Initiations
Initiations are a tried-and-true method of cult recruitment. One of the most effective ways to start a cult is to create a culture of initiation. Initiation requires new members to publicly subject themselves to a series of tests and challenges that are designed to measure the person's worthiness for membership. Before joining, new members may be instructed how to avoid or neutralize cults' attempts at recruitment. Many groups will insist that prospective members stop communication with outsiders and family members prior to joining. After joining, members may be required to undergo additional tests of loyalty or identity before being allowed to speak with or associate with "outsiders." Cult leaders often like to claim they have the knowledge, skills and power necessary to help someone grow into a better person. The process is often accompanied by a prescribed set of behaviors and beliefs
one of the most effective ways to start a cult is to create a culture of initiation.
One of the most effective ways to start a cult is to create a culture of initiation.
Cult leaders often like to claim they have the knowledge, skills and power necessary to help someone grow into a better person—and usually, this process is accompanied by a prescribed set of behaviors and beliefs. It can be anything from learning how to meditate or speaking in tongues, all the way up to mass suicide during an apocalypse prophecy.
The key is not only convincing your followers that you are special (or even divine), but also convincing them that they need your help in order for their lives and those close to them not merely survive but thrive. And so begins what might seem like harmless activities at first—but which then become more extreme over time without any clear indication that there's anything wrong with it until it's too late!
Initiation requires new members to publicly subject themselves to a series of tests and challenges that are designed to measure the person's worthiness for membership.
Initiation requires new members to publicly subject themselves to a series of tests and challenges that are designed to measure the person's worthiness for membership. The process is designed to test:
loyalty (i.e., how much do you care about your group?)
identity (i.e., who am I, really?)
ability to endure pain and suffering
(i.e., am I tough enough?) and commitment (i.e., will I stick with my group even when it gets hard?). The goal of the hazing process is to bind the individual more closely to the group by creating a shared sense of identity, history, and purpose.
Before joining, new members may be instructed how to avoid or neutralize cults' attempts at recruitment.
Before joining, new members may be instructed how to avoid or neutralize cults' attempts at recruitment. This is a key part of the process. Of course, you can't always tell if someone is trying to recruit you—but there are some telltale signs that will help you spot them before they get too close.
Avoid people who talk about cults a lot. Not only does it make them seem judgmental and closed-minded, but also it's usually an attempt by the person to try and sell you on their own (non-existent) group of followers. In fact, most people who talk about cults tend not even have any knowledge whatsoever about them; they just want attention from others because they feel left out in life or misunderstood by society at large.* If someone wants to recruit you into something weird (like a cult), run away immediately! This is a sure sign that this person isn't actually interested in helping other people—they're just trying to trick us into doing things for free so we feel obligated later on down the line when we're stuck in debt.* If someone starts telling us how great their organization is compared with other organizations like yours then they might be trying too hard with some sort of sales pitch technique called 'word play'. Don't fall for it!
many groups will insist that prospective members stop communication with outsiders and family members prior to joining.
The initiation process can be more complicated for some groups than others. In many cases, a prospective member will be required to stop communication with outsiders and family members prior to joining. This is done in order to remove distractions from the initiate's life, as well as prepare them for the initiation process itself. It also creates an environment where new members feel safe enough to express themselves without worrying about outside influences or judgemental onlookers.
This measure strengthens their loyalty and commitment to the group by building trust between members, which is essential for all organizations (especially cults). By isolating themselves from potential sources of negativity and criticism, this method allows them free reign on expressing their own thoughts without fear of reprisal or judgmental reactions from outsiders who may not understand what they're going through at that moment in time.
After joining, members may be required to undergo additional tests of loyalty or identity before being allowed to speak with or associate with "outsiders."
The process of initiation can be very private, or it can be very public. It can also be both at once—the person who is initiated may remain in a closed room while others watch and cheer. Some initiations are accompanied by burning incense and chanting, while others take place in silence with only the sounds of breathing to break up the stillness. The choice is up to each group, but it’s important that they decide on one method so that no one feels left out if their initiation doesn’t match what they were expecting (or hoping for).
There are many different types of initiations, but they all share similarities in some way.
Initiations are a common practice among humans and animals alike, but there is wide variation in how they are performed. Some initiations may simply involve a physical test of skill or endurance, while others may include a series of tasks designed to test the new member's loyalty and commitment to the group or organization.
A common aspect of initiation rituals is that they must be completed successfully by the initiate in order to become an official member of whatever group or organization they have been seeking membership in. In some instances, failure to complete an initiation ritual can result in punishment such as banishment from the group; while this is not always true all cases where an initiate fails an initiation, it often depends on what type of institution one wishes to join (for example: if you want to join a hunting club but end up falling through ice during your first ice fishing trip with them because you were too impatient).
Cult leaders often like to claim they have the knowledge, skills and power necessary to help someone grow into a better person.
Cult leaders often like to claim they have the knowledge, skills and power necessary to help someone grow into a better person. They may claim to be able to heal physical or mental ailments, or even bring about spiritual enlightenment. The charismatic aspect of their personality helps them convince others that they are special and important. And because cult leaders are usually very influential people in the lives of their followers, it's easy for them to introduce new ideas and concepts without anyone questioning those ideas—or even realizing that an idea is actually being introduced at all!
The process is often accompanied by a prescribed set of behaviors and beliefs.
As a process, initiation can include many different activities. Some common practices include:
Tests of physical endurance, mental strength and emotional fortitude.
A ceremony requiring members to perform a certain number of tasks within a given time frame or in a particular way.
Taking on the perspective or characteristics of an animal, object or natural phenomenon in order to understand its role in society and our lives.
The process of initiation can include many different activities, but some common practices include
Physical challenges
Tests of loyalty
Tests of identity
Tests of knowledge
Tests of skill
Tests of power
Conclusion
In summation, initiation is one of the most effective ways to start a cult. Initiation requires new members to publicly subject themselves to a series of tests and challenges that are designed to measure the person's worthiness for membership. Before joining, new members may be instructed how to avoid or neutralize cults' attempts at recruitment. After joining, members may be required to undergo additional tests of loyalty or identity before being allowed to speak with or associate with "outsiders." There are many different types of initiations, but they all share similarities in some way. Cult leaders often like this process because it helps them assess which individuals might make good recruits for their group or organization