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serious disagreements or difficulties are threatened with expulsion and
the label of "Suppressive Person," or eternal condemnation.
Third, "the mob (cult) leader will count on emotional contagion, an
extremely important factor in all mob (cult) situations.... Emotions are
far more contagious than the measles.... Humans tend to fit into the
emotional pattern of a group." (13)
In Scientology, the prevailing emotion is a sense of urgency and of
fear. Scientologists at work do not walk, they run. Everything is deadly
serious and urgent. The world is at stake. Each small victory has added
significance. Scientology is a group at war, and this mentality lends
fervor, enthusiasm and a sense of danger to each activity.
Fourth, "We have the matter of social sanction. The individual feels
justified in any action approved by the mob (cult) and its leaders...."
(14)
Because Scientologists believe themselves to be fighting for the
salvation of mankind, any acts -- even if they are illegal -- which will
contribute to this purpose are sanctioned by reason of "the greatest
good for the greatest number of dynamics."
The fifth element of mob psychology has to do with omnipotence, "the
'I'm right, you're wrong' reaction, which we see in the fanatic. It
never occurred to the Nazi, it does not occur to the Communist, that
there are two sides to an argument." (15)
Scientology, to the Scientologist, is the only truth. This fact has
caused enormous frustration for many family members trying to reason
with the Scientologist in their family. The mind of the Scientologist is
closed to any other possibility than Scientology. There is no other side
to the argument.
Finally, there is the removal of inhibitions. "Anything goes if the
party sanctions such activity." (16) Jonestown was
a shocking example of this aspect of the cult mentality. Scientology is
another potential Jonestown, except on a much wider scale.
Robert Lifton identifies eight features common to all forms of what
he calls "ideological totalism," eight psychological themes common to an
environment in which brainwashing is present:
- Milieu control
- Mystical manipulation
- The demand for purity
- The cult of confession
- The sacred science
- Loading the language
- Doctrine over person, and
- The dispensing of existence
Each of these features can be found in Scientology.
In milieu control, the cult controls both the environment and the
communication of the cult member. Scientology is a very controlled
environment. The existence of the department of Ethics provides the
threat of punishment for all transgressions against cult norms. Even
physical illness is considered the shortcoming
of the person and evidence of the existence of "out-ethics."
Communication with those outside Scientology, "wogs," is manipulated
to achieve the desired ends of the cult. The cult member's communication
with family members, especially ones not favorable to the cult, is often
dictated by the cult. Communication within the cult follows certain
rules. "Upper level" students may not discuss the contents of these
levels even with a spouse. All other Scientologists are forbidden to
discuss their "case" or feelings with other Scientologists. Through the
use of "knowledge reports," members critical of the organization may be
reported by other members, as in a Communist state.
In "mystical manipulation," the group seeks to inspire in the member
certain behaviors and feelings that seem to have originated magically
from the environment. In Scientology, the member comes to think and
believe just as Hubbard teaches, thinking that these thoughts and
beliefs are the result of his own "cognitions," or coming to truth.
With the demand for purity:
...the experiential world is sharply divided into the pure and the
impure, into the absolutely good and the absolutely evil. The good and
pure are of course those ideas, feelings and actions which are
consistent with the totalist ideology and policy; anything else is apt
to be relegated to the bad and the impure. (17)
A good example of this in Scientology is the redefinition of the
word "ethics," which comes to mean that which is good for, or benefits
Scientology, while anyone against Scientology is an "enemy," or an "SP"
(Suppressive Person). A "good" person is one who is most completely
aligned with the goals and purposes of Scientology; an "evil" person is
one who opposes the "greater good," or Scientology.
The cult of confession is carried out in Scientology through the
many levels of auditing, or "confessionals," and through the periodic
writing up of one's "O/Ws" (overts and withholds). This purging oneself
of both actual and imagined crimes leads to the gradual act of
self-surrender to the group. One learns to think only those thoughts
sanctioned and acceptable to the group.
The totalist milieu maintains an aura of sacredness around its basic
dogma, holding it out as an ultimate moral vision for the ordering of
human existence. (18)
This is what Lifton calls "sacred science."