Day: March 28, 2017

 

republished below in full unedited for informational, educational, and research purposes:

I wanted to include the article below to help people asses
their respective groups and help them heal more rapidily by removing any
guilt they have for being sucked into the group by recognizing the
deceptive practices and other mind control techniques used by the
destructive cult.

I
write this to let people know you can heal, even from the family
wounds. Yes, cults will use the leverage of families to attempt to stem
the flow of the truth to the outside world. They are fighting for
survivial, and the ends justify the means in their eyes.

Below
is an expansion of Liftons characteristics. I wanted to follow it up
with why I see the Bruderhof as a destructive cult. I do this in hope
that their road to eventual decline can be turned into a renewal for its
membership. Opening up of the Bruderhof to change and meaningful
discussion with its ex-members and children would go a long way to bring
positive change. Holding up the Bruderhof to close scrutiny about the
difference between its espoused beliefs and how it acts can only will
benefit the group in the long run. I am only doing what they taught
me… to live my life the way I think Christ would have me. I cannot
suborn my relationship to God either to a group or another individual.

*******************

While
the argument rages as to what group is or isn’t a cult or to what
degree a group displays cultic tendencies, cult observers and
ex-cultists alike will agree that a destructive group or cult is best
defined as a group that espouses one thing, yet its actions are quite
another. In other words, does a group practice what it preaches? Do its
members exhibit positive influence on each other and the world around
them? Or do they withdraw? How do they treat ex-members?

The
following borrows heavily from Lifton’s and others work. While every
group or religion may possess one or more of the characteristics, cults
will usually exhibit almost all of them. The degree as to which each is
met is also telling. Rate your group, and if they exhibit most or all of
these… your group is probably a destructive cult. If you are a
parent, sibling, or friend of a cult member, investigate the group. A
good place to start is by contacting ex-members. Find out how the group
teaches its ex-members or others critical of the group. Observe the
current member inside and out of the group’s compound or away from other
group member. Is critical thinking impaired? Has the members thinking
taken a radical turn? What is the positive effect of this thinking on
the individual?

Cult Characteristics:

The
group is focused on a living (or dead) leader to whom members seem to
display excessively zealous, unquestioning commitment. The group focuses
on the leaders special insights that he/she alone can possess. These
insights are often surreal or mystic in nature. “Deification” of
leadership to the point of disregarding critical thought for oneself,
changing thought patterns from one’s former life to such an extreme one
completely disassociates oneself from friends, family and other past
associations.

*** The Bruderhof has long idolized it living
leadership. The founders writings and teaches were (are) read more often
the Bible. The founder’s son Heini was revered as a prophet and
charismatic leader. Both Heini and Eberhard’s writings are treated like
Holy Scripture, while the Bible gathers dust in the homes of members.
Leadership has passed like “divine right” from father to son in the
Arnold dynasty. The current leader is revered and held in awe much like
his father and grandfather. His books, most likely written by ghost
writers, once again are placed in a higher place then the Bible itself.
These books are so important to the Bruderhof that they hawk them on the
back of various causes, including the anti-death penalty movement and
the protest against the Cuban blockade. I see that as incredibly
self-serving. Christoph (or his ghosts) writes about forgiveness, yet
entraps Dave Meandel in a lawsuit. I don’t condone an attempt to extort
money from the Bruderhof, but nor would I condone entrapment with the
use of state law enforcement. As for family members, I have lost all
contact with my parents and siblings currently in the cult, as I have
chosen to speak the truth. If they were truely living out their stated
beliefs, it would be necessary for them to reach out and love and
convince me that I am not living up to Jesus example. “For what you do
unto the least of these, My brethren, you do unto Me” Not only am I a
true Child of the Bruderhof, but I am also one of the least of these.

The
group is preoccupied with bringing in new members. Often this is done
using deprivation of food , or withholding of sleep from the targeted
recruit. Asking the recruit to “suspend belief for just a minute” is the
start to many cult propaganda lectures. Female members may entice
recruits with promises of or actual sexual favors.

*** The
Bruderhof uses the pastoral setting and well meaning members to entice
new membership. Recruits are asked to work without pay at the Bruderhof.
The true nature of the Bruderhof is held back from the recruits.
Brotherhood meetings are held in secret, not open to the public to see
how denunciation, using real or imagined sins is used to beat the
helpless member to the leaderships will. The Lords supper and the
emotional, spiritual, and psychic flagellation that occur before are nor
open to the public. The same is true of baptism preparation. Being
constantly surrounded by members who seemingly display such caring and
love lulls the recruit into a false sense of peace and contentment.

The
group is preoccupied with making money. This is often done at the
expense of the cult member. Uneven distribution of wealth within the
group, where leadership enjoys material goods (or services) not
available to the normal member. Does the leader own flashy, expensive
cars? Large homes? What does the normal member receive? Does the member
give all his/her income to the group? What do they receive in return?

***
The Bruderhof has allegedly seized numerous estates, and in some cases
is believed to have changed legal documents to obtain inheritances. The
Bruderhof does not pay its members, and controls what the members eat
and wear. The Bruderhof demands all wealth and possessions be turned
over to the group when one is baptized as a member, and one is expelled,
these possessions are not returned. Often, little or no help is given
to those expelled, even those with large families. In a recent case, the
Bruderhof actually interdicted the efforts of a father to achieve
gainful employment, and tried to have his wife’s ability to earn a
living revoked. The Bruderhof owns and operates a Gulf Stream Corporate
jet. It leader uses that jet to visit other compounds, or, allegedly to
go on vacations. It is believed that the leader drives a expensive
Sports Utility Vehicle, a privilege other members cannot share. It is
believed the leader regularly uses his wealth to go to expensive
restaurants, attend movies and rent videos, while the membership is
denied all of these. In short, the leader enjoys a different lifestyle
then the members, enjoying the perks of power and wealth while
withholding from the membership. The membership is believed to have no
knowledge of this privileged lifestyle.

Questioning, doubt, and
dissent are discouraged or even punished. This punishment may take the
form of shunning or banishment from the group. Critical thought is
discouraged or disallowed. Fear of punishment, either emotional, or
physical is used to make members follow leaderships edicts. Group “peer
pressure” is used to force the individual member to question or change
his/her critical thinking. The group and its goals hold higher priority
then the individual. Deprivation of social interaction with others is
used to mold thought patterns and punish the individual for supposed
wrongdoing or questioning of the leadership.

*** Exclusion or
exclusion from the group is common. In a recent case, when one member
questioned the harassment campaign of a help line offered by the
Children of the Bruderhof, he and his family were expelled as a result.
His refusal to back down in his questioning lead to his expulsion. In
another recent case, a member attempted to start a Bible study group,
and was expelled as a result. This from a so-called Christian
organization! A great crisis was created in the 1960 time frame to
consolidate power around Heini Arnold, and as many as 600 people were
expelled as a result. Unity for its own sake is a fact of life in the
Bruderhof. A recent incident yielded this quote. “It’s not whether it is
right or wrong, but that we do it together.” This quote is attributed
to the wife of a person in a leadership role.

Mind-numbing
techniques (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues,
denunciation sessions, debilitating work routines) are used to suppress
doubts about the group and its leader(s). Use of confessions or other
real or perceived “sins” or wrong doings are used to browbeat the member
under duress. Often crises are created, using imaginary wrongs, to have
members look inward to ferret out non-existent faults. The breakdown of
the individual in favor of “group-think” is commonplace. Poor diet or
sleep deprivation may be used.

*** Group “unity” take precedence
over all else in the Bruderhof (See above quote). Sin files and
perceived sins are used in “Brotherhood” meetings to manipulate the
helpless soul under the leaderships scrutiny. Other members join in to
browbeat the individual for fear that the focus will turn to them if
they do not. True forgiveness is not a reality at the Bruderhof. Often
(alleged) sins are dredged up over a period of years or decades.
Manipulation by manufactured “crisis” are commonplace int the Bruderhof.

The
leadership dictates sometimes in great detail how members should think,
act, and feel (for example: members must get permission from leaders to
date, change jobs, get married; leaders may prescribe what types of
clothes to wear, where to live, how to discipline children, and so
forth). This may even go into areas considered extremely private, such
as what a married couple doe in the bedroom. The degree as to which this
happens is one of the key features of a cult. Is the leaders word all
pervasive? Followed without question? What recourse does a member have
if he/she feels the leadership is wrong? What happens to the member if
they do not follow the leaders edicts?

***. The Bruderhof
leadership says who can and cannot date or marry. They control what
happens in the marital bedroom. Careers are chosen, made or broken by
the leadership. Equal opportunity for college education is not offered
to all members. Children of the leadership are given leadership roles
early on, and are favored with education they chose. Most all aspects of
(communal) life are controlled by the leadership.

The group is
elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s),
and members (for example: the leader is considered the Messiah or an
avatar; the group and/or the leader has a special mission to save
humanity). How does the differ from their actions, especially to members
or children who have left the group. Does the group have “secret”
writings or beliefs it will not share with its members or the public. To
what degree are it governing or religious (group) functions open to the
public? To ex-members? Does the group encourage public scrutiny?

***
In a 2 hour long discussion I had with a childhood friend, I asked him
how I could have a relationship with him a fellow Christian he answered
that I couldn’t, that I would need to live at the Bruderhof. While the
Bruderhof will not publicly admit to it, they claim the Bruderhof is the
best way to serve Jesus. Prayer is withheld from other professing
Christians. Brotherhood meetings are held in secret, away from public
scrutiny. The Lord’s Supper is not open to members outside the group
(including other professing Christians)

The group has a polarized
us- versus-them mentality, which causes conflict with the wider
society. Often the group beliefs are black versus white, leaving little
room for discussion or adaptation. Groups may arm or secure their
compounds against real or perceived threats. Ex-members are often
demonized, and access to family is restricted or cut off.

*** The
Bruderhof has long held an us versus them mentality. Only in recent
years has it turned to the “outside” to further its aim. It had long
held itself back from the world, including withholding newspapers, TV
and the like from its membership. Outside influence of almost any kind
is discouraged. The withholding of family visitation has increased over
the last several years. Can you imagine having such them versus us
mentality that you would sue your own children? The Bruderhof has done
it, in the case of the Hutterian Brethren against the Children of the
Bruderhof. Mike LeBlanc was one of the defendants, and his parents are
current Bruderhof members. Ex-members and children have been demonized,
and almost all access to the Bruderhof from family members has been
restricted or cut off totally. Recently the Elder of the Bruderhof
gained a permit for a 44 caliber handgun, the reason on the permit was
“for protection of the community (Bruderhof) and its members. Also,
expensive security systems have been added to the Bruderhof properties.
Police records also show shots being fired into a neighbors house in NY
state.

The group’s leader is not accountable to any authorities
(as are, for example, military commanders and ministers, priests, monks,
and rabbis of mainstream denominations). Often disregard for secular or
constitutional law is scoffed at or trod upon. Illegal activities are
justified by suspension of critical thinking, or paranoia about
“attacks” from the outside. The leader is obeyed without question. and
his/her actions cannot and will not be questioned.

*** The
current Elder and his henchman are certainly not accountable to the
membership. And they currently abuse both the legal system and law
enforcement (in the entrapment of Dave Meandel, an ex-member). Their use
of wire taps has gone uninvestigated by the authorities. The leadership
recently flaunted their disregard for the law by join the Caravanistas
breaking the Cuban blockade. They support a murderer of a policeman. You
be the judge.

The group teaches or implies that its supposedly
exalted ends justify means that members would have considered unethical
before joining the group (for example: collecting money for bogus
charities). Illegal or immoral acts, including use of harassing
lawsuits, become commonplace. Wiretaps and theft of information are
used. Email accounts may be interdicted.

*** See above. Could you
sue your own children? What about making stickers for a supposed sex
line using the help line number started by the Children of the
Bruderhof? Wiretapping? Blocking children from visiting the grave of
their loved ones? Parents? What about telling relatives of death months
after the event? These and other acts are examples of immoral,
unethical, and in some cases illegal activities the Bruderhof has taken
to of late.

Members’ subservience to the group causes them to cut
ties with family and friends, and to give up personal goals and
activities that were of interest before joining the group. Suspension of
critical thinking is pre-dominant. Destruction of the individual in
favor of the group is commonplace. Mail or other communication may be
intercepted.

*** Calls are not taken by loved ones inside the
compound. Email and other mail is either directly filtered, or by using
peer pressure, the mail is handed over to leadership. It is believed
that mail outbound may never be sent. We know email has been either
directly or in-directly been intercepted by the leadership.

Members
are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group. This is
enforced enough that the member may suffer poor health. Their
appearance may change. Often the members are forced to live or work in
the compound of the group. The members earnings are given to the group
and its leader, the member getting little or nothing in return.

***
The Bruderhof demands your life.. period. You are expected to give all
time and money to the Bruderhof. Your relationships are controlled by
the leadership. You thoughts, feelings, and emotions are constantly
called into question and manipulated for the leaders purposes.
Manipulation by fear and crisis are commonplace at the Bruderhof. Upon
expulsion the members is often given little or no help. The Bruderhof
has even made it difficult for ex-members to find work.
_______________________________________________________