From hinves@world.net Sat Oct 19 22:43:13 1996 Received: from world.net (sydney2.world.net [198.142.12.2]) by shellx.best.com (8.6.12/8.6.5) with ESMTP id WAA08412 for ; Sat, 19 Oct 1996 22:42:54 -0700 Received: from hinves (sydney50.world.net [192.190.215.50]) by world.net (8.7.4/8.6.6) with SMTP id PAA13000 for ; Sun, 20 Oct 1996 15:44:19 +1000 (EST) Message-Id: <1.5.4.32.19961020054757.0066da18@world.net> X-Sender: hinves@world.net (Unverified) X-Mailer: Windows Eudora Light Version 1.5.4 (32) Mime-Version: 1.0 Content-Type: text/plain; charset="us-ascii" Date: Sun, 20 Oct 1996 15:47:57 +1000 To: ariel@best.com From: Martin Hinves Subject: Mind Control Part 3 Status: RO A person typically under Mind Control will exhibit the groups doctrine in 4 major areas :- Behaviour Control where the aim is control of the subjects physical reality. This includes not only environmental control (such as where they live, what clothing is worn, what food is eaten, how much sleep is obtained etc) but jobs actions and rituals. Often this control is enforced by the group having a structure whereby the subject must get permission or seek advice to do almost anything (such as should I visit my parents today, should I wear my blue or white shirt today, what should I do today etc). The subject's free will and autonomy will be often no longer theirs but has been surrended to group will and purpose. Financial dependence may also exist, in that the subject is financially dependent on the group (I work for them or my employees are group members). An other way of enforcing this control is to keep the subject busy, often on set tasks in a short period of time. The subject will always have something to do (you can never do enough evangelism, why are you not helping those who are weak, you are not praying long enough etc). Behaviour is often controlled by the group by insisting upon the participation in group activities. Individualism is actively discouraged, indeed often a "mentor" is assigned to a member to "guide" them. A high degree of authoritarism is usually present (you do what your leaders tell you, obedience is a virtue) in the group and the reaction is one of blind or slavish compliance. A Prussian Military image comes to mind in extreme cases - where you must obey any order by your superiors regardless of your conscience, or beliefs. I was once told that "There are two types of advice - that which you will follow and that which you should follow (When you want to do something you should follow advice on; you should do it the way you were advised on and if that does not work then try it your way"). To me this type of rationality in a group with an authoritarian leadership style can be open to serious abuse. Even if you know something is wrong or doubts exist it is done, and the member knows rebelliousness is not tolerated as the punishments for such are quite severe. The key to this control is that one cannot command the subjects inner thoughts but if they can regulate and control behaviour then the hearts and mind will follow. The old army axiom "get then to act like soldiers and they will be soldiers" is taken to heart. In Religious totalitarian groups, using thought & mind reform it has become " get them to act like christians and they will become christians". Thought Control is where members are so thoroughly indoctrinated that they internalize the group doctrine, that is to say the group doctrine becomes their doctrine. They have learnt how to filter information from the outside world. They can only really think or talk about things in the group way or method. Information that is hostile to the group, or does not fit in with the group doctrine and rational has been learnt how to be disarmed ( often by denial - this does not happen, rationization - this is happening for a good reason, justification - this is happening because it ought to, and delusion - I want it to be true so it is). By being actively taught to stop thinking when threatened the member can effectively block out thoughts (by such activities as praying, singing, chanting, humming etc) that do not agree with what they have been indoctrinated into. It has been noted that if someone can only think or say positive things about a group they belong to, then something is probably wrong here. Thought control is an effective control as when it is in place the member does his own behavioural and emotional control. Emotional Control is where the members feelings are manipulated and guided by the group. Guilt, fear, and shame are powerful negative motivators in this area. Guilt over past actions, fear over what will happen if you leave or do not measure up to the set group standard, and shame over things that have occurred that you were unhappy with; can all be used effectively to channel the member down the correct path. Feelings often are redefined to meet the groups definition (Happiness is one example, if happiness is defined as being closer to God, and God is perceived as being unhappy, then the way to be happy is to be unhappy. This can lead to the happiness as now suffering so you can grow closer to God. Happiness is now obtained by the sacrifice you make for God). The redefination of happiness is a prime tool in emotional control. It can mean depending on the group's doctrine; alternately obedience, successful recruiting, successful fund-raising or sacrifice. The group's doctrine will now define happiness and other emotions for the member. Negative feelings are taught to be directed outside the group, not inside (the world is the source of all that is bad, the group all that is good). Criticism is taught to be directed outside the group, or at oneself (the world is the source of all that is bad, the group all that is good - if something is wrong here it is the world/my fault). Group needs and doctrine overtake personal needs (it is wrong to think of my needs that is selfish, I must put the groups needs first and not complain). Control over relationships will occur; the member will often be told whom they can spend time with, whom they are not to see, whom they can date, whom they are to get close to; and how to have the permitted relationships. It can even go so far as to arrange marriages or breakup relationships that the member is in, that the group leaders veiw as unhealthy. Sexual control may occur within the group, bringing with it a strong guilt manipulation. Indoctrination of phobias about what will happen if the member leaves have often occurred (the world is bad, you've seen how bad it is; if you go back to the world you'll go back to your old self/ be part of it now). Fear as a powerful motivator has now been introduced as a strong control mechanism. In totalitarian religious groups a classic method of fear control is to inform the group members about the dire results that have happened to those who have left the group. Since those who have left have abandoned "God" then what ever happens to them is God's punishment upon them for doing so. I have personally sat through a sermon where it was preached that a person who had left the group had been killed in an accident. Reasonable detail was given as to what happened. Sufficient to say it was not a clean death. It was then stated that this was "divine" retribution, and that this person was going to Hell. Many people that night were severely affected by the sermon. More than one person I spoke to stated they would never leave the "church" because God would kill them for doing so. Information Control as discussed above this is the control of information, I'll not repeat myself here but just ask you to consider that in an extremely intense control this will be a method of control within the member themselves; a member will have been indoctrinated into a process by which they manage their own inner communications and thoughts.Group autonomy rather than individual autonomy is the aim now. Often the member is unable to exercise often simple decision making without seeking assistence from the group in some form or another (I have to ask my discipler/ I must seek my leaders advice). I am not against seeking advice on a course of action, but the dominating method of using seeking of advice as a weapon of controlling a person, especially when the person giving the advice is not qualified or trained properly. This can be initially explained to the subject as they are spiritually like babies, and need guidance, spiritual milk if you like. If abused this can lead to a strong form of dependance on others to make ones' decisions instead of taking the responsibility and accountability personally. I cannot and will not judge the fine line here. It is for each person individually different. My personal test in decision making is "Do I have a real choice here, can I say NO here and make my own informed decision - and listen to both sides of the arguement with impartiality - not being controlled in my decision making process " or simply put " Whose making the decision: me or something/someone else". For example I have not seen my parents for a while, it is important to see them for a reason and they are free on Sunday morning. I should be at church on Sunday morning. My choices are quite clear I can either visit my parents or go to church. If I make an informed choice, weighing up all advantages and disadvantages and visit my parents that is correct. If I make an informed choice, weighing up all the advantages and disadvantages and visit church that is correct. But if I let imposed controls, some of which I am probably unaware of, restrict my choice then something is wrong. Even such a statement as "It is a sin not to attend church" is an emotive and negative control. I should be able to arrive at my decision by myself without mind control mechanisms biasing me by making me feel guilty or in shame because I am considering, let alone doing - visiting my parents. Such controls that may influence my decision at this time can be quite varied. Authoritarian leadership may play a part, guilt or shame manipulation in that I will be confronted (maybe publically) that I did not put God first, attending church is the correct behaviour may go through my thoughts, even subconcious manipulation in that I need the "feel-good" fix of thought-stopping techniques practised may occur. A guilt or shame based system is not a healthy system to operate in - is this operating now ?. A wide variety of controls may come into effect to limit my choice, making my choice not really a choice after all but a one way path. I know of one case where a person's father died suddenly and unexpectedly just before a major conference. Rather then spend time with his family, he went to the conference which had been designated compulsory. This person was upheld publically at the conference by the group's leaders as a fine example of a sacrificing "Godly man" and we were exhalted to be like him. If you bothered to look at his face you could tell where he really wanted to be ! When we join a group, be it the school chess club, the local football team, a nearby dance society or a church; we as individuals know that we give up some of our self-autonomy and individuality. We also accept that some group needs will take precedance over our own. But we do this willingly, and we know what is expected of us - simply put we know what the ground rules are and we accept them. But when our self-autonomy, our decision making ability and our individuality is taken from us, often without our knowledge or consent, when others make decisions for us based on their perceptions of what is good for us, we are part of a group that is in danger of hurting us. When we act not out of faith or love or a "positive" rational, but out of fear, shame and guilt or "negative rational" then we are in danger of being manipulated. It is then time to take a series look at the group to which you belong. Persons who leave such a system, are seen by it as typically not having the dedication or strength or were flawed in some way. It is seen as the person's fault not the system's . A favourite saying could be paraphrased as "It's the SIN in your life/ You don't have enough training". My answer to the first can be found in the Bible in Romans Chapter's 6 & 7 - simply put GRACE. My answer to the second is found through experiencing the first answer. Paranoia is useful when they are out to get you..... It keeps you alive longer... The problem with paranoia is that it makes you think you are important enough to worth the trouble to persecute in the first place.