Is the Chimpministration a cult?

[prodigal_green]

Please read the information on this site...it is eerie...especially the section on mind control. I used to joke about this, but man, it is too spot on:

http://www.howcultswork.com/

[proud patriot]

1. My best educated guess is yes

There are similarities to cults IMO

[pdmike]

2. Is AA a Cult?

Hmmmmm . . . "Any organization that says you have to belong to it in order to be saved is almost certainly a cult."

I know this is off the basic point of this thread - but what does that say about AA? As I understand it, most AA folks believe that the only way an alcoholic is really going to get sober is by practicing the principles of Alcoholics Anonymous.

I have heard AA accused of being a cult before. Is it?

pdmike

[leftofthedial]

3. yes

they borrow heavily from the moonies and the religious fundie right.

they rely on people who need someone else to tell them what to think. they also rely on people who need to espouse belief in fundie dogma, no matter what the reality or the truth.

[prodigal_green]

4. not specifically Christian

but a cult unto itself:

<snip>
A cult needs to recruit and operate using deception. Why?
Because if people knew their true practices and beliefs beforehand then they would not join. A cult needs to hide the truth from you until they think you are ready to accept it.

<snip>
Cult leadership is feared. To disagree with leadership is the same as disagreeing with God. The cult leaders will claim to have direct authority from God to control almost all aspects of your life. If the cult is not a religious group then questioning the leaders or program will still be seen as a sign of rebellion and stupidity.

Guilt, Character Assassination and Breaking Sessions. Guilt will be used to control you. Maybe the reason you're not making money is because you're not "with the programme". Maybe the reason you're not able to convert new recruits is because "your heart is prideful and full of sin". It could never be that the programme isn't working, or those new recruits have valid reasons for not joining. It's always your fault, you are always wrong, and so you must try harder! You will also be made to feel very guilty for disobeying any of the cult's written or unwritten rules.

Character Assassination is used to help create the guilt in you. Character Assassination is a type of false reasoning used by people and groups who have no real arguments. The technical name for Character Assassination is "The Ad hominem Fallacy"...

[checks-n-balances]

5. I think it's more like a coalition of several cults, run by sociopaths

Coalitions:

- RW Christian fundamentalism with goal of promoting Armageddon

- "Pax Americana"/PNAC/American Empire/Middle East Domination advocates; endless wars, military occupation

- Rove, Wolfowitz, Cheney, et.al., rely on secrecy, deception, and misinformation - both Machiavellian/Orwellian - "The end justifies the means"

- Norquist & corporate raider advocates for plutocracy - disenfranchisement of, and tax burden carred by, middle & lower classes; veterans' benefits and social programs sacrificed to finance wars and corporate welfare; laissez-faire capitalism, crony capitalism, and Social Darwinism (survival of the fittest)

- Fascist Autocracy/Dictatorship/one-party system/corporate ownership of government replaces democracy. The masses surrender personal information & liberties, gov't control of media. Gov't is paternalistic and the masses are treated like children.

All of these people, factors & circumstances have converged to form a kind of coalition of cults that exist in the present administration.
Only misanthropic, pathological and sociological people would be attracted to this type of leadership. Also contains elements of sadomasochism (leaders are sadistic toward the masses, some of whom are the masochistic type).

I'm sure there's more, but these are just things that come to my mind. Had someone suggested any of this previous to this administration, they would have been laughed out of town or their sanity would've been question. And some of these things may not be obvious as yet, but the seeds for all of this coming true have already been planted; it's just a matter of time.

To say this is depressing would be an understatement.

[VOX]

8. Excellent analysis, demo@midlife.

And yes, it is indeed depressing. And it's difficult right now to see a way to break up this complex and intertwined chain.

One battle at a time, I guess.

[Piperay]

6. Yes and

I have thought this for sometime, actually ever since Raygun.

[VOX]

7. It has all the earmarks of a cult: fear, intimidation, no open debate...

Discouragment of critical information, etc.

And you've got Faux News and RW hate radio spooning out cult propaganda 24/7.

This is worrisome -- when Kerry wins, the cult is still in place, and ready to begin bashing away the day after the election.