Studies have shown that today's cults use a stronger form of control
than those of 50 years ago. The advent of new psychological
experiments in the 60's and 70's have produced the modern methods of
mind control which are far more sophisticated than the BEHAVIOUR
MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES and THOUGHT REFORM developed by the Chinese.
To understand mind control you need a basic understanding of BEHAVIOUR
MODIFICATION TECHNIQUES.

What is "behaviour modification."

Simply described, it is "reward or punishment for actions"
association. It was used on you as a child whenever you were being
commended or otherwise for your behaviour.

Taking away a privilege is usually a sure-fire method to persuading a
child to change its behaviour when that child is old enough to under-
stand the process. Praising a child for doing good is another method
of changing behaviour, especially in the child who is anxious
toplease. The rod of education applied to the seat of learning is
another method of bringing about a desired behaviour change.

When behaviour modification techniques such as these are applied in a
loving, caring and consistent way, the child changes their behaviour
without holding feelings of resentment. However, if these techniques
are {*filter*}ed in any way, damage is done to the child's psyche, their
emotions. e.g.. the abused child syndrome. Cults use a sophisticated
and {*filter*}ed form of behaviour modification which damages an
individuals emotions.

COGNITIVE DISSONANCE
Leon Festinger is a psychologist who studied groups that predicted the
end of the world. He found that most members became stronger than ever
when the prophecy failed. His investigation revealed that members had
to find a way to cope psychologically with the failure. They needed to
maintain order and meaning in their life. They needed to think they
were acting according to their self-image and values.

Festinger described this contradiction which they had to overcome as
what has become known as the "COGNITIVE DISSONANCE THEORY." The three
components he described are:

- "CONTROL OF BEHAVIOUR"
- "CONTROL OF THOUGHTS"
- "CONTROL OF EMOTIONS"

Each component has a powerful effect on the other two: CHANGE ONE AND
THE OTHERS WILL TEND TO FOLLOW. When all three change the individual
undergoes a complete change. Festinger summarised the basic principle:

"If you change a person's behaviour, his thoughts and feelings will
change to minimise the dissonance."
When there is a conflict between thoughts, feelings or behaviour, then
those in conflict will change to minimise the contradiction. This is
because a person can only tolerate a certain amount of discrepancy
between these components which make up his identity. In cults this
dissonance is created to exploit and control them.

Steven Hassan, author of Combating Cult Mind Control, added a fourth
component to Festinger's:

- "CONTROL OF INFORMATION"

By controlling the information one receives you can control and
restrict the individual's ability to think for himself. You limit what
he is able to think about.

BEHAVIOUR CONTROL - The control of an individual's physical reality.

This can include control of where he lives, what he eats, his
clothing, sleep, job, rituals etc. This is why most cults have a
stringent schedule for members. There is always something to do in
destructive cults. Each cult has its own distinctive set of behaviours
that bind it together. This control is so powerful that the cult
member will actually participate in their own punishment and come to
believe he actually deserves it!

No one can command a person's thoughts but IF YOU CAN CONTROL
BEHAVIOUR THEN HEARTS AND MINDS WILL FOLLOW.

THOUGHT CONTROL - The control of an individual's thought processes.

The indoctrination of members so thoroughly that they will manipulate
their own thought processes. The ideology is internalised as "the
truth". Incoming information is filtered through the beliefs which
also regulates how this information is thought about.

The cult has it's own language which further regulates how a person
thinks. This puts a great barrier between cult members and outsiders.

Another form of control is "thought stopping" techniques. This can
take many forms: chanting, meditating, singing, humming, tongues (some
even pay money to learn it), concentrated praying, etc. The use of
these techniques short-circuits the persons' ability to test reality.
The person can only think positive thoughts about the group. If there
is a problem the member assumes responsibility and works harder.

EMOTIONAL CONTROL - The control of the individuals emotional life.

This manipulates a person's range of feelings. Guilt and fear are used
to keep control. Cult members cannot see the control by guilt and like
other abuse victims are conditioned to blame themselves when things
are wrong, even grateful when a leader points our their
transgressions.

Fear is used to manipulate two ways. The first is to create an outside
enemy (we vs them) who is persecuting you. The second is the fear of
punishment by the leaders if you are not "good enough." Being "good
enough" is following the ideology perfectly. The most powerful
emotional control is phobia indoctrination. This can give the person a
panic reaction at the very thought of leaving the group. It is almost
impossible to conceive that there is any life outside the group.

There is no physical gun held to their heads but the psychological gun
is just as if not more powerful.

INFORMATION CONTROL - The control of the individuals information
sources.

Deny a person the information needed to make a sound judgment and he
will be incapable of doing so. People are trapped in cults because
they are denied both the access to the critical information they need
to assess their situation. The psychological chains on their minds are
just as powerful as if they were locked away physically from society.
So strong is this psychological process they also lack the properly
functioning internal mechanism to process any critical information
placed in front of them.

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