402- BITE model 3 : Cult control over Thought

Steven Hassan's list is my current reference list for the BITE model used by cults to control their followers. 

BITE stands for the four control types, which are : Behavior, Information, Thought, and Emotions. 

I continue this blog series with the third type of control : manipulation of Thought.

The list is as follows:

1. Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth 
   a. Adopting the group's ‘map of reality’ as reality 
   b. Instill black and white thinking,  c. Decide between good vs. evil 

d. Organize people into us vs. them (insiders vs. outsiders) 
2.Change person’s name and identity 
3. Use of loaded language and clichés which constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts and reduce complexities into platitudinous buzz words 
4. Encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts 
5. Hypnotic techniques are used to alter mental states, undermine critical thinking and even to age regress the member 
6. Memories are manipulated and false memories are created 
7. Teaching thought-stopping techniques which shut down reality testing by stopping negative thoughts and allowing only positive thoughts, including: 
   a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking 
   b. Chanting  ; c. Meditating  ;   d. Praying 
   e. Speaking in tongues ;  f. Singing or humming 
8. Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism 
9. Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy
10. Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful

Let me detail these, one group at a time:

1. Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth

You can easily see the purpose of the 4 points listed under that heading. They divide the world into two main groups of people, the cult followers who are believers in it, and everyone else.  It creates a reality, adjacent to the real one, from which is member is told to be false, a projection, an illusion caused by the devil (or any equivalent in the specific cult), aiming to distract them from faith and stray them into sin. Henceforth, believers must turn their backs on their past, and on this external, illusory world, to preserve their souls and insure their safety for the end of times. 

2. Change person’s name and identity 

This very common practice has several goals: 

Cutting ties with past, a person is called a (so-called) with their spiritual name, instead of their illusory one. It confuses the person, with continual changes in their names. 

Confuse authorities and makes it harder to find what happened to specific people, as these name changes aren't always done legally, just within the cult. 

3. Use of loaded language... is quite understandable: if you are drowned in distorted, reworded content of language to suit the needs of the cult, you are less likely to find fault, because your brain will be busy hovering nonsensical content and be lost in it. It's one way to keep members under control, of un-knowledge.

In the case of cults, loaded languages tend to be esoteric or mystical in nature, such as new-age terminologies, clichés which are usually borrowed from elsewhere, and takes away their capacity to analyse and critically evaluate what is told to them. There is  usually an undertone of ''don't question what I say, because it's a dividine revelation and by definition, it is true. I'm infallaible". Thus, the follower cannot question the validity or even the definitions of these supposed divine messages given to them via the cult leadership. 

Knowledge is constricted via these clichés and loaded, mystical words, which have no real meaning and keep the cult follower busy, thinking that he or she doesn't know things well, and need to understand these divine revelations as much as the hierarchy allows. After all, he or she isn't The Chosen One, but granted a privilege. 

Thus, the emotional responses elicited from members is that of awe, wonder and humble acceptance of whatever is told about the Truth. 

Finally, without critical capacities, the member is emotionally dependent on the cult's insight and guidance, on the cult's emotional support of their spiritual efforts.

This leads naturally to 4. Encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts, where 'good' means acceptable by the religious dogma : it abolishes certain words, because without their use, the member may not be able to question authority, find curious ideals and ideas from without, and thus, be kept within. Anything 'not good and proper' is a sin, as viewed by the cult.

5. Mental states and 6. memories can be altered in cults, be it through drugs, hypnosis and other falsehoods. These undermine the person's abilities in critical, logical thinking, and thus, they don't notice all the incongruities and impossibilities of their faiths. 

Because it's a lengthy, mouthful point, I list 7 entirely here :

7. Teaching thought-stopping techniques which shut down reality testing by stopping negative thoughts and allowing only positive thoughts, including: 
   a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking 
   b. Chanting  ; c. Meditating  ;   d. Praying 
   e. Speaking in tongues ;  f. Singing or humming 

These techniques further ensure, so the cults hope, to break down a person's ability to think for themselves. They have to wish and pray for their salvation, as well as forgiveness from their superiors in the hierarchy and from god ; a place in the aftermath of whatever end of the world scenario used. 

These thoughts deny any kind of rationally or scientifically proven reality. It can be simple, or complex. About any topic, and usually quite a few subjects. 

The cults actions are justifed, even against laws, opposing religious dogma and faith, to legality. 

These techniques include those mind-numbing actions of prayers (long or short, many or few) ; meditation (not all of these are for well-being, as in cults they are meant to disconnect you from the world and quiet your mind to anything but god and reverence of faith).

Chanting, singing or humming is that repetition of a phrase or songs that are said many times a day, even in the thousands. What don't you do when you chant? question authority, act to leave, and so on. It catches you in a cliché of spiritual duty. 

Speaking in tongues may not be automatic, some cults never do that, but when they do, on top of their loaded language, this is yet another way to keep the member's brains otherwise occupied than on curiosity and rebellion, trapped in cycles of faith VS the outside world. 

8. Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism+ 

9. Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy +
10. Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful

All these 8, 9 and 10 share common points : that of dividing thinking and thoughts of followers, believers, VS the world. Faith VS damnation. You cannot ask the veracity or origin of the faith that is told to you, you must follow it blindly, never doubting and respecting any order. You must comply, that's all there is to it. 

Since critical thinking may lead members to question and depart, it is quashed as the root, through indoctrination, repetition, debasing (will discuss in the emotional control), constant surveillance and other policies, rules, guidelines and spiritual duties, to literally drown the believer in such a way that most never even start the process of questioning, because they are fully immersed in that muck. 

(1238 words)