DEALING WITH CULTS
What do we do?
I have experienced much frustration in dealing with cult members. The frustration is greater when the cult members are close to me, or are people whose judgement I previously respected.
For example, one acquaintance would work in his office with his radio blaring Rush Limbaugh diatribes. How did this practice affect my acquaintance’s behavior? His speech became irascible and profane, affecting his behavior. Did friends and family grow distant from the wrath that he exuded? At other times he thought that he was doing online research but was actually frequenting “far right” websites. How aware was he of the propaganda that he was absorbing?
In a similar case, the cult member was an otherwise kind person who exhibited Christian compassion in his life. He also played extremist radio all day long. How was the cultic influence connected to his way of processing information? Was he also being indoctrinated at his religious community?
Another acquaintance enjoyed great business success. His awareness of reality was significantly based on what he heard from Fox News commentators— he did not read serious newspapers or magazines. His political interests were best described by his motto “As long as they don’t increase my taxes I don’t care.” That quoted phrase sadly resonates with “I REALLY DON’T CARE DO YOU?” message printed on the POTUS 45’s wife’s jacket that she wore while visiting in 2018 a Texas facility housing migrant children separated from their parents.
These acquaintances got hooked by the POTUS 45 cult. They rejected all things progressive. Conspiracy theories dominated their intellect. The analytical skills to separate fact from fiction faded away…
I could go on and on. Readers can probably cite similar cases.
These cases are very painful to share, but they are ubiquitous.
We are dealing with a cult whose adherents refuse to look, refuse to listen, and when they look and listen are shielded by their cultic indoctrination from seeing and hearing reality.
What do we do to extricate people so susceptible to propaganda? What drives people to get intoxicated by propaganda? What is the role of personality in these cases?
When hate and intolerance is all you hear and read repeatedly, you start to imitate it. They’ve been indoctrinated. The only thing that will ever change their mind is the almighty dollar.
How much of hate, jealousy and fear of the "other" is just innate? How much is cultivated by parents and friends - let alone the "hate media"? Aren't we all products of some sort influences or actually "training"?
I grew up in a household where my folks judged people by their behavior - nothing else. Dad enjoyed mentoring an Indian (from India) co-worker. He loved telling us stories about this guy's adaptation to life in the US.
My folks never used the word God. They went to a church until they lost interest and my Mom's mobility became an issue. But there was no religious stuff at our table. Just a sense that fairness and equality were basic to living a good life.
Their best friends were pious Irish Catholics. Different politics. Drove different brands of cars. But they all loved each other.
I'm for any religion that teaches tolerance, the Golden Rule and welcoming the neighbor. Respect for the planet would help. I know there are people of faith who agree on these basics.
But at the risk of a gross sweeping generalization, churches and preachers have done as much damage as Rush Limbaugh and Fox "News". Too many Baptists teach hate. Too many Catholics have advocated for the death of mothers. Even Buddhists in Myanmar have performed genocide.
This evil has always been there. Donald Trump opened Pandoras Box and encouraged the worst in us. I don't believe in a Devil. But I might need to change my mind.