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lindyhunt · 6 years

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Why Are We so Obsessed With Cults Right Now?

As a child of the ’90s, I was first exposed to our collective train-wreck-like fascination with cults in the spring of 1997, when 39 members of Heaven’s Gate took their own lives in San Diego, believing it would get them onto an alien spacecraft. And growing up in Quebec, I’d often hear about the high-profile publicity stunts of Raelians, whose followers believe that life on earth was scientifically engineered by an extraterrestrial species named the Elohim. The free-love-minded Raelians would distribute condoms at the entrance to high schools, claim to have cloned the first full human being and organize internships that taught the fundamentals of a cosmic and orgasm-inducing meditation technique.

Having what’s arguably the world’s largest UFO-based religion in my own backyard—the Raelian movement set up its world embassy UFOland compound just outside Valcourt, Que.—made me wonder about the kinds of people who relinquish some of their critical-thinking faculties in the hopes of achieving a greater sense of purpose and belonging. Lawrence Wright, author of Going Clear: Scientology, Hollywood and the Prison of Belief, argues that all humans are vulnerable but cult adherents are particularly reliant on absolutes. “I’ve always been interested in religions and why people believe one idea rather than another,” he explains in the documentary based on his book. “I’ve studied Jonestown and radical Islam; there are often good-hearted people, idealistic but full of a kind of crushing certainty that eliminates doubt.”

“I’ve studied Jonestown and radical Islam; there are often good-hearted people, idealistic but full of a kind of crushing certainty that eliminates doubt.”

From the terrifying desert commune of the Manson Family to the spiritual rehabilitation of A-list celebs drawn to Scientology, pop culture has long been obsessed with the plight of those willing to blindly subscribe to a fringe ideology. And lately the topic of cults seems to be beckoning our attention at every turn, with Netflix’s much-talked-about true crime series Wild Wild Country, about the controversial Indian guru Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh; Hulu’s fictional cult drama The Path; “I Admit,” R. Kelly’s 19-minute R&B response to allegations that he ran a sex cult; and the impending high-profile trials of the members of NXIVM, another sex cult in upstate New York, now linked to Seagram heiress Clare Bronfman and Smallville actress Allison Mack. That’s without mentioning American Horror Story’s cult-themed seventh season and HBO’s Rapture-esque The Leftovers, which features Liv Tyler as part of a chain-smoking, blasé-looking all-white-clad cult known as the Guilty Remnant.

So why this sudden spike in cultish entertainment? Commenting on Wild Wild Country’s recent Emmy nods and broader cultural resonance, executive producer Mark Duplass told Deadline that he loves how viewers are able to identify with the series’s niche religious movement, given that “nobody in this country is identifying with anyone right now who doesn’t believe exactly as they do.” And he has a point. The rapid polarization of political discourse in the United States and also abroad is making people less inclined to feel any empathy for those with differing world views and more likely to retreat even further into their extremist enclaves.

The rapid polarization of political discourse in the United States and also abroad is making people less inclined to feel any empathy for those with differing world views and more likely to retreat even further into their extremist enclaves.

Take, for instance, the viral video of a New York City lawyer threatening to call immigration on employees and customers for speaking Spanish at a Fresh Kitchen. Or that of a Black Lives Matter Toronto organizer calling Prime Minister Justin Trudeau a “white supremacist terrorist” at an anti-Islamophobia rally shortly after the Quebec City mosque attack. On the surface, these two news items couldn’t be more different: One shows an unwarranted tirade initiated by a racist client; the other, like-minded members of a community coming together to express their anger. Nevertheless, both seem symptomatic of what happens when people stop engaging in dialogue and resort to shouting matches. And, ultimately, could chanting mantras such as “Lock her up” at Republican rallies and gratuitously calling people out using immutable identity markers stand as modern iterations of cultlike behaviour? Wearing oversized capes and attending clandestine retreats in secluded forests might not be so popular in 2018, but punishing those whose perspectives are deemed heretical to a movement appears to be all the rage at both ends of the political spectrum.

Of course, the Trump cult is way scary. First and foremost because even fellow Republicans and the president’s own son seem to acknowledge he’s running a cult. Take Trump Jr.’s answer to Republican senator Bob Corker’s remark that the GOP is fast devolving into a cult: “If it’s a cult, it’s because they like what my father is doing.” When someone from Trump’s own party dares to contradict his version of reality—like when Senator Marco Rubio was chastised on Fox News for not following the president’s lead in recognizing the “talent” of North Korean dictator Kim Jong-un—you have to wonder how many other party members are holding back for fear of being excommunicated. As a head of state, when your supporters and the media outright reject any interpretation of reality that contradicts what you’ve said, you have to congratulate yourself for taking a page out of the cult playbook.

As a head of state, when your supporters and the media outright reject any interpretation of reality that contradicts what you’ve said, you have to congratulate yourself for taking a page out of the cult playbook.

While in no way comparable to the fear mongering and sheer verbal (if not outright physical) violence of the alt-right, the damage being done at the other end of the spectrum can also be pernicious. While it’s entirely justified to ban hate speech targeting marginalized groups, it’s quite another to discourage people from expressing ideas considered uncomfortable or unresolved. The dangers of groupthink apply to the left as well, and it has contributed to making Trump’s ascent so spectacular.

When controversial speakers such as British polemicist Milo Yiannopoulos are prevented from speaking at public events (thereby shutting down the possibility of challenging their short-sighted world views), when trigger warnings are issued at Cambridge University to flag “potentially distressing topics” in Shakespeare’s plays and when British broadcaster Cathy Newman spends a half-hour trying to shame Toronto psychology professor Jordan B. Peterson for his impassioned contempt of postmodernism instead of unpacking what he actually says, you realize just how contained the algorithmic bubbles we live in can be.

“In order to be able to think, you have to risk being offensive,” Peterson tells Newman when questioned about his right to offend. On that matter, I’m with him, as the opposite—censoring your ideas out of a fear that they may appear “divisive,” to borrow a word Newman repeatedly uses during the interview—might resemble something akin to The Handmaid’s Tale’s totalitarian Republic of Gilead.

Among the many markers of cultlike behaviour identified by the American Family Foundation, you’ll find leaders using guilt to control their members and an overarching “us versus them” mentality. Left- and right-wingers alike could be accused of such manipulative tactics. Peterson’s dismissal of anthropology and sociology classes as “indoctrination cults,” for instance, merely reinforces caricatures about left-wing activists instead of framing his critique in shades of grey. But it’s hard to rise above the current phenom of 24/7 preaching and online information cocoons, where followers chase enlightenment by binge-watching hours of content on YouTube or social media platforms that will conveniently validate their world views. That’s behind Peterson’s rapidly ascending popularity but also that of figureheads of much graver concern: conspiracy theorist Alex Jones’s InfoWars platform or even the sophisticated propaganda of ISIS—one of the most successful cults when it comes to online recruitment and self-radicalization.

It’s hard to rise above the current phenom of 24/7 preaching and online information cocoons, where followers chase enlightenment by binge-watching hours of content on YouTube or social media platforms that will conveniently validate their world views.

So what to make of our renewed interest in cults, and should we be concerned about the seemingly insurmountable divisions we face? I’m a firm believer in the power of the fifth estate to take gurus, spiritual leaders and assorted extremists to task on their most dubious claims. I’ll never forget when Rael—birth name Claude Vorilhon, self-described “gardener of our consciousness”—appeared on Quebec’s top-rated talk show Tout le monde en parle in 2004 with his topknot of hair to promote a Playboy spread featuring three topless females from his so-called Order of Angels.

The pull-no-punches TV panel picked apart the guru’s outlandish call to create a geniocracy as well as his boldfaced claim that he had used women’s wombs for cloning experiments. Once that TV appearance was over (it’s still regularly cited in media circles nearly 15 years later) and the man’s wonky assertions had been debunked, few people could claim with a straight face that they subscribed to Raelianism, and the movement eventually had to put its UFO compound up for sale. Think of it: A single entertainment talk show played a pivotal role in challenging the mind-manipulation techniques of a prominent international cult. I’m guessing that that media appearance didn’t help with its recruitment efforts.

As the first NXIVM trial gets underway and Trump continues to confound what many expect of world leaders in the 21st century, we have to remember to think critically about claims being made at either end of the political spectrum. In a world that seems like such a messy minefield, where the potential to be shamed or silenced for having an independent thought seems so great, we must remember to be courageous, speak up and, in the wise words of one great Canadian heartland rocker, keep on rockin’ in the free world.

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katiezstorey93 · 7 years

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Anti-Muslim conspiracists escalate campaign to crush Muslim Civil Society organizations

This short article initially appeared on AlterNet.

A brand new effort advanced by right wing Republicans in Congress and apparently supported from the Trump management places National Muslim civil community teams within the government’s crosshairs. Without exactly the same annoyed protests or condemnatory media meetings impressed by Trump’s journey bar targeting guests and twin people from eight Islamic-bulk nations, the reduced-recognized work is targeted at smashing strong Muslim civil community arranging within the Usa, utilizing the construction of the battle on fear.

The effort seeks to state the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist business, a name that used, will probably give a car to get a community of anti-Muslim crusaders to chase unaffiliated, conventional Muslim businesses and possibly criminalize their management.

Your time and effort hails from edge conspiracy advocates who, supported with a well-heeled Islamophobia business that is, espouse the declare that is misguided that the Brotherhood has treated the reaches of the government. These edge numbers cost that notable governmental people, from Abedin to Norquist to Ellison, are working as key providers of the business.

Singh Sethi, teacher and a municipal rights attorney at Law Heart, informed AlterNet this work represents of the Islamic bar and you will be utilized like an automobile to assault and smear Islamic governmental and social businesses within the Usa. The $57 thousand Islamophobia business is going to do something in its capacity to mistakenly and randomly link teams towards the Brotherhood within the Usa. These allegations alone may ruin reputations and tarnish businesses forever.”

This edge concept includes a primary point towards the Whitehouse nowadays.

This Jan, Rep. Mario Diaz-Balart and Sen. Ted Jones launched the Muslim Brotherhood Terrorist Situation Work in both congressional chambers. The statement additionally needs the Revolutionary Corps’ name like a terrorist business, a historical objective of professional and neoconservative -Israel components in California.

In a news release championing the regulation, Jones invoked an expected conflict of cultures. “I am happy to reintroduce these expenses that will codify required reforms against revolutionary Islamic terrorism in battle he explained. “This powerful risk to the world has increased underneath the federal government because of the willful blindness of politically proper guidelines that limit our security and security.”

Alongside this legal drive, advisors to Trump are apparently evaluating an executive order to state the Muslim Brotherhood like an international terrorist organization.

Conspiracy-theory supported by Islamophobia business

“One of the business for years’ favourite smear techniques hasbeen to accuse establishments and people of helping the mythological Muslim bogeyman within the U.S.,” stated the rights attorney, Sethi. “If the Brotherhood is specified a terrorist business that is foreign, this business may double-down about the strategy. This name might ignite to what we noticed throughout the red shock a witch-hunt similar. Harmless establishments and impugned and folks might be damaged. Additionally, the federal government might produce extensive substance assistance regulations and find to prosecute people and establishments, forfeiting their assets.”

Sethi underscored this governmental strategy comes even though the Brotherhood doesn’t possess a recognized existence within the Usa.

In a released in 2011, the Middle for National Development decided that eight fundamentals shelled-out $42.6 million between 2009 and 2001 to consider tanks evolving anti- guidelines that were Islamic. In another research posted in 2015, LIMIT recognized what it named a $57 thousand business that’s based on the scattering of anti-Muslim feeling. This business immediately facilitates tangible plan actions targeting Muslim towns within the Usa, such as the over 100 anti and also the NYPD’s surveillance program – bills which have been at their state amount around the world.

The misguided declare that the government has been treated by the Brotherhood performs a vital part within this business and it is espoused by main figureheads. Included in this is Frank Gaffney Jr., who started the Middle for Protection Plan, the think-tank that created the substandard study behind Trump’s strategy promise to bar Muslims. An anti-Islamic capitalist and conspiracy theorist, Gaffney offered being a agent to Cruz’s failed presidential strategy and it is near co-workers with several in Trump’s cupboard, including Steve Bannon.

Gaffney has stated the Brotherhood has treated the government, levying allegations that lots of authorities are agents including Hillary original aide Abedin without creating any proof. In the Traditional Political Action Meeting, Gaffney was briefly banned in 2011 for blaming the best- to be a realtor of the Brotherhood side activist Grover Norquist. Stating the Brotherhood takeover that was intended, McCarthy has been repeatedly required by Gaffney – investigations targeting Muslim Americans. “So persistent now’s the MB’s [Muslim Brotherhood’s] ‘civilization jihad’ inside the U.S. government and municipal establishments that the severe, continual and demanding analysis of the trend from the legal department is so as,” he contended in the Middle for Protection Plan in October 2011.

Somewhat, this isn’t the only real conspiracy concept Gaffney sticks to. He’s additionally asserted that Barackobama is just a key Muslim who had been not created within the Usa which Saddam Hussein was probable behind the Planet Trade Middle and Oklahoma City bombings.

Gaffney isn’t alone. Steven Emerson, a once Islamophobic writer and pundit, has performed a crucial part in perpetuating the idea the federal government was treated from the Muslim Brotherhood. Emerson has spread propaganda for example, the Oklahoma Federal Building have been bombed by Arabic “terrorists.” Occasions later, claiming in 1995, for a long time, the bomber was unveiled as nationalist McVeigh that was bright. 2 decades later, Emerson seemed on Foxnews to create phony promises concerning the lifestyle of Islamic no go areas within the U.K. Monk was pressured to problem numerous modifications and apologies for Emerson’s claims, which in turn-London Mayor Boris Johnson ignored as “total nonsense.”

Although each Gaffney are specified anti-Islamic extremists from the Law Heart, these within the best echelons of energy have espoused their sights. Ten years before, Bannon suggested a documentary-design film accusing a coalition of generous Jewish teams and Muslim civil rights businesses for posting horror into America, the Washington Post lately unveiled.

Two additional former allies towards Katharine Gorka—have and the bright nationalist publication Gorka lately registered Trump’s cupboard. Their professions fear-mongering has been constructed by the set over Muslims. Gorka, who today acts as national-security helper that was deputy, has formerly asserted the Usa is just a country that was Religious. “We don’t understand where the refugees from battle areas live in the USA,” he explained in a July-15 look on Foxnews. “We’re a country that is Religious; we ought to be altruistic to these in need. But charity isn’t a reason for suicide.” Katharine Gorka has formerly backed far reaching regulation to state the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist organization.

“You have these right wing edge advocates who believe every Muslim has links towards the Muslim Brotherhood, and that’s cause to doubt them,” Faiza Patel, denver-representative of the Freedom and National Security Plan for that Brennan Center for Justice at Ny University Law-School, informed AlterNet. “But today they’re in a position to drive conspiracy theories available and near to the middle of energy. This may be truly utilized as a means to clamp-down on Islamic teams in addition to notable activists.”

The founding father of the Authority of Jewish Speech for Serenity, Rosen, informed AlterNet, “As a Jew, I’d state this is actually the of individuals due to identification and their faith. Jews know-all about this. This could be the registry that is Islamic. This could provide the government the chance to transport through officially on which it’s confronted to do.”

Islamic civil society may be the actual goal

In 2014, Rep. Michele Bachmann launched regulation to “impose supports against individuals who purposefully supply substance assistance or assets towards the Muslim Brotherhood or its affiliates, connected teams, or brokers, as well as for additional purposes.” The regulation called crucial Muslim civil community agencies, including ISNA and CAIR.

Fear mongering within the Brotherhood has additionally supplied fodder for targeting humanrights agencies that are Palestinian. “Israel advocacy organizations within the U.S. have now been in the front of initiatives to tag Islamic, Arabic along with other teams that supporter for Palestinian privileges as ‘terrorist’ using the scantest of proof and also the thinnest posts of affiliation,” Dima Khalidi, the representative of Palestine Lawful, informed AlterNet over e-mail. “David Horowitz, for instance, has eliminated after the pupil teams the Muslim Pupils Connection (MSA) and Pupils for Justice in Palestine (SJP) together for supposed affiliation using the Islamic Brotherhood.”

“Notably, Dark Lives Issue, that was seriously assaulted by Israel advocacy teams because of its words of solidarity using the Palestinian independence motion, has additionally been named ‘terrorist,’ with calls to specify it as a terrorist business,” Khalidi extended. “The incline is actually higher and much more slick by having an management that’s a really anti-Islamic and anti-black agenda.”

Despite prior governmental initiatives to specify the Brotherhood a terrorist business, both Barak organizations and the Bush rejected. As correspondent Waqas Mirza lately mentioned, the “British government had additionally rebuked such calls along with a statement posted from the U.K. Home of Commons Foreign Affairs Panel this past year figured the Muslim Brotherhood didn’t participate in ‘terrorism.’”

Yet governments have extended on the Usa to apply strain to enforce the name, included in this Egypt and the UAE. In 2013 dedication the Brotherhood was a terrorist company was used-to warrant a large-scale and chaotic attack including disappearances torture and also the misguided arrests of thousands of individuals. The attack adopted the massacres of more than 2,000 demonstrators within the Cairo suburb of Rabaa.

Human Rights Watch reported this Egyptian precedent in condemning the governmental strategy within the U.S. “If the U.S. government designates the Muslim Brotherhood a terrorist team, subsequently not just its people, but anybody possibly within the Usa or abroad assumed of supplying assistance or assets towards the group could be vulnerable to elimination in the U.S. if they’re non citizens and having their belongings freezing,” the business mentioned. “They might also risk unfairly being focused for justice under numerous regulations, including these excluding content assistance for terrorism.”

Arun Kundnani may be the writer of and an adjunct teacher at New York School. He informed AlterNet, exactly what the character of the business is and “We might have a concerning the Brotherhood, however the recommended name of the Brotherhood like a terrorist firm has nothing related to the Brotherhood. It’s a weird fantasy.”

Impact that was “The is always to criminalize most of the top numbers top the protests against Trump Kundnani extended. “It might effectively criminalize Islamic businesses that represent the primary resistance towards the broader Trump plan, when it comes to rights and the Islamic bar. Mainly, it’d eliminate resistance towards the broader Islamophobic agenda.”

“This is frightening compared to bar that was Islamic,” said Katebi, performer and a coordinator with on National For That People Designers Combined and communications planner for that Detroit section of the Authority -Islamic Relationships. “When you include something and the term ‘terrorist’, the condition has branded you and most people are also scared to assist. Unlike a blanket bar on Muslims that’s simple to determine as incorrect and move assistance against, being named an enemy like an Islamic basically removes you and alienates you from support.”

Where many allies may fall off since this really is “This is specially crucial to become rallying against very important to appear as partners. This is actually the stage where partners is likely to be by what to complete also scared and uncertain. I would like to let you know today: you have to appear and do everything inside your capacity to assistance Muslim organizations who’ll be separated and Muslims and turn off by this name that is racialized. Never allow the condition determine your enemies.”

from network 8 http://www.nsorchidsociety.com/anti-muslim-conspiracists-escalate-campaign-to-crush-muslim-civil-society-organizations/

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