Cultic Studies Journal, Vol. 6, No. 2, 1989, Page 45
The book Nineteen Eighty-four (Orwell, 1954) predicted Lifton's (1961) concept of “loading
the language” with such ironies as the Ministry of Peace being in charge of war, the Ministry
of Truth being in charge of lying, and the Ministry of Love being in charge of terror. The
point: We should take cults and other totalitarian movements seriously when they predict
that wars and political terror will follow their ascent to power. Sandy: “Somewhere down the
line they [cults] all say we‟re the elite ...we‟re gonna wipe everyone else out.” Sandy's
statement seemed to confront Ken on a personal, individual level, and this was more than
he could tolerate. He defended his beliefs and his behaviors by noting that ISKCON's
predictions of violence and genocide were not related to his “relationship with God.” But
Sandy would not accept this rationalization and he confronted Ken's apparent lack of
integration. “Is your relationship with God superior to that of Prabhupada‟s?... If so, maybe
Prabhupada was mistaken [and] should be bowing down to you.”
Just then, at 11:19 a.m., Greg Stern arrived. He had gone home the night before at about
1:00 am. Greg started off by asking Ken how he felt, how he had slept and if he had learned
anything from the night before. Ken's “regression” must have been very noticeable (and
expected), because Greg quickly expressed this observation to Ken. When Ken
acknowledged that he was having trouble remembering last night‟s material, or discussions,
Greg commented on how he had also had trouble keeping track of information from moment
to moment and day to day during his own deprogramming. In this way, Greg did not
confront Ken directly on his “regression,” yet delivered a subtle message in which Ken's
internal cognitions (in defense of ISKCON) were reframed as a “regression” (as opposed to
being considered a return to a viewpoint that had equal validity to the views of the
deprogrammers, for example). Ken seemed to understand this underlying message, and
perhaps the way the message was suggested in an indirect way helped Ken to consider it
without getting defensive or feeling guilty. His overt reaction clearly suggested that he
identified with Greg's self-disclosure.
The conversation now turned to Krishnas using guns and armaments. Ken argued that
people would not object to a farmer having a shotgun to protect his farm. Sandy and Greg
countered with the fact that the Krishnas have been found with grenade launchers and M-16
military rifles, hardly the average “self-defense” weapons. I noted that the conversation had
quickly become dominated about equally by Ken and the deprogrammers, in contrast to
most of the conversation the day before. Ken now seemed to be very active, although much
of his speech was concerned with defending ISKCON. This increased level of activity would
generally be sustained throughout the middle portion of the deprogramming, and I was able
to quantify it in my analysis of the “snapping” period.
Much of Ken's attitude toward ISKCON this late morning and early afternoon seemed to
vacillate between acceptance of and even involvement in the deprogrammers' criticisms,
and defense of ISKCON. At times, Ken would talk clearly and cogently about some of the
contradictions he had found, using terms like “I used to think like that.” Soon thereafter,
however, he would again be strongly defending the ISKCON movement and doctrine.
Throughout these vacillations, Ken did not show overt signs of emotional struggle or conflict
Yet he seemed to be in great cognitive, if not emotional turmoil.
As the discussion of ISKCON's arm caches continued, Greg remarked that the concept of a
peaceful God just does not seem to be consistent with Krishna practice. Ken for the first
time admitted that he had seen rifles in New York and New Jersey temples. Prior to this
conversation, Ken remained silent when the topic of ISKCON armaments was brought up
(and by his silence, he seemed to be denying their existence). Nonetheless, Ken again tried
to justify the possession of guns, by asking what should be done when property is invaded.
Sandy responded with mixed humor and anger: “[You] call the police! That's what everyone
else does.” Greg and Ken then talked about ex-Krishna vigilantes who have attacked
ISKCON, sometimes with physical violence (e.g., Greg Bryant). Although Greg
The book Nineteen Eighty-four (Orwell, 1954) predicted Lifton's (1961) concept of “loading
the language” with such ironies as the Ministry of Peace being in charge of war, the Ministry
of Truth being in charge of lying, and the Ministry of Love being in charge of terror. The
point: We should take cults and other totalitarian movements seriously when they predict
that wars and political terror will follow their ascent to power. Sandy: “Somewhere down the
line they [cults] all say we‟re the elite ...we‟re gonna wipe everyone else out.” Sandy's
statement seemed to confront Ken on a personal, individual level, and this was more than
he could tolerate. He defended his beliefs and his behaviors by noting that ISKCON's
predictions of violence and genocide were not related to his “relationship with God.” But
Sandy would not accept this rationalization and he confronted Ken's apparent lack of
integration. “Is your relationship with God superior to that of Prabhupada‟s?... If so, maybe
Prabhupada was mistaken [and] should be bowing down to you.”
Just then, at 11:19 a.m., Greg Stern arrived. He had gone home the night before at about
1:00 am. Greg started off by asking Ken how he felt, how he had slept and if he had learned
anything from the night before. Ken's “regression” must have been very noticeable (and
expected), because Greg quickly expressed this observation to Ken. When Ken
acknowledged that he was having trouble remembering last night‟s material, or discussions,
Greg commented on how he had also had trouble keeping track of information from moment
to moment and day to day during his own deprogramming. In this way, Greg did not
confront Ken directly on his “regression,” yet delivered a subtle message in which Ken's
internal cognitions (in defense of ISKCON) were reframed as a “regression” (as opposed to
being considered a return to a viewpoint that had equal validity to the views of the
deprogrammers, for example). Ken seemed to understand this underlying message, and
perhaps the way the message was suggested in an indirect way helped Ken to consider it
without getting defensive or feeling guilty. His overt reaction clearly suggested that he
identified with Greg's self-disclosure.
The conversation now turned to Krishnas using guns and armaments. Ken argued that
people would not object to a farmer having a shotgun to protect his farm. Sandy and Greg
countered with the fact that the Krishnas have been found with grenade launchers and M-16
military rifles, hardly the average “self-defense” weapons. I noted that the conversation had
quickly become dominated about equally by Ken and the deprogrammers, in contrast to
most of the conversation the day before. Ken now seemed to be very active, although much
of his speech was concerned with defending ISKCON. This increased level of activity would
generally be sustained throughout the middle portion of the deprogramming, and I was able
to quantify it in my analysis of the “snapping” period.
Much of Ken's attitude toward ISKCON this late morning and early afternoon seemed to
vacillate between acceptance of and even involvement in the deprogrammers' criticisms,
and defense of ISKCON. At times, Ken would talk clearly and cogently about some of the
contradictions he had found, using terms like “I used to think like that.” Soon thereafter,
however, he would again be strongly defending the ISKCON movement and doctrine.
Throughout these vacillations, Ken did not show overt signs of emotional struggle or conflict
Yet he seemed to be in great cognitive, if not emotional turmoil.
As the discussion of ISKCON's arm caches continued, Greg remarked that the concept of a
peaceful God just does not seem to be consistent with Krishna practice. Ken for the first
time admitted that he had seen rifles in New York and New Jersey temples. Prior to this
conversation, Ken remained silent when the topic of ISKCON armaments was brought up
(and by his silence, he seemed to be denying their existence). Nonetheless, Ken again tried
to justify the possession of guns, by asking what should be done when property is invaded.
Sandy responded with mixed humor and anger: “[You] call the police! That's what everyone
else does.” Greg and Ken then talked about ex-Krishna vigilantes who have attacked
ISKCON, sometimes with physical violence (e.g., Greg Bryant). Although Greg
