Critical Thinking on Cults & AntiCults
Adopting the beliefs of the anti-cult movement dramatically changes the views and attitudes of those who experience a loss of faith. Those changes have a profound effect on how Exes make sense of their own past. So we must ask: How helpful is the ideology of the anti cult movement in making sense of your life?
India Oxenberg is a former member of NXIVM and the daughter of Catherine Oxenberg. India was the star and producer of the 4 part documentary called “SEDUCED”. In this interview, on her podcast called “Still Learning”, she discusses her deprogramming from NXIVM by her deprogrammer. They discuss the deprogramming techniques that Diane Benscoter used on … Read more
Bill Franks was appointed Exec Director Int by Hubbard before he was pushed out by David Miscavige in the early 1980’s. Tom Smith Interviews him here.
The anti-cult movement provides the principle ideology almost all Ex-cult members are given to adopt after they leave their minority religions. The foundation of that anti-cult ideology is the belief in “brainwashing”. But does “brainwashing” really exist? Or is it just an excuse?
After 16 years in a cult, 15 years in an Anticult, and 9 years out of both, I know what it means to recover from a cult.
Most all of the witnesses against Keith Raniere in his criminal trial went through government deprogramming before they testified. Studies have shown this re-deculturization greatly effects the Ex-cultist’s attitudes toward their experience.
Will Mike’s New Book Lead Us To Where All the Bodies Are Buried, Finally Making Change to Scientology? Or Will it Just Be More of the Same MilqueToast Blather?
“Ex” is not “Anti”. Anti is a stance against. Ex is simply a former member, having many different stances about their former religious pursuit.
The metaphor of ‘brainwashing’ is best understood as a social weapon for religious persecution which provides a “libertarian” rationale for the suppression of unpopular social movements and belief systems.
Here’s why you can’t find any of NXIVM’s technology anywhere on the Internet – the US government now owns and controls all of it. And they aren’t releasing it to the public for independent research. Why? Is it so the claims the government has made about “brainwashing” can’t be scrutinized? [embeddoc url=”https://alanzosblog.com/wp-content/uploads/gov.uscourts.nyed_.420065.1109.0.pdf” download=”all” viewer=”browser”]
When I first heard Scientology stories of abuse, I became very angry. I let that anger permeate my thinking & even my self-identity. Many Exes experience this.
Poor Mike Rinder: Mike was brainwashed! Mike had no choice! Mike was only following orders! But what about Scientology’s victims? Why hasn’t he helped them?
In a Facebook Group called Scientology Deprogramming, which is made up of lots of Exes and long time critics of Scientology who think for themselves, I have not been able to find one tribal ninnie in it. Here are some important postings from it.
Former ED International of the Church of Scientology Bill Franks Reveals L Ron Hubbard’s Efforts to Create Brainwashing in Scientology.
The brainwashing myth Rebecca Moore, San Diego State University Nearly 40 years ago, my two sisters, Carolyn Layton and Annie Moore, were among those who planned the mass deaths in Jonestown on Nov. 18, 1978. Part of a movement called Peoples Temple, which was led by a charismatic pastor named Jim Jones, they had moved … Read more
The Dossier Project: Eight women who’ve been been accused of being “brainwashed sex slaves” in the global media deconstruct this superstition for all to see.
Anti-Cultists Steve K. D. Eichel and Stephen Hassan had a conversation with me about cults and brainwashing on my Facebook Page. Here’s how it went.
Does Stephen Hassan personally profit from his exit counseling & deprogramming business using the hysteria he creates around minority religions?
If there is such a thing, an intellectually honest anticultist should understand the arguments from social science which won in court during the deprogramming hysteria in the 70’s & 80’s.
This Scientology Fair Game podcast details an un-aired episode of Scientology and the Aftermath which employed the same hoax they played on David Miscavige’s divorced wife, Shelly Miscavige.