Cult

  Cult

PKGhatak, MD

No.26

The last presidential election in the USA has given all three equal branches of the government to one political party. To the supporters of the other party and a section of independent-minded people, see this as an opening of a cult like atmosphere to develop in the US. The Supreme Court, by a large measure, allowed the recent curtailment of rights of the residents advanced by the administration to stay in place in the name of a timely review at a later date.

The question should be raised about what one means by cult and are there have been any past incidents when cult culture caused great harm to human society.

The rise of Hitler in Germany and Mussolini in Italy, and their coming to power, led to the beginning of WW II, which is a testimony to the evil effects that cult culture and its adherent followers can do to human society.

If we study the recent incidents of cult movements in the USA, we can find why and how leaders of cults come to power and lead a community in evil acts.

Rajneesh movement:

The Rajneesh movement gained a strong foothold in Oregon, USA, in 1970 and reached the pinnacle in 1985. In the name of an alternate lifestyle and blending Eastern mysticism and Western comforts of a materialistic life, the leader, Rajnnesh, advocated a communal life of free sex and pleasure seeking Neo-sannyas life. When the FBI arrested him in 1985, for fraud, they found 42 Rolls-Royce cars, jewelry, and millions of dollars in a Swiss bank account. The 4,000 member commune was broken up and many others were also arrested for various fraud, tax evasion,  and even attempted murder charges.

Jonestown massacre:

On November 18, 1978, 900 members of a cult group known as the Peoples Temple Agriculture Project were found dead in Jonestown in Guyana. The members drank soft drinks laced with Cyanide on the advice of their leader, Jim Jones, to go to heaven all in one group. Jim Jones put a bullet in his head when the members drank the fatal drink.

Jim Jones founded his ministry in Indianapolis in 1955 and promoted equal racial justice. He had a large following from all racial and social groups. He relocated his ministry to a remote village in Guyana, South America, in order to avoid newspapers' scrutiny and criticism.

Manson Family:

In the late 1960s and early 1970s, a cult culture grew in California and many young men and women from well-to-do families joined the movement. Charles Manson was their leader. He predicted an imminent apocalyptic war between the Whites and Blacks. At the end of the race war, black Americans would win the race war but they would call on Mason to run the administration because black Americans would fail to govern themselves. Mason claimed to be both Christ and the Devil at the same time. He orchestrated a series of murders in California, initially with the murder of Tate-LaBianca. On August 9, they killed and eviscerated pregnant Sharon Tate and four others at Sharon's home, and the next night they murdered Leon and Rosemary La Bianca. Mason controlled his followers by advocating drugs and indiscriminate sex.

Experts in the fields of human behavior and psychology analyzed the cult leaders and found many common characteristics. All serious minded individual must take a moment and analyze the experts' reports, and justify or reject the question raised in the beginning of this short article - “whether or not, having the one political party controlling both houses of legislatures and the court, is an opportunity of cult culture to develop when the leader of the majority party possess a strong personality and unconventional presidential behavior”.

A short summary of the scientific study of the characteristics of personality the cult leaders is presented here.

Cult leader: A. Possess a charismatic personality and strong persuasive abilities. B. Must be quick in selecting their deputies and surround themselves with people with high administrative qualities and willing to have a total devotion to their leadership. C. Should be capable of creating a sense of insecurity and impending loss of power and privileges enjoyed by the community and can articulate with simple sentences that he can lead them not only to keep what they have but also lead them to better and glorious days, as the pioneers of this country had enjoyed. D. Capable of offering individuals who feel isolated a place in his community as a valued member and a specific role to play in it. E. Must successfully install a belief that their leader is in possession of special power and knowledge, and the members must never question the leader's ability and there is no need for their own critical thinking and independent decision making.

The cult leader is not shy in threatening punishment and abandonment if an individual wants to break away. A cult leader must be able to silence the press and organizations with multi billion dollars litigation who are about to expose leaders' false and hollow promises.

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