Scan barcode
alisarae's review
Author Steven Hassan is an experienced cult de-programmer and I have seen his other books cited by people who needed de-programming for themselves or their loved ones. Hassan has first-hand experience with cults: he was once a high-ranking member of the Sun Myung Moon cult (Unification Church, members are known as Moonies) and his father helped de-program him.
This book is very straightfoward and full of citations. Each chapter is well organized and could stand alone. When describing characteristics of cults, leaders, and followers, Hassan gives numerous examples from well known and infamous cults, as well as documented examples from Trump.
I was less interested in this book for the political aspects, and more interested in the descriptions of cults in general. I love reading about cults. Of course there are different kinds: religious, personality, political, psychotherapy/educational, and commercial. But "ultimately it's not a group's content or ideology but rather its pattern of behavior that generally defines it as a destructive cult."
Cult behavior exists on a continuum. Hassan uses the BITE model (behavior control, information control, thought control, and emotional control) to assess cult activity.
I have personally witnessed 47/58 BITE characteristics that Hassan lists in various American Evangelical situations. Though most may have had good intentions and perhaps unwittingly stumbled upon control techniques, the fact is that many of the churches and Christian organizations I have been a part of in the US consider this sort of thing normal. I have also been a part of Christian churches and orgs outside of US influence that were able to exist without using any of these techniques. I am thankful for Reverend Canon Stephen Wright demonstrating that this was possible, otherwise I would shrug off these brainwashing techniques as "necessary for group identity." Christians, if your faith involves using strategies employed by the CIA, Scientology, Jonestown, and ISIS, you have a small god.
Another very good part of the book is a question that many of us concerned citizens have: How do you go about de-programming half a nation's worth of people?
First of all, you really have to believe that "respect, trust-building and love are stronger than fear, hate, and mind control." This will be your guiding light. You will never be able to win someone over with rational arguments. Love and care win people over.
1. Get prepared with knowledge. Double check your own beliefs. Really find out what other people are saying and critiquing about your own beliefs—are they valid points? Read the whole article and double check before you repost anything. Be critical of special interest groups that might be influencing your news sources. And do the homework on what your loved one believes. Watch/read what they are consuming and take notes. This will allow you to have genuine conversations.
2. Do not attack, belittle, demean their beliefs, mention they are showing signs of being in a cult, etc. This reinforces indoctrination by raising their defenses and triggering the "us vs them" mentality that cults depend on to succeed. You don't need to be critical of their leader, group, or doctrine to de-program. No one likes feeling stupid or admitting (even to themselves) they might have been wrong. If you feel yourself losing control over your emotions, the conversation is not going in the right direction.
3. Act with respect, warmth, and integrity. Genuine care, genuine curiosity about how they formed their beliefs and why they like what they believe, deep questions and long pauses are all good. Cults seek to replace the authentic self with a "cult self." Genuine care seeks to find the authentic self that is buried inside. Remind loved ones of good times and past experiences together.
4. Important conversations:
- Apologize if you have said mean things about their politics in the past. Build up old relationships that have broken down. Positive social relationships are essential to getting out of controlling groups.
- Invite a role play convo where you try to learn about their beliefs so well you can explain it just as they would, and ask them to correct you until you get it right. Then invite them to do the same. "I want to get your feedback and perspective." See Sarah Silverman's show "I Love You America" for good examples of experience sharing.
- Share knowledge about other cults and authoritarian governments and techniques they use. People can connect the dots on their own.
5. Help undo phobias. "Phobia indoctrination is the single most powerful technique for keeping people dependent and obedient. I have encountered many people who had long ago stopped believing in the leader but are psychologically paralyzed with deliberately implanted phobias, which are often unconscious." If you have a phobia, try these techniques on yourself first. Then you'll be able to use your experience to help others. (I'm going to try this out on my own irrational fear: needles).
- Learn the difference between an irrational fear and rational, legitimate fears.
- Phobias generally provoke physiological responses like tight chest, holding breath, etc. Visualize yourself in that fear-causing situation and practice using breathing or self-talk to calm yourself down. Practice this over and over.
- Systemic desensitization is the final step. This involves putting yourself into the real fear-causing situation and using the calming techniques you practiced.
- Explain how people deliberately use phobias to control others. This can be cults, abusive domestic relationships, etc.
- Try to connect the dots between positive visualizations and the fact that people use phobias for control. "Phobias can be deliberately implanted but they can also be removed and cured."
6. Finally, seek out personal stories of other people who have left cults. They have lifesaving stories to tell. People can be reluctant to talk about their own cult experiences even if they recognize them for what they are (it might be embarrassing). But they might be more willing to open up when they hear others openly discussing their own past beliefs. For example, former senior Trump advisor Omarosa Manigault Newman wrote a book about her experiences. Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen said, "Sitting here today, it seems unbelievable that I was so mesmerized by Donald Trump that I was willing to do things for him that I knew were absolutely wrong," and that his relationship with Trump was "something akin to a cult."
------
"Beliefs should never be held as if they are the truth. The more strongly someone claims to have the truth, the more evidence we need to accept it. Certitude is not evidence of truth. Nor does repetition make it true. If anything, repetition should make you suspicious. Truth always stands up to scrutiny on its merits."
This book is very straightfoward and full of citations. Each chapter is well organized and could stand alone. When describing characteristics of cults, leaders, and followers, Hassan gives numerous examples from well known and infamous cults, as well as documented examples from Trump.
I was less interested in this book for the political aspects, and more interested in the descriptions of cults in general. I love reading about cults. Of course there are different kinds: religious, personality, political, psychotherapy/educational, and commercial. But "ultimately it's not a group's content or ideology but rather its pattern of behavior that generally defines it as a destructive cult."
Cult behavior exists on a continuum. Hassan uses the BITE model (behavior control, information control, thought control, and emotional control) to assess cult activity.
I have personally witnessed 47/58 BITE characteristics that Hassan lists in various American Evangelical situations. Though most may have had good intentions and perhaps unwittingly stumbled upon control techniques, the fact is that many of the churches and Christian organizations I have been a part of in the US consider this sort of thing normal. I have also been a part of Christian churches and orgs outside of US influence that were able to exist without using any of these techniques. I am thankful for Reverend Canon Stephen Wright demonstrating that this was possible, otherwise I would shrug off these brainwashing techniques as "necessary for group identity." Christians, if your faith involves using strategies employed by the CIA, Scientology, Jonestown, and ISIS, you have a small god.
Another very good part of the book is a question that many of us concerned citizens have: How do you go about de-programming half a nation's worth of people?
First of all, you really have to believe that "respect, trust-building and love are stronger than fear, hate, and mind control." This will be your guiding light. You will never be able to win someone over with rational arguments. Love and care win people over.
1. Get prepared with knowledge. Double check your own beliefs. Really find out what other people are saying and critiquing about your own beliefs—are they valid points? Read the whole article and double check before you repost anything. Be critical of special interest groups that might be influencing your news sources. And do the homework on what your loved one believes. Watch/read what they are consuming and take notes. This will allow you to have genuine conversations.
2. Do not attack, belittle, demean their beliefs, mention they are showing signs of being in a cult, etc. This reinforces indoctrination by raising their defenses and triggering the "us vs them" mentality that cults depend on to succeed. You don't need to be critical of their leader, group, or doctrine to de-program. No one likes feeling stupid or admitting (even to themselves) they might have been wrong. If you feel yourself losing control over your emotions, the conversation is not going in the right direction.
3. Act with respect, warmth, and integrity. Genuine care, genuine curiosity about how they formed their beliefs and why they like what they believe, deep questions and long pauses are all good. Cults seek to replace the authentic self with a "cult self." Genuine care seeks to find the authentic self that is buried inside. Remind loved ones of good times and past experiences together.
4. Important conversations:
- Apologize if you have said mean things about their politics in the past. Build up old relationships that have broken down. Positive social relationships are essential to getting out of controlling groups.
- Invite a role play convo where you try to learn about their beliefs so well you can explain it just as they would, and ask them to correct you until you get it right. Then invite them to do the same. "I want to get your feedback and perspective." See Sarah Silverman's show "I Love You America" for good examples of experience sharing.
- Share knowledge about other cults and authoritarian governments and techniques they use. People can connect the dots on their own.
5. Help undo phobias. "Phobia indoctrination is the single most powerful technique for keeping people dependent and obedient. I have encountered many people who had long ago stopped believing in the leader but are psychologically paralyzed with deliberately implanted phobias, which are often unconscious." If you have a phobia, try these techniques on yourself first. Then you'll be able to use your experience to help others. (I'm going to try this out on my own irrational fear: needles).
- Learn the difference between an irrational fear and rational, legitimate fears.
- Phobias generally provoke physiological responses like tight chest, holding breath, etc. Visualize yourself in that fear-causing situation and practice using breathing or self-talk to calm yourself down. Practice this over and over.
- Systemic desensitization is the final step. This involves putting yourself into the real fear-causing situation and using the calming techniques you practiced.
- Explain how people deliberately use phobias to control others. This can be cults, abusive domestic relationships, etc.
- Try to connect the dots between positive visualizations and the fact that people use phobias for control. "Phobias can be deliberately implanted but they can also be removed and cured."
6. Finally, seek out personal stories of other people who have left cults. They have lifesaving stories to tell. People can be reluctant to talk about their own cult experiences even if they recognize them for what they are (it might be embarrassing). But they might be more willing to open up when they hear others openly discussing their own past beliefs. For example, former senior Trump advisor Omarosa Manigault Newman wrote a book about her experiences. Trump's former attorney Michael Cohen said, "Sitting here today, it seems unbelievable that I was so mesmerized by Donald Trump that I was willing to do things for him that I knew were absolutely wrong," and that his relationship with Trump was "something akin to a cult."
------
"Beliefs should never be held as if they are the truth. The more strongly someone claims to have the truth, the more evidence we need to accept it. Certitude is not evidence of truth. Nor does repetition make it true. If anything, repetition should make you suspicious. Truth always stands up to scrutiny on its merits."
effervescentsoul's review against another edition
5.0
Written by a man who was once a cult member and subsequently dedicated his life to helping others escape predatory mind-control, this book offers insight into the popularity of our previous president to those of us who found the intensity of his following mind-boggling. Many of the tactics used throughout his rise to power bear shocking similarity to the strategies of Charles Manson, Jim Jones, and the Reverend Moon. As a student of hypnotherapy, I shouldn't have been surprised, but this book does a deep dive into the use of manipulative language, trance, social pressure, and curated states of fear that were the hallmark of that administration. Hassan also provides strategies for helping folks see things from a new perspective, and details the best way to support folks in the process of reclaiming their freedom of mind. Highly worth reading.
juliana_aldous's review
informative
5.0
When I was in high school and for my first couple of years past that I was sucked into what is now the International Christian Church an offshoot of the churches of Christ. I moved down to San Diego to be involved and yes, I was one of those annoying young people that would ask you to join a bible study. I lived in a house with ten other girls which could be a lot of fun and many hours of my week were devoted to the church. I was fully immersed until one day a little teeny bit of doubt popped up in my mind. And then another one. And then I started examining what we were doing--isolating people from their families and other relationships, outwardly judging and critiquing one another, the hierarchy that kept us inline--you were mentored and expected to recruit, etc. There were little moments like being told I could be out recruiting people instead of reading that book, my low-back dress might cause brothers to sin, how we were going to stay on campus that summer and blitz the entire city for Christ, and frankly I didn't want to do that.
This book is good, but Chapter Nine, How to Undo Mind Control is what I came here for.
How to know if you are under mind control
Reality test: disengage and take a break from the situation
Educate yourself: read about social psychology--particularly mind control (seek out libraries)
Listen to critics and former believers: highly respected and credentialed experts that hold different views from your own and verifiable facts.
Self-reflect: after you've done the first three--self-reflect. Look back to a time before you adopted your current belief system. Then trace step-by-step how you came to arrive where you are.
Ask Questions.
I took that first step--I flew home to see friends and family for a weekend. Being out of the church it dawned on me that people outside of the church were okay. I had read a book about cults my first year of college, and I went back and read that book (while taking the class I wasn't ready). I started to seek out others who had left the church and they seemed fine. I started reading comic books and believe it or not, Spiderman and Superman were good models--I realized again you can be good in this world and not be a part of their church. It took me a couple of months, but I left that church. I threw all my stuff in my car while my roommates cried and called my discipling mentor. I told her to back off. I hated to leave like that, but it was the only way.
I had a lot to work through the next few months, but I did. I came back. And I'm kind of glad I experienced it because I learned firsthand how a group or a leader can change your entire worldview.
This book was published in 2020, but if you haven't read it yet, you should. Especially if you know Trump Maga Cultists or Christian nationalists and wonder how they can come back from this. They can, but according to the author, we can't make fun of them and belittle them. That doesn't work. But he has good advice on what you can do. The first is that you have to be a good friend. I know! Seems hard! But there is good advice here on what you can do.
While I came here for the how-to section, there is a lot of good information in this book about how cults and in particular Trump works which is good information to have. We and the media have played right into his hand and that is discussed as well. It is also a good book to explore your own ideologies and sources of propaganda, because those on the left, we have our own.
We can come out of this--while I write this, the UK just kicked their far-right parties to the curb. But we have to move now.
This book is good, but Chapter Nine, How to Undo Mind Control is what I came here for.
How to know if you are under mind control
Reality test: disengage and take a break from the situation
Educate yourself: read about social psychology--particularly mind control (seek out libraries)
Listen to critics and former believers: highly respected and credentialed experts that hold different views from your own and verifiable facts.
Self-reflect: after you've done the first three--self-reflect. Look back to a time before you adopted your current belief system. Then trace step-by-step how you came to arrive where you are.
Ask Questions.
I took that first step--I flew home to see friends and family for a weekend. Being out of the church it dawned on me that people outside of the church were okay. I had read a book about cults my first year of college, and I went back and read that book (while taking the class I wasn't ready). I started to seek out others who had left the church and they seemed fine. I started reading comic books and believe it or not, Spiderman and Superman were good models--I realized again you can be good in this world and not be a part of their church. It took me a couple of months, but I left that church. I threw all my stuff in my car while my roommates cried and called my discipling mentor. I told her to back off. I hated to leave like that, but it was the only way.
I had a lot to work through the next few months, but I did. I came back. And I'm kind of glad I experienced it because I learned firsthand how a group or a leader can change your entire worldview.
This book was published in 2020, but if you haven't read it yet, you should. Especially if you know Trump Maga Cultists or Christian nationalists and wonder how they can come back from this. They can, but according to the author, we can't make fun of them and belittle them. That doesn't work. But he has good advice on what you can do. The first is that you have to be a good friend. I know! Seems hard! But there is good advice here on what you can do.
While I came here for the how-to section, there is a lot of good information in this book about how cults and in particular Trump works which is good information to have. We and the media have played right into his hand and that is discussed as well. It is also a good book to explore your own ideologies and sources of propaganda, because those on the left, we have our own.
We can come out of this--while I write this, the UK just kicked their far-right parties to the curb. But we have to move now.