What is Reddit's opinion of Combatting Cult Mind Control: The #1 Best-selling Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults?

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Law 52 (in my list) : Create your own kingdom

(Because no matter how hard you try, you will never have all your power playing someone else's game in some else's place).

This would have been rather obvious once upon a time, and civilization was built on this law, but the very fact it needs to be stated to a man is concerning.

Ok, no one's asking for a total disruption of modern civilization (it's kind of fucked up as it is), no one's telling you to be a poor team player either (cause no one can do everything in isolation), but a man must have an aspect of his life that he owns, in which he's king, and he pulls his load.

Modern society in that regard behaves like a cult - one defining feature of any destructive cult as per Steven Hassan (https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113/) - is that cults tend to reverse age fully functioning adults back into a childish state of dependency and validation (he calls it reverse aging, we know it as betaization) where they're enslaved to authority and can't think for themselves.

A man is meant to come full circle from a boy.

Start reading Combatting Cult Mind Control to learn more about how groups like the JWs manipulate their followers. It's a devastating organization and treacherous for the soul. Add in extra prayers and personal sacrifices for her. It's probably going to be a rough road.

I would recommend that you check out the concept of "Love Bombing" and how cults utilize this concept to manipulate and control their members.

I would also recommend you read Battling Mind Control by Steven Hassan to have a better understanding of the psychology of indoctrination and coercion.

Nah, people in evangelical cults are fun to mess with. Give this a read, might help

https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113/ref=mp_s_a_1_1?crid=BSUALDJYJRE4&keywords=combatting+cult+mind+control%2C+steven+hassan&qid=1658980415&sprefix=combatting+%2Caps%2C161&sr=8-1

As some one who despises Nazis I’m surprised to feel the need to do a book burning after seeing that picture.

Burn down the pathetic little collection and replace it with this.

Yup! Read the book called "Combatting Cult Mind Control" by steve Hassan. Its a fascinating read and although written about his experience in the Moonie cult it gives you insight into how cults work whether religious, secular, political or any other, the methods the leaders use to control, the logic they employ and how they manipulate people are all the same. It is SPOT ON how trump speaks to his base and the methods he uses to distort the truth

1. What Popoff is doing is completely legal under our current laws and is not a crime. Give up on that part of it - you won't be able to hurt Popoff and you'll be wasting your energy.

2. Focus on your Dad instead. You have a tough situation because it is ultimately HIS money and he can do what he wants with it (just don't ever give him monetary assistance and such while he's wasting it like this). Even though he's not really in a cult (or at least it's debatable), I'd suggest picking up the book 'Combatting Cult Mind Control', because there's some great advice in there about how you deal with someone who is in a cult and work towards getting them out. So far you've been confrontational and that is just going to drive him farther away from you and reinforce his idea that Popoff is helping him.

http://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113/ref=sr_1_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1441985198&sr=1-2&keywords=combatting+cult+mind+control

Good luck.

> I don't want to seek a "doctor" for help because quite frankly they may think i am crazy.

Whether or not you seek professional help is up to you, but they WILL NOT think you're crazy.

First of all, much of what you describe is common to all victims of abuse. The fact that the abuse we suffer is because of a religious cult doesn't make us more crazy than other abuse victims.

I know a thing or two about true "crazy". You're young, inexperienced, and have no idea, but you are not "crazy". You are trying to cope with the hand you've been dealt, but there's no reason you have to deal with this alone and thinking "it's only you".

You can have help. You are entitled to help. It's not a personal failure to seek counseling. It doesn't mean you are crazy. It doesn't mean you need medication (nothing wrong with that if you do). It just means your lousy family and upbringing didn't prepare you for life with the proper emotional groundwork. The failure is theirs.

Think about it like this - your parents sold you a defective car. You aren't crazy if you take it to a professional for repair. And trust me, mechanics have seen all kinds of fucked up shit that you wouldn't even believe.

But even if you don't seek counseling, please continue to share your feelings and rants here. Determine to learn how to help yourself. I can't point you exactly in the right section, but read up on subjects that you think might help you. Maybe Combatting Cult Mind Control as many have suggested. But whatever you do, learn, get perspective, and don't be afraid to grow and address your problems.

Absolutely.

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So in order to understand from a psychological point of view of what happened at SCJ, I would strongly recommend you read:
https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113

The same author, Steven Hassan, escaped the Moonies cult in the 70's, and dedicated his life to the psychology behind mind control, and came up with his "BITE" control model:

https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model/

Below is a post that I made about how the BITE control model maps onto even their introductory center class.

SCJ is a high control group that uses high amounts of deception and systematic spiritual abuse to propagate its teachings.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_Pvpd6wCeM4

Above is a good URL that explains the BITE control model.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UvCKoTlGe-c

Above is a good video that describes "spiritual abuse".

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gOqpHI93SHk

Lastly, above is Steven Hassan and SCJ.

The thing with SCJ, is that its actually pretty easy to map the BITE control model and the Asch Conformity test with the introductory center classes alone.

You can read more about it here:

https://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html

For example:

Isolating the "fruit" with leaves who then report on the "progress" of the fruits, including private conversations, etc. essentially making them spies.

Systematically lying to the leaves about the identity and who are new to the class

Systematically controlling information (ie: Don't google or do research on us! etc.)

Using heavy amounts of deception for recruitment (from the first interaction of only doing a survey, to then only doing an innocent bible study once a week, to a class a few days week, to a "church" that gradually elevates to multiple days a week).

Gradually keeping the fruit more and more busy that one doesn't have time to think critically about the Bible study. This idea is also reinforced since secrecy is heavily used, and the students are strongly encouraged to not share with parents or friends about the details of the Bible study, and in some cases are encouraged to lie.

You can tell a lot about an organization by their actions alone.

SCJ also does a lot of "phobia" implanting, always making the claim that the end is just around the corner, and that if you leave then you will essentially burn in hell and you have no chance of atonement.

Your post was removed by Reddit probably because it was a URL shortner website for Amazon with a referral code. The actual link without a code is https://www.amazon.com/dp/0892813113/

>I am just asking for advice on whether I should leave right now or bear a little more just for the sake of completing the courses before leaving.

I suggest leaving, as the longer you stay, the more and more time will be consumed, and the harder it will be to leave.

You have to remember, that this group is another high control group and that they have their hooks in you, whether it's the emotional / time investment (known as a sunken cost fallacy), or the soon-to-be love bombing that will happen once you "pass over".

This group is also well known for simply being good at manipulation, especially with their "leaf" and "fruit" pairing that exemplifies the Asch Conformity Test.

There's a more detailed analysis of how these groups operate and manipulate their members through the BITE model, long history of lying and deception, and other forms of basic indoctrination that you can learn about through the book:
"Combatting Mind Control"
https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113

I would recommend that you read the following:

• https://freedomofmind.com/shincheonji-cult/
• https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113

You can make the argument that every religion is a cult, sure, then it begs the question of when does any religion or belief system becomes more about control, and less about individuality.

Any religion has its extremes.

This video does a good job at explaining some of the issues with SCJ from a more secular point of view.

Unfortantely, SCJ has a long history of using deception and coercion to effectively manipulate and control their members, and you can see more examples of SCJ using such tactics to recruit here.

Another thing to keep in mind, when the subject matter expert on cults calls SCJ a high control group, then you definitely have something to be concerned about.

One can make the argument that all religions are cults, so, when evaluating a group, one needs to look at a spectrum of just how much manipulation and undue influence a group exerts on a person when making a decision on whether or not a belief set is healthy or unhealthy, and you can read more about this spectrum here.

The biggest differentiator a healthy religion and an unhealthy religion would be its emphasis on deception. SCJ still heavily uses deception to propagate, and some examples include:

• How they still own and mantain the ex-members website
• How they offer free bible studies using front groups that are still active today.

There are plenty of testimonies on YouTube with former members who go into detail about what they have experienced, and I would recommend SCJ Skeptic's YouTube Channel, as he goes into detail about problems with SCJ's doctrines and falsehoods.

Now, as for your friend, I would recommend before confronting him about this, read up on what and how "mind control" works "Combatting Cult Mind Control" just so that you can have an idea of what he or she went through.

Then afterwards, the best thing for you to do is to be there for your friend. SCJ will continue consuming more and more time of your friend's life, so being there for them to remind him / her what life was like before the cult is crucial to eventually help them wake up.

As for the source material that counters SCJ and has helped many, there's a pinned post that uses Man Hee Lee's own words against him that disproves SCJ.

As for the psychology behind cults and how they eventually manipulate and control their members, I would suggest that you look into the BITE model.

Essentially, the more boxes that a "faith" checks off, the higher the probability of the faith being a cult, or a "high control group".

I would also recommend that you read or listen to the book "Battling Mind Control" to also have an understanding of what your ex-boyfriend is going through.

To compare how Shincheonji ranks against the BITE model, I would ask the man himself as he has also made a post about the sect here.

Hello, as you already have pointed out, the verse in Romans 3:7-8 clearly condemns the action of lying.

I've posted it before, and I'll post it again, here are more examples of SCJ using deception to recruit.

Ask yourself this question: if this "church" was willing to lie and use deception during the initial stages of recruitment, how do you know for sure that they aren't lying about other factors and doctrines?

On other topics in this sub-reddit, it is clear that the doctrines and fulfillment of prophecy can change at any moment, and there are many testimonies that clearly indicate that the doctrines of SCJ have been changed, verified against MHL's own physical fulfillment book (here are the recent Revelation 7 changes)

The choice is yours, but I would look into Steven Hassan's mind control book to be aware of the psychology high control groups use against their members.

This is a question for a cult expert. Few people here are experts in that. Here is my favorite cult expert:

https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113

Cults exist and they tend to be legal. The law cannot take care of every problem so citizens and neighbors will have to care for one another.

In order to get your sister help, you're going to have to understand where she is coming from. Any type of outside information will be viewed as persecution, because early on in the center lectures its ingrained into her that "Satan will be using her family to stop her."

I would recommend a book called "Combatting Cult Mind Control":

https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113

The reason is because then you get to have a better understanding of what type of mindset your sister has as you approach her about the concerns you may have about SCJ.

Also, read more on the "BITE" control model, and how systematic brainwashing normally works:

https://freedomofmind.com/cult-mind-control/bite-model/

Through this post alone, we can already see a few of the key factors that have the mark of a cult including:

a. Deception

1. Look at the leader's responses, and how the leader dodges the questions instead of being upfront and honest about their group. That's definitely an obvious sign of the cult.
2. She's already lying about what she is doing and etc.

b. Isolation (spending more and more time with the Bible study to the point of missing out on your mom's birthday)

c. Control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking (your sister is already showing this behavior as well).

d. Keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigate

This will only increase as she continues spending more time with this bible study, and if she decides to pass over, more and more of her time will be gradually taken up as she gets sucked into the cult activities.

Being more specific: at first she will only have to attend Sunday service, then Wednesday and Sunday service, then spend more time recruiting, then join that class (often times as a "leaf" to spy on the newcomers and set the mood of the class, which is a perfect example of the Asch Conformity Test found here:
https://www.simplypsychology.org/asch-conformity.html)

To get her out, I would recommend talking to your pastor, being there and loving her (by gently reminding her of the situation she's in, and providing her a "reality check"), and if necessary, reaching out to a cult expert like Steven Hassan.

Also, there are plenty of threads that go into detail about MHL's deceptive past, failed prophecies, and verses that back up the notion that SCJ is a false doctrine.

https://shinchonjiandthebible.blogspot.com/

The above URL is a good starting point.

Same way that there are so many people who believe in the Bible, which is also very obviously untrue. Child indoctrination. If you really want to dig into the psychological process, I'd recommend https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113

Your feelings are valid. We all have them. It’s important you understand entirely how mind control works. It is everywhere. Religion. Politics. Business & self improvement groups. You need this book ASAP

https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113

It is very very very important you understand no invisible being up In the sky is getting ready to burn you at Armaggedon (you find out this is also a lie-give it time) for questioning the religion. If he’s up there...he wants you to do exactly that. Research. This is your life/journey. You get to choose what you want to believe or not believe. It won’t happen overnight that you shake these doubts your having. But I promise you I was where you are now 3 years ago. I became a Christian after I left. Now I am agnostic after researching the bible.

“Life presents the greatest opportunity brilliantly disguised as the biggest disaster”.

Just know that even after you leave. Not even ex-jw’s agree on if there’s a God/God’s/or no God. And that’s the beauty in freedom. It doesn’t matter what others believe. What matters is what you chose to believe ❤️

Here is my letter I wrote to my family as to why I was leaving. I still agree with the sentiments if I was still a Christian. I only used JW publications to prove we were being taught lies.

https://www.bcbpa.com/anonymous-canada

I identify as Agnostic now tho

One of the best books I have read on the topic Combatting Cult Mind Control: The #1 Best-selling Guide to Protection, Rescue, and Recovery from Destructive Cults

> https://www.amazon.com/dp/0892813113/

ok thanks

Qui!

Sì è qualcosa di molto sottile il tipo di indottrinamento che fanno loro (e purtroppo tanti altri). Se vuoi leggere qualcosa sull'argomento ti consiglio questo.

Grazie mille per le tue parole! :)

Welcome! Congrats on waking up! I woke up about six months ago, stopped cold turkey, my wife still goes with our two daughters.

Take it very slow with your husband, I made the mistake being too critical of the org straight away and my wife's wall went up. Read Combatting Cult Mind Control by Steven Hassan to understand how someone in a cult has blinders on to any outside information. Learn critical thinking, how to spot logical fallacies, research the socratic method. Ask questions instead of making statements. You cant wake someone up, they have to do it on their own. Hope that helps, good luck!

Looks like you need this book

https://www.amazon.com/Combatting-Cult-Mind-Control-Best-selling/dp/0892813113