Excellent portrayal of cult activities. A bit literal, but still contemporary in appearance. I really like the forcefulness and seriousness of the people in here. And the woman's arms tied back. Brilliant composition. And she has a halo too!
Friday, October 9, 2015
"once you get to the third stage, you're jumping up and down and saying "who"- and it's not you doing it any more, you're one with this energy"
This is the exact same feeling I had after emotionally intense "steps" in the Neocatechumenal Way. A hazy mind but a feeling of strange calm, that I had overcome something huge and horrible and now had received happiness from God through the Community.
Ah. Making some sense.
What a great way to make people believe your group is the only reason they can feel happiness or express love!
This stuff is really interesting. Definitely the sort of direction I would like my work to go in, similar in a way to David Lynch's stuff but more refined in its' nature.
This is one of the most bizarre mash-ups I've seen on the internet. Clearly a new age cult-like group inducing followers to vulnerable mind-states through intense group activity, complete unleashing of emotions and inhibitions etc. Leaves people very open to brainwashing in the post-active state.
A man called Alan Miller in Queensland, Australia, is presently employing similar techniques to acquire ever more followers, as they get understandably seduced by a man who seems to cure them of their emotional and psychological pains by forcing said emotions out in a public setting, and validating their pain while instructing them how to go about their lives.
In ACTUAL yoga, the practice is entirely within oneself, calm and orderly, stretching all the muscles one can in a safe and progressive manner, and getting into a 'flow' state which oneself also dictates 'within'. The following 'calm' session is again only about looking inwards and observing- a mild meditation. If you're ever being preached to or coerced in this part- you know you're getting involved in a cult. Back away, back very far away.
Anyway, good source for video stills and portraits. Brilliant.
1.Draw series of portraits- maybe 12 (3 on each
side of a central square in final display, or 6 on either side of the square). Nothing else included! Leave space for other
stuff.
2.Ensure at least 1 image each to describe
isolation, crisis, community welcoming, becoming like community, bliss,
connection, psychedelia, intense personal relationship transcendental, vision
of higher spiritual ascendence, broken soul, dazed appearance, groupthink,
shattered identity, anger. (looking at process of cult involvement)
3.In the original portrait series ensure strong
emotions, undistracting backgrounds e.g. use those patterns from Steve’s photos.
4.Get zinc cut into diamond or circle for CENTRAL
piece. Must be simplified. Perhaps including cactuses, headstones, nike shoes?
5.Remember to keep micro parts of installation
relevant to each other and suitable to scatter or arrange- depending on
suitability.
An interesting article on the links between cult membership and its' effects on creativity.
Putting it here to remind myself to read it.
Talks about...
“Joy Stopping” as an extension of “Thought and Feeling Stopping” “Gap” and Combinatory Processes as integral to symbol formation. Denial of loss, filling of gap, and vulnerability to impairment of symbol formation.
Here's an Australian cult, based in Queensland, run by this man AJ Miller. Believes he is the second coming of Jesus; his followers thoroughly convinced they were the same people there at the time of his crucifixion. He works on people's emotions, helping them to pull apart their own psyches, thread by thread, and totally trust him as the saviour, thus, of their souls, since he stands by, smiles, and guides their complete submission to their most painful cores. He uses very nice demonstrative diagrams, makes assumptions about people's mental states and life situations to prompt them to plomb the depths further. He makes no apologies and stands firm that he IS Jesus. Note: his parents wanted to commit him to a psychiatric ward when he was younger, and he got rejected from the Jehovah's Witnesses. THE JEHOVAH'S FREAKING WITNESSES REJECTED THIS GUY.
I will make no apologies; these particular methods of cult brainwashing and servitude sicken me most especially because of the likeness they have to the methods of the group I grew up with. If you want to know more, please inbox me. This group, the Neocatechumenal Way, disguise heavy handed psychological dependency developing tactics, and methods of identity breakdown, as love-based, God-guided and community-supportive religious psychotherapy. I was called a monster in front of the community, regarding my judgmental personality; brought to many episodes of sobbing and absolute despair in my teenage and younger adult years, that I am a hopeless human being. That I needed the forgiveness of people who had been abusive. That I needed salvation, but I could never in my wildest dreams attain it. That I was a sinner, and Christ's death had saved me from that punishment, but I may as well have got over it- my suffering would never cease, because THE DEVIL had me in his grasp. No one was spared of despair in that setting; the idea of the community being the true saviour, Kiko being the true leader standing beside Jesus.
Shame to all those who have perpetrated this high-level bullying and psychological abuse.
"How CAN he be a rapist?
Being one is one of the worst sins out there; and if he were one no one
would respect him. His words would be a low level (his word as in
setting up a condition of prayer to obtain the Trinity's message). No
one would follow him. No one would feel inspired and be moved by his
message if he was. We respect and honor him; not worship. He has done
the impossible. He has cured thousands. Sadly, no one knows the
truth...until he/she dies. And that's the sad part. BTW, we're not HIS spiritual brides. You got that wrong. No, not if he was. He is NEVER one. He was always sharing. Even when he had nothing. "
Classic reaction of a thoroughly brainwashed, bullied child who's been taught that outsiders are to be feared and mistrusted. They won't understand the goodness of what you guys do, unless the join the group! Bloody infuriating business this is...
I remember having reactions like this to people criticising our movement. And now, I see what a load of bullcrap it was; because if the adults weren't basing their faith on fear, then telling strangers exactly what you do from now to eternity wouldn't be an issue. Instead, every step is hidden from those who haven't done it, and what is said inside the place is to be kept quiet unless it's for actual evangelisation purposes.
I know the song has nothing to do with a church experience actually, but I find the combined imagery of the dancer, Polunin, his style, which is both joyful and terribly painful, with the empty church, to be very poignant. This is a representation of how I felt during my growing up and adolescence. I used to dance in my room instead.
It seems he's dealing with his demons, and having moments of sheer joy, followed by plummeting despair and angst. A great depiction, in my mind, of what it is like, mentally, in a sect or cult- like a rollercoaster on repeat!
So
what you’re doing is; you’re reaching your hand in the grave, and
you’re saying, “Come on all your righteous people who want to survive on
the earth. Come on you real deal. If you want to breathe air, and
water, and live in the harmony, get with it”. Hail Mary, full of grace, the Lord is with thee, blessed is thy Life on Earth – ATWA. You see it? Then it’s a part of you and you’re a part of it. And you are the order of ATWA.
… It’s not the question, “Why did you crucify Christ?”. You search the
books, you search the scholars, you go through all the high minds of
the world and say, “Why did you crucify Christ?”, and you’re not going
to get an answer because it’s the wrong question. The question is – are you ready? Why are you crucifying Christ?
Why are you crucifying Christ every day? Every day you’re killing
Christ’s air. Every day you’re taking Christ’s life. Every day you’re
poisoning Christ’s water. If you really truly love Christ, then get with ATWA. The ATWA is the righteous order of the planet.
It started with George Washington, the Sons of Liberty. The Sons of
Liberty gave their life. We cannot live without liberty. Liberty is
the thing that makes our hearts beat. Liberty is the thing that gives
us ‘human’. There’s no humans. All the humans now are brain-dead. 45 years… you’re all that’s helped, you and…
Everybody that’s helped has always had a fuckin’ ulterior motive for
something other than ATWA. They don’t give a fuck about ATWA, they use
ATWA to get some money, or use ATWA to get some attention. You know, I
mean, who really gives a fuck about ATWA? The bugs, birds, trees, they do – ‘cause they have to, ‘cause they’re in the will of God. God knows.
Charles Manson April 15, 2013 Phone recording
Here's a creepy photo of Charles Manson and his fiancee, Star. They are still running a cult from this Facebook page. People are very supportive of him on here. The funny thing is, his history is associated with being the director of serial killings. Yet here is him portraying himself as a kind of environmentalist spiritual guide. Is it a lead-on from the new age cults?
I am going to draw this picture in detail and work it a lot. It has a perfect air of defiance, holiness, etc that is typical to images of cult leaders. Very similar to other images I've seen...
Johnston Tsang is a complete genius. These moments of human connection, and comments on society's attitudes to war etc. are amazing. The children's faces in particular, and the way he fashions a kiss.
