International Journal of Cultic Studies ■ Vol. 8, 2017 73
groups, but not to mine. Not to the groups whose
former members I have treated through the
years. I could not compare my experiences to
theirs, but could I identify?
The author explains his categorization of cults
first around the nature of the leader, then to their
doctrine or cause, and finally to their method of
mind manipulation. He uses psychoanalytic
insights to explore narcissism of cult leaders. He
says, “No amount of attention, care and giving
from others satisfies them.” To Banisadr, cult
leaders have “a childish, narcissistic ego and”
are “unable to fulfill” their “unrealistic needs ...
in the real world.” The leader’s “charm” and
“sense of utter superiority,” “totalitarian
behavior,” “need for worshipers and his
loneliness” (p. 11) are manifested in the
“miniworld” of the cult in psychological or
physical isolation from wider society. Now he is
hitting closer to home.
To cult leaders, the cause or ideology is just a
means to an end. They choose a doctrine or
ideology that seems to meet a public belief or
need so they can recruit people who have that
interest in common. They never let commitment
to the cause or a belief system get in the way of
their own self-importance. Banisadr recalled the
Assassins, a group that he believes created the
model for modern terror groups. They “allied
themselves with ‘Hindu heathens’ and ‘infidel
Christian’ crusaders against their Muslim
brethren” (p. 29). For them, “Islam was but a
convenient black curtain behind which to hide.”
When Banisadr, an Iranian, joined MeK, the
Shah, Iraq, and the West were the enemy. When
Khomeini came to power, the Rajavi found
himself at odds with the new regime. Saddam
Hussein and his friends in the West were
suddenly friends of the Mojahedin. After
sending hundreds of his followers to their deaths
fighting the army of the Shah, Mojahedin
thought nothing of sending hundreds more to die
alongside Saddam’s army against the forces of
the Ayatollah Khomeini. That feeling in the pit
of my stomach returned. Rajavi’s techniques to
make terrorists out of idealistic, thoughtful
young people were nothing more than a
dramatized version of the same old familiar,
cultic manipulation. To me, Rajavi’s methods of
mind manipulation were almost identical to the
self-condemning techniques of Lifton’s “Cult of
Confession” those used by Stewart Trail, leader
of the Church of Bible Understanding (COBU)
the Moon organization and hundreds of others.
The author acknowledges his debt, as do I, to
Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans, and her
coauthor Jon Halliday, who also collaborated
with her on Mao the Unknown Story, for their
insights into self-denigration as a tool of control.
Banisadr calls Rahavi a “mini Mao” (p. 5).
Banisadr divides Rajavi’s control techniques
into three categories that might be used in any
order. Reason was used initially to change new
recruits’ beliefs and as a tool for recruiting new
members. Rajavi and his wife then used familiar
techniques such as isolation in remote locations
and humiliation to stabilize new beliefs and
prevent new recruits from returning to their
previous belief systems, family, and friends.
Finally, the cult leader has to change disciples’
personalities into one that is compatible with the
collective cult personality. He asserts that this is
done mainly by manipulating emotions, which
he calls brainwashing.
Masoud Banisadr now teaches mathematics in
Britain. So it is only natural that he would use
algebraic formulas to express the complex
relationships between belief and emotion in a
thought-reform environment. His formulas
maybe difficult for some to follow, but effort by
the reader will be rewarded.
It could be argued that his distinctions between
mind manipulation, thought reform, and
brainwashing might be contrived. But clearly the
approach works for him as he winds his way
through the labyrinth of the severe unethical
persuasion he experienced.
The author intertwines his story with truly
dedicated scholarship. His incredible attention to
detail is most evident in the copious annotated
endnotes after each chapter. Destructive and
Terrorist Cults: A New Kind of Slavery:
Leaders, Followers, and Mind Manipulation is a
nuanced view of thought reform as it applies to
groups whose adherents we would call terrorists.
After reading this book, I will be calling former
terrorists what they are: fellow former members.
groups, but not to mine. Not to the groups whose
former members I have treated through the
years. I could not compare my experiences to
theirs, but could I identify?
The author explains his categorization of cults
first around the nature of the leader, then to their
doctrine or cause, and finally to their method of
mind manipulation. He uses psychoanalytic
insights to explore narcissism of cult leaders. He
says, “No amount of attention, care and giving
from others satisfies them.” To Banisadr, cult
leaders have “a childish, narcissistic ego and”
are “unable to fulfill” their “unrealistic needs ...
in the real world.” The leader’s “charm” and
“sense of utter superiority,” “totalitarian
behavior,” “need for worshipers and his
loneliness” (p. 11) are manifested in the
“miniworld” of the cult in psychological or
physical isolation from wider society. Now he is
hitting closer to home.
To cult leaders, the cause or ideology is just a
means to an end. They choose a doctrine or
ideology that seems to meet a public belief or
need so they can recruit people who have that
interest in common. They never let commitment
to the cause or a belief system get in the way of
their own self-importance. Banisadr recalled the
Assassins, a group that he believes created the
model for modern terror groups. They “allied
themselves with ‘Hindu heathens’ and ‘infidel
Christian’ crusaders against their Muslim
brethren” (p. 29). For them, “Islam was but a
convenient black curtain behind which to hide.”
When Banisadr, an Iranian, joined MeK, the
Shah, Iraq, and the West were the enemy. When
Khomeini came to power, the Rajavi found
himself at odds with the new regime. Saddam
Hussein and his friends in the West were
suddenly friends of the Mojahedin. After
sending hundreds of his followers to their deaths
fighting the army of the Shah, Mojahedin
thought nothing of sending hundreds more to die
alongside Saddam’s army against the forces of
the Ayatollah Khomeini. That feeling in the pit
of my stomach returned. Rajavi’s techniques to
make terrorists out of idealistic, thoughtful
young people were nothing more than a
dramatized version of the same old familiar,
cultic manipulation. To me, Rajavi’s methods of
mind manipulation were almost identical to the
self-condemning techniques of Lifton’s “Cult of
Confession” those used by Stewart Trail, leader
of the Church of Bible Understanding (COBU)
the Moon organization and hundreds of others.
The author acknowledges his debt, as do I, to
Jung Chang, author of Wild Swans, and her
coauthor Jon Halliday, who also collaborated
with her on Mao the Unknown Story, for their
insights into self-denigration as a tool of control.
Banisadr calls Rahavi a “mini Mao” (p. 5).
Banisadr divides Rajavi’s control techniques
into three categories that might be used in any
order. Reason was used initially to change new
recruits’ beliefs and as a tool for recruiting new
members. Rajavi and his wife then used familiar
techniques such as isolation in remote locations
and humiliation to stabilize new beliefs and
prevent new recruits from returning to their
previous belief systems, family, and friends.
Finally, the cult leader has to change disciples’
personalities into one that is compatible with the
collective cult personality. He asserts that this is
done mainly by manipulating emotions, which
he calls brainwashing.
Masoud Banisadr now teaches mathematics in
Britain. So it is only natural that he would use
algebraic formulas to express the complex
relationships between belief and emotion in a
thought-reform environment. His formulas
maybe difficult for some to follow, but effort by
the reader will be rewarded.
It could be argued that his distinctions between
mind manipulation, thought reform, and
brainwashing might be contrived. But clearly the
approach works for him as he winds his way
through the labyrinth of the severe unethical
persuasion he experienced.
The author intertwines his story with truly
dedicated scholarship. His incredible attention to
detail is most evident in the copious annotated
endnotes after each chapter. Destructive and
Terrorist Cults: A New Kind of Slavery:
Leaders, Followers, and Mind Manipulation is a
nuanced view of thought reform as it applies to
groups whose adherents we would call terrorists.
After reading this book, I will be calling former
terrorists what they are: fellow former members.
