A Study of Religious Rhetoric in Cult Structures and Social Groups

MANSON FAMILY COERCION

By: Kati Sousa Adviser: Michael Jackson

Overview

The Leader

Systematic Indoctrination of Beliefs

The Recruits: Imperfect Pieces to the Perfect Puzzle

Charlie as Christ Incarnate

The White Album

Assurance of the Apocalypse

Distinguishing Cults from Social Groups

The Leader

• Childhood

• Born November 12, 1934 Cincinnati, Ohio

• Born to single 15 year old Kathleen Maddox

• History of drug abuse, theft, assault

• Raised by religious Aunt and Uncle

• Patterned Behaviors

• Craved Center of Attention

• Lies, deflection, self-preservation, manipulation

• Career Criminal

• Age 6—caught persuading larger kids to start fights on his behalf

• Age 19—7 years, 6 different reform schools

The Manson Family Methods

• Systematic indoctrination of beliefs

1

1—Separation of individual ego

Absolute Devotion

2 3 4 5

2—Comfort within the community

3—Unprogramming

4—Reprogramming

5—Mirroring Behaviors

Exploitation of Leader’s Needs for Power—Ultimate Control

The Manson Family Methods

• Imperfect Pieces to a Perfect Puzzle

– Capturing of “in-betweeners”

• In-between high school or college

• In-between marriages

• In-between jobs

– Young Women as Disciples

• Runaway Hippies

• Father Issues

• Self-esteem Issues

• Addicts

• Delinquents

The Manson Family Methods

• Leader as Christ Incarnate

• Love and Agape at the core of his philosophy

- Love for the individual and for all

- Agape—the act of sacrificing self for the sake

of another

• Surrounded himself with sinners, misfits, and

the unpopular

• “he was a giver and a healer, so in our minds,

that was the closest thing to Jesus Christ we had

ever heard of”—Catherine Share, former

Manson Family member

The Manson Family Methods

• The White Album as Biblical Prophecy

• Piggies

– Entitlement of the rich and powerful in need

of “a damn good whacking”

• Blackbird

– The rise of the blacks from civil rights

oppression

• Revolution 1 & Revolution 9

– Call to arms to change the way of the world

• Helter Skelter

– Armageddon as a result of a race war

The Manson Family Methods

• The Assurance of the Apocalypse

• Book of Revelation

• 4 Horsemen

– Red—war and conflict

– Black—famine and poverty

– Gray—death and plague

– White— The Antichrist

The Manson Family Methods

• The Antichrist

– Paradoxical manifestation of true evil—he is Satan’s

human emissary on Earth

– Come preaching peace

– Lovable, handsome, well-spoken

– “there before me was a white horse! Its rider held a

bow and he was given a crown, and he rode out as a

conqueror bent on conquest” (Rev 6:2)

Distinguishing Cults from Social Groups

Methods Cults Use:

• Coercion

• Intimidation

• Threats

• Physical and Verbal Abuse

• Manipulation

• Dishonesty (by leadership)

Disparity in Outcomes:

• 100% retention rate of fellowship

• Members are left worse off than where they started

Differentiating Characteristics:

• Worship leader/guru rather than the principle

• Systematic indoctrination through self-criticism and confession

Why Does It All Matter?

• Religions, political parties, social groups, interest groups—all follow same pattern of indoctrination with similar persuasion techniques

– The turn of the violent cult does not happen until it is too late

– Are we at the mercy of master rhetoricians?

– Manson is a sample of similar, yet larger phenomena

Why Does It All Matter?

– “Manson became a living metaphor of Abaddon, the God of the Bottomless Pitt” (Williams, 2008)

• Can such manipulative speech be forseen? helped? stopped?

• How might we protect ourselves and our loved ones? Can we protect them?

• At what point to we believe the end is near? How do we know which side we are on when it does?

Thank You

Media Bibliography • http://www.youthink.com/images_quiz/2008/10/01/full_335103669.jpg

• http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_-lz729rhGPA/SoYI7DbG3MI/AAAAAAAACYs/TAl5JZ7aXTQ/s400/manson%2Bstock%2Bphoto%2B5%2B(2).jpg

• http://www.micolostow.com/wp-content/uploads/2011/04/kasabian11.jpg

• http://cielodrive.com/images/photo-archive/catherine-share-mug-shot.jpg

• http://beginningandend.com/wp-content/uploads/2013/01/Four-Horsemen-White-Horse-Rider-Revelation-6-Four-Seals-e1359239022124.jpg

• http://m5.paperblog.com/i/18/181520/charles-manson-denied-parole-again-but-where--L-GB27Ij.png

• http://www.theseamericans.com/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/00020771.jpg

• http://www.nashvillescene.com/binary/7810/1374247657-charles-manson-life-magazine-cover.jpg

• https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yp5bX1kv8Zw

• http://www.bookofrevelation.net/ch6-4horsemen_pastorpack_small.jpg

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