I truly believe that the root reason of why so many people succumb to mind-controlled practices is out of fear. The Bible teaches that “perfect love casts out fear.”
Fear is only overcome when it is faced- but that is so much easier said than done. Fear has a very deep and complex root system, buried in dark, earthy placed. It takes work to dig it all out and in the meantime what is it that we deal with? The fire-breathing, scaly fear monster itself- and it is prepared to torment us every step of the way. Only perfect love- which is God, can cast it out. Perfect love is undaunted by anything dark and grotesque, within or without. Perfect love is like pure honey- nothing impure can survive in it. Only perfect love can cast out fear.
The fruit of perfect love is gentleness, goodness, kindness, even tempered to all. It is like a mother that cherishes her children and none are exempt from her nurture and care.
But the fruit of fear is judgment, harshness, unkindness, exclusiveness, and irrationality. Love sets a soul free while fear chains a soul.
When your religion makes demands upon you, and asks you to forfeit reason, accept what they do and say without question and instills an intense fear of punishment- the ultimate being everlasting… its not of love, no matter what it thinks. It is based in fear, and fear and love do not dance together- they battle.
Robert Jay Lifton’s Eight Point Model of Thought Reform
1. ENVIRONMENT CONTROL. Limitation of many/all forms of communication with those outside the group. Books, magazines,
letters and visits with friends and family are taboo. “Come out and be separate!”
2. MYSTICAL MANIPULATION. The potential convert to the group becomes convinced of the higher purpose and special calling of the group through a profound encounter/experience, for example, through an alleged miracle or prophetic word of those in the group.
3. DEMAND FOR PURITY. An explicit goal of the group is to bring about some kind of change, whether it be on a global, social, or
personal level. “Perfection is possible if one stays with the group and is committed.”
4. CULT OF CONFESSION. The unhealthy practice of self disclosure to members in the group. Often in the context of a public gathering in the group, admitting past sins and imperfections, even doubts about the group and critical thoughts about the integrity of the leaders.
5. SACRED SCIENCE. The group’s perspective is absolutely true and completely adequate to explain EVERYTHING. The doctrine is not subject to amendments or question. ABSOLUTE conformity to the doctrine is required.
6. LOADED LANGUAGE. A new vocabulary emerges within the context of the group. Group members “think” within the very abstract and narrow parameters of the group’s doctrine. The terminology sufficiently stops members from thinking critically by reinforcing a “black and white” mentality. Loaded terms and clichés prejudice thinking.
7. DOCTRINE OVER PERSON. Pre-group experience and group experience are narrowly and decisively interpreted through the
absolute doctrine, even when experience contradicts the doctrine.
8. DISPENSING OF EXISTENCE. Salvation is possible only in the group. Those who leave the group are doomed.
“John Dewey believed that, “the human power to respond to reason and truth protects democracy.” Any organization using coercive persuasion on its members that also claims to be a religion is turning the sacred trust and privileges of our democratic First Amendment sanctuary into a fortress for psychological assault. It is covertly twisting “religious freedom” to deny our more basic constitutional right to unfettered rationality in our freedom of thought and free will.
Freedom of religion cannot exist without first having an absolutely protected freedom of thought. Freedom of religion without freedom of thought is an absurdity.”
Taken from a the webpage: http://www.theforbiddenknowledge.com/mindcontrol/
Heavenly Places 