Invisble said JRS didn't require anyone to stop celebrating Christmas. Yet most of us felt compelled to give up Christmas. Was that a cult dynamic? I think what I have learned in the forum about what happens in cults as they grow and as the Walk grew particularly among young people, so does the influence (power and control) over the members. JRS's charismatic ministry drew in people so much that they respected his absolute authority and trusted him so much that they often disregarded any unusual behavior or doctrine. They believed JRS and continued giving all they had to his vision. Reepicheep and kbyrne mentioned Jim Jones. It was the same with the People's Temple cult. Jones was reportedly highly charismatic. And even as Jone's paranoia increased over time, the members disregarded his unusual behavior and extreme doctrines. Though clearly, without Jim Jone's power and control over the members, the mass suicides would not have happened. And the move to Jonestown would not have occurred.
↧