Combatting Cult Mind Control

Rating:
Summary: A thoughtful and thorough look at mind-control techniques
Review: First of all, in response to those reviewers who argue that "all religions practice mind control" and "Hassan is against freedom of religion," I would like to point out that Hassan states very plainly that just because a group is not mainstream does not make it a cult. He provides very detailed, specific criteria as to what makes a cult (including deception, attempts to isolate people from their friends and family, refusal to let members leave, and pronounced control of information), and also includes a handy checklist of questions to ask potential cult recruiters, including "Does your group practice deception?" "Is your group considered controversial and if so, why?" and "Tell me three things you don't like about your group and your leader." As Hassan states, legitimate organizations will be honest about their motives, and members of legitimate organizations should be able to discuss their group's failings as well as its strengths. Hassan is not out to demonize religion in general, nor (as he states) are all cults necessarily religious in nature.

Hassan provides an excellent breakdown of the dynamics of cults, beginning with his own experience being recruited by the Moonies. Dissatisfied with his own experience of being "kidnapped" and deprogrammed (though he readily concedes that it was, overall, a beneficial experience), he has developed a less-drastic approach to counseling members out of cults, based around attempts to reactivate the original personality underneath the cult one (his own mention of how the sight of his father's tears provided the first step on his road to leaving the Moonies is touching and convincing). As previously mentioned, he offers warning signs that a group might be cultish, provides detailed, common-sense advice for how to deal with family members who might have been indoctrinated, and offers advice for former cult members who are attempting to readjust to life in normal society.

While Hassan mentions that not all cults are religious in nature, he spends most of his time dealing with religious ones, except for brief mentions of psychotherapeutic cults. I was a little disappointed by this, since I found the notion of non-religious cults fascinating and would have liked to see more of an exploration of the differences, if any, between religious and non-religious cults. This is an area I wish he had explored in more depth. Hassan's discussions of Satanic cults, while brief, also clearly date the book to the late '80s/early '90s, during which the "Satanic Panic" was at its height.

Overall, however, this is an excellent introduction to the phenomenon of cults and mind control, and I would recommend this to anyone interested in the subject, for whatever reason.

Rating:
Summary: Negative book!!! What happened to Tolerence?
Review: If you or anyone you know has ever been in a cult or the victom of mind control, then buy this book now. This book not only takes you through the process of recognizing how a destructive cult can influence you without you even knowing it, but it also suggests ways in which you can avoid falling into their traps. It guides you on the type of help a victom needs. This is a serious subject. A friend of mine was the victom of cult mind control and even 10 years later, she was still suffering its effects. This book pointed out the commonalities of victoms who have suffered mind control and allowed her to see that she was not alone. She was finally able to be freed of the mind control's effects.

Rating:
Summary: Horrible "book" written by an angered 2yr old.
Review: If your going to by this book I suggest first paying a friend $12 to have him sit there and lie & complain to you for 4 hours. You'll receive the same entertainment, Steven Hassan is a child, this book should have included finger paints and connect-the-dots chapter.

Rating:
Summary: Reviews that speak
Review: Isn't it interesting. Reviews of this book either seem to get one star or lots. One might be forgiven for wondering whether the one-stars are in cults...

Personally, I'm just interesting in persuasion (my site is at changeminds.org) and found the book a surprisingly even-handed and mature text. Given that Hassan has been through the mill himself, he might be forgiven for being hateful towards cults. All I saw was compassion to those who have been harmed.

For the cults (strange word, anyway), he does take pains to point out that they are very varied and that many people are not harmed by many groups that could be called cultish in at least some way. The most harm happens, it seems, is when the vulerable meet the Machiavellian.

The book is also very interesting when used in the context of normal society and organizational groups.

Rating:
Summary: Entering and Leaving Destructive Cults
Review: Steven Hassan was recruited from college into the Unification Church ('the Moonies'). Mr. Hassan was a Moonie for over two years, during which time he rose from recruit to Unification Church Manhattan NY main lecturer and Unification Church national headquarters assistant director. Then Mr. Hassan's family had him 'forcibly deprogrammed' while he was convalescing from a bad automobile accident. After much emotional resistance Mr. Hassan's Unification Church belief faltered and he regained the rational detachment required to view his experiences objectively. Mr. Hassan grew to despise the abusive mind control techniques he had *experienced and used* as a Unification Church member and leader -- he now describes the Unification Church as a 'destructive cult'. Mr. Hassan returned to college to study psychology, then developed his own 'exit counseling' techniques that rely on discussion rather than anxiety-creating confrontation to break a destructive cult's hold upon its members.

Mr. Hassan's powerfully-written text first describes his experience as a destructive cult's member and leader, then describes his extensive experience as an exit counselor helping members of many destructive cults. Mr. Hassan describes how destructive cults attract, recruit, isolate and control their members, rewarding attitudes and behaviors approved by cult leaders and punishing attitudes and behaviors not approved by cult leaders. Cult members' lives revolve around this programmed reward and punishment, an environment that quickly confuses and forces cult members into obedience.

"Combatting CULT MIND CONTROL" is suitable both for social workers getting their first exposure to destructive cults, and also for concerned family members trying to understand what their loved one is experiencing as a cult member.

Since Mr. Hassan's text was written in 1990 the United States domestic economy and tax revenues have shrunk significantly -- the 'social safety net' has frayed while sexually transmitted diseases have spread. At the same time un(der)employment has broken many lower- and middle-class families' marriages and credit resources. Were Mr. Hassan to revise his text today, I believe he would discuss how cults are exploiting these new classes of homeless and 'near homeless' people.

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Summary: Former JW Rates This Book Two Thumbs Up...Way Up!
Review: There are only a few books that I have ever read that have affected my life in such a tremendously profound way. This was one of them. I was raised in the cult known as Jehovah's Witnesses. For 27 years I was totally controlled and totally miserable and didn't know why. After reading this book all of the pieces fell into place. Forget the reviews you've read by self proclaimed "intellectuals" saying that this material is dated or shallow. This stuff addresses cult mind control at its source. It is entirely accurate in its depiction of modern cults as I can attest from personal experience. The reason that it is so accurate and so useful is that it was written by a man who himself was a member of an intensely mind controlled cult. The real revelation though (excuse the pun all you JW's) is that almost all cults work in a similar fashion. Once that "clicks" and you realize that they are all reading from the same "playbook" then is when you finally come to know the real truth about cults. I had a lot of mind control "loops" rolling through my head (gee when is Armageddon really coming?) (will I be destroyed since I don't knock on doors anymore?) for so many years even after leaving the Witnesses. After reading this book those loops disappeared from my mind never to return. Buy this book and then READ IT...for the rest of your life you will thank yourself for doing it.

Rating:
Summary: A MUST read if concerned about a loved one
Review: What if a loved one has started to act differently? They speak with a strange new vocabulary of religious or New Age psychobabble. They pressure you - all the time - to join a wonderful group they've found. They claim to be part of an elite that has "found the truth". They spend enormous amounts of time with this group, and always seem short of money. You've tried arguing with them, challenging them, even being abusive to them. Maybe it's just a phase, rebellion, some kind of infatuation with a group member. Surely it couldn't be a cult! Don't they wear weird clothes, live in communes and chant on street corners? Didn't they fade away in the 70s or 80s?

You need to read Steve Hassan's book. Cults are here, and they are more sophisticated than ever. But even though you may start to panic, Steve Hassan doesn't. His book is sober, serious and even-handed. He points out that many organizations with "strange" ideas are not cults and have a Constitutional right to their beliefs. However, others use deceptive practices and psychological intervention techniques - especially "group therapy" - to recruit, retain and control new members.

The real strength of "Combatting Cult Mind Control" is its authority. Hassan is a former cult member, and has interviewed many others. That makes the book believeable, and helps the nightmarish quality of your fears harden into something real - something you can deal with. Hassan provides lots of practical advice. However, in the end his central message is sobering - you're going to need help to help your loved one.

Rating:
Summary: Your mind is the prime target...
Review: What is wrong with book? Don't ALL releigions practice "mind control" and not just these "cults". Christianity does mind control. As well as Judism, Buddhisma and ALL RELIGIONS! If you are not Christian or any other major religion then I gaurentee you will find this book to be one of the most offensive documents ever written.