Editing Anti-cult movement (section)

=== Brainwashing and mind-control ===
{{Further|Brainwashing}}
Over the years various controversial theories of [[religious conversion|conversion]] and member retention have been proposed that link mind control to NRMs, and particularly those religious movements referred to as "[[cult]]s" by their critics. These theories resemble the original political brainwashing theories first developed by the [[CIA]] as a propaganda device to combat communism,<ref>Dick Anthony. "[[Pseudoscience]] and [[New religious movement|Minority Religions]]: An Evaluation of the Brainwashing Theories of [[Jean-Marie Abgrall]]." ''[[Social Justice Research]]'' 12, no. 4 (1999): 421–456.</ref> with some minor changes. [[Philip Zimbardo]] discusses mind control as "the process by which individual or collective freedom of choice and action is compromised by agents or agencies that modify or distort perception, motivation, affect, cognition and/or behavioral outcomes,"<ref>{{Cite journal |last=Zimbardo |first=Philip G. |date=November 2002 |title=Mind control: psychological reality or mindless rhetoric? |url=https://www.apa.org/monitor/nov02/pc |journal=[[Monitor on Psychology]] |volume=33 |issue=10 |pages=5}}</ref> and he suggests that any human being is susceptible to such manipulation.<ref>{{Cite web|title=What messages are behind today's cults?|first=Philip G.|last=Zimbardo |author-link=Philip Zimbardo |url=https://www.planetdeb.net/spirit/cult.htm|access-date=2023-01-02|website=Monitor on Psychology |date=May 1997}}</ref> In a 1999 book, [[Robert Jay Lifton|Robert Lifton]] also applied his original ideas about thought reform to [[Aum Shinrikyo]], concluding that in this context thought reform was possible without violence or physical coercion.<ref>[[Robert Jay Lifton]]. ''Destroying the World to Save It: [[Aum Shinrikyo|Aum Shinrikyō]], [[Apocalypticism|Apocalyptic Violence]], and The New Global [[Terrorism]].'' New York: [[Henry Holt & Co.]], 1999.</ref> [[Margaret Singer]], who also spent time studying the political brainwashing of Korean prisoners of war, agreed with this conclusion: in her book ''[[Cults in Our Midst]]'' she describes six conditions which would create an atmosphere in which thought reform is possible.<ref>[[Margaret Thaler Singer]]. ''[[Cults in Our Midst]]: The Continuing Fight Against Their Hidden Menace.'' [[San Francisco, CA]]: [[Jossey-Bass]], 2003.</ref>

[[James T. Richardson]] observes that if the NRMs had access to powerful brainwashing techniques, one would expect that NRMs would have high growth rates, yet in fact most have not had notable success in recruitment. Most adherents participate for only a short time, and the success in retaining members is limited.<ref>James T. Richardson. "The Active vs. Passive Convert: [[Paradigm]] Conflict in Conversion/Recruitment Research." ''Journal for the Scientific Study of Religion'' 24, no. 2 (1985): 163–179.</ref> For this and other reasons, sociologists of religion including [[David G. Bromley]] and [[Anson D. Shupe]] consider the idea that cults are brainwashing American youth to be "implausible."<ref>{{Cite web |last=Robinson |first=B. A. |date=22 August 2007 |title=About 'cults': Allegations of brainwashing by new religious movements (a.k.a. 'cults'). |url=http://www.religioustolerance.org/brain_wa.htm |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120419010810/http://www.religioustolerance.org/brain_wa.htm |archive-date=19 April 2012 |access-date=29 May 2022 |website=Religious Tolerance |url-status=usurped |publisher=[[Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance]]}}</ref> In addition to Bromley, [[Thomas Robbins (sociologist)|Thomas Robbins]], [[Dick Anthony]], [[Eileen Barker]], [[Newton Maloney]], [[Massimo Introvigne]], John Hall, [[Lorne L. Dawson]], Anson D. Shupe, [[J. Gordon Melton]], [[Marc Galanter (psychiatrist)|Marc Galanter]], [[Saul Levine]] of [[Mount Wilson FM Broadcasters, Inc]], among other scholars researching NRMs, have argued and established to the satisfaction of courts, relevant professional associations and scientific communities that there exists no scientific theory, generally accepted and based upon methodologically sound research, that supports the brainwashing theories as advanced by the anti-cult movement.<ref>James T. Richardson. "Religion and The Law." In ''The Oxford Handbook of the Sociology of Religion'', edited by Peter B. Clarke. Oxford Handbooks Online, 2009. 426.</ref><ref name=":7" />