Kristen Gyles | Cults and the isolation strategy

Ninety-five dead bodies, and counting.

So far, at least 95 peop;e would have fatally succumbed to the brainwashing of a pastor in Kenya, who convinced his followers to starve themselves to death in order to see Jesus. Bodies are still being discovered, it seems. This particular case isn’t unique. It wouldn’t be the first that a religious leader would have managed to brainwash droves of ordinary people who once would have led ordinary lives. But for some reason, this one hurts in a way that is hard to explain.

Death by voluntary starvation is no easy feat. The determination and conviction required to willingly die such a slow, agonising, and frightening death, is no joke. Yet, close to 100 people had become so certain about their pastor that they were willing, not just to die at his instruction, but to die after a several days long, painful process of bodily harm and disfiguration, with nothing more than his assurance of something better on the other side of the grave.

Just under 1,000 committed mass suicide in Jonestown, Guyana after political activist-turned-preacher Jim Jones coaxed them into making their exit. But, we don’t have to go that far. Right here in Jamaica, pepple have lost their lives due to cult activities.

From the outside, it’s hard to understand how cults grow to prominence in the first instance. It’s even harder to understand how they last for as long as they do. The most ignorant amongt us will say cult victims are just stupid or lack intelligence, but by now most of us know that ordinary people, much like our own neighbours, work colleagues and other acquaintances, do become brainwashed and that psychological manipulation is a real threat, even to the average person. After all, cult victims are typically, average people.

PRACTICAL FACTORS

While the upsetting nature of cult crimes are often discussed, we seem generally less inclined to talk about the practical factors that create the breeding ground for cults, and the strategies cult leaders use to beef up their following. One of the biggest tactics cult leaders and their members use to recruit new blood is isolating their victims. The isolation is usually psychological or social first, and eventually, physical. In some cases, they make out that dissenting family members who can’t see eye to eye with their dogma are devil-sent or simply haven’t seen ‘the light’. A crafty cult leader may even convince the poor victim that since light has no fellowship with darkness, he or she must separate from the darkness exuding from their unbelieving family or friend group. In other cases, cult leaders immediately create an allure or illusion of some greater experience to be had (whether spiritually or otherwise) at another physical location somewhere, thereby getting the victim to willingly pack up everything and walk away from everything and everyone they know.

Given this strategy, those most at risk of being targetted by cults are those who are already isolated from family members and friends. Many of us live in isolation and don’t even realise it. We are physically surrounded by people, but socially, we are very lonely and very distrustful of the people we live around. It is therefore not very difficult for outsiders to get us to dissociate from our family and friends since we never trusted them in the first place and since we were never really connected to begin with.

COMMUNAL DWELLING

Unfortunately, many cults eventually introduce the proposal of a communal dwelling. From there, it becomes even more difficult for a cult member to break free from the psychological hold of the rest of the herd. This is obviously not to say that every communal dwelling is occupied by a cult, but history has taught us that there are very distinct risks that arise when large, private groups lock themselves away and restrict all outside access. Firstly, the group is usually at the sole mercy of the cult leader. There are no police to call, no prisons for bad guys, no real laws to be bound by and no assurance that the cult leader won’t have a funny dream one night and wake up the next morning with a brand new vision for his flock. Usually, when this happens, cult members are likely to suppress any inkling that something has gone wrong. After all, so much would have already been invested into their new life and purpose, and so much would have already been left behind.

We live in a free society, where everyone is free to spread their version of what they believe the good news is, whether it be of a spiritual nature or otherwise. While we are free to consider the many colourful philosophies floating around, it is also important to protect the mind from the many manipulative strategies used by the many modern-day philosophers. One defence is to be wary of people who try to separate you from loved ones and try to break up the most solid relationships you have, especially on the grounds of religion. These people might mean you well, but it is quite likely they won’t do you well.

Kristen Gyles is a free-thinking public affairs opinionator. Send feedback to kristengyles@gmail.com.