AssemblyBoard

Here is part of a review of Steve Hassan's book, "Combatting Cult Mind Control".



"Steven Hassan shows that this view is dangerously complacent. He is a former member of the Unification Church (headed by Sun Myung Moon) who escaped from its influence with some difficulty and used his experiences to develop the skills to help others. He calls himself and exit-counsellor (an unfortunate term because of its connotations with euthanasia) and his descriptions of the emotional intensity of this work are impressive. His thesis is that much of the influence of cults can be explained by Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory; if people change their behavior their thoughts and feelings will change to minimize the dissonance. Successful cults introduce rigid behaviour patterns reinforced by group pressure, which is most easily achieved by an authoritarian system with a single charismatic leader. A similar rigidity is then achieved in thinking and emotions, and this is reinforced by endless repetition of doctrine and dogma. Once an individual is introduced to a cult all routes are towards greater involvement, with escape anticipated by paranoid thinking -- a position summarised as "nobody joins a cult; they just postpone a decision to leave". Deprogramming is frustrating and lengthy, because it is so difficult to get beyond the parotings of loyalty that also entrap members, and repel doubt and self-criticism. Hassan gives a moving account of his own escape from the Moonies, only achieve after be broke his leg and was separated from them. "

Notice what he says about Festinger's cognitive dissonance theory: If people change their behavior their thoughts and feelings will change in order to minimize the dissonance.

This is why the assembly lifestyle was such an important part of the system.  As we lived that way it came to seem as if it was the correct way to live.  It also explains why so many "saints" believed "God led me here". 

Interesting what?

Blessings,

Thomas Maddux

I recently spent some time in the Virgin Islands with a dear friend and mentor who is the equivalent of the CFO of the governement.
He told me how he rejected the rumors that he had heard about my joining a cult and told people:

Verne is too intelligent to join a cult.

My wife and I both looked at each other but did not have the heart to tell him... :'(
Verne

p.s. my wife's theory is that Robert knew exactly what had happened to me but was being overly gracious since I managed to escape...