No time for the Sith

I’ve been COVID-binge-watching some interesting TV of late, and stumbled across several documentaries about cults. I’ve had a long-running fascination with them over the years, and have yet to understand how people can get sucked into something that is so obviously – from the outside – far fetched. But the older I get, and the more I observe; the better I understand at least some of it.

Since early childhood, when family legend has it that I picked up a pinching bug after being warned that it would pinch; I’ve been one of those people whose eyebrow goes up when an outlandish claim comes out. It doesn’t matter if I am in a meeting for work where they’re trying to push the latest teambuilding rah-rah program or in an organized religious group where the leader is trying to push a claim that simply doesn’t pass the sniff test. I’m usually the buzz kill who Googles the facts on the company selling the feel-good management trick or the truth about the claims of the 100th monkey.

In my recent TV binge about cults I was struck (again) by the willingness of otherwise-reasonable people to believe some pretty crazy things, and to allow themselves and their children to be mistreated (& worse) due to their affiliation with an organization. Often the beliefs are codified in writings penned by the guru or founder, which are at some point taught as “gospel” and eventually normalized within the group as the inerrant truth.

In addition to my interest in the human behavior that allows otherwise-reasonable people to wander off of the sanity track, I’m also interested in the cult traits that I’ve sometimes seen demonstrated in otherwise-reasonable organizations. This blog will examine a couple of these.

Elevating the founder’s writing(s)
While we revere ancient texts for the wisdom they share with the world, it can get sticky when we take the writings of someone in recent history and begin to quote them like Moses, Jesus, Lao Tzu or Confucius.

Modern writers can certainly have inspired insights, as did prophets of old, but we must take care not to elevate inspired insights into inerrant “facts” and the writers into gods whose perspectives cannot be questioned.

It’s also healthy to practice critical review, which means we should push back on things that don’t make sense, or ask hard questions about things that seem too far fetched. Done appropriately, this practice can serve to strengthen a teaching. Avoided and punished, it opens the door for cultish behavior and the eventual demise of the organization.

Truth can stand up to even the harshest scrutiny and questions.

The remedy? Encourage the study of writings from outside the canon, from authors with a slightly different viewpoint, from differing perspectives.

Squashing dissent
The scariest stories from the cults that have made national and international news for their bad behaviors always begin with rules against speaking out against the leader or the movement and prescribing punishments for those that dare to question either.

This is a BIG RED FLAG. If your organization cannot stand up to the disinfectant of SUNSHINE, it’s a clear sign that more transparency is needed, and now.

Members, officers, laity and the ecclesiastical ranks of any organization should be able to ask hard questions (openly) and criticize behaviors that are questionable without fearing retribution of any kind – including ostracization or credential loss.

Like truth, honorable practices can stand up to even the most intense review.

The remedy? Encourage feedback. Listen to those who pushback. Stay open and receptive to criticism; remain willing to be wrong (and to correct your course).

Using punitive measure to force adherence to group rules
One of the most upsetting reports on behavior like this (in a non-cult) came in 2 blogs about spiritual practitioners who were handled roughly due to falling on financial hard times. You can read the first article here (& the 2nd one here).

From the 2nd article (by Harv Bishop)

“…three practitioners, deeply spiritual idealists with a strong desire to serve… trained for four-plus years to serve a New Thought church and its congregants through prayer. All faced personal crisis and financial difficulties. They could not keep up required tithing to their church.  Instead of compassion, understanding, and support they were given three stark choices: 1) up their giving, 2) attend a prosperity reeducation group (which they would have to pay to attend*), or 3) surrender their license to practice prayer.“

Harv Bishop, “Don’t Look Behind the Curtain”

As we look at the danger and destruction that cults have perpetrated in the name of (initially, anyway) some higher ideal; it’s important to look hard at our own practices and principles to ensure that we are not borrowing tactics from despots in the name of keeping everyone in line.

The remedy? A hard look in the mirror at your purpose as an organization and a recognition that the LOVE of money (greed) is at the root of all evil.

If we build groups and organizations that are serving others, and meeting the needs of our constituents; we will not have to coerce, control or corral our members. People will willingly show up, generously give, and lovingly support our work. If/when we find ourselves moving toward authoritarian tactics, or speaking like the young Darth Vader in Revenge of the Sith (“If you’re not with me, then you are my enemy,…“) – it’s a sign we need to step back, reconsider our goals, objectives and values and listen to those outside of our innermost group (the non-sycophants).

In this time of global pandemic, economic instability and political unrest, we do not need more Sith-like behavior and organizations.

This country, indeed the world, needs more organizations that teach peace, cooperation, harmony, collaboration, love and other similar values. We can only step up to fill that position from a place of openness, transparency, willingness to change, and non-fear (the need to control others is rooted in fear).

Our nation had a close call this past week. Thankfully, for now, we’ve pulled back from the brink, but we must recognize that it was the accumulation of small deviations from our norms that pushed us to this scary cliff. The march toward authoritarianism did not begin with a major, targeted campaign. We slid toward it in small steps, a little at a time.

It’s a lesson we’d do well to remember.

(C) 2020 Practitioner's Path

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If you’re not familiar with cults and their dangers, and want to refresh your learning, check out this website with information on 10 of the most dangerous cults in recent American history.

* comment added by Practitioner’s Path