Brainwashing

Mental Health Professionals Need to Learn How to Help People in Authoritarian Cults

Many Americans breathed a sigh of relief when Joe Biden became the 46th President on January 20, 2021. QAnon and other true believers were upset that nothing happened to change that on March 4. Over 400 people have been arrested so far and charged for their role in the failed January 6th insurrection attempt. Yet, polls indicate there are tens of millions of Americans who still believe the big lie that the election was stolen. These people also disbelieve that Russia has been deeply involved with Trump for decades and influential during his Presidency. COVID-19 remains a major health problem; however, millions of Americans are refusing to wear masks, observe social distancing or get a vaccination. Enemies of democracy wish to continue the polarization of issues and promote suspicion of science and the office of the Presidency. 

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My First Foundational Online Course: “Understanding Cults: The Basics”

Are you interested in learning more about how the mind works and how people can be programmed into a destructive authoritarian cult? Ever had an experience with a cult or controlling relationship? Have a friend or family member caught up in a black/white, all or nothing conspiracy cult, multi-level marketing group, religious group, political group, this is a course by Dr. Steven Hassan, a former member of the Moon cult, mental health professional who has over 40 years of knowledge and direct experience. In this course you will learn about different cultic groups, brainwashing, thought reform, mind control, and undue influence. You will learn the strategies, patterns, and behaviors used by cultic groups to recruit new members, and how they manipulate and control them.

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What Can We Learn From the Uncanny Parallels Between the Moonies and the Cult of Trump?

Last month, Moon Organization leader, Rev. Hyung Jin Moon (Sean Moon), told his followers of his Sanctuary Church to be ready to take up arms and die for President Trump. The bullets in his crown and Moon referring to himself as King, is of course disturbing. Fortunately, after Sun Myung Moon died, there was a power struggle and several of the Moon sons fought with their mother for money and power. Justin Moon, his brother, owns Kahr Arms as well as a large gun factory and controls great wealth. Most people do not know that Moon bought the Washington Star newspaper and created the Washington Times which has been used for decades to promote conservative right-wing points of view. The founding editor of the Times left because of editorial interference (they said he was dismissed) and spoke along with William Cheshire, the editorial page editor who also later resigned. A 1991 presentation was videotaped explaining why they left–the paper was not independent. This presentation also included Michael Warder, editor of Moon’s first U.S. paper, the News World, later called the New York Tribune. Warder, a leader in the Moon organization was a witness in the trial and later conviction of Sun Myung Moon for conspiracy to evade income taxes. The Moonies spent an estimated $2-3 billion dollars on the Washington Times– a propaganda entity which failed to make money for decades. Did Americans, including Republican Presidents have no problem with a Korean with a felony conviction that had ties to South Korean intelligence not a question for anyone?

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The BITE Model of Authoritarian Control: Undue Influence, Thought Reform, Brainwashing, Mind Control, Trafficking and the Law

Update: January 2021: Dissertation has been published. <https://www.proquest.com/docview/2476570146/> In 1976, I was deprogrammed from the Moon cult. Since then, I have helped thousands of individuals leave and recover from the harmful influence of destructive cults.

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How to Help Friends & Family Following Trump’s Election Loss: False Prophecy, Mass Exodus, & Cognitive Dissonance

The year leading up to the 2020 Presidential election has been extremely divisive and stressful for most Americans, as well as, for our world allies. The results are in and show decidedly Joe Biden has won both the popular and electoral votes and will be sworn into office on January 20, 2021. Unfortunately, as I predicted in The Cult of Trump, Trump will never voluntarily cede power and will attempt to create as much chaos and damage, as he has consistently demonstrated he exists in a solipsistic reality. For hardcore Trump supporters, including QAnon believers, these are especially troubling times. It was foretold that Trump would win the election by a landslide, even pointing to Bible prophecy to attempt to drive home their point.

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The QAnon Media Ecosystem Is Not Helping People to Exit

Reporters covering QAnon for the past few years have over time inadvertently done more harm than good. In fact, they probably have done great damage. By amplifying the conspiracy to the level that it is now squarely in mainstream discourse is problematic. The way it is discussed and covered as something edgy and transgressive has done little to slow its spread.

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Helping Folks Exit The Cult of Trump: The #IGotOut Movement

Do you have friends or family members who are believers in QAnon or the Cult of Trump? Are you surprised by this and wonder how this could have ever happened? Under the right circumstances, even sane, rational, well-adjusted people can be deceived and persuaded to believe the most outrageous ideas and leader. President Trump uses the same deceptive psychological techniques that cult leaders do (cult leader’s playbook) that influence his devoted followers’ behavior, information, thoughts, and emotions. (Learn more about the BITE model of Authoritarian Control.)

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A STUDY TO ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY KEY PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE, WHO WERE ONCE INVOLVED WITH CONTROLLING GROUPS OR PEOPLE

Here is a brief intro to the study, which is completely anonymous to protect your privacy. As we know, research is so critical for our understanding of people and their experiences. We really appreciate it if you take some time out and answer this survey. It is not required that you be a former member of a destructive group or controlling relationship at all, anyone can answer this. While it takes some time to fill this out, you can feel good that you are contributing to science. If you are willing to share the link of this website to at least 5 people that you know, we will have a robust data sample. There are 3 versions of this study, we would like you to select the version as follows:

A STUDY TO ATTEMPT TO IDENTIFY KEY PSYCHOLOGICAL ISSUES THAT PEOPLE MAY HAVE, WHO WERE ONCE INVOLVED WITH CONTROLLING GROUPS OR PEOPLE Read More

What to Do About QAnon and Those Ensnared in It? Interview with Travis View

Q is a high-security level clearance given to Intelligence operatives. Supposedly, QAnon was started by such a person. However, Gregg Housh (whom I met in the context of his organizing protests against Scientology all over the world), one of the original Anonymous founders, told me he knows the people who started QAnon! It was intended as a total joke. A goof on Trumpers. It was only when they realized they could sell merchandise and make money that they really expanded it. Then, the Russians got involved.

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