The UN arias (find their TV shows and images)

http://www.atlasobscura.com/articles/the-fascinating-80s-public-access-films-produced-by-a-california-ufo-cult?utm_source=facebook.com&utm_medium=atlas-page

The Saint Germain Project

http://www.saintgermainfoundation.org/SGF_01_MightyIAM.html

WEIRD THINGS SAID IN THE WAY

1. After 30 years of membership: "well, you have all this time to explain why you aren't converting!"
2. "You shouldn't travel alone; you could get depressed and kill yourself, or worse, lose your faith!"
3. "This is the gateway. This is the door that God has opened for you; you can enter now, and stay in this community, the place where God lives; or you can leave and live in the world, spiritually dead. But you need to choose now, because the door is only open for a little while. If you leave now there will soon be a point where you won't be able to come back, and if you stay, you are committed. But what joy to live and die with this love, this community!"

An excellent academic resource on defining a Cult.

Benjamin Zablocki, 1997: a cult is "an ideological organization held together by charismatic relationships and demanding total commitment."

Cult (totalist type): A group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea, or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control (e.g. isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience, powerful group pressures, information management, suspension of individuality or critical judgment, promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of leaving it, etc.), designed to advance the goals of the group's leaders, to the actual or possible detriment of members,  their families, or the community. (West & Langone, 1986, pp. 119-120)

"Cults are not all alike.   Nor are all cult members affected in the same way, even within the same group.  Nevertheless, a huge body of clinical evidence leads ICSA associates to contend that some groups harm some members sometimes, and that some groups may be more likely to harm members than other groups. "

http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/essay_cult.htm  

THE INTERNATIONAL CULTIC STUDIES ASSOCIATION:

A list of academic resources:

http://www.icsahome.com/elibrary/studyguides/formergroupmembers 

An excellent abbreviation of the facts... albeit from a conservative Catholic's point of view... http://www.cathud.com/RESOURCES_CATHOLIC/pages_MR/Neocatechumenal_Way_Kiko_Arguello.html

"OBEDIENCE

OBEDIENCE

Obedience is your biggest gift to God

Obedience is how you show love to your parents, to your spouse, to your catechists

You are NOT OBEDIENT. This is the cause of your sin. THIS is the cause of your suffering.

What we are saying, we are saying because God is speaking THROUGH us. God is telling you to be OBEDIENT! For your joy!

It IS hard, but it is the only thing stopping your happiness. Your refusal to obey."



TL:DR: The Neocatechumenal way's brainwashing is somewhat subtle, and feel-good, while being will-destroying. Destroy someone's will, and with them, you shall have your way...

Similar methods of brainwashing: Landmark Education and 'The Way'

So this link contains insider video of the 'business' cult landmark education.

It seems they use almost identical methods of personality destruction and indoctrination to the Neocatechumenal Way.

One person up the front, confesses something deep and painful about their life, and the person in a higher seated position has charge of psychoanalysing them and "giving them truth". The result? Oftentimes, breakdowns, a sense of emptiness, a reliance for affirmation on the leader becomes solidified. Their value is nothing unless it is given them by their leaders; and if they're told they're a monster, that's exactly what they end up taking on.

Pretty disgusting if you ask me...


http://www.caic.org.au/index.php?Itemid=12&id=1243&option=com_content&task=view

A response (to fundamentalist arguments)

"Christianity is an experience, not a religion."

Something I often heard in the Neocatechumenal Way.

Why, then, do you attack all those who attack religion?

Why are you even defending yourself?

Why, then, do you have a God; a number of liturgies and ceremonies that are impermissible to skip; a sequence of worship that must be followed come hell, or high water; and why do you insist on believers staying, whatever the cost to them?



Another aspect of their incredible thought reform (brainwashing) comes undone.

Damanhur- So charming (such mind control)

Discovered this group in Piedmont, Italy through the net- called Damanhur. Members call themselves Damanhurians. They are quite fascinating. Their temples inside a mountain have been called the eighth wonder of the world. Turns out, of course that they are a veeeery well disguised cult... check out this section of a video tour of the temple.

A good reminder to keep your eyes and ears on alert when people are telling you how WONDERFUL and BEAUTIFUL their ALTERNATIVE COMMUNITY is...

The Communion- Saturno Butto.

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!

"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"

Inside the Cult of Santa Muerte (Saint Death)

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2865152/Back-street-exorcisms-tequila-bullets-Breaking-Bad-Inside-Lady-Death-cult-world-s-fastest-growing-religion-Vatican-brands-infernal.html

"I felt as if I had been drugged"

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!

REMEMBER TO ENTER THE BLAKE PRIZE 2016/17

FOR RELIGIOUS ART:

http://www.blakeprize.com/

Jason Hernandez Art

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.

HOW TO START YOUR OWN CULT

A hilarious video on how to become a cult leader.

So very accurate.

When cray-cray Christians get 'demonic possession' all wrong

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.

Images inspiring my image ideas of present.

New ideas: APPROACHES TO CONSTRUCTING FINAL WORK

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.

http://www.icsahome.com/articles/the-last-draw-cults-and-creativity

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.