All religious groups require their members to conform to specific beliefs; they
attempt to restrict members' behaviors to certain norms. But faith groups vary greatly
in the level of demands and the degree of control that they maintain over their
membership:
There have existed (and continue to exist) many truly abusive mind-control groups
in North America. Usually, these are headed by a single leader who uses manipulative
techniques to control his/her followers. The group is tightly knit and often remains
hidden unless some criminal act is discovered. Almost all are Christian (probably
because 85% of the North American population is of this religion). The
Anti-Cult and
Counter-Cult Movements rarely
target these groups, perhaps because their activities are not publicly known. Also,
they are invariably to be local groups with a small membership. They are virtually
undetectable unless some criminal activity brings them to the attention of the police
and press.
Sometimes these mind-control groups become known because of their use of physical
abuse, particularly of children. A massive
study of child abuse
funded by the US federal government did uncover a troubling level of what they called
"religion-related abuse". Much of this abuse probably occurs within mind-control
cults. The study identified three main forms of child abuse:
During 1995, two instances of unintentional deaths during exorcisms were widely
publicized in North America. One occurred in California; the other in Ontario Canada.
Similar deaths have been extensively published since, at the rate of about one per
year. One can reasonably assume that there was much unreported abuse during exorcisms
that did not lead to death of the victim. Accounts of children needlessly dying
of treatable diseases surface from time to time in which the church group required
that prayer be used in place
of medical intervention.
There is one group that up to 90% of Americans believe exist: an inter-generational,
underground, international Satanic
conspiracy which kidnaps children, abuses them, ritually kills them, eats their
flesh and drinks their blood. This is perhaps the longest lasting urban folk tale
in existence, having been circulating since about the 2nd century CE. There are
a whole range of myths that have arisen about these groups: they allegedly keep
thousands of women in concentration camps to generate babies for sacrifice; they
kill 50,000 infants in the United States every year; their rituals are inverted,
sacrilegious parodies on Christian religious practices, etc. No hard evidence has
ever been found to support any of these beliefs. Such groups either exist in very
small numbers or don't exist at all. Many of the myths are traceable to the "burning
times" during the late Middle Ages and Renaissance, when as many as a hundred thousands
people suspected of selling their souls to Satan were routinely rounded up, tortured
and executed. In a sense, the burning times are still being promoted today, and
the work of the burning times continues.
Such
requirements within convents and monasteries have been long accepted in society.
Some within the Anti-Cult Movement attacked sincere religious faith groups for these
same practices, and concluded that the groups are profoundly evil, dangerous and
manipulative.
The reality is that most people join these groups and stay as long as membership
remains a positive experience. Some leave after a few days; others stay only for
a few weeks; still others stay for years, but later leave for a variety of reasons.4,5
People are almost always physically free to leave religious groups.
If organizations
attempted to restrict freedom of movement, they would be vulnerable to a charge
of kidnapping or forcible confinement. There have been rare instances reported where
destructive cults have prevented members from leaving. The
People's Temple
case in Jonestown is one of the few examples. During their last days, when the situation
was quickly degenerating into mass suicide and mass murder, armed guards kept people
from leaving.
There can be a potential negative side to membership in high demand religious
organizations. Some require their core, dedicated members to accept strong discipline;
this can develop a deep commitment to the church. In the case of Unificationists,
for example, such members must remain celibate before marriage, abstain from tobacco
and alcohol and work long hours. The group can become their whole life, the source
of their religious, cultural, social, and other support systems.
If they become
disillusioned by some aspect of the church, they can find it difficult to leave
the organization and abandon these support networks. When they do leave, they sometimes
become angry with themselves and the church, believing that they have wasted perhaps
years of their life within the group.
They use all of the techniques as "low demand" faith groups use: requiring members
to accept a system of beliefs, conforming to certain behavioral norms; expecting
them to involve themselves in the life of the congregation, etc. However, mind-control
groups add many additional methods, and take them all to a much higher level. Some
are:
Members are not physically restrained from leaving the group. They are not held
prisoner. They can walk away at any time. But there are strong pressures to remain.
If they left, all social and emotional support would disappear; they will often
be shunned. Some groups teach that God will abandon or punish them if they leave.
They may be told that they will die in the imminent war of Armageddon if they leave
the protection of the group.
These high-demand groups tend to have a rapid turnover of membership. Members
are initially attracted because they feel loved and supported. In time, many
find the group experience to be less positive. They may leave after days, weeks,
months or years.
The total membership of high demand/mind-control groups is miniscule, compared
to the total number of people involved in new religious movements generally.
The main features
Which are the features of psychological influence most common to
spiritual movements ?
1. Type of members.
There are many types of members, each with its own motivation.
- First of all there are the ones who have been moved to do so
out of a genuine spiritual aspiration, prepared to sacrifice.
- Other members may have been searching for a truth behind the
dreadful aspects of life around them and an escape therefrom.
- People who wrestle with a psychological problem seek
(unconsciously) a key or solution to it in a particular teaching
or discipline.
- Then there are those that did so out of a feeling of
isolation and loneliness. Lack of true companionship may have
made them long to be taken up in a fraternity of kindred souls.
- People will be drawn to a brotherhood whose aims are within
their reach of comprehension and nearest to their hearts. A
religious background may make them veer towards a sect that
accomodates nostalgia, like the Jehova's Witnesses.
- For younger people it may be an escape from having to enter
into a harsh materialistic society. They are in an idealistic
life-cycle, prepared to give up their study and career to a
worthy cause.
Some older people can never make up their minds and wander from
one cause to another.
- Finally there are those who wrestle with a father/mother
complex. The childhood's need for such archetypal figure may
persist in later life. It is transferred subsequently to the
master, who then holds sway over him/her.
The weaker the individual's independance, the more will he be
tied to the group. Members who understand group-mechanisms, prepared
to cope with them in order to direct their attention to the spirit,
will benefit most as they are selective in picking up the cream of
what is given and taking the rest with a grain of salt.
2. Leader/founder/guru
New religious movements arise usually around a father/mother
figure who has gained authority after receiving a special
revelation, communication, truth or insight. His charisma will
vouchsafe loyal followers, even if his lifestyle may give rise to
severe doubts to some. He may boost his prestige by claiming to
follow the footsteps of a an esteemed spiritual teacher, represent
an esoteric tradition, be of noble descent, or channel the wisdom of
a great mind. (Eckankar's Paul Twitchell is the last in the
lineage of 970 "Eckmasters")
He/she represents an archetype in members' subconscious minds. That
of a wise father, or mother. As such he/she will have a compelling
influence on followers who project their father/mother complex on
him/her.
Alternatively women may fall in love with the leader, worship
him, exert themselves to cater after his wishes and whims. They will
try to stay in his viscinity, make themselves indispensable and
slowly take control of the movement. Jealousy amongst them will make
things even worse and split the ranks.
The psychological make-up of a guru may be generalized as
follows:
- Difficult youth. Self-chosen isolation at childhood.
Introvert. Therefore not used to share inner life with friends.
- Narcissistically absorbed in inner mental processes.
- Undergone a traumatic experience.
- Authoritarian attitude. Élitist and anti-democratic.
- Attracting disciples rather than friends on account of the
fact that they never learnt to exchange thoughts in childhood.
Jeffrey Masson (see below) has this to say about gurus:
Every guru claims to know something you cannot know by
yourself or through ordinary channels. All gurus promise access to a
hidden reality if only you will follow their teaching, accept their
authority, hand your life over to them. Certain questions are off
limits. There are things you cannot know about the guru and the
guru's personal life. Every doubt about the guru is a reflection of
your own unworthiness, or the influence of an external evil force.
The more obscure the action of the guru, the more likely it is to be
right, to be cherished. Ultimately you cannot admire the guru, you
must worship him. You must obey him, you must humble yourself, for
the greater he is, the less you are - until you reach the inner
circle and can start abusing other people the way your guru abused
you. All this is in the very nature of being a guru.
Sub-conscious drive
Nature seems to instill in a person, faced with a mission, great
task, or challenge, a feeling of superiority, unsurmountable
optimism, and enormous self-esteem, bordering on an inflated ego, to
accomplish what is needed. This drive is reminiscent of the reckless
impetus of the adolescent. Having reached maturity a person may feel
"chosen" - impelled to forge ahead with vigor and inspire others.
Undaunted in the face of obstacles and criticism, it is as if a
cloak of invulnerability is laid on his/her shoulders.
Similarly an artist may be driven by a compulsion to express an
inner content. He will be prepared to sacrifice everything to give
way to his creative impulse. Fortunately his sacrifice does not
involve more than the people immediately around him.
Not so with the leader. The number of his followers may grow to
considerable proportions. Nature is not concerned whether his sense
of superiority has any real foundation. The inflated ego is more or
less instinctively driven towards a goal.
Although attaining heights no one would have thought conceivable of
that person, when the hour of truth has come events may prove that
he has overreached himself, disregarded good advice, or lost
complete sense of reality. The result may be either catastrophe, or
the uncritical followers may be saddled up with a heritage built on
quicksand - on a flight of fancy without actual foundation.
This applies to many fields of human endeavour (Hitler), but
specially in the treacherous domain of the spirit.
Discipline - nausea
The teacher may come to the conclusion that unless his followers
change fundamentally - undergo a catharsis, or transformation - they
will never be able to move forward. He/she regards them as being
"asleep" (Jesus, Gurdjieff). Unless drastic measures are employed
they will not wake up. To jolt them out
of their complacency great sacrifices are demanded.
Jesus asked a rich young man to give up all his worldly possessions
(S.Matthew 19:21) before following him. Masters in Zen Buddhism,
or Gurdjieff, made novices undergo a harsh regime in order to crack
open and attain a different state of mind.This I can have no
quarrel with, if it is done against a background of compassion. If
the unselfish motive disappears, or commercial considerations become
dominant, the harsh discipline may become morbid and degrading.
Having lost his dedication the teacher may become nauseated by the
mentality and sheepishness of his followers, and in cases derive a
sadistic delight in tormenting them.
In recent years reports are brought
out about sexual violation of members by guru's, leaders
and....bishops! Another example of authority being abused.
The path of a guru is like that of a razor's edge. He may so
easily succumb to the temptation of exploiting the power he has
attained over his followers. Financial irresponsibility, abuse of
followers, reprehensible sexual behaviour......... mass suicide, it
is all within his reach once he has overstepped boundaries.
Legacy
During his lifetime the leader will act as a moderator and steer
the movement. He will re-interprete his teachings as he sees fit
from the responses he receives. The death of the founder marks a
turning point. His teachings will become inflexible, as no one dares
to temper with them as he did himself. The élan disappears, rigidity
takes over, unless another figure arises that leads the movement in
a different direction, for better or for worse (St.Paul).
3. Doctrine/teaching
The more secret(ive) the leader's sayings the better.
Pronouncements are characterized by great certainty and authority as
if it were the word of God. In some cases it is presented as such.
By his special way of delivery and presentation it may escape the
audience that similar wisdom may be found in any book on
spirituality nowadays found in the bookshop around the corner.
Whether the guru bases his wise words on actual experience or on
hearsay is difficult to ascertain. In general it may be said that
the more mystifying his teachings the stronger their appeal. After
all it is beyond reason and should appeal only to the heart.
An exception should be made for true mystical literature based on
inner experience which can hardly be expected to appeal to the
intellect, but be appreciated intuitively, especially by those who
had similar experiences.
Group-speak
Members may adopt fresh meanings to words, talk to each other in
a jargon that the outsider can hardly follow (group-speak).
The result being an inability to relate in speech, or explain new
concepts to the outsider (Fourth Way).
(This may be best understood in other fields: help-programs of
software, pop-up windows, warning-messages, not to speak of manuals
for installing hardware, drawn up by boffins, are a nightmare to
most users!)
Another characteristic is to lift out of context one aspect of
religious truth and make it absolute. Such key truth will overshadow
all other aspects of faith.
It may be:
- prophecy, as we have seen with Jehova's Witnesses,
Adventists and countless sects;
- baptism at an adult age, important to Baptists;
- charity in the case of the Salvation Army (but who could
blame them for this?);
- channeling in New Age/Spiritualistic movements,
etc. When this occurs other significant facets of faith are pushed
to the background.
Such partial truths are often heralded as the result of a search
for knowledge. The motto "Knowledge is power" is used to suggest
that the statements are objective, scientific, or historical facts.
Actually they cannot stand the touchstone of the merest critical
scrutiny.
Authorities may be paraded to back-up such claims. They have either
never been heard of, cannot be considered impartial, or their
pronouncements have been lifted out of context. The discussion about
the veracity of evolution is full of such red herrings.
4. Uniqueness of the movement
Movements will extol usually their superiority over others. After
all there should be a strong reason to select that particular group.
Some present themselves as being the sole way towards salvation,
being God's chosen people. Others make a promise of a benefit that
is only reserved for members of that sect. To avert attention some
pride themselves of not having a teaching, or for their openness and
democratic rules.
In short new movements will advance a variety of reasons for
their uniqueness. Herewith a few:
- Our holy book is the word of God.
- Never before has mankind been offered this
discipline/interpretation/insight of our leader.
- Do not pour new wine in old bottles.
- God's, or a celestial, new message to mankind for this
particular time.
- Impending disaster (pollution, atomic explosion, collision)
calls for drastic measures. Salvation only reserved for faithful
members.
- Fresh interpretation of holy book thanks to fresh
insight/revelation of founder.
- Esoteric tradition, once accessible to adepts only, now
revealed.
- New channel for teachings of esoteric lodge/brotherhood.
- New doctrine/insight based on latest scientific discoveries,
reveals truth.
- Only those following this particular work on self,
discipline, or belief, will reach eternity, be released from
earth's satanic attraction, cycle of rebirths, etc.
- Preparatory group to make way for the coming of the new
messiah/world-teacher/avatar
Noteworthy is the vehemency with which groups stress differences
between each other. The closer movements share an outlook the more
virulent the attacks on their rivals become, seemingly more than on
groups which follow a completely different belief.
Eric Hoffer writes in his 'The True Believer': "true
believers of various hues ....view each other with mortal hatred and
are ready to fly at each other's throat..."
This manifests itself specially when groups split. In
Christianity one could not steep low enough to attack other
followers of Christ, who held a slightly different opinion. It
resulted in persecution of heretics, burning of early Christian
literature, and disastrous wars.
Despite their peaceful appearance relatively new spiritual
movements like Theosophy, Rosicrucianism, etc., following splits,
exert themselves in accusations against former comrades.
Attacks against belief in paranormal phenomena, for instance by
CSICOP, are reminiscent of the zeal of a Christian crusade,
be it that they have their roots in humanism and its desperately
clinging to a rationalistic/materialistic outlook on life current at
the beginning of this century. Consequently the groups of these
'evangelists of rational enlightenment' have similar behavioural
patterns and vehemency as sects.
5. Probation and conversion
Certain sects are only too eager to accept individuals. They may
have high entrance fees. Or their members are swayed by zeal to
convert.
Many movements will put up a barrier by means of an initiation to
test the applicant's fitness to become part of the group. Henceforth
they will play an important pioneer-part in the foretold future.
Having reached such coveted stage members will not fail to follow
what they are being told for fear of expulsion.
The new member may undergo a conversion, gaining a
completely new insight in the meaning of life, see it in a way the
sect does. His previous life with all its relationships has become
meaningless. He may have turned himself inside out by a
confession of his previous "sins". His conversion is marked by a
feeling of peace, happiness and transcendence.
6. Failure of predictions
Common belief in a prophecy will be a strong binding force. One
of the principal attractions of the first Christian sects was that
they offered salvation from a threatening disaster. That being the
end of the world. Only the baptized would await a glorious future.
Sects like the Jehova's Witnesses have taken over this succesful
formula.
Christians have had to come up with all sorts of arguments to
explain away the unfulfilled prediction of their founder regarding
the end of the world: "This generation shall not pass away, till all
these things be accomplished." (S.Matthew 24:34). One of the lame
excuses being that this prediction concerns the fall of Jersusalem
only. However, all prophecies in the New Testament in this respect
suggest that the impending doom was to be expected in their
lifetime.
Jehova's Witnesses have taken the risk of being more
specific in their predictions. Older members, who built their faith
on them, have had the humiliating experience of having had to
explain away various times in their lives the failure of the outcome
of their forewarnings.
But predictions are not limited to the religious faiths. The
New Age movements use this shared belief in portents as well.
For more than sixty years an imminent landing of UFO's has been
predicted. Various cults claimed in vain to be their first
contactees.
In other movements the second coming of Christ was a main feature (Benjamin
Creme). In Theosophy a Messenger was expected from 1975 onward.
The uncritical believers in Edgar Cayce's trance sayings
put weight on his predictions of cataclysms (photo Edgar Cayce).
Nostradamus' (photo) obscure astrological
foresayings have captured the minds of people for centuries. Each
time his verses were interpreted again to suit the circumstances. In
hindsight some of his quatrains seem to have relevance to the
catastrophe of the destroyed World Trade Center. Quatrains I, 87 -
IX, 92 and X, 59 may refer to skyscrapers in New York involved in a
terrible explosion.
Sociologists have observed that, failure of prediction results in
quite the opposite effect on believers. Contrary to what one would
expect it may cause a rally amongst members. Failure is blamed on a
misunderstanding, or a faux pas by members. To counteract ridicule
they tend to stick together more than ever.
Of course there is a limit. According to a social survey, when
predictions fail to materialize three times in a row members are
bound to stop, reflect and draw conclusions.
The shattering of such false hopes comes as a severe blow and may
mark the beginning of the end of a movement.
One wonders in this respect how many members of the People
Forever International sect promoting physical immortality for
its followers would have to die before their groups would break up
in disappointment. (Since I wrote this ten years ago I have been
informed that indeed members have died and the movement broke up in
1998!)
Yet, we see from the Jehova's Witnesses that skilful manoeuvring may
off-set unfulfilled prophecies.
To what extremes such believes can lead shows the mass suicidal
action of the Heaven's Gate sect and later in Uganda. Such
tragic endings are the result of various contributing factors, which
are beyond the scope of this article.
7. Belief versus intellect/Secrets
Often disciplines followed in spiritual movements have the effect
of a lowering of the threshold to the unconscious mind. Suggestion
will begin to play an important part. Precepts are being experienced
as the truth, sacrosanct and sure. There is no element of doubt
anymore about assumptions and speculation, although actually they
lack any factual foundation.
Absolute belief that the Bible is God's word is the cornerstone
of most orthodox Christian sects. In Islam the Koran is supposed to
contain the word of Allah.
Intellectual analysis of faith is tentamount to heresy.
The ideal breeding ground for convictions are mass-gatherings.
During mass gatherings, such as congresses, members are stirred up
to an euphoria, the effect of which may linger on for weeks. This is
the precise period of time for leaders, or committees, to announce
fresh sectarian measures, postulate incredible notions/prophecies,
call for further sacrifices, etc. etc. It will all be accepted
unquestioningly. Only at a later date, when the euphoria has worn
off, will one start to wonder about what was decided.
Secrets
Spiritual movements often hide a corpse in their closet. It may
be a part of the history of the movement, details about the hidden
life of the leader, or a once revered figure. Things may have been
written by them one does not like to be reminded of. A fight,
quarrel, full of vehemence and hatred, may have led to a split.
There are so many examples that a long list could be drawn up of
the many concealed secrets of spiritual groups.
Whereas in most movements the works of the leader are almost known
by heart, Jehova's Witnesses hardly know of the existence of
the seven volumes of writings Studies in the Scriptures of
their founder Charles Taze Russell (1852-1916). Some of his opinions
are such cause of embarrassment that they are not deemed worth
reading nowadays.
Eventually a renegate member will reveal such secrets in writing.
Frantic denials and counter accusations by those in charge presently
will follow almost automatically. These are usually accepted in
gratitude by devotees, who cannot get over the shock of such
revelations.
8. Common practice, work and ritual
Communal singing, ritual and (incomprehensible) practices
(Freemasonry) are strong binding factors. The more irrational they
are, the better. Others are a special food regime, the change of
name, clothing, or a common aversion.
Joint work for the benefit of the group gives the feeling of a
common endeavour and unites the participants. So does
proselytization in the streets, menial work of construction and
renovation of premises. There is a thin line between true
participation and exploitation, however.
Dubious was the practice, common in the seventies, to incite
members to criticize one of them to an extent that he/she would
break down under the weight of often absurd allegations and insults,
resulting in a brainwash effect.
9. Sacrifices, financial secrecy, favours
to the rich.
Finances are always a ticklish matter. Human groups always wish
to grow. Finances are important. Accountability is often not
considered appropriate. Danger arises that members of the inner
circle become lax in expenditure of members' contributions.
Ambitious schemes call for a constant need for funding. This is the
ideal breeding ground for favours to wealthy members. Those who
contribute generously stand more chance to be taken in confidence
and admitted to the inner circles. Often, as a proof of loyalty,
extraordinary sums of money are demanded.
Degrees of initiation may be dependent on one's years of loyalty
to the group. In Eckankar up to 8 degrees are given. However,
if one fails to pay membership's fees for some time, degrees of
initiation may be stripped off again.
Next to financial contributions members will often be expected to
offer services to the group. However, if they also have to work for
practically nothing in commercial enterprises it becomes dubious.
Movements that gather wealth at the expense of their members are
questionable. Seldom or never requests for return of
contributions/investments are honoured.
10. Unquestioning leadership,
reprehensible behaviour amongst members
Man in a herd may not show the best side of his nature.
Unconscious drives may reign his/her behaviour. This is applicable
especially in circumstances that man strives for the spiritual.
Heshe may tend to show split-personality behaviour. On one hand the
spiritual personality which is supposed to have come to terms with
his animal nature. It is wise, friendly and compassionate on the
outside. In the shadows lurks the personality that has been forced
into the background, still ridden with all the expulsed human
frailties. In moments of weakness it will see its chance to play
hideous tricks. It will do so without being noticed by the person
involved. The result being: uncharitable behaviour, envy, malicious
gossip, hypocrisy, harsh words, insensitivity, unfounded criticism
and even worse, not expected from such charismatic figure. It is one
of the main reasons for people leaving a particular group in great
disappointment.
It is not often realized that, like other human groups, spiritual
movements behave like organisms. Group-psychological processes
manifest which are sometimes not unlike those in primitive
societies. There is the pecking order, the alpha members, and also
the group-instinct directed against similar groups. Aggression goes
unnoticed and is tolerated when an acceptable common goal is
provided. For instance hostility against an individual outside the
group, or a critical member inside. This has the effect of
strengthening ties within the group like in the animal world.
If leadership loses contact with its members it will have to
exert greater discipline. Deviating opinions cannot be tolerated
anymore. Persons who hold them are seen as traitors. Acting against
them, preferably in secret, is the only way out for the leadership
to avert this danger. Members may disappear suddenly without the
reasons becoming known, much to the surprise of those left behind.
For such machinations in Theosophy read Emily Lutyens:
"Candles in the Sun".
Spiritual newsgroups on Internet provide illustration of
(un)concious nastiness being ventilated under the veil of anonimity.
Messages are often rife with diatribe, personal attacks and
misunderstanding. Many of such contributors have no interest at all
in the matters discussed. Yet even in closed newsgroups, only open
to subscribers, complaints about the tone of communications are
being aired.
11. Fear of exclusion
The stronger members are tied to a group, the more the fear of
exclusion lurks. They may have invested their life's savings in the
work (Scientology), paid a percentage of their income, failed to
conclude their study, or make a career, or sacrificed a succesful
one.
In many cases a member will have alienated himself from family and
friends. He has been told to cut ties with the past. (In the
Attleboro cult followers are advised to burn photographs that remind
them of bygone days). No wonder his or her sudden conversion,
accompanied by fanatism and urge to proselytize, has shied away
former friends and relatives.
There is no way left but to seek comfort and understanding with
members of the spiritual group.
Isolation is sometimes intentionally sought. Formerly, in the
Bhagavan Shri Rajneesh movement, members went about in
red/orange dresses and wore mala's with a photo of their master, so
setting themselves aside from the mundane world.
The Hare Krishna movement goes even further. Groups of
members go out into the streets in their oriental dresses for song
and dance routines. However, in most movements the alienation is far
more subtle and the natural outcome of an adverse attitude towards
the materialism of society.
The true nature of the so-called friendships within the group
will only be revealed after a devotee has left the fold. Members
have seen this happen, but did not give it a thought at the time,
because it happened to someone else. But when they undergo the same
fate themselves they will feel the humiliation of being ignored, not
being greeted anymore, marriage gone - even not being recognized by
one's own children anymore.
The outcast feels thrown in an abyss. He is cut off from social
contacts, his life in pieces.
The magnitude of this desperate experience should not be
under-estimated. The renegade will feel deep shame. He may have
confessed in the group intimate secrets, which are now being
ridiculed by his former so-called friends.
The expulsee, deeply hurt, may become embittered and even enter into
a suicidal mental state.
Those readers who have been a member of a movement may recognize
some of the above psychological mechanisms. The first reaction of
non-members may be to vow never to enter a group. Let us bear in
mind, however, that it should be considered a challenge to face
these obstacles for the benefit that may result from association
with kindred spirits.
A prerequisite is that these conditions are being noticed, looked
in the eye, and not denied. The closer people live together, the
more group-tensions will build up. Even in reputable circles as
Freudian psycho-analytical associations they occur. Few communes are
granted a long life as a result of one or more of the pitfalls
summarized above. Headquarters, contrary to expectations, are known
to be hotbeds of gossip, mutual repulsion and cynism.
So, do not be disheartened and join a group of your liking. After
all people who marry also see wrecked marriages all around them, yet
go ahead intent on a happy union in mutual trust, without regard to
the outcome.
Involvement with other people will lead to personal growth if the
consequences are anticipated. The more one stands on one's own feet
the more benefit will arise from cooperating with others. It should
be borne in mind that the saying "It is better to give, than to
receive" is not merely a moral precept.
(Read my
precepts for living)
Please remember that there are hundreds of movements and that it
has not been my intention to summarize them all, or to level any
form of criticism at one of them. Indicating the psychological
mechanisms operative in some, or all of them, has been my main
theme.
On a separate page I have gone into the mysterious
presence-phenomenon arising between people who meet in harmony.
In conclusion one may take heed of Krishnamurti's words in 1929
when he refused to become a 'World Teacher' of an organisation set
up for him:
I maintain that Truth is a pathless land, and you cannot
approach it by any path whatsoever, by any religion, by any sect.
Truth being limitless, unconditioned, cannot be organised, nor
should any organisation be formed to lead or coerce people along any
particular path. If you first understand that, then you will see how
impossible it is to organize a belief. A belief is purely an
individual matter, and you cannot and must not organize it. If you
do, it becomes dead, crystallised; it becomes a creed, a sect, a
religion, to be imposed on others.
© Michael Rogge, 2011
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Links:
