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The following series of six messages are transcripts from a recent
series from Recorded Messages For Jehovah's Witnesses, a branch of
Christian Research Institute - Toronto Centre - dedicated to ministering
to those who are having doubts about the Watchtower Bible and Tract
Society, or who have been disfellowshipped from the Watchtower and don't
know where to turn. The phone number for the recorded messages
is (416)757-4692, or you can reach us at CRI at "Box 505, Station R,
Toronto, Ontario M4G 4E1" Phone: (416)696-5553 --- Bob Hunter ---
======================================================================
WARNING - THE MOONIES
One of the messages we are dedicated to bring to Jehovah's Witnesses
is a warning about those groups who would prey upon them in order to
enslave them. These groups are the ones practicing mind control in order
to win and keep new members. For that reason, we will, today, turn our
attention to The Holy Spirit Association for the Unification of World
Christianity, better known as the Unification Church or "Moonies".
Steve Hassan has talked about his recruitment, indoctrination, and
life as a member of this cult in his book, Combatting Cult Mind Control.
What he tells us there provides a valuable insight into the subtle, yet
effective, ways this group attracts and keeps its members.
For Steve, it started when he was approached while a college student,
by several warm and friendly people. They asked questions and engaged
in spirited conversations. The questions and answers given were
successful in creating in Steve a curiosity about the group and its
teachings.
The Moonies, who did not identify themselves as such, quickly seized
upon the interest Steve displayed and invited him to study with them
further. At that point the indoctrination began in earnest.
During the study, Steve asked questions about what he was hearing.
He was told not to judge, to keep an open mind until he had heard it
all. During the study, the thought was planted that he was not serving
God in the right way. He was bombarded with material that brought into
question areas of belief he had never really thought about before.
Confusion mounted and soon the leaders were supplying answers. Of course
these answers assumed acceptance of all previous teachings. The schedule
of study left little time for anything else. The leaders endorsed this
by pointing out that there was really nothing in life more important
than this.
Soon the indoctrination was complete. The leaders had successfully
convinced Steve that the Unification Church alone was God's chosen
Organization and that it was being led by God's Messiah, Sun Myung Moon.
Once acceptance of this idea had been accomplished, the rest was easy.
The leaders then planted the idea that God had seen fit to bring Steve
into this truth and that the worst thing Steve could ever do was to
abandon what God had so generously provided. They drove home the point
that there were only two classifications in this world by saying there
is: 1) God's organization and 2) Satan's organization, 1) God's people
and 2) Satan's people, 1) God's communication and 2) Satan's
communication, 1) God's religion (the Unification Church) and 2) Satan's
religion (all others). They, alone, had the truth.
Next they put controls on the information that Steve had access to.
They told Steve that contact with outsiders was to be limited to trying
to convert them or to solicit money. There was to be no contact with
anyone opposed to the group. If confronted with seemingly contradictory
issues, he was conditioned to think that contradictions and confusion
were simply a lack of spiritual perception or knowledge on his part.
There was an explanation for all seeming contradictions. After all,
God's organization couldn't be wrong! He lived for years being isolated
from the world in this way. He saw nothing wrong during that time. That
raises a good question: how does a victim of mind control, who's
thinking has been impaired, come to realize his plight?
Steve was brought out of the Unification Church with the help of some
people who provided him information on the techniques of mind control
as employed by the Unification Church and others like it. He learned
that if you can control someone's behaviour, their thoughts, their
emotions, and then the information they have available to them, you can
control their entire life.
He had seen the Moonies control his behaviour by dictating how he
should spend his time and his thoughts by repetitive exposure to the
group's doctrine, and requiring that he teach this doctrine to potential
new members. They controlled his emotions by convincing him that he
wasn't serving God the way God wanted him to (a heavy emphasis on guilt)
- along with this they created in him mind the idea that leaving the
group (or being told to leave) was worse than death itself; and finally,
they established control over the information he had available to him
by labelling all opposing communication as from Satan, and forbidding
him to have contact with it.
Once this was understood, the thought occurred that was, for Steve,
a turning point. Having learned that these techniques are used by groups
that Steve knew to be destructive cults, he asked himself if God would
need to use the same tactics used by the Chinese communists and
destructive cults in order to attract and keep followers. If the truths
were really from God, would they require isolation from all contrary
thought? For that matter, would God have any part of an organization
that used these tactics. His answer to that question brought him to the
realization that he had been deceived, and with that realization came
the freedom to leave the Unification Church.
MIND CONTROL
As part of the stated mission of Answers, we are dedicated to
providing information to Jehovah's Witnesses and others about those
groups who would prey upon them in order to enslave them. Last week, we
spoke about the Unification Church. Rather than to examine each of these
groups individually, I thought that it would be interesting to look at
the traits that are common to all.
The Cult Awareness Network lists 10 marks of a destructive cult. The
Moonies, Hare Krishnas, The Way, The Children of God, and dozens upon
dozens of groups like them exhibit these traits.
Now a group need not exhibit every trait listed here to be considered
destructive. In fact, the presence of only one or two of these traits
indicates a need for real concern.
1. The first trait is mind control. If you were one of the callers last
week, you learned that the Moonies, and other groups like them,
strive to gain control over their members through the use of mind
control. That is, a change in the behaviour, thought and emotional
patterns of our lives. They then establish control over the
information we have access to, particularly information critical of
the group, in order to maintain control.
2. Change in diet is used by a number of groups to keep their members
undernourished and thereby less able to engage in independent
thinking. Since independent thinking is the greatest enemy of these
groups, they all go to great lengths to shut it down.
3. The third trait is Charismatic Leadership. That is - claiming
divinity, divine appointment or special knowledge. This typically
applies to a central figure or to a group of leaders. Growing from
this claim is the demand for absolute obedience and submission to
the leadership.
4. Next is the use of deception. These groups encourage dishonest
answers and hidden agenda when dealing with those outside of the
groups.
5. Exclusivity/Elitism/Euphoria is another trait. Members are promised
something if they remain true followers. This could be power,
spiritual highs, fulfilment, or salvation. They maintain it is
available only through the group.
6. The sixth trait is Alienation. The group encourages separation of
its members from family, friends and society in general. Higher
education is strongly discouraged since the independent thinking
that goes on there works against mind control.
7. Fatigue is another trait. This might be depriving members of sleep
and insisting upon long hours of work or it could be simply
dictating a schedule of meetings and service that leaves little time
for anything else.
8. A lack of privacy is used to interfere with moments of private
contemplation and independent thinking.
9. Exploitation is the ninth trait. This is a broad label. It ranges
from pressure to give all one's belongings to the group to the use
of fear and guilt to maintain control over members. Because of the
depth of indoctrination, groups use the threat of forcing members
to leave the group as leverage to control them.
10. The last trait is that of Totalitarian World View. Simply stated,
this is the we/they syndrome. It is designed to enhance the group
identity and promote the goals and welfare of the group above the
individual.
Those are the ten traits of a destructive cult. They are all designed
to do one thing: indoctrinate into the group's belief system and then
shut down independent thought. It is as simple as that. When you find
a group of warm and friendly people who have all of the answers; a group
who claims to speak for God exclusively and encourages you to stop
thinking for yourself - you have found a destructive cult.
MIND CONTROL II
During the past few weeks, we have been exploring the traits shared
by destructive cults such as the Moonies or the Children of God. The
first of these traits mentioned was Mind Control. I would like to
explore that in more detail this week.
Now, it's important to ask a question at this point: How would a
person know if they, themselves, were under the influence of mind
control? If you answered, "They wouldn't", you would be right. You see,
a person who is a victim of mind control lacks the only tool one has to
test reality and truth. That tool is a free mind. A mind that is able
to think clearly and critically.
It is easy to manipulate someone into changing their behaviour. If
the change is maintained, their emotions and thoughts will change as
well. If you then establish control over the information they have
access to, you can maintain control over them. Let's see how it works.
During the recruitment phase, the object is to get the person to
isolate themselves from their current way of life. Now, this is not
difficult. The Moonies use a technique called "Love Bombing". Simply
stated, this is the process of heaping affection, praise, unconditional
acceptance and instant friendship on the one they want to convert. If
they are successful in locating someone who is lonely, confused, or
searching, that person will be drawn to this group easily by this
method.
Once that step is completed, indoctrination and training is started.
This could take the form of a weekend or even a longer period of time
at some remote location, or it might simply be regular study sessions,
week after week, followed by pressure to attend more and more meetings.
The reason behind these sessions is often disguised. The Boston Church
of Christ calls it a Bible study, but in fact it is a study of their
teachings. You can be sure that so-called Bible study will be conducted
with one of the group's books in hand. And that book will guide you
through every thought during that study, not the Bible.
The next step is to establish authority over the potential new
member. Now this is very important. Every one of these groups claim to
have special favour with God. The Moonies, Children of God, Church
Universal and Triumphant, Boston Church of Christ, and virtually
hundreds like them, claim recent revelation from God within the past 200
years, wherein their leader or leaders were told that they alone have
been chosen by God to carry out his work on earth. Every one of these
groups teach that they alone have salvation and truth; that the only way
to please God is to be in their group.
The drive to isolate the victim continues, as they are told:
- to avoid their worldly friends and even family.
- to drop hobbies, careers, school; anything that takes time away from
serving God.
- to avoid anything or anyone critical of the group or its leaders,
especially ex-members.
- that service and teaching is the only way to please God, and that you
can never do enough.
- that independent thought is prideful and sinful, and that the group
leaders will tell them all they need to know.
In the groups that claim respect for the Bible, the leaders teach
that the Bible is correct, but only as interpreted by the group. Listen
to this quote:
"Scripture can be likened to a lamp which illuminates the truth. It's
mission is to shed the light of truth. When a brighter light appears,
the mission of the old one fades. Today's religions have failed to
lead the present generation out of the dark valley of death into the
radiance of life, so there must now come a new truth that can shed
a new light." From the Moonies Divine Principle Book, p. 10.
Sun Myung Moon teaches that "new light" is needed to understand God.
And do you know where new light comes from? Sun Myung Moon.
Finally, these groups implant the thought that if someone leaves,
they are angering God and that they will surely go into sin, illness,
mental problems, or death. These phobias are designed to use fear and
guilt to keep the person in the group.
If you are interested in learning more about Mind Control, I
recommend that you check your local library or bookstore for the book
called Combatting Cult Mind Control by author Steve Hassan.
INDEPENDENT THINKING
In our examination of those groups that use Mind Control to capture
and hold new members, we have mentioned again and again that every one
of these groups goes to great lengths to shut down independent thinking.
They will normally pull Bible verses out of their context to support
their efforts. The usual verses include pointing out that we are to have
a child-like faith, that there is to be complete unity of thought. The
Moonies talk about stripping off the old personality to achieve this.
Some teach that Adam and Eve's sin was that of independent thought. Does
the Bible really teach us to put aside independent thought and develop
a child-like dependence on human leaders or organizations run by human
leaders? Let's take a look at some scriptures and find out.
When I was a child, I talked like a child, I thought like a child,
I reasoned like a child. When I became a man, I put childish ways
behind me. (1 Cor. 13:11)
Here is another:
Brothers, stop thinking like children. In regard to evil, be
infants, but in your thinking, be adults. (1 Cor. 14:21)
In the very next verse, Paul quotes from Isaiah 28, where we learn
more about the danger of child-like thinking. Referring to God, here is
what it says:
Who is it he is trying to teach? To whom is he explaining his
message? To children weaned from their milk, to those just taken
from the breast? For it is: Do and do, do and do, rule on rule,
rule on rule; a little here, a little there.
Jehovah tells us that spiritual children respond only to detailed
instructions, rules and constant supervision. The next section tells us
that it is dangerous to remain in this child-like state of immaturity.
Isaiah continues:
Very well, then, with foreign lips and strange tongues, God will
speak to this people, to whom he said, "This is the resting place,
let the weary rest"; and, "This is the place of repose" .. but
they would not listen. So then, the word of the LORD to them will
become: Do and Do, do and do, rule on rule, rule on rule; a little
here, a little there -- so that they will go and fall backward,
be injured and snared and captured. (Isaiah 28:9-13)
So those who think like children, without mature, independent
thinking, will fall backward, be injured and snared and captured. That's
quite a warning, isn't it? Here is more.
What I am saying is that as long as the heir is a child, he is no
different from a slave, although he owns the whole estate. He is
subject to guardians and trustees until the time set by his
father. So, also, when we were children, we were in slavery under
the basic principles of the world. (Galatians 4:1-3)
In Hebrews we are told to develop our powers of discernment as a part
of maturity. Listen to this:
In fact, though by this time you ought to be teachers, you need
someone to teach you the elementary truths of God's word all over
again. You need milk, not solid food! Anyone who lives on milk,
being still an infant, is not acquainted with the teaching about
righteousness. But solid food is for the mature, who by constant
use have trained themselves to distinguish good from evil.
(Hebrews 5:12-14)
So, clearly, we are called to be mature in our thinking. Achieving
maturity without independent thought is impossible. Here is another
verse that gives us more insight into the dangers of child-like
dependency:
It was he who gave some to be apostles, some to be prophets, some
to be evangelists, and some to be pastors and teachers, to prepare
God's people for works of service, so that the body of Christ may
be built up until we all reach unity in the faith and in the
knowledge of the Son of God and become mature, attaining to the
whole measure of the fullness of Christ. Then we will no longer
be infants, tossed back and forth by the waves, and blown here and
there by every wind of teaching and by the cunning and craftiness
of men in their deceitful scheming. (Ephesians 4:11-14)
The warning is pretty clear. God will provide teachers for us.
Teachers to help us understand His word. But we are warned that there
will also be false teachers. How do we recognize a false teacher? The
Bible teaches that a false teacher is one who places us under rules,
watches us constantly, and stands in the way of growth by doing all of
our thinking for us. Quite simply, false teachers shut down independent
thinking. The scriptures warn that those who allow cunning men to
manipulate them into giving up independent thinking will be put upon
with rule after rule, be blown back and forth by ever-changing
teachings, will be snared, enslaved, injured and held captive.
SUMMARIZATION
I would like to summarize the messages of the past several weeks, to
take a practical look at the workings of those groups that use mind
control to prey upon the unsuspecting. Groups like the Moonies, Children
of God, the Church Universal and Triumphant and hundreds of others
follow a pattern.
First of all, they seek people who have a genuine hunger to serve
God. Now, every single one of these groups claim that God has chosen
them alone to start a new church on Earth, claiming that all other
religions have fallen away from God. They use this claim to establish
strict and unbending authority over their members.
They use instant friendship, love and affection to attract new
members. Called "love bombing", this tactic has the effect of lowering
the defenses of the person they are trying to convert and makes them
more open to the group's teachings.
Nearly all of these groups encourage members to isolate themselves
socially from anyone outside of the group, especially ex-members. They
say this is to keep their members away from worldly teachings. However,
this tactic has the effect of making followers totally dependent upon
the sect for both social and spiritual needs.
Every single one of these groups produce their own writings to
support their teachings. They pass these writings off as being directly
from God. Listen to this quote from Sun Myung Moon:
"Scripture can be likened to a lamp which illuminates the truth.
It's mission is to shed the light of truth. When a brighter light
appears, the mission of the old one fades. Today's religions have
failed to lead the present generation out of the dark valley of
death into the radiance of life, so there must now come a new
truth that can shed a new light." Divine Principle, p.10.
Moon teaches that the Bible alone is not enough, that you need the
"new light" offered by Moon's organization. Though these groups claim
to revere the Bible, members are told that the group leaders are the
only ones who can correctly interpret scripture. As a result, members
spend their time reading literature written by the group supplemented
by little pieces of the Bible.
Groups like these make salvation dependent upon service to the
organization. Most often, this service involves selling things to
support the group and winning converts. Doctrine is taught by using
highly repetitive teaching, rote memorization, group study meetings and
mandatory service. This is done for good reason. You see, this type of
learning minimizes independent thought. Every successful group like
these strives to eliminate independent thought among its membership.
Without exception, groups like these discourage contact with "worldly
teachings," that is, anything not written by them. By producing volumes
of required reading and holding constant study meetings, members have
little time for questioning.
Once members are committed, these groups use the threat of
excommunication and shunning to ensure obedience by their members. Since
a member's entire social and spiritual identity is connected to the
group, this threat is most effective.
Let's review the eight steps used so effectively by these groups:
1. They seek people who have a real desire to serve God.
2. They use love bombing to attract and disarm potential converts.
3. They claim to speak for God Himself.
4. They encourage members to associate only with other members.
5. They teach members that the Bible alone is not enough.
6. They strangle independent thought by their members by using highly
repetitive teaching, rote learning, memorization, discouraging
questions and making thinkers feel guilty.
7. They keep followers busy with mandatory reading, meetings and
service, so that they don't have time to question.
8. They use the threat of excommunication and phobias to ensure
obedience.
When group members recognize that they have been manipulated into a
form of self-imposed slavery, they have taken the first step to being
able to free themselves.
Next, we'll examine how you can recognize if you are being
manipulated by one of these groups.
SELF-EXAMINATION
For the past few weeks, we have been exploring the tactics used by
the Moonies, The Church Universal and Triumphant, The Boston Church of
Christ and its affiliates, The Children of God and all other groups that
use manipulation, deceit, guilt and fear to capture and control members.
The process has been called mind control, in that it compels people to
give up independent thought and rely totally on the group leaders and
their teachings.
Two weeks ago, I asked listeners an important question:
How would a person know if they, themselves, were under the
influence of mind control?
If you answered, "They wouldn't", you would be right. You see, a
person who is a victim of mind control lacks the only tool one has to
test reality and truth. That tool is a free mind. If you ask a Moonie
if their mind is being controlled by Sun Myung Moon, they will smile
broadly and answer, "absolutely not." You will get the same answer from
active members of any of these groups. They all sincerely believe that
they have the truth, and that you are the one in need of help. All of
them!
When, however, you talk to ex-members of these groups, certain common
feelings begin to surface.
A frequent observation is that the unconditional love and acceptance
that was present during recruitment dwindles. After the member is
committed to the group, the love and attention goes to other new people.
Love and acceptance becomes dependent ..... dependent upon performance.
It is a reward or punishment.
Now there is a sense of camaraderie among members, a sense of
community, but in the midst of this camaraderie there is loneliness.
John, a former member of the Children of God told me this: "I would look
at the smiles on the faces of all of the other members and feel guilty.
You see, I was wearing the same smile on the outside, but inside I was
miserable. It never occurred to me that the others might feel the same
way. We had all been conditioned to assume that any problem we had, even
unhappiness, was due to our own inner weakness and sin." This feeling
of inner weakness and failure prevents members from sharing their
innermost feelings and doubts with other members. Without this sharing,
deep relationships will not occur.
A universal feeling is that of obligation. Every one of these groups
use guilt to motivate their members into service. Members frequently
talk about the overwhelming sense of burden they felt. The feeling that
they could never do enough to measure up to God's standards. God
becomes, to them, a Cosmic Cop just waiting for them to fail and keeping
score when they do.
These factors are magnified by the apocalyptic teachings of these
groups. The Moonies and the Church Universal and Triumphant are just two
of the more recent examples of groups that predict the end of the world.
Even when there is no specific date given, members are conditioned to
think that the end is imminent. This leads many group members to
describe their group experience as putting their lives on hold.
In short, members of these groups are able to see distinct patterns:
1. Unconditional love fades, rather than grows, with involvement.
2. The hope of drawing closer to God turns into guilt over the fact that
they don't measure up.
3. The service that is designed to help them measure up becomes a source
of further guilt, since no one can tell them how much is enough.
4. The thrill of learning so many new things is replaced by boredom as
the same things are repeated over and over and over again. The sense
of personal growth fades.
5. The promise of closeness that drew them to the group is fulfilled
only in part. There is camaraderie and a sense of community, but
deep, meaningful relationships are missing.
6. The structure and boundaries that were so healthful at the beginning
now feel oppressive, and there is no legitimate way to leave the
group without creating a crisis.
7. In short, the promises that drew these people to the group to begin
with did not happen, and each individual is left with the feeling
that the failure was theirs.
Do you recognize yourself in any of the above discussion? Some
obviously have, in that they have left messages asking me to call them.
Others have left messages telling me that Jehovah will certainly judge
me for criticizing the Witnesses. This is interesting. You see, I have
carefully avoided any mention of the Witnesses in this series of
discussions. All examples have come directly from groups which the
Witnesses themselves call cults. The fact that these people recognized
these tactics as being used by the Watchtower is the most revealing of
all.
The question is, what will you do? The Watchtower has told you that
you should investigate any organization with which you are associated.
If you think that is a logical next step, I would like to help. You can
be certain that your contact will be kept totally confidential.