What is Brainwashing:

Brainwashing is a three prong tactic that generally takes years to fully complete. People being brainwashed are unaware of the brainwashing, and this is why it is so effective.

The leader of a cult will begin by uniting people with a belief or principle. The leader will then “reward” members with something the world is not privy to. This can be special information, special skills, protection from a disaster, salvation, and so on. Eventually, the leader will position the world against the cult; making the world the enemy. The animosity with the world will encourage the members to isolate themselves from the rest of the world and discourage them from believing outside attacks against the cult.

The members of the cult, as they relate less and less with the world around them, will relate more and more with their fellow cult members. These cult members will eventually view their fellow members as their own family. The leader then takes the position as the “father” of the cult. As the cult evolves into a family structure with the leader positioned as the father, the leader is free to evolve the belief or principle that united the cult in the first place. This is generally when the leader is able to slowly evolve himself from merely a man to something more.

The evolution of the leader from a man to something superhuman generally takes years to accomplish. Faith healings, prophecies and promises are generally the tools used to accomplish this evolution. Very often, the leader will require the members to work long hours and sleep few hours. This takes away the members’ ability to think for themselves, forcing the leader to think for them.

The leader will take advantage of the family structure and incorporate communal discipline into their daily activities. Just as a father is required to discipline his sons and daughters, the leader will be given the responsibility of disciplining the members. The discipline will generally be public and members will be encouraged to watch or listen.

The repeated public humiliation will eventually encourage the one being disciplined to give up their self-identity and identify with the cult instead of themselves. At this point the leader of the cult is now your leader. The leader’s decisions are your decisions. You are the cult and the cult is you.

By the time the cult is fully matured, members are forced to continue their adoration of the leader for fear of public humiliation or how their fellow members might react to their dissenting opinions. Under these conditions, even if every member does not agree with the leader, the cult can still survive. The peer pressure of your fellow members will encourage you to continue in the cult, even if every members’ commitment is faked (faked commitment will appear to be genuine to those who do not know you are faking it).