Cult Creation Techniques

[Haruhi]

In this thread I shall post many techniques I have devised, or adapted from other sources, which could be used to establish a small cult. This thread does not deal with large cults; it deals with the type of cult where all devotees have regular and personal contact with the guru, and which could comfortably live in one large house or small commune.

Please post any methods or techniques which are relevant to the achievement of this end.

As previously discussed, I will create a magic (real, not stage) cult around myself in my mid 20s, and am currently making the necessary preparations for success in this endeavor. I have effectively influenced a small number of individuals (offline, not counting online interactions), independent of each other, to take on a follower-like role in relation to me; two called me their guru and one said that I had transformed their conception of reality and showed them the true, brilliant light.

I have the ability to enlist individuals, but I do have to target a certain type of person (90% of people are probably unsuitable or too difficult, currently).

Regardless, I will need to do more work before I am ready to lead and coordinate a group of such individuals. I must engender such loyalty that they are willing to completely cut their links with consensus reality and buy into the alternate possibilities which I present to them.

Technique 1 coming soon. Please go ahead and post yours.

 

[Haruhi]

Technique 1

Discourage critical thought in the name of 'spirituality':
Introduce members to some kind of meditative or emotional technique which encourages them to ''let go'' of or ''release'' their egoic thoughts. Imply that any resistance or rational questioning is indicative of stunted spiritual development, and use group pressure and emotionally direct tactics to elicit conformity and a general mistrust of individual thought.
This both gives you a way of instantly dealing with any conceptual or theoretical criticisms of the fundamentally arational version of reality which the devotees are being introduced to, and installs your own personal, cult-approved policeman inside each devotee's head.
Your example is the one to be followed. If what you say doesn't make sense, devotees must work harder and progress further so that they may reach a state of ''spiritual development'' equal to yours. They never will, of course. That's essential.

Group pressure will encourage conformity further, as any expression of dissent will be seen, collectively, as a sign of inferiority. It's unlikely that it would be stated in such gross terms, though.

Some specific techniques which are useful as psychological enhancement practices, but which may also be useful to this end: ''the sedona method'', Tolle-ian ''power of now'' thought, and bastardised mindfulness meditation.

'The Sedona Method' is a very popular new age system which encourages students to ''just let go'' of all emotions and thoughts. It's actually very potent, like a narcotic. The psychological changes it can cause *seem* very positive to somebody with a fragile identity or who is depressed, but they can ultimately be used to create a kind of mindless conformity surpassing that seen in fascist states. A conformity named ''knowingness and spirit''.

You shouldn't name the method or use the vocabulary of its advocates, of course. Simply learn it, repackage it, and use it to your own ends.

 

[Anthile]

Back in school I wrote several essays about religious cults and sects.

1. You have to appear as infallible to your followers. Never show any weakness. If that is inevitable, justify your weakness with stuff like "a disturbance in the force".

2. Appear as larger than life, someone they want to become.

2. Pick a flawed but not too flawed individual from your followers and make him your fugleman. You will win his loyalty and the rest will say to themselves "Why he? I am clearly better than him!". Probably they will ask you out openly and you justify your decision with greater spiritual insight.

3. Create memes. Make up new words for known things and forbid the old terms. Invent useless rules and justify them with spiritual blah-blah. When your followers talk to outsiders they will be even more alienated and they will gladly stay in your community.

4. Appreciate and critize openly in front of your followers. Make clear that they are far away from being like you - but not too much.

5. An own temple or even an area is great to bind your followers.

6. Miracles are a great way to show how awesome you are. Only do it if you are good at creating such illusions. At a certain level people will begin to see your Face in pancakes.


Hm, maybe I will write some more later on.

 

[Haruhi]

3. Create memes. Make up new words for known things and forbid the old terms. Invent useless rules and justify them with spiritual blah-blah. When your followers talk to outsiders they will be even more alienated and they will gladly stay in your community.

Yes, this is essential. I was actually going to post about it later.

The most effective niche internet marketers (in the online ''seduction community'' and ''business skills community'', for example) ensnare young and socially unsure people by giving them a new linguistic identity which depends upon continued access to the group (the forum, mailing list, whatever) where that identity is recognised. People involved in such activities are generally (but not uniformly) looking for somebody to tell them who they are, so binding their new identity and way of speaking to a communication point dedicated to you and your products is highly effective.

The same can be applied to cult creation, and some such groups resemble cults.

 

[Cegorach]

For the sake of understanding.

Who are the type of people you intend to utilize, what are the core features you will exploit?

What is your intent, the resolution point, the essential goal?
Do you even have a foundation?

 

[Haruhi]

For the sake of understanding.

Who are the type of people you intend to utilize, what are the core features you will exploit?

What is your intent, the resolution point, the essential goal?
Do you even have a foundation?

Be gone with your protestant seriousness. We are pagans, and we live, fuck, and rule in accordance with irrational but beautiful animistic interpretations of the phenomena we experience. By we, I meant my future cult. In essence, why not?

It would be fun and challenging. I look forward to executing my plans and experiencing the rewards of my magical work.


The type of people who've been susceptible so far were somewhat unexpected. They all came out of the blue-- the ones who I got to know slowly tended to be more reserved... more worthy of being treated as equals.
I'm still trying to work it out, actually. Ideally, they will be intelligent in some ways but gullible in others, beautiful, and interesting enough to enjoy fucking with (in both senses of the phrase).

 

[Cegorach]

Be gone with your protestant seriousness. We are pagans, and we live, fuck, and rule in accordance with irrational but beautiful animistic interpretations of the phenomena we experience. By we, I meant my future cult. In essence, why not?

It would be fun and challenging. I look forward to executing my plans and experiencing the rewards of my magical work.


The type of people who've been susceptible so far were somewhat unexpected. They all came out of the blue-- the ones who I got to know slowly tended to be more reserved... more worthy of being treated as equals.
I'm still trying to work it out, actually. Ideally, they will be intelligent in some ways but gullible in others, beautiful, and interesting enough to enjoy fucking with (in both senses of the phrase).

Thus far I have done nothing but inquire.
However, If you're going to post on a public internet forum you should be prepared for conflicting opinions.
As I recall, you were quite displeased with those in your "Miracles of Fatima" thread who would not be serious, yet you protest here?

You have no foundation. Your plans will unravel with the slightest pull.

You have given up.
By shunning the concept of an objective system and embracing a hedonistic existence you have made the decision to block the only possible conclusions that have any logical substance.

Why would we exist only to consume?

It would be irrational. Perhaps not impossible, but to live your life as though it were the answer is the same as admitting that you have failed or are not capable or open-minded.
That you do not have the endurance to brace yourself against uncertainty and that you would rather take the most simplistic, indulgent path than push yourself in search of objective truth.

It displays excessive flaws, weaknesses, and insecurities, hidden away by exibits of over-confidence and self-aggrandisement.

"Why not?" is a poor argument. You expect that if others do not have all of the answers then yours must be correct?

Now if you choose to praise Objectivity, Logic, Stamina, Purpose, ect... you will be a hypocrite.



Keep in mind that I don't mean to insult you, but your ambitions stem from your beliefs which are influenced by your insecurities which are decided by your environment and genes.
Ultimately it's impossible to mount an effective argument without analyzing you and your actions.





People are simple to manipulate, it does not require absolute superiority to do so. When you hold all the cards, and they choose to be accepting and hospitable, it's simple to decieve them.
How can they know?

The probability is that most people they meet are not going to attempt to trick them, so why should they ruin every potential relationship with undue suspicion and harshness?
You are taking advantage of the situation and stealing that which you need in return for lies.

This alone proves nothing. You are not 'better'.
It merely displays an inability to comprehend objectivity.
Absolute selfishness. Not 'wrong', but by no means intelligent.

 

[Haruhi]

Blah, I really can't be bothered to reply to that.

Back on topic! Technique 2 coming soon.

 

[Cegorach]

Do as you please. My objections are capable of standing alone.

 

[Fukyo]

Blah, I really can't be bothered to reply to that.

Back on topic! Technique 2 coming soon.

My god,how funny! (hahaha)

 

[Haruhi]

Do as you please. My objections are capable of standing alone.

We're working from incommensurable positions. I could argue back (I could), and my arguments would seem sufficient to me but not to you. You could continue, but your arguments don't seem sufficient to me. It's not that one of is logical and one isn't (outside of a purely logical context, this distinction does not apply), and I hope that neither of us are deluded enough to make a claim to objectivity. It basically comes down to fundamentally different conceptions of existence; saying something which makes sense according to your conception, in this particular discussion, is basically irrelevant to somebody (me) who's conception is so different that each of you is incomprehensible to the other.

I.e. your comments, in all of the threads you have posted to me in, have been completely off the mark. You seem to think you have insight into my motivations, and your posts are interesting, but they're almost... irrelevant to me. It's not that you're wrong (according to your linguistic/conceptual framework), it's that the whole exercise is absurd... it's like two patriots arguing that their own countries are superior.


Anyway, this thread is meant to be a practical manual for the aspiring cult leader. It's not meant to be about me.

 

[preilemus]

interesting stuff, Haruhi. the topic of cults is something that has caught my interest lately...

off topic: Your avatar... I see what you're doing

 

[Cegorach]

We're working from incommensurable positions. I could argue back (I could), and my arguments would seem sufficient to me but not to you. You could continue, but your arguments don't seem sufficient to me. It's not that one of is logical and one isn't (outside of a purely logical context, this distinction does not apply), and I hope that neither of us are deluded enough to make a claim to objectivity. It basically comes down to fundamentally different conceptions of existence; saying something which makes sense according to your conception, in this particular discussion, is basically irrelevant to somebody (me) who's conception is so different that each of you is incomprehensible to the other.

I.e. your comments, in all of the threads you have posted to me in, have been completely off the mark. You seem to think you have insight into my motivations, and your posts are interesting, but they're almost... irrelevant to me. It's not that you're wrong (according to your linguistic/conceptual framework), it's that the whole exercise is absurd... it's like two patriots arguing that their own countries are superior.


Anyway, this thread is meant to be a practical manual for the aspiring cult leader. It's not meant to be about me.

Of course, I am not arguing against hedonism as a possibility, I am arguing against it as a way of life, as a decision.
Eventually almost everything will come down to opinion, unless we gain infinite comprehension we can reach no further than our own beliefs with certainty and we can never be truly objective.

I was, however, claiming objectivity as in comparison between two or more subjective beings, due to the impracticality of 'true' objectivity I had hoped this would be self evident.

You are mistaken as to my aim, my argument was for the sake of balance, laying out all applicable options to be discarded as readers see fit.
This is not for my sake, at least not directly.



(Yes, I have likely derailed your thread. My apologies, it was not my intent.
It may be pertinent for a Mod to kindly split this, or move it, or something.)

 

[Haruhi]

No need for anal lysis. We shall retain the integrity and wholeness of this thread while directing it towards more sociopathic and therefore more fruitful ends.


Technique 2

Associate Your Presence With Bliss:

There are a number of (nonsexual) means, generally fairly simple, by which a skilled individual can bring about overwhelming feelings of emotional ecstasy or bliss in the untrained individual. Now, these techniques are generally very easy to learn to do yourself, but that's not a problem. Why? Because people generally don't think for them fucking selves and work out the basic structure of the psychophysiological technique that's being used to give them their ''spiritual'' high.

So, how do we give them the high? One method is to do an obfuscated form of simple tantric transfiguration. Transfiguration sounds complex, but it's actually a very simple perceptual technique which can be learned in under an hour, or, if you have proficiency with martial or ''spiritual'' ''energy work'', a few moments. Given this, it is necessary to intentionally complexify the technique.
Veil it by only giving the person the verbal instructions in archaic tones or while in physical contact with you. Embrace them while you elicit blissful emotions, and then give the subtle (again, verbally veiled) command (which, being potential devotees/devotees, they will likely follow) that they will not be able to feel that without you around. Even if they do feel it, they'll likely believe that it's ''not as good'' or ''not the real thing''. They'll convince themselves out of feeling it without you around. If you want to expand your cult with recruiters, you can ''graduate'' some members to a higher level by revealing the actual technique after complex and symbolic initiations.

Given that most people haven't explored their own brains enough to work out how to trigger this basic, but beautiful, kind of ecstatic sensation at will, it's a very potent tool. To have it associated with you will overcome the critical factor (technical hypnotic term) and inspire a kind of reverence for you. If you want to learn about it, just research tantric transfiguration (''ummatantra'' write about it somewhere'').

Oh, and it will make your life infinitely more beautiful. The technique itself, that is. You'll probably ignore it and go about your day, because it probably doesn't fit with your current conceptual model. Maybe you'll find some excuse in my character to dismiss it. Maybe you'll just be lazy...

human fucking beings! Curious creatures.

 

[wadlez]

Im thinking of making a cult by designing a self help course like NLP. It will use some already established psychological concepts and will explain techniques and methods for people to regain control over there lives. There will be a lengthy explanation to the theory but the actual practical techniques will require further investment (like buying another book). I will continue this untill the target has invested lots of time and money.
I will then introduce them to thought stopping meditation aswell as theorys which has them question there own memory and reality itself, this will leave them in a blank state in which i can recreate them from the ground up.

 

[Anthile]

http://www.ted.com/talks/ex_moonie_diane_benscoter_how_cults_think.html

 

[wadlez]

Saw that before, pretty cool

 

[Xel]

Thanks for the video Anthile.

On the subject of Cults (I may be going off topic...): So even though I have been thinking of Cults as a separate thing from religion in general, I can't help but think that these kinds of mind control methods or simply just the attitude that discourages critical thought exist in all religions to some degree especially in their early days. Didn't the Catholic Church have that kind of control of people in the middle ages? I mean look at Noddy's Thread , he describes how expressing his own feelings on the matter will deeply hurt all his relatives and how the church made his wife feel bad he left on his decision. How is that so different from Cults that keep unbelieving family members away from believing ones?