even enter the Vatican library. There are levels of secrecy to it which I have found very sus. However, I feel like it is different enough to a cult where the inner teachings and practices are only revealed to fully initiated members and anyone can attend a church service and learn whatever information they want. There are, of course, arguments about how religions keep secrets only for their higher members to have knowledge of, like those who walk in and protect the Vatican to keep their CATHOLIC SECRETS but since the Bible is open to the public alongside the church’s spiritual practices, it is considered as a mainstream religion. With the control of information, cults also have the goal of imposing severe psychological and emotional control over the members with the ‘us versus them’ mentality to limit autonomy, where religions generally support the well-being and autonomy of the members, which encourages engagement with broader society. With humans, though, there is the ability to create a cult in the name of the religion and have it even exist within the walls of the church, but it does not represent the religion as a whole as those cult leaders operate in the self-centered, god complex mindset that does not stand for selflessness and unconditional love perpetuated in the root of the religion itself. Examples of this can be seen in the earlier works of Jim Jones in the Peoples Temple, The Legionaries of Christ, The Apostles of Infinite Love, The Palmarian Catholic Church, along with many other cult movements. Generally Catholic- inspired cults take aspects such as hierarchal structure, ritual, esoteric / apocalyptic viewpoints, and church separation from the mainstream religion to justify its practices and maintain control of its members.

The concept of living spiritually has a tendency to attract the vulnerable population with lost and empty individuals as it taps in the most fundamental aspects of the human experience: the search for meaning, purpose, and connection to something greater than the self. Cult leaders thrive in manipulating these aspects of the human experience because they are able to mold the minds of those who have no direction or faith in themselves and in the universe and take advantage of their situation to create devoted followers. The emotional appeal of spirituality offers profound emotional experience, which can be manufactured and manipulated to create deep bonds of loyalty and dependence on the cult leader and group as they present it as the only ‘correct form’ of worship - which mimics Catholicism mindset of being the ‘most correct’ version of Christianity. Through the desire to have an emotional breakthrough, the cult provides answers to more complex questions on life in the realms of the nature of suffering, what happens after death, and the general meaning of life and why we are here as a species. This sense of security further encourages the members to stay and even if they recognize the exploitation later down the road- it creates a dependency cycle similar to that of someone in a narcissistic relationship. They essentially become addicted to the leader and fear life outside the cult. Cult leaders typically position themselves as divine and ‘more’ spiritually enlightened to discourage questioning from the members, which reinforces their authority amongst the isolated members as they believe that in order to spiritually survive, they must be obedient to their pseudo-divine leader. As the members undergo their spiritual awakenings in their time at the cult, they begin to identify as part of ‘the chosen’ and are somehow above the rest of humans because of they chose the ‘right’ belief system, kinda like Jehovah’s Witnesses and how they can be in the chosen 144, 000, like the equivalent of a disciple of Christ. Naturally, you can imagine the egos of the members have a field day and expand beyond their understanding so this is useful control tactic as it emphasizes the faux dangers if they choose to leave the group. 

Through manipulating spiritual doctrines to justify spiritual punishment or losing one’s salvation, cult leaders coerce compliance via guilt and fear. The vulnerable individuals who are typically suffering from emotional distress, social isolation, existential crises, or a transitional state in life who are searching for meaning get manipulated by having a tailored message so they resonate and fall under the category as a potential recruit by the leader. Through this process, the individual is showered with positive reinforcement and an overwhelming display of affection, praise, and attention. Love bombing is done to build a welcoming environment for the individual to feel valued, understood, and cared for like never before - a nirvana, just to have it ripped out from under them - because it IS too good to be true. Kinda reminds me of how sororities operate with the lure of sisterhood but then you sign up to be judged and outcasted if you are socially rejected by not meeting their cookie cutter expectations, funny how they are also compared to cults. This behavior creates dependency on the leader’s approval as this begins the idea that they must remain in the group or risk spiritual, emotional, or physical catastrophe. These manufactured positive emotions increase the likelihood of there being loyalty, which then facilitates commitment, where the inducted individual becomes privy to the more sinister aspects of the cult. This is where they are introduced to the more controlling or exclusive practices since they are more likely to accept and rationalize the behaviors due to personal investment. This mirrors the devaluation and discard phase of a narcissistic relationship. All these ideals are then reinforced through ritual and symbolism to enforce coercion and to create shared identity to reinforce the leader’s authority. Cults generally are a system of control that intertwines deeply with personal and existential aspects of the human experience, which roots deep in the realm of overall domination. The process of indoctrination begins with introducing concepts which already align with the individual’s pre-existing belief system or aspirations - then step by step they introduce the more radical doctrines. These beliefs are then ‘encouraged’ to be the only valid perspectives as it is the ‘ultimate truth’. This manipulation commits the member to where they are easily coerced to physical, social, and intellectual isolation. The blueprint of a cult is meticulously designed to establish and maintain control over the members. The charisma of the leader, strategic recruitment of the vulnerable, and a subtle indoctrination process in isolation, creates a closed system where they get individuals entwined in the specific cult’s ideology and power structure. 

In terms of exploiting spirituality, cults do not view awakenings as a means of personal or communal connection to the divine, but a potent tool to manipulate and control the members as the leader plays god. Reinterpretations of spiritual concepts, inducing spiritual experiences, and exploiting the fear/redemption dynamic shifts the leader to an influential role over the followers. Familiar words from mainstream religion are manipulated to fit the practices of the cult and continue under the narrative of true enlightenment is only able to be achieved through full obedience to the leader or their salvation is dependent on how strict they adhere to the group’s doctrine as they possess exclusive access to some spiritual truth or divine revelation. It’s like a real life example of glorifying false idols - it is an ego centered desire to rule as god and to be viewed as divinely special. These manipulation tactics create a deep, often unbreakable bond between the follower and cult as an entity. I can’t help but to think of some churches when it comes to the topic of exploiting spirituality - NOT ALL but SOME.

Generally, most religions promote positive community values, but there are a handful, at least from what I’ve observed, that TILT toward cult-like behaviors. I guess cult adjacent you could say - but I am not claiming religion is a cult for those who are triggered right now. Some congregation leaders present their interpretations of the [insert religion] holy text as the only valid understanding of it and then demand absolute obedience to the word as they, a finite human, have interpreted it - I see it as more of a people problem and not spirituality in the text problem and people do people things no matter the organization. Even in the Catholic church, the Roman Catholics claim to be the ‘most correct’ as their text reaches a certain level of God that other sects of Christianity do not. Ironically, God is supposed to be so great, we humans cannot fathom the essence of the Central Energy so for a human, cult leader or not, to say they are the only right ones on the earth, is very dumb of them since it is a contradiction of the infinite nature of the Central Energy. If they were thinking with a moral brain, they would know the more you learn, the less you truly know and the higher dimensions is a topic that we will never fully comprehend as a species. That is one of the mysteries of this dimensional plane. Charisma also plays an integral role in mainstream religious practices - some are even borderline idolized, similar to cult leaders. The members of the congregation in these mass religious environments place an unwavering trust in the leaders’ guidance, often leading the individual to minimize their use of their own critical thinking skills to match the thought patterns of the leader. A loose example of this would be Catholics’ relationships with priests. They are viewed as ‘of higher morale’ when there have been those who have taken advantage of this holy lens and do the unthinkable - much like cult leaders - however it is more of a small percentage versus a general trait of those in the cult leader profession. These are the same leaders who also preach they have exclusive access to the spiritual truth and their book is more correct than the other religious texts out there so they’re more elite in the spiritual community than other ‘less-correct’ religions. These behaviors then lead to a strong ‘us vs them’ mentality within the congregation, similar to cults, as they are encouraged to see the outside world as morally bankrupt and sinful with lack of spiritual guidance - which only the particular church’s leaders possess. Through strict dress codes, mandatory attendance to church events, and adherence to specific lifestyle choices, churches have the ability to exercise a high degree of control of the personal lives of the members by dictating how they should behave, who to associate with, or how their finances should be managed through the guise of God. There are even Catholic schools who revolve around the religion and the teachings of it to young children to continue the cycle as they integrated church and education. I remember at mass growing up we would go to a catholic church and they were building a couple million dollar annex across the street and then they ended up going over budget and were in need of more money to finish the project. For months, in between ‘the word of the Lord’ when they were going around with the collection baskets, they would sneak in how they needed money for the annex in a way making it seem it was something God wanted and it was ‘for God and for the children’ so they needed it and you’re immoral if you don’t donate. It always rubbed me the wrong way because it felt very market in the church and Jesus getting mad at that type of vibe because even at a young age, it felt culty and manipulative to me to ask for money mixed in with the word of the Lord. Like at least having a clear separation to let people know what was going on versus starting a pissing contest with the wealthier members in the process on who is more holy and a better Catholic by donating more. Cults exploit their members financially, which requires significant donations or tithes that benefit the leader or the organization (ie Scientology). Some churches justify financial pressure through teachings that equate monetary giving with spiritual favor or blessing - and example being buying a ticket of Heaven. These parallel control mechanisms micromanage to ensure the members’ conformity and loyalty as nonconformity can lead to social exclusion or condemnation so it is very interesting to see how slight differences… make the difference. 

Mainstream Christian churches have selective interpretation of the scripture. I guess their version of manipulating holy text is more socially acceptable than cults though since it is the result of a complex interplay of cultural, theological, and social factors over centuries versus changing scripture to manipulate members and conspire to follow the all mighty Chad, ‘the messiah’, to save yourself from impending doom he saw during a meth trip (for a caricature example) like how cults do it. Each sect is the reflection of a particular interpretation of Christian faith and practices, which was shaped by the specific historical context in which it emerged. Theological disagreements include differences in interpreting key doctrines, like the nature of Christ, the Trinity, salvation, and sacraments, which led to splits over the centuries. As the belief of Christianity spread, translations of the texts, local cultures, languages, and traditions influenced the development of practices in various parts of the world. The influence between political and social factors is also considered in the formation of Christian sects. These include upheavals such as the rise of nationalism / colonialism. To tie it all together, charismatic leadership is also found in cults and Christians - particularly through Christian leaders leading movements which resulted in a new denomination or sect being created to bible study leaders to the priests themselves- similar energy to cult leaders… but slightly different since I guess the focus is on a God figure and selflessness versus the leader being seen as God. I hypothesize ego levels are what makes the most difference although ego seeps into Christian rooms.

There was a group of Texan Catholics growing up at the church that have always had a weird thing about dating outside the faith that was just widely accepted for everyone, and I know it is also true for other religions and cultures as well based on my interactions with people, but I just want to focus on the communities I am most familiar with. Same with the acceptance of the cycle of shame the Catholic teachings sometimes put their members in through the use of fear to comply with God. Leaders sometimes use guilt and shame to enforce obedience, which makes the members of the church feel spiritually unworthy if they don’t meet their Jesus quota for the week. It can lead to the cycle of dependency found in cults, where they rely on the church for forgiveness or redemption because they said the word ‘fuck’ and they’re basically fucked if they don’t repent. It gives Old Testament God when It was having a temper tantrum causing smites left and right before the chill, all forgiving version took power in the New Testament. I was taught to view cursing as the equivalent to murder as a kid so I was going to Hell for it unless I told a priest about it and promised I wouldn’t do it again, lies on lies on my end lol. It got to the point where I just said fuck it and started to test the limits of what God actually saw as bad and see how karma works in the real world. It sent me for a wild life journey but it got me circled back to it doesn’t really matter what you believe in, as long as it is a power greater than yourself and you choose the next best step to the best of your ability you’re good. One religion’s version of the Central Energy doesn’t love the human race less than the other - it is all basically the same crap unless you’re in a cult since #Chad is god. While not all churches show these behaviors, they do begin to cross that line and blur it with cultic-like control. The main differences lie in the degree to which a church prioritizes the autonomy, well-being, and critical thinking of its members versus the authority the entity exerts. When practices begin to lean heavily toward control, exclusion, and manipulation, it can potentially lead to harmful consequences for its members.  

As far as leaving cults is concerned, it is a complex and harrowing process which requires the individual to overcome significant psychological, emotional, and spiritual barriers. Kinda like someone recovering from an addiction. The journey of recovery requires deprogramming from the cult influence in order to rebuild a healthy sense of self and spiritual identity. That is, if the individual makes it out alive. There must be bravery shown in all senses of what it means to be a human. Some psychological and spiritual barriers include overcoming cognitive dissonance as the perception of life outside the cult begins to develop doubts of their prior reality which leads to a loss of identity which causes confusion, anxiety, and fear, making it difficult to take that sure step toward mental freedom. Cults tie the members’ identity to its beliefs and practices as they strip personal identity of the individuals so when the daily practices are taken away, the individual does not know who they are, what they believe, and how they fit into the world. The deep dependency on the leader and the group for spiritual well being creates the concept of leaving daunting. They are stripped of access to their housing, food, and social support so it takes courage and support of external resources in order to make it out safely. 

Recovery for those who make it out and begin the process of deprogramming undergo the undoing of the indoctrination, addressing emotional trauma, and reconnecting with family and friends if they did not grow up in the cult. It also requires there to be a rebuilding of a healthy spiritual identity leading to reclaiming spirituality, finding new spiritual communities that works for them and isn’t degenerative of the spirit, developing a balanced perspective, and most importantly, developing self-compassion and forgiveness. These steps require a cognitive restructuring where the individual critically examines the beliefs and practices that were deeply ingrained in them. Here, the individual learns to identify and challenge the distorted thought patterns and to recognize manipulative tactics used by the cult to replace it with healthier, more nuanced perspectives. Throughout this process, critical thinking skills are rebuilt to empower the individual to question and analyze given information independently. This is crucial to attain autonomy. It is easy to write about this, but this process is not simple. Many cult members suffer from anxiety, depression, and PTSD/CPTSD which leads to an array of challenges in daily life. Sexual, emotional, physical, financial, and other forms of abuse are brought to light and worked through during this recovery phase. Throughout the deprogramming process, these aspects must be addressed to spiritually heal the individual. This is why emotional support groups, therapy, and counseling are important for true healing as spiritual hurt requires more than just medication. Cult recovery groups provide a safe space for those to share experiences and are invaluable in this process. It reminds the individuals they are not alone in this exhausting process. This along with reintegrating personal relationships into daily life can add further emotional support and ground the individual of life outside the cult. 

Avoid cults - think for yourself. Choose intelligence. 

Why don’t cults ever get lost?

Because they always follow the leader—even if it's to a dead end!