How To Determine If A Group Is A Destructive Cult

[tom]

Today I looked at the link of F.A.C.T.net Jannisder is giving in her post;

• Jan is leaving the building.

As Jannisder wrote in her post on 8th of May 2008 Signs of a Cult and thought that to look at these signs again might be good for us, from here; Factnet.org.

HOW TO DETERMINE IF A GROUP IS A DESTRUCTIVE CULT - Common Properties of Potentially Destructive and Dangerous Cults

The cult is authoritarian in its power structure. The leader is regarded as the supreme authority. He or she may delegate certain power to a few subordinates for the purpose of seeing that members adhere to the leader's wishes and roles. There is no appeal outside of his or her system to greater systems of justice. For example, if a school teacher feels unjustly treated by a principal, appeals can be made. In a cult, the leader claims to have the only and final ruling on all matters.

The cult's leaders tend to be charismatic, determined, and domineering. They persuade followers to drop their families, jobs, careers, and friends to follow them. They (not the individual) then take over control of their followers' possessions, money, lives.

The cult's leaders are self-appointed, messianic persons who claim to have a special mission in life. For example, the flying saucer cult leaders claim that people from outer space have commissioned them to lead people to special places to await a space ship.

The cult's leaders center the veneration of members upon themselves. Priests, rabbis, ministers, democratic leaders, and leaders of genuinely altruistic movements keep the veneration of adherents focused on God, abstract principles, and group purposes. Cult leaders, in contrast, keep the focus of love, devotion, and allegiance on themselves.

The cult tends to be totalitarian in its control of the behavior of its members. Cults are likely to dictate in great detail what members wear, eat, when and where they work, sleep, and bathe-as well as what to believe, think, and say.

The cult tends to have a double set of ethics. Members are urged to be open and honest within the group, and confess all to the leaders. On the other hand, they are encouraged to deceive and manipulate outsiders or nonmembers. Established religions teach members to be honest and truthful to all, and to abide by one set of ethics.

The cult has basically only two purposes, recruiting new members and fund-raising. Established religions and altruistic movements may also recruit and raise funds. However, their sole purpose is not to grow larger; such groups have the goals to better the lives of their members and mankind in general. The cults may claim to make social contributions, but in actuality these remain mere claims, or gestures. Their focus is always dominated by recruiting new members and fund-raising.

The cult appears to be innovative and exclusive. The leader claims to be breaking with tradition, offering something novel, then surreptitiously uses systems of psychological coercion on its members to inhibit their ability to examine the actual validity of the claims of the leader and the cult.

These topics from the same website;

• Factnet.org home page

are also very interesting to take a look at:

# Is someone trying to unethically influence you?
# Continuum of Influence and Persuasion
# Danger of Cults is Growing. [September 18, 1998]
# Coercive Mind Control tactics, a short overview
# What is mind control?
# How does mind control work?
# Q & A on mind control
# Mind control and religion
# Warning signs of a destructive cult
# Excerpts from "Cults in Our Midst," by Dr. Margaret Singer .
# Mind Control Exists
# "How I healed the psychological injuries from my abuse in a cult" by Lawrence Wollersheim

[pilatus]

Hello tom,

Have been mulling over how and when to respond to your post (and those earlier by jannisder). My instinctive reaction was that the BKs aren't "destructive", at least not according to my preconception of the word. Found the following on Wikipedia

"Destructive cult" is a term used to refer to nominal religions (and other groups) which have caused harm to their own members or to others. Some researchers define "harm" in this case with a narrow focus, specifically groups which have deliberately physically injured or killed other individuals, while others define the term more broadly and include emotional abuse among the types of harm inflicted. Use of the term has been criticized by some researchers, who assert that it is used to discredit the groups it is applied to, and unfairly compare them with historically more harmful groups and movements. Authors have also compared destructive cults with terrorism, and have used the term to characterize Osama bin Laden as a destructive cult leader.

My earliest view of cults was probably formed by the Jonestown mass murder/suicide and on the cited Wikipedia page and elsewhere under "suicide cults" you can find more about the well-known instances of murder and/or suicide: Osho, Aum Shinrikyo, Heaven's Gate, Order of the Solar Temple, Peoples Temple (in the Jonestown incident), Branch Davidian siege in Waco, Movement for the Restoration of the Ten Commandments of God etc.

Elsewhere, ex-l amongst others has warned us about being too quick to label faith organisations as cults. My personal experience with the BK has been generally positive and although they have clear views on Destruction, I still find it hard to label them as a destructive or doomsday cult. I would tend to group them much more with groups such as Scientology, Emissaries of Divine Light, Institue of Applied Ontology - mostly harmless. On the other hand, I appreciate that people like jannisder have been much more heavily affected by the dark side of the BKs and their teachings. And I imagine that people involved with People's Temple and/or Branch Davidian may also have started off all peaceful and loving ...

Very best wishes,

[tom]

On the other hand, I appreciate that people like jannisder have been much more heavily affected by the dark side of the BK's and their teachings.

Hi, Pilatus,

I would call them a Hindu religion as they describe themselves in their constitution. Or, if you like, call them a Hindu sect. Somebody may call them a cult. What's the difference? As you say above, if the lives of countless young pukka BKs (see the examples in other threads' past posts) and, like Jannisder, countless friends and family members of BKs are affected badly from the dark side of BKs and their teachings, what makes the difference and what do we call them?

[fluffy bunny]

Without wishing to cause offence but as, I am quoted, I would like to clarify.

I do think the Brahma Kumaris are correctly categorised amongst those others listed as a "destructive cult" ... if for nothing else than the mass banality, persistent infantilisation and pretentiousness of it all. Never mind the personality compression and loss whilst subject to the End of the World fear mongering and what it might lead to in the future. I just think that using the c-word is not a good or winning strategy. Its the right and only word to describe them, they are not a Hindu sect. However, the word has been heavily devalued by a popular media, and competitive interest, which are as just disreputable. Largely, I think it is a self-defeating strategy on behalf of the accuser.

The Brahma-kumaris are painfully aware of this and have become very skillful and dedicated to investing heavily in benign activities to act as a front to their actual core beliefs. But when one looks closely at those successful fronts, such as the Village Outreach Programmes, one discovers that, generally, they were new ideas that came from the followers rather than the leadership and that, generally, there was initial, even considerable, resistance within the leadership towards them.

BKs are not Hindu and not a Hindu sect. A sect is a generally minor offshoot of an already existing religion. We have yet to discover Lekhraj Kirpalani's lineage but I, personally, expect to find some spiritualists (tantric) or even a Persian tradition (Magi, Sufi etc) at present, although the old rumours were to a Bengali saddhu.

After over 20 years of watching the leadership from near and afar, I actually think they are fairly ignorant and limited individuals and the only good instinct and abilities they have is a nose for accumulating money, for which they put on a good show, and artful approach to climbing the slippery pole of power. Very Sindhi. They are entirely disposed to wasting millions on their vanity, destroying young lives and families to fuel their illusion without any apparent conscience, deceive others endlessly and yet hold themselves as above and unaccountable to anyone else on the planet.

Ultimately, only time will tell if it was all worthwhile, but I have a feeling that we are only scraping the surface as far as the destruction they have created. That is why I think we should hold them to a specific deadline and disclose all their faith and predictions so they cant squirm out of it by moving the goalposts again. I do think that elements of humanity have the right to organize themselves in order to survive and evolve ... call it cult or not ... as long as they are hurting the whole. Unfortunately, I think that within the Brahma Kumaris there is a residue of caste consciousness, which we were unaware of, and our lives where worth as little as the servants they were used to. Look at the evidence of their attitude toward the Gujeratis or Punjabis.

I think the correlation between Scientology and the Brahma Kumaris is fair if we taking in consideration gender and cultural difference. Looking at the effect of a leadership living in an exaggerated dis-reality for such a long time and what it permits them to do, you have an American and a Sindhi examples of coercive advancement. I sort of see Scientology as a Yang form (historically prone to aggressiveness, materialism and vainglory) and the Brahma Kumaris as the Yin form (guile, manipulation and spiritualism) of the same thing.

Both would label me as suppressive, negative, dangerous etc and seek to discredit or disable me for questioning if that was so that. We are all, mostly, driven by gross survival instincts, even "ghosts", it manifests in many ways. But at present they are on the just level of cockroaches feeding off the dungheap of secular materialist societies. Not that dangerous unless, or if, they are carrying some greater disease.

[mr green]

I think they are dangerous simply because they deliberately mislead new members and slowly the real belief is revealed once the newbie has been groomed.

[tom]

i must admit, after reading different posts from some followers of BKWSU and PBK in this forum and being shocked observing how their mental health was affected through these belief systems negatively, i do believe now that these organizations both should to be categorized as destructive cults.

Here an interesting article from FECRİS
Written by Anne Edelstam

CULTS AND NAZISM

It is interesting to note, at a time when Tom Cruise, a well-known scientologist, is going to attend the Nobel Peace prize in Oslo, the resemblance between cults and Nazism. Both are based on false premises, on myths and pseudoscience. Several books have been written on the subject. I’ll just mention two of them here: The Nazis and the Occult by Dusty Sklar (Dorset Press New York) and the more recent book by Christopher Hale: Himmler’s Crusade, the true story of the 1938 Nazi expedition into Tibet with Ernst Schäfer.

The Reichsführer, Heinrich Himmler, the second most powerful man in the Nazi elite, believed in the Aryan Master Race and thought of the SS as an aristocracy that never could grow old, some sort of super-human. He had modelled the SS on a Hindu warrior caste and was fascinated by the East and its religions – he hated Christianity: the church was according to him "an erotic homosexual plague with Jewish roots". He believed that "the Aryan race had descended directly and fully formed from heaven…" they were the master race, or Herrenfolk, and that races of giants had once roamed the earth; the universe having been formed from a cosmic battle between fire and ice according to the Ice Theory and the lost kingdom of Atlantis. Hence the Tibet-expedition, which was in fact a search for this ancient Germanic super- race in contrast to the inferior people, minderwertigen, such as the Jews and the Gypsies. Bodily forms became a preoccupation.

All cults believe that they have found the Truth and that they are the chosen ones, the elite. They are just like the Nazis embedded in a false myth of their own superiority. To belong to the cult, its leader and its ideology means belonging to this elite. The others, the ones who do not join the cult (whatever cult it might be) are the evil ones (the Nazis would say the Jews, the homosexuals, the Gypsies, the disabled…).

Eric Schäfer was sent in the footsteps of another explorer, the Swede Sven Hedin, to explore Tibet. Himmler had a theory about the Aryan race stemming from the mountains of Tibet. During the expedition, Tibetans were carefully measured, skulls taken back to be further studied and their ancient symbol of good fortune which represented the wheel of life, the swastika, became in 1933 the national flag of Nazi Germany. Their symbol was thus based on a perverted myth just as the symbols of several cults of today are based on perverted myths and bits and pieces of different religions.

The occultism, rituals and myths, then as well as today, was used as a mind-control measure in order to inculcate master conscionsness (Herrenbewusstsein) in elite members of the SS. Myths masqueraded as science became the building blocks of genocide and Nazism became a religion in itself with its leaders the "Gottmenschen", or men of God. The SS individuals who trusted them were not uneducated people but aristocrats, academics, lawyers and doctors; the cream of Germany’s professional classes. Just as the adherents of cults today are also often educated people, from the liberal professions, fooled to believe in some pseudoscientific nonsense that will eventually completely alienate them from society and family.

The background to this beliefsystem, both to Nazism and to New Age, can be found in theosophy and a certain Helena Blavatsky. She found an occult salon in New York at the end of the 19th century and became eventually a world- known guru, leader of the Theosophical movement. Like many charlatans, Blavatsky flirted with scientists in order to try to get some recognition. In her book entitled "Tibetan wisdom", she claimed to have traveled to Tibet. She exposes her theory of the "evolutionary science of seven rounds, seven root races and seven sub-races". The number seven as some sort of magical circle is later to be found in anthroposophy where the teaching of children is supposed to follow 7 year periods: either you learn at 7 years of age or at 14 and so on. The cover of her book had a big swastika drawn on it. The Aryan Race was supposed to have been stemming from this so-called evolution of mankind. Her other book "The Secret Doctrine" had an important impact in Germany. The Nazis encouraged theosophy.

But already a century earlier, German intellectuals and scientists had made race the cornerstone of their thinking, undermining the authority of the Bible and the status of its original language, Hebrew. In the beginning of the 19th century, a linguist by the name of Schlegel argued that Sanscrit was the language of the elites and sprung from a race of cultured warriors in Northen India whom later traveled to Egypt and all the way up to Scandinavia. These northerners, Schlegel called the Aryans meaning aristocrats or nobles in Sanscrit. Aryans were thought of as "youthful, tall, blond, generous, brave and creative." Jews were definitly not part of this race of super-humans. By the end of the 19th century, several books had been published on race as a foundation of culture, thus it was thought that great civilizations were inherited like a bloodline.

Theosophy stemmed from these thoughts and could thus easily emerge as a powerful cult based on some of the beliefs of the time. We can hence see how science and occultism lay happily side-by-side under the ancient Tibetan symbol of the swastika – ruled by the Nazis who believed in these pseudoscientific ideas.

Unfortunatly it continues to flourish to this day in all the different cults that thrive in our societies often hidden under the banner of "religious tolerance" although their doctrines are all but tolerant, which means that we are accepting tyranny and nazism among us. Why? Could it be that we are still so arrogant as to believe that we are immune to belief systems or are we simply lazy and don’t want to try to understand the underlying factors of mind-control that every single one of us can be subject to? How many dead bodies do we need to learn from history? Or are we unable or unwilling to learn? Do we prefer to live in splendid ignorance until we are ourselves touched personally by the problem? Questions for each one of us to meditate.

[arjun]

Om Shanti. There has been a lot of discussion on BKWSU and also AIVV being cults. There are many threads where members have quoted from different authors/organizations/websites about the salient features of cults. I would not like to comment on BKWSU, but I can try to analyse whether AIVV fits the bill of a cult on the basis of the parameters listed above by brother tom.
1. The cult is authoritarian in its power structure: Although most PBKs accept ShivBaba (through Baba Virendra Dev Dixit) as their head, there is division of power among all the mothers and sisters who run the mini-Madhubans/gitapathshalas. The decisions of ShivBaba (through Baba Virendra Dev Dixit) is not binding upon every PBK. He/she may or may not accept the directions given in the Murlis/discussions/letters/emails. Shivsena Bhai is a good example of how alternative views are also heard and clarified.

2. The cult's leaders tend to be charismatic, determined, and domineering. They persuade followers to drop their families, jobs, careers, and friends to follow them. They (not the individual) then take over control of their followers' possessions, money, lives. : Only virgins and mothers (free from all kinds of obligations) are allowed to dedicate their life for Godly Service. Although sisters are not encouraged to pursue worldly studies, brothers are free to study and pursue any career. Trade or job related to liquor is prohibited. There is no seeking of donation either directly or indirectly. But voluntary contributions (only from the regular members) are accepted.

3. The cult's leaders are self-appointed, messianic persons who claim to have a special mission in life.: Baba Virendra Dev Dixit is not self appointed, but accepted by the PBKs as Baba. It has been mentioned by ShivBaba and also confirmed by me from first hand witnesses that even almost a decade after the revelation of Baba Virendra Dev Dixit in 1976 Baba Virendra Dev Dixit used to be called as 'brother' (Bhai). It was only after this that the PBKs started calling him as Baba.

4. The cult's leaders center the veneration of members upon themselves. Priests, rabbis, ministers, democratic leaders, and leaders of genuinely altruistic movements keep the veneration of adherents focused on God, abstract principles, and group purposes. Cult leaders, in contrast, keep the focus of love, devotion, and allegiance on themselves. : Although it is true that all the Murlis are narrated through Baba Virendra Dev Dixit he does not center the veneration of PBKs upon himself. The proof is that none of the mini-Madhubans or gitapathshalas display his separate/individual photographs anywhere. He does not allow anyone to bow to him or touch his feet which is very common in case of worldly gurus/priests. More than 550 discussion classes are available where discussions take place between PBKs and Shivbab (through Baba Virendra Dev Dixit) in a cordial atmosphere including many moments of laughter.

5. The cult tends to be totalitarian in its control of the behavior of its members. Cults are likely to dictate in great detail what members wear, eat, when and where they work, sleep, and bathe-as well as what to believe, think, and say. As discussed elsewhere, PBKs (including surrendered ones) are allowed to wear any dress, but during the Murli class white dress is preferred. As in case of BKs, it is said that one should devote eight hours for lokik job, eight hours (or less) for sleep/rest and the rest for remembrance God/Godly service.

6. The cult tends to have a double set of ethics. Members are urged to be open and honest within the group, and confess all to the leaders. On the other hand, they are encouraged to deceive and manipulate outsiders or nonmembers. Established religions teach members to be honest and truthful to all, and to abide by one set of ethics. Although it is true that PBKs make confessions to ShivBaba (through Baba Virendra Dev Dixit) PBKs are encouraged to be honest and truthful to all.

7. The cult has basically only two purposes, recruiting new members and fund-raising. Established religions and altruistic movements may also recruit and raise funds. However, their sole purpose is not to grow larger; such groups have the goals to better the lives of their members and mankind in general. The cults may claim to make social contributions, but in actuality these remain mere claims, or gestures. Their focus is always dominated by recruiting new members and fund-raising. : As regards fund raising, it has already been mentioned several times that donations are neither sought in cash or kind in AIVV. There are no bhandaris (donation boxes) in any of the Gitpathshalas/mini-Madhubans. As regards growing larger, PBKs do not believe in advertising and spending money on organization of public programmes like fairs, exhibitions, shows, wasteful conferences, etc. to increase the numbers. The name is spread only through the word of the mouth.

These are my personal views and other PBKs may or may not agree with me.
With regards,
OGS,
Arjun