10 Signs you're in a cult

[Loren Pechtel]

1. The leader is the ultimate authority -- yup, that describes the QOP
2. The group suppresses skepticism -- yup, that describes the QOP
3. The group delegitimizes former members -- I don't know any QOP escapees to address this one
4. The group is paranoid about the outside world -- yup, that describes the QOP
5. The group relies on shame cycles -- another one I don't feel I can address
6. The leader is above the law -- yup, that describes the QOP
7. The group uses “thought reform” methods -- yup, that describes the QOP
8. The group is elitist -- yup, that describes the QOP
9. There is no financial transparency -- yup, that describes the QOP
10. The group performs secret rites -- one miss

Looks pretty cultish to me.

 

[Patooka]

3. The group delegitimizes former members -- I don't know any QOP escapees to address this one

Mo Brooks, Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger are probably feeling a bit unloved

5. The group relies on shame cycles -- another one I don't feel I can address

Tucker Carlson tearing apart Ted Cruz is a warning | Andrew Naughtie

The Republican groveled to Fox News and then posted an overly apologetic thread on Twitter, but he’s still learning all the wrong lessons

www.independent.co.uk

10. The group performs secret rites -- one miss

Where We Go One, We Go All

Is Trump fans’ ‘weird’ one-finger salute at rally a QAnon tribute?

‘Not even Trump forums know why his followers held up one finger at his rally ... Whatever it is, it’s deeply weird’

news.yahoo.com

 

[bilby]

I always thought Trump was a cult.

Also, my keyboard appears to be malfulctioling.

 

[ZiprHead]

This is why I'm not as afraid of DeSantis being the Rep Nominee as others are. Cult leaders just cannot be replaced.

 

[Jimmy Higgins]

This is why I'm not as afraid of DeSantis being the Rep Nominee as others are. Cult leaders just cannot be replaced.

Trump wasn't anywhere around in 2008 when the GOP erected the astro-turfed Tea Party movement. Or in 2012 when the teabag movement was looking for someone anyone that wasn't Romney to be their nominee. Trump came and they latched to him. The cult base already existed prior to Trump. Time will tell if they take to DeSantis. It could happen. The trouble with DeSantis is, he appears mainstream enough for all the other GOPers to support, despite he himself being about as bad as Trump is, but in a competent political manner.

 

[Loren Pechtel]

3. The group delegitimizes former members -- I don't know any QOP escapees to address this one

Mo Brooks, Liz Cheney and Adam Kinzinger are probably feeling a bit unloved

5. The group relies on shame cycles -- another one I don't feel I can address

Tucker Carlson tearing apart Ted Cruz is a warning | Andrew Naughtie

The Republican groveled to Fox News and then posted an overly apologetic thread on Twitter, but he’s still learning all the wrong lessons

www.independent.co.uk

10. The group performs secret rites -- one miss

Where We Go One, We Go All

Is Trump fans’ ‘weird’ one-finger salute at rally a QAnon tribute?

‘Not even Trump forums know why his followers held up one finger at his rally ... Whatever it is, it’s deeply weird’

news.yahoo.com

But is that really a secret rite? It's done publicly, just because the meaning is hidden doesn't mean the rite is secret.

 

[James Brown]

I talked with a distant family member this weekend, a Trump supporter. He's hoping that DeSantis and Ted Cruz run on a ticket in 2024.

I changed the subject.

 

[lpetrich]

The Advanced Bonewits' Cult Danger Evaluation Frame - more criteria.

1. Internal Control: Amount of internal political and social power exercised by leader(s) over members; lack of clearly defined organizational rights for members.
2. External Control: Amount of external political and social influence desired or obtained; emphasis on directing members’ external political and social behavior.
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.
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.
5. Dogma: Rigidity of reality concepts taught; amount of doctrinal inflexibility or “fundamentalism;” hostility towards relativism and situationalism.
6. Recruiting: Emphasis put on attracting new members; amount of proselytizing; requirement for all members to bring in new ones.
7. Front Groups: Number of subsidiary groups using different names from that of main group, especially when connections are hidden.
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.
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.
10. Sexual Favoritism: Advancement or preferential treatment dependent upon sexual activity with the leader(s) of non-tantric groups.
11. Censorship: Amount of control over members’ access to outside opinions on group, its doctrines or leader(s).
12. Isolation: Amount of effort to keep members from communicating with non-members, including family, friends and lovers.
13. Dropout Control: Intensity of efforts directed at preventing or returning dropouts.
14. Violence: Amount of approval when used by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s).
15. Paranoia: Amount of fear concerning real or imagined enemies; exaggeration of perceived power of opponents; prevalence of conspiracy theories.
16. Grimness: Amount of disapproval concerning jokes about the group, its doctrines or its leader(s).
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).
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.

Some of ABCDEF fits very well, like Trump worship, others not so well, like isolation and dropout control.