#Vulnerable then that's not a religion that's a cult. Especially led by 1 (one) person???? | Explore Tumblr Posts and Blogs

solesurvivorkat · 5 years

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Get to know my character

OC asks from @pathfinderyderss and @iheardtheowlcallmenames (answered in a regular post b/c the Android Tumblr app is evil, lol)

( ^^^------- Sarah’s faceclaim, actress Katie McGrath)

3) What would be their favorite physical trait about themselves?

Sarah's favorite trait is also one that secretly causes her a little sadness as well: the fact that she looks very much like her (deceased) mother. She suspects it's one a few reasons why her father (who was never the same after the loss of his wife) distanced himself from her.

11) What is something that would make your character fly into a rage?

Seeing people picked on or bullied is something Sarah can't tolerate, as she was often bullied growing up herself. Because of that and her religious background, she always strives to protect the weak, the needy, and/or the downtrodden (one of the factors that ultimately led her to become a junior deputy).

15) Is there a certain person in this world that they cannot stand? The very mention of this person's name makes them tremble with anger or fear.

At the moment, that 'lucky' individual happens to be one Jacob Seed. After everything he put Sarah through in the Whitetail Mountains (including brainwashing her and attempting to force her to kill Eli), the very thought of him makes her tremble with both anger and fear (...mostly anger, though). She's stayed away from the Whitetail region ever since what happened to Eli - but she knows that sooner or later, she'll have to go back and deal with things one way or the other...

17) Does you character have dreams of getting married and/or having children?

Sarah was engaged once..... it didn't work out. Before and after then, she never received much positive attention from people. Deep down, she'd probably like the thought of giving her heart to the right person and maybe starting a family of her own... but since she's hesitant/afraid to give herself completely to anyone, having been hurt by people before, the thought hasn't really occurred to her as something that's even on the horizon, unfortunately.

20) Does your character like animals? What are some of their favorite animals? Would they want pets? What about mythological creatures?

Sarah definitely likes animals... better than people, sometimes. They do what they need to in order to survive, not necessarily to be cruel or manipulative (for the most part), like people are prone to do. She became fast friends with Boomer, and even though they scared the hell out of her at first she quickly grew to care for Peaches and Cheeseburger as well (and they her, also). Up until 'the Reaping' she hadn't had time for pets, but if things EVER 'settle down', maybe she'd consider one in the future.

As for mythological creatures, she once read a story in the bible about a dragon and has thought they were kind of neat ever since (Revelations 12, for the curious. Revelations is also Joseph Seed’s ‘favorite’ bible section, remember? Lol). But really, anything imaginative can be fun for her to think about, since she was often ‘encouraged’ (lectured) by her father to concentrate on her studies and not get ‘distracted with trivial things’.

29) What is one of the most courageous things your character has ever done for a loved one?

Unfortunately Sarah doesn’t have too many loved ones, and maybe this isn’t necessarily ‘courageous’, but she once tried to learn sign language to communicate with one of her father’s housekeepers. The woman, Ruth, was deaf, and the small staff of hired help was directed to simply ‘do their job’ and not to ‘distract’ David or Sarah Rook. Sarah took pity on Ruth and, often being lonely herself, used some of her free time to learn to sign. She and Ruth started developing a makeshift friendship, with Ruth even teaching her a few more signs - but Sarah’s father eventually caught onto this and soon replaced Ruth with a different woman who didn’t pay Sarah any mind. Sarah always resented that her father took Ruth away from her, and got her ears pierced as an act of rebellion (the 1st of 3 pairs in her ears. David Rook was not thrilled. Each subsequent pair was done as a different act of defiance - but that’s another story. ;-) ).

...And of course, she has done many good deeds for the people of Hope County as well. ^.^

30) When it comes to the arts (music, film, theater, etc), what does your character like?

Sarah didn’t have a lot of people to go to the movies (or theater) with growing up (her mom was gone, father always working, and she didn’t have many friends), so the ones she’s seen, she usually caught on TV. That said, she’s a true ‘geek’ at heart and tends to enjoy ‘the classics’: Star Wars, Indiana Jones, Back to the Future, Jurassic Park, the Lord of the Rings movies, Disney movies, superhero movies, etc.

As for music, she enjoys classic/soft rock, and often listens to the music that Wheaty plays on his radio station (though she might enjoy a showtune every now and then... hey, just because she’s never seen it doesn’t mean she’s never heard it). She might not be a disco fan, but will indulge Sharky on the few occasions she lets him drive (lol).

40) Does your OC have any guilty pleasures they enjoy? Hobbies, pastimes, music, etc that they wouldn't want known by others?

Sarah has extensive knowledge of the bible - she was often lonely growing up, and before her mom died she’d encouraged her to turn to ‘the good book’ whenever her heart felt heavy. She hides her religious side from others 1) because she was often picked on about it in school - sometimes very cruelly - and 2) because a certain religious cult in Hope County brings negative connotations to anything related to religion, and she doesn’t want people to misunderstand/misjudge her based on the negative actions of others. Even Pastor Jerome doesn’t know about this side of her - not that she’s worried about him judging her, but she’s just so used to ‘hiding’ that she doesn’t share this part of herself with anyone anymore (so far). She even hides her silver cross necklace (which once belonged to her mother) under her clothing all the time.

When she wasn’t reading the bible, she’d love visiting the picturesque ‘fish church’ in Stamford, CT (real church, to be mentioned in an upcoming chapter of ‘The Book of John‘), or going to the coast (she loves the beauty of the beach and the ocean - one of the things she misses about New England).

43) Does your character have a switch that changes aspects of their personality whether they are around friends, family, etc. Is there someone who gets to see their true self?

As said in the previous answer, Sarah hides her religious side away from others, not wanting to be ostracized (again). Especially nowadays, where she’s finally beginning to make friends in Hope County - friends aren’t something she’s really used to, and she really doesn’t want to risk losing them and being alone all over again. Trust is something she has trouble with, and opening herself up to others is very difficult, so she puts up a tough front and - while joking around and being friendly to others - hides her ‘true self’ away.

The only person she's slowly showing her ‘true self’ to is someone who half-forces it out of her, half-coaxes it out by gradually revealing vulnerabilities of his own (...funny what abducting someone, tying them to a chair, and talking with them at great length can do for your resolve, lol).

#far cry 5 #deputy #female deputy #junior deputy #deputy rook #deputy sarah rook #sarah rook #my oc #my far cry 5 oc #oc asks #oc ask prompt #oc ask meme #oc ask #wtf tumblr #the android tumblr app suuuuuuuux

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cultvault · 4 years

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Introduction to Cults

Cult Vault – Episode One – An Introduction to Cults

Could you be convinced to kill someone? how about yourself? most people would answer no right? How about this... What would you say to someone if you wanted to convince them to do these terrible things? How would you make them believe that what they are doing is right EVEN when they know they are breaking the law or hurting themselves?

This is Cult Vault, welcome to the club. Out of a morbid curiosity I am going to be looking into the stories and people from some of the most famous Cults in history and finding out just how people have been convinced and coerced into committing terrible crimes and even convinced into killing themselves in the name of someone else.

Hello followers and welcome to The Cult Vault. I am your speaker Kacey and thank you for joining me today. Like many of you I am sure, I have a fascination with things I do not fully understand, things that seem irrational or almost impossible to me. For several years, I have been interested in the psyche of serial killers, the unsolved mysteries of the world and, of course, Cults. My own morbid curiosity has led me to these twisted tales but I also feel it is important for these stories to be retold to ensure heinous acts from history are not repeated and the victims and families of those affected have their stories told too. Each episode, it is my aim to explore a single notorious Cult. Stretching from The Manson Family through to UFO Cults and exploring groups that are now classed as religions in between. Delving into Cult history, I hope to provide an in-depth insight into the minds and worlds of Cult leaders and the members that resided and sometimes still reside within them. How did these group forms? When did the group become a Cult? what really happened inside these social circles? Let us look. Before we dive in to our first Cult account, I think it is important to establish some context.

This week I would like to talk to you about the history of Cults, to offer a better understanding of the etymology of the word Cult and how it became known in the way we know it today. I think the word Cult is difficult to define, especially because it was not always seen as a bad word. Once we have established some things, it should be easier to explore Cults throughout history and to even look at groups that share characteristics of Cults but are not necessarily evil. The word Cult was not always known to have the negative connotations the word has today.

Cult is derived from the Latin word "Cultus” which means to till, care for and or Cultivate. Throughout time, the word was often used when sacrifices, offerings and statues would be presented to Gods and Deities. These offerings and the Worship of these Gods usually took place in Temples, Shrines and Churches. Eventually, any religious movement that was known as strange, unusual or working outside of mainstream religions would be classed as a Cult or a Sect.

The definition of Cult today differs slightly depending on what you are reading. The oxford dictionary says that Cult is “A system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure of object". Likewise, the Cambridge dictionary describes the word Cult as "A religious group, often living together, whose beliefs are considered extreme or strange by many people. Dictionary.Com says, "A particular system of religious worship with reference to its rites and ceremonies". Seems obvious, right? but... when I first read these descriptions, I felt like any of these explanations could be applied to most mainstream religions. Author Reza Aslan is quoted saying "Every Prophet of every major religion can be considered a charismatic leader" He also says that "The biggest joke in religious studies is Cult + time = religion". It was Professor of Sociology Janja Lalilch who summarised the word Cult in the way I have come to understand it. She says "It's really not a belief system per se, it's about the behaviours of the group and the ways in which it uses various methods of influence and control to manipulate and exploit its members". Likewise, to this, documentary series "Explained" and their episode titled "Cults" say that a Cult is quote "A group led by charismatic leaders with extreme beliefs and followers". Examples of these charismatic leaders includes David Koresh, Charles Manson, Marshall Applewhite, these are three names that easily fit into that category. Figures like these who would be responsible for causing the definition of Cult to become something more derogatory. Not before the word would gain most of its negative associations after the Jonestown Massacre of 1978, where 918 members of The People's Temple were led by Jim Jones to their death by Cyanide Poisoning. This Cult Case is covered in episode two of this podcast.

But I am still left with these questions: what characterises a Cult? how do Cults form? and why are some so successful in the destruction of thousands of lives? Janja Lalich says in the episode of explained that there are 3 characteristics of Cults:

1) "A Cult is a group or a social movement that is led by a charismatic leader who is authoritarian and who demands to be revered as a Godlike figure"

2) "The group has some form of indoctrination programme, sometimes called thought reform"

3) "Exploitation. Either sexual, financial. Some type of exploitation of its members".

In order to understand this better, I did some quick research in order to find some examples of real-life occurrences and experiences from Cult members that fit into these three categories

Number 1 - The Charismatic leader who demands to be revered as a Godlike Figure.

Former Cult member Briell Decker spoke to The Guardian about her time within one of the largest divisions of Mormonism, The Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-Day Saints or FLDS for short. She was the 65th wife of leader Warren Jeffs. She talks about quote "being terrified" on her wedding day to Jeffs. She says they never consummated the marriage, but that Jeffs gave her “some bad trainings”, an FLDS euphemism for teaching scripture, but often including sexual acts that Jeffs claimed were ordained by God. When chilling audio tapes of him teaching his wives how to please him sexually were entered into evidence during his trial, he referred to them as “heavenly trainings”. - sounds like someone with a God complex, doesn't it?

Looking at step 2, an indoctrination programme often called thought reform. I did some research into thought reform and the term also refers to brainwashing. mind control or coercive persuasion. A section of the Guardian article about Warren Jeffs reads quote, "a tall, slim man with dark eyes, has been president and prophet of FLDS since 2002, Soon after he assumed the leadership, he began splitting families apart, taking young girls as his own brides, and excommunicating members, mainly young men, from the church. He banned socialising, as well as contact with the outside world. Jeffs, now 62, has wed around 80 women and children over the years, though the state doesn’t recognise these marriages" - I look more at the some of the indoctrination methods often used a little later

And lastly the third characteristic, Exploitation. Looking again at Warren Jeffs, KUTV reports a woman, identified only as "R.H.," is accusing Jeffs and other leaders of FLDS of carrying out a "calculated plan" to sexually abuse underage girls as part of quote "religious rituals. according to a lawsuit R.H brought against Jeffs; the abuse began when she was 8 years old". end quote

In 2011, he began a life sentence for sexually assaulting two girls aged 12 and 14, whom he described as his “spiritual wives”. Now, I don't know about you, but with these three characteristics showing us what makes a Cult, wouldn’t it be easy to spot a group like this? surely people can see Cults a mile away? then how do so many still find themselves within the clutches of a Cult.

I mentioned earlier that we would look further into the how this could happen and so...the Explained documentary says quote "We present to you, seven elements that social scientists say can lead to indoctrination into a Cult"

1) Transition. When someone is going through a turbulent time with lots of changes, they are often more vulnerable than usual. This can sometimes be a time when people may be open to trying new things.

2) The soft sell. You are welcomed to a new group with open arms and initially without judgement

3) A new reality. You spend so much time within this self-sealing environment that anyone outside of this group is wrong and only you know what is right and you know this because of step 4

4) The dear leader. This is the person pulling the strings, running the show. The person all members want to be close to, will do anything for, believe without a doubt in everything they say.

5) The enemy. The common enemy of the group.

6) Peer Pressure - all eyes on you to conform, peer pressure starts to do the leaders job for them, and it is likely that the leader is step 7:

7) A likely sociopathic narcissist is the one true leader you follow.

1) Transition or Crossroads - when someone is going through significant change in their lives

I recently moved to a new neighbourhood and soon after had a baby. I found myself looking for local baby and toddler groups or even knitting groups. It is often people moving to these new places and looking for groups to join that lead to them being indoctrinated into a Cult. Cult Witness, a 2009 documentary I watched on Amazon Prime, follows Samuel Stefan. At the age of 19, he was drawn into a Cult. He talks about going through a difficult time in his life, asking age old existentialist questions, wondering where he was going in life and what was his purpose. It was during this vulnerable mindset that he was manipulated into a small religious group. Stefan would spend 10 years of his life being subjected to manipulation, exploitation and violence before escaping through the woods in the dead of night.

An article on insider.com titled "I grew up in a Cult and i can tell you why "normal" people join" also offered some insight into the first stage of indoctrination. Fleur Brown shares what it was like to grow up as part of the Worldwide Church of God, a Cult-like religious organisation. Brown says quote "When my mum lost her dad in her early twenties, she was looking for answers and a soft place to land". This was also during the 1970's, the big love movement, but also an era of uncertainty with racial tensions at an all-time high and the Vietnam war, history shows us that many of these Cult-like groups appeared during this age. From all the research I have gathered, it appears that tragic times in history were a breeding ground for groups to take advantage of the vulnerable. Widowed wives of war, traumatised soldiers, bereaved sons and daughters, those of colour living within the margins of society. Still, what comes after finding solace in what seems a likeminded group of people? Step 2.

2)The Soft Sell - Imagine you are grieving and hurting or living in lonely circumstances seeking friendship. You decide to go to a group and within this group that tell you that they hold the answers to all your questions. and then, you realise that every single person is so warm and friendly, inviting and in sync with you. They share the same values and the same interests, and they make you feel instantly like you destined to be a part of this group and to find these people and have them as your friends. Brown goes on to say in her article "anyone who had a brush with someone from our Church group, it felt like heaven on earth for new recruits who were often battered and bruised by life's tribulations". She also mentions how "The indoctrination process was the best part of being in the group. New people were intensely quizzed about their past, offered home cooked meals and support around the home, had their dance card filled with social events, love bombed." end quote.

So, there you have it, you are hurting or lost, a small group offers a friendly hand. They may call you a few times a week, asking when they will see you again. Or even stop by your house and ask if you are coming to the group tonight. You are now part of something much bigger than you realise. So, what is next? Step 3.

3) New Reality - It seems at this stage, everything you know and understand about the world is slowly stripped with each moment spent inside this group. Brown mentions how "birthday celebrations were the pinnacle of self-focus and were banned along with the pagan celebrations of Christmas and Easter, that caused me no end of embarrassment at school and kept me from forging deep connections with my nonchurch peers". So once your questions of doubt around the group start to fade and your reality slowly shifts into something new, and slowly the niceness and the answers to all your life questions seem a million miles away, what keeps you in this group? Number 4.

4) The Dear Leader - anything they say goes, anything they say is true, its gospel and you believe it. They are the only one who can take you on the path to eutopia and all the answers you seek. John Turton, an Ex Full Gospel Mission member of Camp David explains in the documentary "How to Spot a Cult" about the need for group members to get close to its leader. "We used to wash each other’s feet, which was a humbling kind of thing to do to each other. You can imagine the effort and strive that people would want to be the one to wash his feet, and this particular woman, she was so desperate to wash his feet, that he'd already been done by somebody and he had his socks and shoes on. So, he put his shoes and socks and all, straight into the bowl to protest at the same time, make a bit of fun" So now, you've gone from being lost to being found, surrounded by love. You have had your ideologies and reality shifted and you follow one leader and their every word. And always, their word will revolve about number 5.

5) The Enemy - every Cult has one - With Jim Jones it was nuclear war, with Charles Manson it was an apocalyptic race war. Using a common enemy within the group provided rhetoric these charismatic leaders can use to further instil fear and manipulation into their groups. Samie Brosseau, former member of The Twelve Tribes, told Explained quote "you're going to be raped, you're going to be beaten, you're going to be left in a ditch. He said all these horrible things about what would happen to me if I left because the world was such an evil place". end quote.

So, if leaving means pain, torture, death, it may be inevitable that you remain in the arms and comfort of the Cult leader. And if you do decide to leave? or some of the ideals of the group do not sit well with you? Then its step 6.

6) Peer Pressure - Surely, you have experienced it at some point? The pressure to have an alcoholic drink before the legal age or... smoke a cigarette or skip school for the day?

After his 10 years of Cult life, Samuel Stefan was chased through the woods on the night of his escape from the Cult. He talks of how his pursuers were ordered to punish him, threaten him and to break his will again. Briell Decker explains that her escape from Warren Jeffs has cost her the relationships of family members including her children who have disowned her for leaving. Peer pressure is quite a thing, I am sure at some point most of you think back to a time you were peer pressured into something. A famous experiment by Solomon Asch, coined the Asch experiment, was one of conformity. He sat several participants in a room, all were in on the experiment apart from 1. He showed everyone a piece of paper with 5 lines. He then asked everyone to tell him which line on right, out of the 4 lines, was the same length as the line on the left. All the participants pointed to a line that clearly was not the right answer, but under peer pressure, the 1 true participant chose the same line. Again, this level of manipulation, of brainwashing and pressure. It starts to paint a true picture of how hard it must be to leave a Cult or see through the twisted ideology. Which leads us to our last of 7 steps of indoctrination into a Cult: step 7

7) A sociopathic narcissist - Laura Johnston Kohl, a former member of The People's Temple has quoted Jim Jones as saying "you couldn't live without me, so since I’m dying, you're gonna die too" and on that very fateful day, he led 918 to their deaths in Jonestown before taking his own life with a gun. So, with this cognitive dissonance, these tragedies that happen as a result of mass followers and warped leaders, do you think you could be in a Cult? or know someone who is?

Steven Hassan is a former Cult member. Being an Ex-Unification Church Leader who became a member in the 1970's at age 19 but left after almost 3 years and began describing to the world that recruitment into the church has quote "unethical use of powerful psychological influence techniques by members of the church". Hassan is now an American Mental Health Counsellor; he runs a centre for victims of Cult mind control and is one of the world’s leading experts on Cults. He released his most famous text in 1988 called "combatting mind control" and still releases new texts to this day.

Hassan has created what is known as the BITE model. Behaviour, information, thought and emotional control. In each quadrant, he lists techniques used by Cults to indoctrinate and brainwash its followers. By using this information, we can ascertain where a Cult lands on the BITE scale and predict its impact and severity on members and the Cults level of control.

Behaviour control includes -

· Promoting dependence and obedience

· Modifying behaviour with rewards and punishment

· Dictate where and with whom you live

· Restrict or control sexuality

· Control clothing and hairstyle

· Regulate what you eat and drink and how much

· Deprive you of 7-9 hours’ sleep

· Exploit you financially

· Restrict leisure time and activity

· Require you to seek permissions for major decisions

Information control includes -

· Deliberately withhold and distort information

· Forbid you from speaking with ex-members and critics

· Discourage access to non-Cult sources of information

· Divide information into insider vs outsider doctrine

· Generate and use propaganda extensively

· Use information gained in confession sessions against you

· Gaslight to make you doubt your own memory

· Require yout o report thoughts, feelings and activities

· Encourage you to spy and report others "misconduct"

Thought control includes -

· Instil black vs white, Us vs Them and Good vs Evil

· Change your identity, possibly even your name

· Use loaded language and clichés to stop complex thought

· Induce Hypnotic or trance states

· Teach thought stopping techniques to prevent critical thoughts

· Allow only positive thoughts

· Use excessive meditation, singing, prayer and chanting to block thoughts

· Reject rationalising analysis, critical thinking and doubt

Emotional control includes -

· Instil irrational fears (phobias) of questioning or leaving the group

· Label some emotional as evil, worldly, sinful or wrong

· Teach emotion stopping techniques to prevent anger and homesickness

· Promote feelings of guilt, shame and unworthiness

· Shower you with praise and attention (also known as lovebombing)

· Threaten your friends and family

· Shun you if you disobey orders or disbelieve

· Teach that there is no happiness or peace outside the group

From this, the BITE model will provide a score which can determine the level of control the group is using.

· 1-10 is Mildly dangerous and could lead later to lack of emotional development for members

· 11-24 is Moderately dangerous and could lead to severe trauma or PTSD for members

· 25 to 35 is Severe and could lead to lethal or dangerous outcomes.

So, how many people today are wrapped up within Cult groups or sects?

Explained says quote "it is impossible to know how many Cults are currently active because “most Cults insist they aren’t Cults and almost nobody in a Cult realises they are in one".

Wow, lots of information and history and quotes. I think we should leave it here for today. But not before quickly peeking into what the world looks like today.

The internet, technology and the new age pose significant threats for Cults to form. The recent mass amounts of scandals within the entertainment industry and rumours of sex Cults. The conspiracy of the Trump presidency being a religious Cult. And this is after all historical accounts of Cults we have yet to dive into. With political, financial, sexual and online Cults forming within the last decade, and UFO's having an entirely separate subcategory labelled UFO Cults. I think it is safe to say that we will have plenty of content going to keep us busy for an exceptionally long time. Thank you so much for joining me. and I hope you look forward to the next episode, diving deep into the psyche of Jim Jones and the events that led to the infamous massacre in Jonestown.

One last thing before I go, I would like to say a massive thank you to my good friend Meg for drawing up the cover art for this podcast. Although some may say it is controversial, it references with a small nod those in this community who recognise the infamous Manson. Meg is an artist and available for commission, please get in touch for personalised and quality pieces of art.

Sources:

· -https://www.theguardian.com/world/2018/oct/13/woman-escaped-Cult-hq-flds-refuge

· -https://www.cbsnews.com/news/warren-jeffs-imprisoned-polygamist-leader-had-mental-breakdown-lawyer-says/

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

· -Cult Witness Documentary by Samuel Stefan

· -Explained Documentary Episode titled "Cults" by Ezra Klein and Joe Posner

· -How to spot a Cult Documentary by The Gibson Group

· -New Age Cults Documentary by Director Robert Gremson

· -Oxford Dictionary

· -Cambridge Dictionary

· -Dictionary.com

· -https://www.businessinsider.com/i-grew-up-in-a-Cult-and-i-can-tell-you-why-normal-people-join-them-2018-3?r=US&IR=T

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

· Steven Hassan “Combatting Mind Control” 1988

· https://freedomofmind.com/ - Cult Support

· https://cultinformation.org.uk/ - Cult Support UK

#cults #jimjones #thepeoplestemple #culture #history #steven hassan #podcast

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