Is our government acting like a cult?

[kitkat65]

I've been thinking about this lately and if it's already been discussed here, sorry for the redundancy.

This is a partial list of characteristics of cults from the website http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/checklis.htm

I've listed only the ones that seem obvious to me but I'm interested to hear other opinions about whether these characteristics can be applied to what is currently happening within our government.

• The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

• The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).

• Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

?• The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.

?• The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).

?• The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).

• Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

• The group is preoccupied with making money.
?
• The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt in order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.

There are other characteristics listed which I didn't think really applied, but most are present. If you want to research other characteristics, just google "characteristics of a cult."

[Dora]

1. Yes. Yes. Yes. Yes.

Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.
Yes.

[bdamomma]

2. I will give a short answer yes, our government is a cult

[cspanlovr]

3. They do refer to him as The Leader, not The President, when they

write to one another. Sounds cultish to me. Sounds Nazi-ish to me.

[JHB]

7. It IS Nazi-ish

Der Fuhrer is simply "The Leader" in German.

[The2ndWheel]

4. That sounds like every organized force ever

Especially the US Government, from day stinkin' one. So I'll agree.

[DUgosh]

5. It's not an act

[noneofmybusiness]

6. Yes. And also is our government acting like a cunt?

[Coventina]

10. erm, I see that you are new here...so you probably don't know

The "C" word is forbidden.


On edit: It is a hilarious picture, though.

And welcome to DU!

[TechBear_Seattle]

8. Let's check with the ABCDEF

That would be the Advanced Bonewits Cult Danger Evaluation Framework, a rather useful tool in determining the cult-like risks of a group.

Rating America today as it exists under Bush, with each item being placed on a scale from 1 (very low) to 10 (very high) and using + or - to indicate an increasing or decreasing trend over the last five years...



1. Internal Control: Amount of internal political and social power exercised by leader(s) over members; lack of clearly defined organizational rights for members. 5+

2. External Control: Amount of external political and social influence desired or obtained; emphasis on directing members’ external political and social behavior. 7+

3. Wisdom/Knowledge Claimed by leader(s); amount of infallibility declared or implied about decisions or doctrinal/scriptural interpretations; number and degree of unverified and/or unverifiable credentials claimed. 6+

4. Wisdom/Knowledge Credited to leader(s) by members; amount of trust in decisions or doctrinal/scriptural interpretations made by leader(s); amount of hostility by members towards internal or external critics and/or towards verification efforts. 9+

5. Dogma: Rigidity of reality concepts taught; amount of doctrinal inflexibility or “fundamentalism;” hostility towards relativism and situationalism. 9+

6. Recruiting: Emphasis put on attracting new members; amount of proselytizing; requirement for all members to bring in new ones. 1- (reflecting anti-immigrant sentiments)

7. Front Groups: Number of subsidiary groups using different names from that of main group, especially when connections are hidden. 6+ (CIA "front" organizations)

8. Wealth: Amount of money and/or property desired or obtained by group; emphasis on members’ donations; economic lifestyle of leader(s) compared to ordinary members. 8+ (not yet returned to the "robber baron" society, but we're getting there.)

9. Sexual Manipulation of members by leader(s) of non-tantric groups; amount of control exercised over sexuality of members in terms of sexual orientation, behavior, and/or choice of partners. 7+

10. Sexual Favoritism: Advancement or preferential treatment dependent upon sexual activity with the leader(s) of non-tantric groups. 8+

11. Censorship: Amount of control over members’ access to outside opinions on group, its doctrines or leader(s). 8+

12. Isolation: Amount of effort to keep members from communicating with non-members, including family, friends and lovers. 8+ (reflecting the balkanization and government control of US media)

13. Dropout Control: Intensity of efforts directed at preventing or returning dropouts. 9+

14. Violence: Amount of approval when used by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s). 10+

15. Paranoia: Amount of fear concerning real or imagined enemies; exaggeration of perceived power of opponents; prevalence of conspiracy theories. 10+

16. Grimness: Amount of disapproval concerning jokes about the group, its doctrines or its leader(s). 8+

17. Surrender of Will: Amount of emphasis on members not having to be responsible for personal decisions; degree of individual disempowerment created by the group, its doctrines or its leader(s). 7+

18. Hypocrisy: amount of approval for actions which the group officially considers immoral or unethical, when done by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s); willingness to violate the group’s declared principles for political, psychological, social, economic, military, or other gain. 9+

All in all, not a pretty picture, is it?

[lonestarnot]

9. Looks like a pig, walks like a pig, smells like a pig, sounds like a pig

Must be a fucking pig!

[Cameron27]

11. I've never thought about it that way before,

but you're right, they do seem to have the fervor of a right-wing cult.

[Double T]

12. Absolutely!! Everything will be OK as long as we DO NOT.........

DRINK THEIR KOOL-AID.