4 ms·

Quite interesting. It's fortunate that she didn't end up abused. Sad to see that other cults like the Church of Scientology keep preying on vulnerable people, t

Quite interesting. It's fortunate that she didn't end up abused. Sad to see that other cults like the Church of Scientology keep preying on vulnerable people, though.

midas007 13y ago
It's most definitely abuse of a most insidious kind.
- mercurial 13y ago
  My mistake. I meant "sexually abused". Obviously, growing up with little education, brainwashed and expecting to be shot by "the system" is definitely being abused.
  - midas007 13y ago
    Oh, fair enough.
brazzy 13y ago
I think the horrible cases of institutionalized abuse that make it to the media blind most people to the fact that the majority of cult followers, perhaps even leaders, are well-meaning people who care for their loved ones and want to do the right thing.
- bananas 13y ago
  There's a fine line between each manifestation of batshit so I'm not so sure that's valid. Edit: for the downvoters; I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush but can you truly trust a person's intentions who exhibits completely irrational behaviour? It's illogical.
- mercurial 13y ago
  I think most people would agree that the majority of cult members are, in fact, victims. However, since cults encourage the members to cut contact with the outside world, this mechanically facilitate behaviours prohibited by society at large, such as sexual abuse, corporal punishment, forced labour, etc. I don't doubt many of the abusers have managed to convince themselves that they're doing for the greater good, but then again, so do abusers outside of a cult.
  - timje1 13y ago
    I believe that many of the thought processes enforced by charismatic cult leaders (respect the elders, listen to the elders / leader in all things, avoid thinking for yourself, submit to god - through me) are designed to create docile followers - open to exploitation in any number of ways (get them to sell their old belongings, hand over their savings, open their legs..). These vulnerable people can and will be exploited by anyone with the will to do it, whether it's the leader or another elder that does it.
- andreasvc 13y ago
  What does it matter whether they are "well-meaning"? If you cut off children from education, contact with other family, and generally fail to prepare them do deal with society it really doesn't matter if you believe you are doing the right thing, because you're not, period. Of course what is "the right thing" is subjective so the extent to which this can and should be enforced is limited. As for abuse, it's clear that whether something is a cult has little to do with it, given horrible cases such as from the catholic church. It's plain to me that it is caused by the fact that the perpetrators can hide behind the institutional authority given to them. When you give people opportunity, there will always be bad apples grabbing their chance.
  - mercurial 13y ago
    > As for abuse, it's clear that whether something is a cult has little to do with it, given horrible cases such as from the catholic church. It's plain to me that it is caused by the fact that the perpetrators can hide behind the institutional authority given to them. When you give people opportunity, there will always be bad apples grabbing their chance. Sure. You get sexual abuse in the army as well. But obviously, the fewer controls you have the easier it is. As you say, "when you give people opportunity, there will always be bad apples grabbing their chance." In a closed society with little supervision, it turns out there are a lot more opportunities for breaking the rules, and a lot less risk of retribution.

Quite interesting. It's fortunate that she didn't end up abused. Sad to see that other cults like the Church of Scientology keep preying on vulnerable people, though.

midas007 13y ago

It's most definitely abuse of a most insidious kind.

mercurial 13y ago
My mistake. I meant "sexually abused". Obviously, growing up with little education, brainwashed and expecting to be shot by "the system" is definitely being abused.
- midas007 13y ago
  Oh, fair enough.

brazzy 13y ago

I think the horrible cases of institutionalized abuse that make it to the media blind most people to the fact that the majority of cult followers, perhaps even leaders, are well-meaning people who care for their loved ones and want to do the right thing.

bananas 13y ago
There's a fine line between each manifestation of batshit so I'm not so sure that's valid. Edit: for the downvoters; I'm not tarring everyone with the same brush but can you truly trust a person's intentions who exhibits completely irrational behaviour? It's illogical.
mercurial 13y ago
I think most people would agree that the majority of cult members are, in fact, victims. However, since cults encourage the members to cut contact with the outside world, this mechanically facilitate behaviours prohibited by society at large, such as sexual abuse, corporal punishment, forced labour, etc. I don't doubt many of the abusers have managed to convince themselves that they're doing for the greater good, but then again, so do abusers outside of a cult.
- timje1 13y ago
  I believe that many of the thought processes enforced by charismatic cult leaders (respect the elders, listen to the elders / leader in all things, avoid thinking for yourself, submit to god - through me) are designed to create docile followers - open to exploitation in any number of ways (get them to sell their old belongings, hand over their savings, open their legs..). These vulnerable people can and will be exploited by anyone with the will to do it, whether it's the leader or another elder that does it.
andreasvc 13y ago
What does it matter whether they are "well-meaning"? If you cut off children from education, contact with other family, and generally fail to prepare them do deal with society it really doesn't matter if you believe you are doing the right thing, because you're not, period. Of course what is "the right thing" is subjective so the extent to which this can and should be enforced is limited. As for abuse, it's clear that whether something is a cult has little to do with it, given horrible cases such as from the catholic church. It's plain to me that it is caused by the fact that the perpetrators can hide behind the institutional authority given to them. When you give people opportunity, there will always be bad apples grabbing their chance.
- mercurial 13y ago
  > As for abuse, it's clear that whether something is a cult has little to do with it, given horrible cases such as from the catholic church. It's plain to me that it is caused by the fact that the perpetrators can hide behind the institutional authority given to them. When you give people opportunity, there will always be bad apples grabbing their chance. Sure. You get sexual abuse in the army as well. But obviously, the fewer controls you have the easier it is. As you say, "when you give people opportunity, there will always be bad apples grabbing their chance." In a closed society with little supervision, it turns out there are a lot more opportunities for breaking the rules, and a lot less risk of retribution.