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Cults and Psychospiritual Manipulation

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posted on Jul, 23 2008 @ 03:00 PM
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Originally posted by Skyfloating
Society does have a collection of beliefs they would never question. Such as: "It is inappropriate to show up nude at funerals".

Once again, people and their traditions are stranger than I expected:
www.hartford-hwp.com...
leiterreports.typepad.com...

The mention of the use of pornography in various rituals leads back to the OP subject -- perhaps another attribute of 'cultlike' organizations is the use of 'liberation from societal boundaries', such as unrestrained sexuality, as a means of providing an appealing and enticing 'alternate' social context.



posted on Jul, 23 2008 @ 03:03 PM
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reply to post by Ian McLean
 


Funeral Strippers!


Never heard of them. Thanks for the en-light-ment.

Cults certainly use "liberation from society" (for example: thru provocative sex) because liberating people from one cult (society) they become more attached to the new cult.

Fascinating.



posted on Jul, 23 2008 @ 04:49 PM
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Originally posted by Matrix1111
What I don't like about any organized religion or "cult" is the requirement of alligence. That creates an "us vs. them" mentality. If God is universal and infinite, why would he choose only one religion to promote? Also why is there the necessity of having to pay for the "truth?" Isn't the point of spreading God's love an effort to create a world of harmony and peace? Why hinder the process with monetary demands? It seems to me that all religions need to progress to higher level of social responsibility and egoless altruism.


The mind-split duality of "us vs. them" is a strange thing. But I´d say its becoming more and more outdated, with less and less people falling for it.

I cant imagine you can still sell to the younger generation with "this is the only path".

Its worked for thousands of years, but we´re getting tired of it. We know that every viewpoint is another eye of infinity.



posted on Jul, 23 2008 @ 06:07 PM
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In defense of Falun Gong.... just to give the perspectives of both worlds... it DOES praise quite a few other methods of "energy cultivation" and they say that their way is just different. Also, in re-reading some of the material, Li Hongzhi does mention that he refers to himself as the Master only because he founded the movement. He also mentions that everyone has the potential to become "Buddhas" and surpass him, and that resonates with me because I have also studied mystic Christianity and have had several mystic experiences, and have some mystic knowledge I gained about the way of the universe. When he refers to himself as the Master, in the context I am reading it, it sounds much more like he is just laying a foundation. What you do with it is up to you... but I'm sure people have taken these teachings to an extreme, as people always do when they are focused more on belief systems and salvation of their soul than on actual truth... and, as I have been saying, as Falun Gong says, as all mystic ways say... beliefs are founded in ignorance, and beliefs are dangerous. Only through experience can you gain knowledge. I think if I was to ascertain these facts from this so called "cult", I would say that this is a most upstanding cult, compared to others.

I personally like the idea of people learning more tolerance, truthfulness, and compassion. If Falun Gong is a cult, it is nowhere near as harmful of a cult as the establishment.

I wonder if this "cult" would have gained upwards of 100,000,000 practitioners if there was nothing to it but brainwashing and false beliefs.

This has been in existence for only less than two dozen years, and there are alread 1/10 of a billion followers and climbing. I'm amazed by that. I'll bet you Christianity, if Jesus were around today and had started his teachings here and now instead of in the 1st century, it would take 100 years or more to get as many followers as Falun Gong has today in just a short period of time.

It's just a fascinating thing to me, really.

I can't stop looking into it.

Skyfloating, have you looked into Falun Gong before? If so, what is your opinion? If not, look into it and get back to me about it. Maybe it doesn't make sense to a lot of Westerners, but a lot of the things he is teaching, especially the teachings on character, seem very true to me. Odd as I might be, I don't fall for things of this nature very easily. This one has me stuck, though. Do I practice it and risk brainwashing, or do I ignore it and always wonder what it is I missed? That's the allure of cults, I guess. People are lured in because they are afraid of missing some secret truth... and then before ya know it, they're bald headed and handing out pamphlets on the side of the road, chanting "Hare Krishna!"



posted on Jul, 23 2008 @ 06:17 PM
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In the end, what do I need a path for? I'm already on a path, and I already have a lot of these qualities that Falun Gong is teaching. Why limit myself?

Am I afraid of finding out something I don't wanna know and would secretly rather prefer a limited viewpoint that is controlled by someone else's way?

This seems like another good point I would like to bring up. In the cult of society, are people secretly afraid of not having someone or some thing controlling their minds? Is this why they always react as if they are 100 percent confident, and as if there is nothing outside of that? Is this why we cling to materialism and traditional thinking so much? Because we are afraid of what change might show us about ourselves? What if our minds wandered too far? What if we realized something that our true consciousness has been trying to forget for eons of incarnations? I'm sometimes afraid that the ultimate truth would destroy meaning.



posted on Jul, 23 2008 @ 06:43 PM
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Originally posted by dunwichwitch
In defense of Falun Gong.... just to give the perspectives of both worlds... it DOES praise quite a few other methods of "energy cultivation" and they say that their way is just different. Also, in re-reading some of the material, Li Hongzhi does mention that he refers to himself as the Master only because he founded the movement. He also mentions that everyone has the potential to become "Buddhas" and surpass him, and that resonates with me because I have also studied mystic Christianity and have had several mystic experiences, and have some mystic knowledge I gained about the way of the universe. When he refers to himself as the Master, in the context I am reading it, it sounds much more like he is just laying a foundation. What you do with it is up to you... but I'm sure people have taken these teachings to an extreme, as people always do when they are focused more on belief systems and salvation of their soul than on actual truth... and, as I have been saying, as Falun Gong says, as all mystic ways say... beliefs are founded in ignorance, and beliefs are dangerous. Only through experience can you gain knowledge. I think if I was to ascertain these facts from this so called "cult", I would say that this is a most upstanding cult, compared to others.


It sounds like a comparitavely tame cult. Oftentimes its not even the founders or masters fault, as you say. Its what people make of it.

People like Osho or even Ron Hubbard were cool dudes compared to the brainwashing-systems people made of them.



I personally like the idea of people learning more tolerance, truthfulness, and compassion. If Falun Gong is a cult, it is nowhere near as harmful of a cult as the establishment.


Sure. What Im saying though goes even further: I believe some people are able to join real hardcore cults and still stay free in their minds and take the "good stuff" out.

Its up to me what I make of something. If I go visit a crappy workshop, I can still take some benefit out of it. Same goes for cults. You´ll be strong enough to derive benefit from it.



I wonder if this "cult" would have gained upwards of 100,000,000 practitioners if there was nothing to it but brainwashing and false beliefs.


Thats not saying much imo. Look at the sizes of the big religions. Or the size of Jehovas Witnesses.



This has been in existence for only less than two dozen years, and there are alread 1/10 of a billion followers and climbing. I'm amazed by that. I'll bet you Christianity, if Jesus were around today and had started his teachings here and now instead of in the 1st century, it would take 100 years or more to get as many followers as Falun Gong has today in just a short period of time.


Consider the population of China though. And consider that they use it as a protest against Communism.




Skyfloating, have you looked into Falun Gong before? If so, what is your opinion? If not, look into it and get back to me about it. Maybe it doesn't make sense to a lot of Westerners, but a lot of the things he is teaching, especially the teachings on character, seem very true to me. Odd as I might be, I don't fall for things of this nature very easily. This one has me stuck, though. Do I practice it and risk brainwashing, or do I ignore it and always wonder what it is I missed? That's the allure of cults, I guess. People are lured in because they are afraid of missing some secret truth... and then before ya know it, they're bald headed and handing out pamphlets on the side of the road, chanting "Hare Krishna!"


I havent looked into it much, no. Ive looked into chinese stuff a lot though...specifically qi gong, tai chi, and martial arts.

I believe 100% that if you remain aware of what brainwashing is, you can join any cult without getting brainwashed.

Since you´ve spent a significant amount of time at a conspiracy-website, there´s hardly a chance you are brainwashable.

I´ll look over to your thread later.



posted on Jul, 23 2008 @ 06:47 PM
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Originally posted by dunwichwitch
In the end, what do I need a path for? I'm already on a path, and I already have a lot of these qualities that Falun Gong is teaching. Why limit myself?


Well...before creating ones own path, its good to have experienced a few paths of others. Analogy: If you want to become a car builder, you see how its done in different companies. And then you go build your own.



Am I afraid of finding out something I don't wanna know and would secretly rather prefer a limited viewpoint that is controlled by someone else's way?

This seems like another good point I would like to bring up. In the cult of society, are people secretly afraid of not having someone or some thing controlling their minds? Is this why they always react as if they are 100 percent confident, and as if there is nothing outside of that? Is this why we cling to materialism and traditional thinking so much? Because we are afraid of what change might show us about ourselves? What if our minds wandered too far? What if we realized something that our true consciousness has been trying to forget for eons of incarnations? I'm sometimes afraid that the ultimate truth would destroy meaning.


They say people are more afraid of the light than of the darkness. Its hard to imagine that, but dark hollywood movies are much better selling than light ones.



posted on Jul, 24 2008 @ 10:27 AM
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Originally posted by Skyfloating

Originally posted by Matrix1111
What I don't like about any organized religion or "cult" is the requirement of alligence. That creates an "us vs. them" mentality. If God is universal and infinite, why would he choose only one religion to promote? Also why is there the necessity of having to pay for the "truth?" Isn't the point of spreading God's love an effort to create a world of harmony and peace? Why hinder the process with monetary demands? It seems to me that all religions need to progress to higher level of social responsibility and egoless altruism.


The mind-split duality of "us vs. them" is a strange thing. But I´d say its becoming more and more outdated, with less and less people falling for it.

I cant imagine you can still sell to the younger generation with "this is the only path".

Its worked for thousands of years, but we´re getting tired of it. We know that every viewpoint is another eye of infinity.


You're right. The quantum leap taking place is opening all of us (especially the young) to all kinds of possibilities. Those possibilities depend on our viewpoint or state of mind. As the saying goes, we create our own reality. Or we manifest what we think.

Religion has been formed in the image of its founder. That viewpoint attracts likeminded disciples. That's why certain cultures and peoples are built around certain religions. Like attracts like. (Of course most religions of the past have spread through war or intimidation, as well.)

The quantum epistemology of religion will make a fascinating subject one day. In fact, I think it's the reason for so many new religions (cults) rising up at this time. Everybody is realizing they are gods (in the quantum sense) and want to create their own religion.

[edit on 7/24/2008 by Matrix1111]



posted on Jul, 25 2008 @ 02:49 AM
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reply to post by Skyfloating
 


I think exaggerated seriousness is the hallmark of every cult.

You can detect them, smell them, rat them out with humor. If there is no response to that type of lightness, they have something to hide.

Hie ye to the top of the class, Skyfloating.

This is absolutely true.

It applies not just to religious cultists, but to anyone with an obsession. The obsessed - I don't mean OCD sufferers, but people whose lives have been entirely devoured by some Big Idea - can't seem to do humour. I don't know whether the obsession pushes out the humour, or whether the type of mind that falls prey to cultlike obsession is simply humourless in the first place.



posted on Jul, 25 2008 @ 04:54 AM
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reply to post by Astyanax
 


Of course this humorless obsession called "faith" has the benefit of not feeling insecure, feeling in control - something to fall back to in a chaotic world. For the weak and meek it might be appropriate. Wood too stiff tends to break easier though.



posted on Jul, 27 2008 @ 05:26 AM
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People are always looking to join something or be a part of something to give themselves meaning and purpose. I suppose it is human nature, and everything in society supports this way of thinking. From Prime Ministers/Presidents filtering through so many agencies to the common man (or woman). From childhood children are indoctrinated to submit their will to higher powers, from Headteacher/Principal down to classroom assistant. Everywhere you look in the structure of life we are lead to believe, from day one, that persons in positions "above" must be placated in order to achieve desires or happiness. I suppose the spiritual institutions are no different.

There is a temple you can spend time inside that is peaceful, and any spiritual practice or religious beliefs are accepted. Once there you can communicate with God, if you wish, access the most amount of information contained in the universe!. Sounds too good to be true doesn't it. Want to find this temple? Go look in your nearest mirror. It's you, you are the temple in which God resides. Put your hands over your eyes, scrunch your eyelids tight and look into the infinite darkness.

People are looking for something that they already have. Craziness. Oh there are temple rules, you have to supply clean food and water :p

Much Love.



posted on Jul, 16 2009 @ 02:33 PM
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I don't know why I haven't seen this thread before.. but I guess everything comes in the right time. F&S


There are way more cults than the average people imagine and most of them are devoted to the "dark powers"- They are very well kept in secret... Not just anyone can join, people are selected after a tough study/private investigation.

Of course it depends on the cult and the importance of it. There are cults whose members can only be blood related.

And the laying theme is supremacy.

It's some serious heavy stuff what's going on behind the scenes.




[edit on 16/7/09 by plutoxgirl]



posted on Jul, 17 2009 @ 01:00 PM
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Interesting that appears that some groups and secret societies behave exactly like cults and their members will tell you that "It's not a cult", "It's not a religion", etc...

Then you go to a good dictionary - like dictionary.com - and find the words cult and religion.



posted on Jul, 19 2009 @ 11:42 AM
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Just remembered that Fight Club has many meanings, metaphors and messages... and Is VERY related to the theme discussed on that thread.

Question everything. Deny ignorance. Trust only yourself.

[edit on 19-7-2009 by infobrazil]



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