There’s nothing wrong with being spiritual, but it takes real bravery to admit that you’ve been conned and dragged into a cult. Even if you’re educated and intelligent, when you’re in a vulnerable situation, master manipulators can take advantage of you.
A person went viral online after sharing how their sister ruined their family’s Thanksgiving after she brought a surprise guest—her barefoot ‘spiritual guide’ River Wolf. Scroll down for the full story about how the couple derailed the dinner with wild accusations and how things blew up after the family called for a surprise intervention.
Meanwhile, Bored Panda has reached out to the author for comment, and we’ll update the article as soon as we hear back from them.
Vulnerable individuals can be more easily manipulated into joining cults, and they might not even realize that they've been tricked
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One person opened up online about how their sister sparked lots of drama at their family Thanksgiving dinner by inviting her 'spiritual guide,' who had the aura of a con man
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They then shared a brief update
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Vulnerable individuals are easier to manipulate into joining cults; however, anyone can become a victim
The reality is that when you’re in a vulnerable, suggestive, and highly emotional state, you’re easy prey for scammers, con artists, and would-be cult leaders.
It’s something that can happen to anyone, no matter how smart, successful, or self-aware they might be. When you’re vulnerable, it’s easy to get seduced by someone who promises to have all the answers to your problems.
And though it can be embarrassing to admit that you’ve fallen for a con, it takes real guts to accept what has happened and disengage from the bad situation. With any luck, your loved ones will (still) be there to support you as you reacclimate to your old life.
According to Gillie Jenkinson, a psychotherapist who was in a religious cult for a whopping seven years in her twenties, it’s not always easy to identify a cult. She explained to the BBC that cults can operate from ordinary-looking houses. What’s more, there isn’t a single type of person who joins a cult. And cultists don’t always dress a certain way.
As per the charity ‘Family Survival Trust,’ cults are systems of fixed beliefs, controlled by charismatic and authoritarian leaders. Cults typically use brainwashing to isolate, control, and exploit their followers.
Furthermore, cults do not necessarily have to be religious, and they can revolve around, well, anything. As linguist Amanda Montell, the author of ‘Cultish: The Language of Fanaticism,’ states, you can form “a cult around anything, as long as you can inject it with fear and an ‘us-versus-them’ mentality.”
She stresses that many cults now recruit followers online, so these groups are easier to find.
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Cult leaders tend to promise answers to all of life's questions and solve all of your problems
Some major red flags to look out for include the following:
- So-called ‘love bombing,’ a manipulation tactic where someone uses affection to gain power and control
- Promising the answers to all of your complex problems and the meaning of existence
- Using mantras, buzzwords, and nicknames to create an us-versus-them split
- Encouraging not to question anything
- Creating difficulties to leave the group, including threats of retaliation
According to the BBC, you should listen to your gut feeling. If you think that something is wrong, it probably is. Psychotherapist Jenkinson suggests listening to critical voices and doing research about the group on the internet. “It might save you years of pain.”
In the meantime, family and friends should keep lines of communication open with the person who may have found themselves in a cult. They should ask them “genuine, critical thinking questions.”
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Many people who are in cults don't realize that they are, in fact, in cults
Meanwhile, Verywell Mind notes that there are lots of different reasons why someone might join a cult. For instance, most people don’t realize that they’re actually joining a cult. Others might have unresolved insecurities, so they are driven toward groups that promise them acceptance. Still others might be manipulated into joining with the promise of rewards.
Once you’re inside the cult, you might be isolated from regular people outside of the group. “After being separated from the outside world, leaving the group becomes difficult. They often grow dependent on being in the group and develop suspicions of anyone outside the group.”
Leaving a cult can be incredibly stressful. Former cult members can feel confused and experience a sense of chaos upon leaving.
“It can be scary if you think a friend or family member may be involved with a cult. Reach out for professional help to get some guidance on what you can do or how you can cope with your emotions. It's going to take time, understanding, and a lot of patience to help extricate your loved one if they are in a dangerous situation.”
We’d like to hear your perspectives, too, dear Pandas. What would you have done if you were in the post author’s shoes and one of your relatives invited a con artist or cult leader to your family dinner?
Do you know anyone who has been stuck in a cult before? What would you do if one day you realized that you’d been conned by someone pretending to be spiritual? Let us know in the comments down below.
Folks online were shocked by what happened. Here's their take on the Thanksgiving drama
Later, the author shared an important update about how their family staged an intervention for their sister
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Here is the email exchange between the author and their sister after the intervention
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Here's how some readers reacted to the follow-up post
