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Trying to understand the potential of the human mind, and the potency of the human spirit.

Tags: Occult, Supernatural, Magic, Psychic

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Asherah Delphinia

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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 6:43 pm

Starlock, that's a very good point...

There is such a thing as a "cultic relationship" where it's basically a cult-like spin on an abusive relationship. (The person uses mind control like the above techniques to maintain a stronger control over their victim.)

Also, yup you don't necessarily need to be taking someone's money or have a large group or a building in order to be a cult. Some of the most dangerous cults have been extremely small groups, and not always religious but usually based on some sort of spiritual or special knowledge which the "leader" or leaders have somehow discovered.

I'll go and find what I have on cultic relationships and give the links here in case anyone's interested. 3nodding

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 8:42 pm

Starlock

I vote for this to be stickied.

I'm familiar with similar breakdowns myself, but so many people aren't aware of what a 'cult' really is in this more sociological context. It isn't just a 'small religious group' and in fact it doesn't have to be 'religious' in the conventional sense. I've had experience with pseudo-cultic groups myself and they're awful common in certain subcultures... including the one which this guild represents.

This should probably be sticked up in just about every other occult and Pagan Guild on Gaia Online too.

I second this.

Obscurus

Otherworldly Foe

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Asherah Delphinia

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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:19 pm

Okay, here is the one on cultic relationships or one-on-one cults. The whole website has a wealth of resources and information on both cults and abusive relationships.

These are the main points:

arrow early verbal and/or physical dominance
arrow isolation/imprisonment
arrow fear arousal and maintenance
arrow guilt induction
arrow contingent expressions of "love"
arrow enforced loyalty to the aggressor and self-denunciation
arrow promotion of powerlessness and helplessness
arrow pathological expressions of jealousy
arrow hope-instilling behaviors
arrow required secrecy

Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:26 pm

Very related link

I really do like this thread... but one thing needs to be added (subsection of mind control, maybe).

Brain washing~!

By application of simple psychological principles (simple to employ, but bound up into human nature) people can be made to do almost anything.

Take Patty Hearst, for instance. Daughter of a wealthy businessman, she could have had anything she wanted. Smart, and with a bright future.

Until she was kidnapped.

She is then forced into helping a criminal/terrorist group rob a bank (Capital One Bank, formerly Hibernia Bank) and a few other things (I think... don't remember her story too well anymore). At first she resisted, but by the time they were "done" with her, she was a political activist who hated her upbringing, her family, and everything she'd ever stood for.

Khalida Nyoka

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Asherah Delphinia

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Posted: Wed Mar 12, 2008 11:44 pm

Thanks for the link. I've had it bookmarked for a while but it's good to have it here anyways. 3nodding

Scientology is definitely the perfect example of a cult...

I think maybe this is related to Stockholm's Syndrome, too...at least in situations or cults where the victim really is in danger and manipulated to the point where they need to develop those feelings for their own mental and physical survival. What do you guys think?

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