Steven Hassan

The Current Schism in the Catholic Church and How We Might Help

On January 20, 2021, Joe Biden became, after John F. Kennedy Jr., the second Catholic President of the United States of America. During his first days in office, Biden signed many orders designed to undo the damage caused by his predecessor. Biden, the Congress and Senate put in place funding and coordinated scientific leadership to address the COVID-19 pandemic which has now killed over 550,000 Americans. This effort includes manufacturing and distributing the vaccines, as well as, consistent messaging that the vaccines are safe and we all still should be using masks, social distancing and washing our hands frequently. In addition, an ambitious financial stimulus package has been passed to help the poorest and disenfranchised Americans. On day one, Biden rejoined the Paris climate accords, the World Health Organization and began reconnecting with world leaders in the much needed effort to rebuild some trust and faith in America. Science will play an important role in policy decisions and supporting human rights for all marginalized people. Biden has also stated his support for a woman’s right to choose regarding her healthcare, including a right to have a safe and legal abortion, a position that is anathema to the Catholic Church.

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Psychologist Abuse? Therapist Abuse? Life Coach Abuse?

Therapists, psychiatrists, psychologists, life coaches, and spiritual advisors are all expected to address emotional or spiritual well-being and nurture a person’s healing and positive growth. Most of them are committed to doing just that. Unfortunately, some have darker motivations, such as a desire for power, money, or sex. Instead of using their skills to help their clients, they use undue influence to manipulate and abuse them. Are you concerned you may be experiencing therapist abuse? Have you ever considered the idea of a therapist functioning like a cult leader? 

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NECSI COVID COMMUNITY ACTION SUMMIT: A Cult Expert’s Advice on Dealing with Anti-Vaxxers and General Vaccine Hesitancy

The COVID-19 pandemic has wreaked havoc worldwide, resulting in more than two million deaths, seriously weakening or destroying economic and social systems, resulting in a tremendous increase in mental health problems. A frantic search for effective vaccines has consumed the scientific community since it was first identified.

Vaccines have now been developed at record speed. The elaborate and time-consuming process of manufacturing and distributing them to the general public has begun. Although there are certainly problems and a lack of coordination in many of these efforts, most people are relieved and are anxiously awaiting their turn to be protected.

Unfortunately, a backlash against the vaccines from several directions is growing. Some of the protests have become violent, exhibiting signs of cult-like behaviors. A recent rally at Dodger Stadium in Los Angeles was such an occasion. California has suffered over 40,000 COVID-related deaths and soon becomes the state with the highest death toll related to the pandemic. Despite this grim reality, the anti-vaccination protesters at Dodger Stadium carried signs saying “COVID = SCAM” and “Save Your Soul – Turn Back.”

NECSI COVID COMMUNITY ACTION SUMMIT: A Cult Expert’s Advice on Dealing with Anti-Vaxxers and General Vaccine Hesitancy Read More

As I Predicted in The Cult of Trump Book, Trump Might Direct Followers to Become Violent but There Is Hope

On January 6th, 2021, the seat of our federal government and the heart of our American democracy came under seige in a heinous and violent assault. The day began with thousands of protestors gathering in Washington, DC to show support for President Trump, who not only encouraged this but even gave a public speech enraging the crowd by falsely claiming he had won the election. Some view what happened as an attempt to do a coup and undermine the votes of millions of Americans. Fortunately, Mike Pence, Mitch McConnell and other Republican politicians stood for upholding the election results which were intensely scrutinized, challenged in Court and no widespread voter fraud that would change the election results took place.

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Starting to Question if You Are in a Controlling Group or Relationship?

Have you recently started questioning your life and how you are spending your time and money? Have you read a book or article, listened to a podcast, or watched a documentary about a cult such as NXIVM and saw parallels to your own life circumstance? What about engaging with a former member? Perhaps you have felt a growing disillusionment because you have been treated unfairly? Are you beginning to question if it is time to leave a controlling group or relationship? How can you know for sure? There is actually a formula I have come up with that I believe works because it is process-focused and oriented to the person doing their own reality-testing. The focus of all my work is to empower people to think for themselves rather than trying to persuade someone of what they should believe or do. The assumption of my work is that people do not wish to be exploited, abused, or enslaved. They would like to experience a safe environment, trust, honesty, compassion, integrity and not hatred, fear and polarization.

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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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Dismantling QAnon: A TEDxMidAtlantic Must-Watch Program

Assuming the predictions are accurate and there is a Biden/Harris landslide, what will happen with the millions of people who believe that President Trump is a man of God doing Apocalyptic fulfillment, especially QAnon followers? This is an important question as most of us have friends or family members that are affected. I wanted to share an incredibly important TEDxMidAtlantic event, entitled “Dismantling QAnon.”

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Social Media, Cyber Warfare, Data Mining and AI Used to Target, Manipulate and Control People

“The Great Hack”, “The Social Dilemma”, and “People You May Know” are three excellent documentaries that everyone must see to understand how modern day authoritarians are recruiting and indoctrinating people to do their bidding. Private and personal information is being harvested and used to create sophisticated psychological and political profiles which allow political and cult groups to target and influence people. I wrote about such groups in The Cult of Trump. Millions of Facebook profiles were harvested for Cambridge Analytica in a major data breach. Facebook users’ profiles were hijacked in order to target the US electorate. This caused intentional political upheaval. The Shadow Network, the book by Anne Nelson on the Council for National Policy, figures mightily. Fourth generation warfare is a psychological warfare strategy designed to delegitimize leaders and institutions and to sow distrust, confusion, and disorientation in order to ready people to be mind controlled by an authoritarian leader.

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Undue Influence, Judge Barrett and the People of Praise Covenantal Community

In an AP article written about Amy Coney Barrett’s nomination to the Supreme Court and her involvement with the People of Praise, Vice President Mike Pence was quoted from a television interview as saying, “The intolerance expressed during her last confirmation about her Catholic faith I really think was a disservice to the process and a disappointment to millions of Americans.”

In this blog, I assert that the issue is really not about religion, or about Catholicism, or religious freedom, but rather a legal issue: undue influence. This is the subject of my doctoral research which is focused on offering a scientifically validated instrument to help ascertain if undue influence has been exerted.

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