Thefollowingisanexcerptfromthebook"CaptiveHearts,CaptiveMinds"by

MadeleineLandau
TobiasandJanjaLalich.Seeother"ResourcesandLinks"fororderinginformation.

TheMasterManipulator

Letuslookforamomentathowsomeofthismanifestsinthecultleader.Cultleadershave
an
outstandingabilitytocharmandwinoverfollowers.Theybeguileandseduce.Theyentera
roomandgarneralltheattention.Theycommandtheutmostrespectandobedience.These
are"individualswhosenarcissismissoextremeandgrandiosethattheyexistinakindof
splendidisolationinwhichthecreationofthegrandioseselftakesprecedenceoverlegal,
moralorinterpersonalcommitments."(l8)Paranoiamaybeevidentinsimpleorelaborate
delusionsofpersecution.Highlysuspicious,theymayfeelconspiredagainst,spieduponor
cheated,ormalignedbyaperson,group,orgovernmentalagency.Anyrealorsuspected
unfavorablereactionmaybeinterpretedasadeliberateattackuponthemorthegroup.
(Consideringthecriminalnatureofsomegroupsandtheantisocialbehaviorofothers,some
ofthesefearsmayhavemoreofabasisinrealitythandelusion!)

Hardertoevaluate,ofcourse,iswhethertheseleaders'beliefintheirmagicalpowers,
omnipotence,andconnectiontoGod(orwhateverhigherpowerorbeliefsystemtheyare
espousing)isdelusionalorsimplypartofthecon.Megalomaniathebeliefthatoneisable
orentitledtoruletheworldisequallyhardtoevaluatewithoutpsychologicaltestingofthe
individual,althoughnumerouscultleadersstatequitereadilythattheirgoalistorulethe
world.Inanycase,beneaththesurfaceglossofintelligence,charm,andprofessedhumility
seethesaninnerworldofrage,depression,andfear.

Twowritersonthesubjectusedthelabel"TrustBandit"todescribethepsychopathic
personality.(l9)TrustBanditisindeedanaptdescripdonofthisthiefofourhearts,souls,
minds,bodies,andpocketbooks.Sinceasignificantpercentageofcurrentandformercult
membershavebeeninmorethanoneculticgrouporrelationship,learningtorecognizethe
personalitystyleoftheTrustBanditcanbeausefulantidotetofurtherabuse.

TheProfileofaPsychopath

Inreadingtheprofile,bearinmindthethreecharacteristicsthatRobertLiftonseesas
commontoaculticsituation:

1.Acharismaticleaderwho...increasinglybecomestheobjectofworship

2.Aseriesofprocessesthatcanbeassociatedwith"coercivepersuasion"or"thought
reform"

3.Thetendencytowardmanipulationfromabove...withexploitationeconomic,sexual,or
otherofoftengenuineseekerswhobringidealismfrombelow(20)
BasedonthepsychopathychecklistsofHerveyCleckleyandRobertHare,wenowexplore
certaintraitsthatareparticularlypertinenttocultleaders.The15characteristicsoutlined
belowlistfeaturescommonlyfoundinthosewhobecomeperpetratorsofpsychologicaland
physicalabuse.Inthediscussionweusethenomenclature"psychopath"and"cultleader"
interchangeably.Toillustratethesepoints,acasestudyofBranchDavidiancultleaderDavid
Koreshfollowsthissection.

Wearenotsuggestingthatallcultleadersarepsychopathsbutratherthattheymayexhibit
manyofthebehavioralcharacteristicsofone.Wearealsonotproposingthatyouusethis
checklisttomakeadiagnosis,whichissomethingonlyatrainedprofessionalcando.We
presentthechecklistasatooltohelpyoulabelanddemystifytraitsyoumayhavenoticedin
yourleader.

CharacteristicsofaCultLeader

Peoplecomingoutofaculticgrouporrelationshipoftenstrugglewiththequestion,"Why
wouldanyone(myleader,mylover,myteacher)dothistome?"Whenthedeceptionand
exploitationbecomeclear,theenormousunfairnessofthevictimizationandabusecanbe
verydifficulttoaccept.Thosewhohavebeenpartofsuchanightmareoftenhavedifficulty
placingtheblamewhereitbelongsontheleader.

Acultcannotbetrulyexploredorunderstoodwithoutunderstandingitsleader.Acult's
formation,
proselytizingmethods,andmeansofcontrol"aredeterminedbycertainsalientpersonality
characteristicsof[the]cultleader....Suchindividualsareauthoritarianpersonalitieswho
attempttocompensatefortheirdeep,intensefeelingsofinferiority,insecurity,andhostility
byformingculticgroupsprimarilytoattractthosewhomtheycanpsychologicallycoerce
intoandkeepinapassivesubmissivestate,andsecondarilytousethemtoincreasetheir
income."(l)

Inexaminingthemotivesandactivitiesoftheseselfproclaimedleaders,itbecomes
painfullyobviousthatcultlifeisrarelypleasantforthediscipleandbreedsabusesofall
sorts.Asadefenseagainstthehighlevelofanxietythataccompaniesbeingsoacutely
powerless,peopleincultsoftenassumeastanceofselfblame.Thisisreinforcedbythe
group'smamanipulativemessagesthatthefollowersarenevergoodenoughandareto
blameforeverythingthatgoeswrong.

Demystifyingtheguru'spowerisanimportantpartofthepsycheeducationalprocess
neededtofullyrecover.(2)Itiscriticaltotrulygainingfreedomandindependencefromthe
leader"scontrol.Theprocessstartswithsomebasicquestions:Whowasthispersonwho
encouragedyoutoviewhimasGod,allknowing,orallpowerful?Whatdidhegetoutof
thismasquerade?Whatwastherealpurposeofthegroup(orrelationship)?

Incultsandabusiverelationships,thoseinasubordinatepositionusuallycometoacceptthe
abuseastheirfault,believingthattheydeservethefoultreatmentorthatitisfortheirown
good.Theysometimespersistinbelievingthattheyarebadratherthanconsideringthatthe
personuponwhomtheyaresodependentiscruel,untrustworthy,andunreliable.Itissimply
toofrighteningforthemtodothat:itthreatensthebalanceofpowerandmeansriskingtotal
rejection,loss,andperhapsevendeathofselforlovedones.
Thisexplainswhyanabusedcultfollowermaybecomedisenchantedwiththerelationshipor
thegroupyetcontinuetobelieveintheteachings,goodness,andpoweroftheleader.
Evenafterleavingthegrouporrelationship,manyformerdevoteescarryaburdenofguilt
andshamewhiletheycontinuetoregardtheirformerleaderaspaternal,allgood,and
godlike.Thisisquitecommoninthosewho"walkaway"fromtheirgroups,especiallyif
theyneverseekthebenefitsofanexitcounselingortherapytodealwithcultrelatedissues.
Thissamephenomenonisfoundinbatteredwomenandinchildrenwhoareabusedbytheir
parentsorotheradultstheyadmire.

Tohealfromatraumaticexperienceofthistype,itisimportanttounderstandwhoandwhat
the
perpetratoris.Aslongasthereareillusionsabouttheleader'smotivation,powers,and
abilities,thosewhohavebeeninhisgripdeprivethemselvesofanimportantopportunityfor
growth:thechancetoempowerthemselves,tobecomefreeofthetyrannyofdependencyon
othersfortheirwellbeing,spiritualgrowth,andhappiness.

TheAuthoritarianPowerDynamic

Thepurposeofacult(whethergrouporoneonone)istoservetheemotional,financial,
sexual,andpowerneedsoftheleader.Thesinglemostimportantwordhereispower.The
dynamicaroundwhichcultsareformedissimilartothatofotherpowerrelationshipsandis
essentiallyultraauhoritarian,basedonapowerimbalance.Thecultleaderbydefinition
musthaveanauthoritarianpersonalityinordertofulfillhishalfofthepowerdynamic.
Traditionalelementsofauthoritarianpersonalitiesindudethefollowing:

thetendencytohierarchy

thedriveforpower(andwealth)

hostility,hatred,prejudice

superficialjudgmentsofpeopleandevents

aonesidedscaleofvaluesfavoringtheoneinpower

interpretingkindnessasweakness

thetendencytousepeopleandseeothersasinferior

asadisticmasochistictendency

incapabilityofbeingultimatelysatisfied

paranoia(3)

Inastudyoftwentiethcenturydictators,oneresearcherwrote:'Sincecompliancedepends
onwhethertheleaderisperceivedasbeingbothpowerfulandknowing,theeverwatchful
andallpowerfulleaderandhisinvisiblebutobservantandpowerfulinstruments,suchas
secretpolice)canbeinvokedinthesamewayasanunobservablebutomniscient
God....Similarly,thepompandceremonysurroundingsuchanindividualmakehimmore
admirableandlesslikethecommonherd,increasingbothhisselfconfidenceandthe
confidenceofhissubjects.Thephenomenonisfoundnotonlywithindividualleaders,but
withentiremovemnts"(4)

Wewillsee,however,thatanauthoritarianpersonalityisjustoneaspectofthenatureofa
cultleader.

WhoBecomesaCultLeader?

Frequentlyatgatheringsofformercultmembersalivelyexchangetakesplaceinwhich
thosepresentcomparetheirrespectivegroupsandleaders.Aspeoplebegintodescribetheir
special,enlightened,andunique"guru"beheapastor,therapist,politicalleader,teacher,
lover,orswamitheyarequicklysurprisedtofindthattheironcereveredleadersarereally
quitesimilarintemperamentandpersonality.Itoftenseemsasiftheseleaderscometioma
commonmold,sometimesjokinglycalledthe"CookiecutterMessiahSchool."

Thesesimilaritiesbetweencultleadersofallstripesareinfactcharacterdisorderscommonly
identifiedwiththepsychopathicpersonality.Theyhavebeenstudiedbypsychiatrists,
medicaldoctors,clinicalpsychologists,andothersformorethanhalfacentury.Inthis
chapterwereviewsomeofthisresearchandconcludewithapsychopathologicalprofileof
traitscommonlyfoundinabusiveleaders.

Culticgroupsusuallyoriginatewithalivingleaderwhoisbelievedtobe"god"orgodlikeby
acadreofdedicatedbelievers.Alongwithadramaticandconvincingtalentforself
expression,theseleadershaveanintuitiveabilitytosensetheirfollowers'needsanddraw
themcloserwithpromisesoffulfillment.
Gradually,theleaderinculcatesthegroupwithhisownprivateideology(orcraziness!),then
creates
conditionssothathisvictimscannotordarenottesthisclaims.Howcanyouprovesomeone
isnottheMessiah?Thattheworldwon'tendtomorrow?Thathumansarenotpossessedby
aliensfromanotherworldordimension?Throughpsychologicalmanipulationandcontrol,
cultleaderstricktheirfollowersintobelievinginsomething,thenpreventthemfromtesting
anddisprovingthatmythologyorbeliefsystem.

TheRoleofCharisma

Ingeneral,charismaticpersonalitiesareknownfortheirinescapablemagnetism,their
winningstyle,theselfassurancewithwhichtheypromotesomethingacause,abelief,a
product.Acharismaticpersonwhooffershopeofnewbeginningsoftenattractsattentionand
afollowing.OvertheyearswehavewitnessedthisinthelikesofDaleCarnegie,Werner
Erhard(founderofest,nowTheForum),JohnHanley(founderofLifespring),Maharishi
MaheshYogi,ShirleyMacLaine,JohnBradshaw,MarianneWilliamson,Ramthachanneler
J.Z.Knight,andarashofAmway"executives,"weightlossprogrampromotersandbody
buildinggurus.

Onedictionarydefinitionofcharismais"apersonalmagicofleadershiparousingspecial
popularloyaltyorenthusiasmforapublicfigure(asapoliticalleaderormilitary
commander)aspecialmagneticcharmorappeal."(5)Charismawasstudiedindepthbythe
GermansociologistMaxWeber,whodefineditas"anexceptionalqualityinanindividual
who,throughappearingtopossesssupernatural,providential,orextraordinarypowers,
succeedsingatheringdisciplesaroundhim."(6)

Weber'scharismaticleaderwas"asorcererwithaninnovativeauraandapersonalmagnetic
gift,[who]promotedaspecificdoctrine....[andwas]concernedwithhimselfratherthan
involvedwithothers....[He]heldanexceptionaltypeofpower:itsetasidetheusagesof
normalpoliticallifeandassumedinsteadthoseofdemagoguery,dictatorship,orrevolution,
[whichinduced]men'swholehearteddevotiontothecharismaticindividualthroughablind
andfanaticaltrustandanunrestrainedanduncriticalfaith."(7)

Inthecaseofcults,ofcourse,weknowthatthisinductionofwholehearteddevotiondoes
nothappenspontaneouslybutistheresultofthecultleader'sskillfuluseofthoughtreform
techniques.Charismaonitsownisnotevilanddoesnotnecessarilybreedacultleader.
Charismais,however,apowerfulandawesomeattributefoundinmanycultleaderswhouse
itinwaysthatarebothselfservinganddestructivetoothers.Thecombinationofcharisma
andpsychopathyisalethalmixtureperhapsitistheveryrecipeusedattheCookiecutter
MessiahSchool!

Forthecultleader,havingcharismaisperhapsmostusefulduringthestageofcult
formation.Ittakesastrongwilledandpersuasiveleadertoconvincepeopleofanewbelief,
thengatherthenewlyconvertedaroundhimasdevotedfollowers.Amisinterpretationofthe
cultleader'spersonalcharismamayalsofosterhisfollowers'beliefinhisspecialor
messianicqualities.

Soweseethatcharismaisindeedadesirabletraitforsomeonewhowishestoattracta
following.
However,likebeauty,charismaisintheeyeofthebeholder.Mary,forexample,maybe
completelytakenwithaparticularseminarleader,practicallyswooningathiseveryword,
whileherfriendSusiedoesn'tfeeltheslightesttingle.Cehtainlyatthetimeapersonisunder
theswayofcharismatheeffectisveryreal.Yet,inreality,charismadoesnothingmorethan
createacertainworshipfulreactiontoanidealizedfigureinthemindoftheonewhois
smitten.

Inthelongrun,skillsofpersuasion(whichmayormaynotbecharismadc)aremore
importanttothecultleaderthancharismaforthepowerandholdofcultsdependonthe
particularenvironmentshapedbythethoughtreformprogramandcontrolmechanisms,all
ofwhichareusuallyconceptualizedandputinplacebytheleader.Thusitisthe
psychopathologyoftheleader,nothischarisma,thatcausesthesystematicmanipulative
abuseandexploitationfoundincults.

TheCultLeaderasPsychopath

Culticgroupsandrelationshipsareformedprimarilytomeetspecificemotionalneedsofthe
leader,manyofwhomsufferfromoneoranotherunotionalorcharacterdisorder.Few,if
any,cultleaderssubjectthemselvestothepsychologicaltestsorprolongedclinical
interviewsthatallowforanaccuratediagnosis.
However,researchersandclinicianswhohaveobservedtheseindividualsdescribethem
variouslyasneurotic,psychotic,onaspectrumexhibitingneurotic,sociopathic,and
psychoticcharacteristics,orsufferingfromadiagnosedpersonalitydisorder.(8)
Itisnotourintentheretomakeanoverarchingdiagnosis,nordoweintendtoimplythatah
cultleadersortheleadersofanyofthegroupsmentionedherearepsychopaths.Inreviewing
thedata,however,wecansurmisethatthereissignificantpsychologicaldysfunctioningin
somecultleadersandthattheirbehaviordemonstratesfeaturesratherconsistentwiththe
disorderknownaspsychopathy.

Dr.RobertHare,oneoftheworld'sforemostexpertsinthefield,estimatesthatthereareat
leasttwomillionpsychopathsinNorthAmerica.Hewrites,"Psychopathsaresocial
predatorswhocharm,manipulate,andruthlesslyplowtheirwaythroughlife,leavingabroad
trailofbrokenhearts,shatteredexpectations,andemptywallets.Completelylackingin
conscienceandinfeelingsforothers,theyselfishlytakewhattheywantanddoasthey
please,violatingsocialnormsandexpectationswithouttheslightestsenseofguiltorregret."
(9)

PsychopathyfallswithinthesectiononpersonalitydisordersintheDiagnosticandStatistical
ManualofMentalDisorders,whichisthestandardsourcebookusedinmakingpsychiatric
evaluationsand
diagnoses.(l0)Inthedraftversionofthemanual's4thedition(tobereleasedSpring1994),
thisdisorderislistedas"personalitydisordernototherwisespecified/Cleckleytype
psychopath,"namedafterpsychiatristHerveyCleckleywhocarriedoutthefirstmajor
studiesofpsychopaths.Thecombinationofpersonalityandbehavioraltraitsthatallowsfor
thisdiagnosismustbeevidentintheperson'shistory,notsimplyapparentduringaparticular
episode.Thatis,psychopathyisalongtermpersonalitydisorder.Thetermpsychopathis
oftenusedinterchangeablywithsociopath,orsociopathicpersonalityBecauseitismore
commonlyrecognized,weusethetermpsychopathhere.

Personalitydisorders,asadiagnosis,relatetocertaininflexibleandmaladaptivebehaviors
andtraitsthatcauseapersontohavesignificantlyimpairedsocialoroccupational
functioning.Signsofthisareoftenfirstmanifestedinchildhoodandadolescence,andare
expressedthroughdistortedpatternsofperceiving,relatingto,andthinkingaboutthe
environmentandoneself.Insimpletermsthismeansthatsomethingisamiss,awry,notquite
rightintheperson,andthiscreatesproblemsinhowheorsherelatestotherestoftheworld.
6

Thepsychopathicpersonalityissometimesconfusedwiththe"antisocialpersonality,"
anotherdisorderhowever,thepsychopathexhibitsmoreextremebehaviorthanthe
antisocialpersonality.Theantisocialpersonalityisidentifiedbyamixofantisocialand
criminalbehaviorsheisthecommoncriminal.Thepsychopath,ontheotherhand,is
characterizedbyamixofcriminalandsociallydeviantbehavior.

Psychopathyisnotthesameaspsychosiseither.Thelatterischaracterizedbyaninabilityto
differentiatewhatisrealfromwhatisimagined:boundariesbetweenselfandothersarelost,
andcriticalthinkingisgreatlyimpaired.Whilegenerallynotpsychotic,cultleadersmay
experiencepsychoticepisodes,whichmayleadtothedestructionofthemselvesorthegroup.
AnextremeexampleofthisisthemassmurdersuicidethatoccurredinNovember1978in
Tonestown,Guyana,atthePeople'sTempleledbyJimJones.Onhisorders,over900
men,women,andchildrenperishedasJonesdeterioratedintowhatwasprobablyaparanoid
psychosis.

ThepsychopathicpersonalityhasbeenwelldescribedbyHerveyClecMeyinhisclassic
work,TheMaskofSanity,firstpublishedin1941andupdatedandreissuedin1982.
CleckleyisperhapsbestknownforTheThreeFacesofEve,abookandlaterapopular
movieonmultiplepersonality.Cleckleyalsogavetheworldadetailedstudyofthe
personalityandbehaviorofthepsychopath,listing16characteristicstobeusedinevaluating
andtreatingpsychopaths.(ll)

Cledde'sworkgreatlyinfluenced20yearsofresearchcarriedoutbyRobertHareatthe
UniversityofBritishColumbiainVancouver.Inhisworkdevelopingreliableandvalid
proceduresforassessingpsychopathy,HaremadeseveralrevisionsinCleddey'slistoftraits
andfinallysettledona20itemPsychopathyCheddist.(l2)Laterinthischapterwewilluse
anadaptationofboththeCleddeyandHarecheckliststoexaminetheprofileofacultieader.

NeuropsychiatristRichardM.Restakstated,"Attheheartofthediagnosisofpsychopathy
wastherecognitionthatapersoncouldappearnormalandyetdoseobservationwouldreveal
thepersonalitytobeirrationalorevenviolent."(l3)Indeed,initiallymostpsychopaths
appearquitenormal.Theypresentthemselvestousascharming,interesting,evenhumble.
Themajority"don'tsufferfromdelusions,hallucinations,ormemoryimpairment,their
contactwithrealityappearssolid."(l4)Some,ontheotherhand,maydemonstratemarked
paranoiaandmegalomania.Inoneclinicalstudyofpsychopathicinpatients,theauthors
wroa:"Wefoundthatourpsychopathsweresimilartonormals(inthereferencegroup)with
regardtotheircapacitytoexperienceexternalevent~asrealandwithregardtotheirsenseof
bodilyreality.Theygenerallyhadgoodmemory,concentrationattention,andlanguage
function.Theyhadahighbarrieragainstexternal,aversivestimulation....Insomewaysthey
dearlyresemblenormalpeopleandcanthus'pass'asreasonablynormalorsane.Yetwe
foundthemtobeextremelyprimitiveinotherways,evenmoreprimitivethanfrankly
schizophrenicpatients.Insomewaystheirthinkingwassaneandreasonable,butinothersit
waspsychoticallyinefficientand/orconvoluted."(l5)

Anotherresearcherdescribedpsychopathsinthisway:"Thesepeopleareimpulsive,unable
totoleratefrustrationanddelay,andhaveproblemswithtrusting.Theytakeaparanoid
positionorexternalizetheiremotionalexperience.Theyhavelittleabilitytoformaworking
allianceandapoorcapacityforselfobservation.Theirangerisfrightening.Frequentlythey
takeflight.Theirrelationswithothersarehighlyproblematic.Whendosetoanotherperson
theyfearengulfmentorfusionorlossofself.Atthesametime,paradoxically,theydesire
closenessfrustrationoftheirentitledwishestobenourished,caredfor,andassistedoften
leadstorage.Theyarecapableofachild'sprimitivefuryenactedwithanadult'sphysical
capabilities,andactionisalwaysintheoffing.$l6)

Ultimately,"thepsychopathmusthavewhathewants,nomatterwhatthecosttothoseinhis
way."(l7)