The 17th century brought many changes to the Russian land. Among them was one rather alarming one: a number of religious sects appeared, very harmless in their content.
One of these sects was the whips. The name has a double origin: from the self-flagellation prescribed for sectarians and from the distorted name of Christ.
The emergence of "whips"
The first "whip" was a runaway soldier, a former peasant Danila Filippov. The basis of his concept was the theory of the transmigration of souls. The success of reincarnation depended on behavior in this life. If a person lived in marriage, then in the next life he was incarnated only as a pig, an unclean animal. But life in sexual revelry was encouraged. Thanks to this, the "whips" in the next incarnation became angels. The communities of "whips" were called ships, and the leaders were called prophets and virgins. Subsequently, the "ships" became completely independent of each other, as a result of their independent activity, new sects appeared, and it became more difficult to identify them due to the instability of signs.
The ritual of zeal
Common to all the "ships" was the ritual of zeal. It was held late at night, the participants were dressed in long white shirts and held lighted candles.
The purpose of the ritual of joy was to achieve the grace of the Holy Spirit and extinguish carnal passions. In the first stage, these are fast repetitive body movements that turn off the brain and cause nervous excitement up to ecstasy. Exciting herbs burned in the stuffy room. According to some information, psychotropic substances and hallucinogens were massively taken. Everyone began to spin, jump, twitch and run after each other, until they came into an unnaturally high spirits.
Then mutual beatings began in various forms. They could whip each other with wet ropes, or they could whip each other with sticks - in different communities in different ways.
This continued until those present began to shout incoherent words in a frenzy: this meant that grace descended on them in the person of the Holy Spirit. Many had visions, which he immediately made known to the community. If the prophet himself fell into such a state, everyone went berserk. When the participants in the action were already in a sufficiently heated state, the candles were extinguished and everyone fell into a heap. What is referred to as "sinking sin" began, indiscriminately by gender, age and family ties.
Childbirth with "whips" was condemned, so women who became pregnant after the ritual of joy took poisonous substances to cause a miscarriage.
When information about this sect began to leak out, Orthodox priests sounded the alarm. They branded "whips" during sermons, and if the "whips" themselves were present, they showed indignation so as not to betray themselves.
An instruction has appeared on how to recognize a “whip” among acquaintances and, accordingly, avoid it:
- Ease of sexual relations and rejection of family ties
- Disdain for childbearing
— Vegetarianism
- Refusal of alcohol
— Love for mysticism
- The manner of calling others by diminutive names.
But all these measures were of little help, since “Christianity” penetrated into large cities, rites were held even in Moscow monasteries ...
The Khlysty sect was very reminiscent of Manichaeism, which had destroyed the Uighur Khaganate several centuries earlier. Reincarnation, the denial of family values, and the promotion of debauchery were also present in his tenets. And the way to extinguish carnal impulses with violent sex comes from Tantric Buddhism, although it is carried out differently. It is hard to believe that an illiterate soldier and peasant could somehow accidentally perceive these principles, and even more so, present them convincingly enough.
Further, a fugitive soldier without a livelihood had nothing else to do but preach? And he actively traveled around the provinces and successfully conducted his agitation. Filippov himself and his closest assistants were repeatedly arrested, put on trial, but released without causing harm - that is, the “prophet” was carefully supervised by someone who remained unknown, but powerful enough. This is the style of the Jesuits.
Subsequently, when the sect became sufficiently "promoted", harsh measures were taken against its representatives, up to executions, since the "prophets" among other things called for the overthrow of power.
Another important sign: lies. "Lying for good" is one of the rules of the Jesuits, as well as a number of European sects like the Albigensians. And the "whips" were prescribed a lie - going to church, so as not to stand out. And not just walking, but an imitation of sincere religious zeal.
All sects, which in the 17th century in Russia bred like fruit flies, were forbidden or distorted family life than interfered with the demographic balance in the country. Perhaps, having failed to conquer Russia, “civilized Europe” tried in this way to devastate such tempting lands?
Communities of "whips" in Russia still exist.
Young people in black clothes with five-pointed stars have long been the subject of fear for Russians, constantly appearing in criminal reports. Now all Satanists can be outlawed for insulting the feelings of the Orthodox and Muslims. About the conflict of minions of dark forces with believers and authorities - in the material of RIA Novosti.
Problems with law
The founder of the "Satanic Church" in Russia, Oleg Sataninsky (as he introduces himself publicly), complains about constant checks by law enforcement agencies. "We have problems with the authorities," he sighs, not wanting to go into details.
The check by the Moscow prosecutor's office was launched at the request of State Duma deputy Ivan Sukharev. He believes that Satanists insult the believers of the country's traditional faiths.
“I consider it unthinkable when in a country where the two leading religions, Orthodoxy and Islam, profess traditional values, at the same time there are incompatible things - the church is called satanic.<…>They have other, evil goals. And if Orthodox Church has been preaching kindness for more than a thousand years on the territory of Russia, then this kind of organization is unthinkable on our territory," the deputy explains his initiative.
© AP Photo
"Sick Bastards"
In the mid-2000s, many in Russia were afraid of Satanists. The reason for this was the numerous television reports about their atrocities. In the mass consciousness, the image of young people in black clothes, who, being "high", desecrate churches, cemeteries and commit ritual killings of animals, has firmly established itself in the mass consciousness. Just the other day, the Astrakhan media reported that local servants of Satan ate pigeons right during a rock concert.
“Satanists do not kill any animals. In general, killing an innocent living being in Satanism is not considered correct. Personally, I generally love animals more than people, especially cats. I have them at home,” says 30-year-old Satanist Sophia.
Satanists took as a basis the teachings of the American Anton LaVey, who in 1966 created the first satanic organization. He also wrote the "Satanic Bible", which is authoritative for Satanists all over the world, the idea of which is that heaven does not exist, so one must fully enjoy earthly life. He considered his teaching to be purely anti-Christian. But, oddly enough, even Satanists have a list of sins - including various insults, stupidity, self-deception, herd mentality, limiting someone else's will and "lack of open-mindedness."
© Photo: courtesy of the Salem Church of Satan
© Photo: courtesy of the Salem Church of Satan
Therefore, Satanists, in every possible case, deny accusations of insulting the feelings of Christians and Muslims, although the same Satanic Church group on the VKontakte social network greets users with the phrase "If you are a Christian, please leave the page, because your feelings may be unintentionally offended here" .
“They think of themselves as a kind of antipode of Christianity. I talked with one Satanist and asked: “Why are you breaking crosses, and not crescents, not six-pointed stars?” They directly say that Christianity is the complete opposite of them, there is an irreconcilable struggle with it.<…>Their task is to scare people, society, this is such a desire to draw attention to themselves with their actions.<…>It is not necessary to talk about Satanists as some kind of organized denomination. This is something like the first revolutionary groups in Russia in the second half of the 19th century,” notes the well-known sectologist Archpriest Oleg Stenyaev.
The Satanist himself decides whether to participate in any rituals, there are no obligations to the cult. The main condition: the rites should be performed only after sunset with black candles lit at the altar, which is a naked woman. However, the attitude of most Satanists to their rituals can hardly be called serious. And that's why.
For many years, Satanists have been trying to disassociate themselves from those who actually kill animals and draw pentagrams on the walls, such they call devil worshipers.
"Sick bastards who call themselves Satanists! They don't even know what it is, they haven't even looked into it. They're giving everyone the wrong idea of Satanism!" - outraged on the forum of warlocks.
Instead of a basement - a casemate
"My ex-husband Almost got beat up for a T-shirt with a pentagram. But, on the other hand, if you're just a Satanist and don't trumpet it on every corner, there shouldn't be any security problems, I don't have any. Although when people around hear that I am a Satanist, they roll their eyes and ask stupid questions about sacrifices and burning churches," Sophia, a Satanist, shares.
Recently, Satanists are less and less likely to advertise their activities, so it is extremely difficult for researchers to calculate them. It is known that the "Satanic Church of the Russian Federation" claims to be the only such organization in our country, as it maintains contact with the "Church of Satan". But there is no objective data about other satanic organizations, emphasizes Pavel Kostylev, a senior lecturer in the Faculty of Philosophy at Moscow State University, a religious scholar.
"To be a Satanist, to support Satanic creeds and practice Satanic rituals, it is not necessary to be a member of any organization. However, individual Satanism has not yet become the subject of serious religious research," the expert adds.
At the request of RIA Novosti to comment on the activities of the warlock movement, the Russian Orthodox Church recalled that the attitude of the Church towards Satanism, "as well as the attitude of other traditional religious" institutions, is well known.
“We believe that this kind of worldview destroys both the human person and the family, society and the state. What we know about the activities of organizations that identify themselves with Satanism is sufficient to respond to this challenge with criminal law methods,” emphasizes Deputy Chairman of the Synodal Department of the Moscow Patriarchate for Church Relations with Society and the Media Vakhtang Kipshidze.
It is curious that after the intervention of the prosecutor's office, the public activity of satanic "high priests" almost died. Oleg Sataninsky extinguishes the indignation of his followers with an extremely cautious phrase: "They ( law enforcement. — Approx. ed.) are obliged to respond to every complaint, this is their job."
The activities of the "Satanic Church", according to the founder, are now suspended on his own initiative. And instead of demonstrating some simple ritual to the correspondent, Sataninsky refuses and sighs: "I have to go to the police now."
This is one of the biggest bullshit I've ever read on the internet in my life. What are the exact calculations? Where are they? Well, bring them here, please. I mean, the calculation of tuning some kind of internal receiver to a wave of some kind of supposedly higher Reason. Well, what nonsense, huh? Let's set up the hookah now, put a heel instead of the usual mixture and puff together. I assure you, we will immediately tune our internal receivers to several gods, and maybe even immediately to the higher Mind.
If there really were evidence for the existence of God, and even more so, as you claim, there would be the most accurate calculations, humanity would have taken advantage of this a long time ago, because there would be no point in denying the obvious, because according to your reasoning, supposedly billions of people have already taken advantage of these most accurate calculations. But this is your personal delusion. And there is the fact that everyone believes in what he wants: someone in God, someone in Allah, someone in Vishnu, and Christians, for example, believe in different ways (how many confessions exist in our time) , and people are ready to kill their own kind for the sake of their personal faith in someone out there or in something out there. No other mammal on the planet will kill its own kind for the sake of some kind of intelligence, only man.
Fact: there is not a single objective proof of the existence of a higher Mind. Only assumptions (often not without meaning, it must be admitted).
Assume that such a proof exists. Where is it? Why is it not obvious to all people inhabiting the planet? Why do some people think that internal receivers should be tuned to the Father, others to Allah, and still others to Buddha? Because, most likely, all these minds are just a figment of the human imagination. This is what distinguishes the human mammal from other mammalian imaginations. Here is the fact that a person has an imagination, and that it can lead him into such a jungle that you are fucking it is an objective fact, a confirmed fact. :)
Moreover, it is possible to formulate all this much easier: if you are so smart and bring quotes from your beloved fantasy book, found this evidence and tuned your internal receiver to the right wave along with supposedly billions of people who tuned in to this wave, can you give calculations and simple examples here, how can we all do the same? And then you tune in, enjoy, but here, in our ignorance, we can’t tune in in any way, we can’t save our soul in any way, while you save yours before your God. Well, help humanity, come on, right here on the chips, tell us about the methods of tuning yourself to some kind of Mind.
I hope, in response to this, I will not see here another excuse in the form of such and such it is not given to you, you still will not understand, because you (and then there are insults), read the Bible, and you will find everything and other similar excuses, with which always use such here ostensibly tuned in? ;)
We were in Plakhin's sect, and we want to tell you about our experience. We write together because we also left the sect together. Since it is almost impossible to leave there alone. To make it easier to perceive our story, we will write under the pseudonym "Christina". The experience of several people is collected here, a typical option is described, but at the same time, an individual approach and various tricks are used for everyone.
“I got into a cult two years ago. Before that, she was always interested in magic, did some rituals from books and read Tarot cards. Once I saw an ad in the store "Way to Yourself": "Who wants to practice magic and develop spiritually - call." Below is the phone number. I met, as it turned out later, with one of Plakhin's students. She told very little about the School, as she put it, said that Plakhin Vladimir is a healer and magician, that he cured many people and taught many people magic. That he studied with the ancient elders, who, in his opinion, are psychics, lived in the mountains of the Carpathians, that there is a hermitage of this school in the Carpathians, and she was there and saw his teachers and magical places. That he is a representative of the “ancient Slavic healing school”, the head of the school of “sexual magic of the ancient Slavs”, uses “healing methods” obtained from Sources with “knowledge of pre-Christian Rus'”. And she was very interested in whether I was a virgin or not. I said that I was a virgin, she was delighted and said that it was very good, that I could quickly learn magic and would develop quickly, that I should not miss this chance and should start working on myself. I asked if they have any literature on which you can learn magic, spells, rituals ... She said that their teacher wrote a book / Plakhin V.E. Sexual magic of the ancient Slavs. M., Markart, 2003 / (which is why his authority in my eyes has increased), but serious literature is not given at the beginning, because you must first learn how to work with energy, otherwise you can harm yourself.
So that I could see everything for myself, she suggested that I visit their school, located next to the Sokol metro station. If I don't like it, I can always leave. I took a friend with me and came. I liked that there were a lot of young people there, no one drank or smoked, everyone talked about topics that were interesting to me. It didn't matter what religion you were, and what books on magic you use, the main thing is that you do it. True, after we were accustomed to the point of view that sexual magic is everywhere, in all books and religions. And Plakhin said that Mary Magdalene was the 13th disciple of Christ, and they were engaged in sexual magic with him. There are indeed books about this, for example, Dan Brown's The Da Vinci Code. Plakhin spoke about the "Mystery of the Worldwings", interpreted the Bible in his own way, showed Lenardo da Vinci's painting "The Last Supper" on the Internet and claimed that Mary Magdalene was painted there. There were no sectarian sermons and rituals, no one collected money (although later we learned that we collected tithes, but somehow at will and from those who worked, sort of like for a skete). I liked the fact that in addition to theory there are classes, everyone was sitting in a circle and the girl who brought me said that she felt the energy running in a circle, and I also wanted to learn extrasensory sensitivity.
Then Plakhin came up to me and said - let's talk. We entered a separate room. He said: let me diagnose you (besides this, he also removes damage, the evil eye and wreaths of celibacy), but for this you must undress, otherwise I will not see anything. I was embarrassed, but he said that he treats people and he is like a doctor, and they are not shy in front of a doctor. And I stripped down to my underpants. He laid me down on the bed and put his hands on my stomach. Asked if I feel warm? I said no. He said I didn't have much energy. If we take the entire amount of energy in a person as a unit, then my energy is 0.6, and the body does not have enough of it, it starts to hurt. I said that my head hurts. He replied that he could treat me for free, and that I needed to gain energy in order not to get sick and learn magic, since I have magical abilities and he will teach me how to heal people. I did not really believe him, but decided to come next time.
When I came to class, one of his students told me that I should ask Volodya (as the students called him) to increase my amount of energy. I asked what needs to be done. I was told that for this I need to change energy with him. I went up to him and asked. We went to a separate room and he again told me to undress. I was shy, but he said that the clothes interfere with the exchange, and there is no effect, and I undressed, and so did he.
We lay down and he leaned against me from behind, saying that in this position he gives me energy, and that there is nothing reprehensible in this, that all my constraint is complexes, and in fact he just works with energy. And I also need to relax and trust him, then the exchange will go better. Then I thought for a long time whether I should come again, because I didn’t like it, but when I thought about it, my head started to hurt, I stopped thinking about it and decided to attend school. Now I think that my head ached because Plakhin used hypnosis or NLP, books on which I later saw in in large numbers at his house. This went on for almost a month, we “changed energy”, he did not pester me, and I really began to trust him more. Then he told me that I was losing the energy that he gives me too quickly, and I needed to “pull the male channel”.
A little clarification: in his theory, each person has an amount of energy that can be increased through exchange. There is also a male and female channel. Masculine implies non-material energy that circulates through the material (body), i.e. By female energy. And to stretch the male channel means to increase the volume.
Then I asked what I should do. He said that I didn't open up to him too well, and that a person is best open in a dream, so I need to go to his place for the night. I replied that I was not ready for this. He said that I need to “break myself (that is, do what you don’t want or can’t do because of your moral principles)”, my complexes, otherwise I won’t be able to develop in magic. He suggested that I shouldn't be too scared to spend the night with another girl. I thought for a week, then agreed. So we began to spend the night, he did not pester me, and I began to believe him in this. In parallel with this, I studied with his other students and learned not to be shy - we did some exercises naked to the waist to remove complexes, since a real magician should not be shy about anything, and the moral framework of a normal person is an extra burden. The student who brought me was very glad that Volodya himself was working with me. Then I learned that the school has a system of initiations for various levels (circles), and the more you have achieved in magic, the more highest level you can claim. It wasn't until a year and a half later that I learned that you also have to earn milestones - like points for what you've done for the school. For bringing new people they gave more points, but it was also possible with money. I then got indignant and went to the teacher, he said that this is of course the tenth thing, the main thing is magical abilities, but we need people, because the energy circle needs more energy, and money is needed to build a skete so that everyone can live there and learn without social interference. Recently, Volodya began to talk about the end of the world - that's why we needed a lot of virgins, because for the energy circle you need a lot of energy to be saved. And I also learned that for the white circle you need to give birth to a child. He had a student who was in a white circle, it was said that her child was from him, although her parents thought otherwise and the teacher denied. The teacher saw who did what, and chose who should be ordained. For example, one student's initiation was to shave her head.
The most important thing we were taught is that sex and sexual energy are different things, and we had to learn to feel sexual energy, since it was the basis of life and the main one in sexual magic. I was worried that I could not feel the sexual energy, and then Volodya said that The best way to feel it is to be present at a full-fledged exchange. I asked what is it? He said that there is a concept of sex, this is for ordinary people. And those who have been practicing sexual magic for a long time are not engaged in primitive sex, but in the highest manifestation of exchange. And one of his best students, who feels the energy, will make love to him for me, so that I can feel the energy. After much persuasion, I agreed. But she didn't feel anything. Then we repeated this experience for a long time, I was already used to it, and for me it was in the order of things. It's not sex, it's exchange. Then Volodya said that it was necessary to partially participate, told me to kiss him and his student, to masturbate. I doubted, I half believed him, but even now I can’t explain why I agreed to all this.
In the classroom, we were told about virgin energy, that at the first sexual contact, the energy volume is fixed. And you need to enter it in a good energy state, and so that the partner has a lot of energy. Then they began to say that ordinary people always have little energy, they fix very little. That is, all young people who had sex had a small amount of energy, and if they didn’t, then they need to be brought to school and taught. I must say that the teacher did not favor the boys. He said that it is very difficult to teach young people, they are too self-willed and cannot “break themselves”. Almost everyone who brought their young people either parted with them, or, fortunately, chose the “social life”. Society is a negative concept in this sect, people in society are like sheep, in society there are limits, habits, routine life. People in society are mediocre, ordinary, they all drink, smoke, do not think about magic and do not develop. And if you practice magic, you won't die and you'll be forever young. And if you left school, “you can buy a place at the Vagankovsky cemetery,” because you will grow old and die. We were also told about the “droplet”, it is released at the moment of loss of virginity in a woman, it is not released in a man, and he needs 10 years to work with sexual energy to release it. When two drops merge, something like an elixir of immortality is obtained. And these two people become immortal. Volodya said that he had such a drop and smiled slyly. With all sorts of conversations, he led me to the point of view that I should start having sex with him. Especially since my energy will remain virgin and I will develop rapidly. I thought for a long time and agreed. So I received the first initiation into the black circle. He told me not to tell anyone that I was having sex with him, said it was our secret. And now, when I spent the night with him, we "practiced a full-fledged exchange." Then I discovered a rash on my body. I asked him what it was, he said, it's just a human papillomavirus, it's okay, everyone has it, I probably got infected in a public toilet in some McDonald's, he said to cauterize with iodine, which I did, everything went away , and I continued to "do magic."
In the summer I went on vacation for a long time (several months).
When I arrived, the girls from the School met me and said that they would no longer go there and began to talk.
It turns out that Plakhin lived a sexual life with all the "virgins", and told everyone not to tell anything, so that others would not envy. Therefore, everyone thought that she was special, and only she had such a privilege. And they told their stories. Here are some of them:
Veronica did not go to the sect for very long and started spending the night with Volodya recently, she came to the sect as a virgin, and did not want to lose her virginity, she only wanted to make herself a big male channel, because she believed in all this. But Volodya told her that you can have a little contact without violating your virginity, because she has a difficult case - a very small volume, and you can’t do without a full-fledged exchange. But when she went to the gynecologist, it turned out that she was not a virgin.
The rest agreed.
It all turned out because one of the best students - Ksenia - fell in love with a guy, he was older than us and quickly understood what was happening. He convinced her not to go to school for a while. During this time, she moved away from the influence of Volodya, rethought everything that happened to her. So she was one of the best students, she actively participated in the life of the school - she lectured in the esoteric centers-shops "The Way to Yourself" and "White Clouds", brought a lot of people and was dedicated to a lot. She knew about sexually transmitted diseases, was treated every six months, but fell ill again. Volodya was able to convince her that these were her own diseases, and she herself picked them up from her first boyfriend. And he is a magician - and does not get infected and does not get sick. He also said that some diseases do not need to be treated at all, everyone has herpes and papillomavirus, and erosion is nonsense. When she temporarily stopped going to the sect at the request of her boyfriend, she began to wonder why she fell ill again, because she did not have any sexual partners, except for Plakhin. We immediately remembered that we did not use protection, because Plakhin said that a condom interferes with the exchange. And it turned out that almost every one of us turned to him about all sorts of rashes and sores. He said that he was healthy, but if we doubt it is necessary, of course, to take tests. In their territorial hospital, this will be done free of charge. Some handed over, naturally free of charge do AIDS, Syphilis, Hepatitis. And everyone was happy to make sure that they were healthy. And the rest of the analyzes are done by expensive and paid laboratories. The virgins did not even know about such tests, and some did not have money, and even minimal free tests calmed them down. There was a case that one girl nevertheless did an analysis, they found an infection in her, and Volodya said that there was nothing to do in paid clinics - they are specially credited with too much so that they can be treated for money.
Then Ksenia said that one infertile couple turned to Volodya with a request to cure them of infertility. The woman became pregnant, the husband was delighted. They accepted Plakhin's teachings and became his devoted disciples, as well as the main source of money. Plakhin himself admitted to Ksenia that the child was actually from him, but this was only because the woman wanted to give birth to a magician child, and she was so capable that the child could be simply unique, and he could not miss such a chance. We remembered that the girl really did not look like her father at all.
One of the girls once called the deceived father and told him who the true father of his child was. He was indignant and offered to meet with her. They agreed, but at first he demanded an explanation from Plakhin, and he quickly “corrected his brains”, his father refused not only to meet, but also to do a paternity test. After that, Plakhin threatened this girl with physical violence over the phone and warned that they would publish compromising photos and videos of his former students, which he did just in case they dared to tell the truth about him, which finally sobered us up. Ksenia also said that he repeatedly beat her, and we remembered that we saw bruises on her. And another one of his "advanced" students sold an apartment to buy an apartment for Plakhin.
Ksenia started calling all the girls and telling the truth. She managed to pull out as far as a person. Then Plakhin took action. At first he said that there was no need to talk about her, that she could not resist the society. Then he ordered not to come close to her, because she zombifies people, and they leave. Plakhin also said that all illnesses are from her and those who are weak have left, and those who remain are the strongest. He also increased the psychological impact on the remaining members of the sect, because those with whom we tried to talk were absolutely inadequate, and even when we showed them his threatening SMS, they replied that he was probably just joking.
The mother, who visited the sect with her daughter, upon learning about all this, said that she herself decides with whom her daughter sleeps, and that her daughter will have a lot of energy. It looks very strange and inadequate, most likely, there is a strong psychological impact. One of the proofs that he possesses hypnosis and strong persuasion is that when he called one of the departed girls, she had a heart attack.
The sister of one of the departed girls believes Plakhin, goes to a sect and does not listen to either her sister or her parents.
We also learned that before people left, because they revealed the “true essence of the teachings” of Plakhin. But the sect continued to exist, because many were afraid of Plakhin himself, as well as publicity. Those who tried to do something, he threatened. You can leave there only if you are completely convinced that all this is a deception and a mockery of people. So, some left because they didn't like something, but then came back again, even after a few years. Plakhin said about them with such confidence: “They themselves will crawl ...”
We would very much like to get the rest out and stop the activities of the sexual pervert Plakhin. They absolutely do not listen to us and do not believe us, and all the evidence is ignored.
The study of video materials of the rituals of a number of new religious sects (Brahma Kumaris World Spiritual University, the White Brotherhood, the Society for Krishna Consciousness, the Church of the Last Testament (Vissarion sect), Aum Shinrikyo, the cult of Sai Baba, the New Acropolis, etc.), video recordings of their adherents' communication with "teachers " allows you to identify a number of ways and methods of controlling influence on adherents by leaders.
The main control influence is the creation of the illusion of clan-type family relations and a sense of psychological and social security among adherents due to the paternalistic transfer of personal psychological and social responsibility to leaders. This is achieved in the following main ways:
1. The use of special addresses between members of sects such as "father", "brother", "sister", etc. in opposition to the real father, brother, sister, etc.; the significance of the latter in the minds of adepts is artificially reduced. This type of appeal subconsciously affects a person and replaces the real ones. family relationships, transferring to strangers the principles of family and tribal unity developed over thousands of years.
2. Using the technique of increased benevolence towards neophytes and ordinary members of the sect at the initial stage of their entry into the sect. This technique is required to create an artificial contrast of the emotional atmosphere within the sect and in external, real life. It forms in the neophyte the desire to stay more often or permanently within the sect. This technique has a particularly strong effect on people with reduced social activity, who are not able to actively resist life's difficulties. It also gives good results when influencing people who are lonely and disappointed in life, to whom the sect appears at the initial stage of their entry into its structures as a kind of single family with an ideal type of social relationship. Such a technique dates back to the times of tribal relations, when the concept of "man" referred only to members of the clan and kindred clans, and all other people were perceived as an alien and hostile environment.
3. Acceptance of removal of responsibility for decision-making. In all sects, a system of hierarchical relations has been adopted, which is implemented in all the considered rituals and fixes the situation in which the adoption of any decision that is significant for everyone is completely removed from the younger "caste group". They must follow the instructions of their mentors and unconditionally follow the instructions and instructions of their elders, especially the supreme Teacher (guru). At the same time, they are given to understand that the better and more accurately they fulfill the requirements of their elders, the sooner they themselves will be able to move up the hierarchical ladder of the sect.
Moreover, in cases with sects, a material incentive, otherwise, permission to use certain benefits of the world, is of secondary importance for neophytes, since in a number of sects they are forced to "voluntarily" transfer all or part of their property to the needs of the sect. Voluntary renunciation of property creates in neophytes a psychological state of "pseudomonic renunciation of earthly blessings." The main stimulus for advancing in the hierarchy system is the desire to become closer to the Teacher and his revelations. This implies the appearance of revelations from the member of the sect.
Removing responsibility for decision-making reduces the neophyte's anxiety. It frees him from any independent social action and concern for his future and the future of his family and loved ones. All this also contributes to creating the illusion of security and confidence in the future.
This way of removing personal responsibility and strict hierarchical relations also goes back to family relations built on a rigid hierarchy. However, in such relations there was a strict personal responsibility for the social activities of one or another member of the genus, while his free will was not suppressed. In religious sects, on the contrary, they seek to suppress the will of the sectarian, replacing free will and the desire to make one or another socially significant decision with the need to fulfill the will of the Teacher, as if transmitted to him from above.
4. The method of creating the illusion of one's exclusivity. Such a method, on the one hand, fences off the members of the sect from the rest of the society, "which cannot be saved" without receiving the revelations of the Teacher, and on the other hand, it forces the members of the sect to actively attract new neophytes, since the game of "philanthropy" often takes place in sects. This method is based on the use of increased self-esteem, which acts as a compensatory mechanism for socially unsuccessful people, primarily among young people. This method also goes back to traditional tribal relations, since each clan believed in its exclusivity, which contributed to its unity and increased chances of survival in difficult natural and social conditions.
5. In a number of sects, originating from world religions (Christianity, Islam, Buddhism, etc.), the scriptures of these teachings are used. At the same time, individual quotes are pulled out of context, which are included in the author's text of the Teacher, and at the same time radically change their meaning. For example, the well-known saying of Jesus Christ that one should turn the left cheek if one hit on the right, said in the context of the need to ignore the religious attacks of the Pharisees and Sadducees, as well as the authorities, can be interpreted as complete non-resistance to evil by violence (Tolstoy) or as complete withdrawal from social life. Or the Hare Krishnas use the Bhagavad Gita as the only source of wisdom, while it is only a minor fragment of the great Indian epic Mahabharata. Taken out of the context of the main semantic field of this epic, it completely changes its meaning. The fact is that this passage is connected with the war of the royal clans of the Kauravas and Pandavas, which generally reflects the conflict of the transition from the tribal system to the early state system with the rejection of family and tribal ties. Without this context, Krishna's words of advice before the battle can be used as a guide to the fight against any opponent indicated by the Teacher (guru).
Let's move on to the consideration of ritual methods of psychological influence on members of the sect.
1. One of the most common methods in sects closed type or secret sects is the use of certain drugs in the joint "worship". This method is well known in various shamanistic practices, has been widely used and is now used throughout the world. As a rule, weak drugs or hallucinogens are used, which are passed to members of the sect in the form of drinks, and more often incense. The purpose of such an action is to create mass visions among members of the sect, prepared by the introduction into their consciousness of certain psychological attitudes that turn into obsessions.
2. Method of intimidation. In the process of rituals, lectures and interviews, the idea of the imminent Armageddon or "end of the world" is being imposed, when all people, except for members of the sect, will die in the physical and spiritual sense. This method enhances the psychological dependence of a person on the sect and the fear of returning to the outside world. In a number of cases (New Acropolis, etc.) they appeal to the personal failure and insecurity of a person in the outside world.
3. The use of the method of the same type of rhythmic movements, well known in ritual practice. Repeating for a long time the same type of rhythmic actions contribute to the coding in the image of the world of a sect member of certain concepts as the most significant. For example, the repetition of the same phrase by Hare Krishnas with monotonous movements.
4. The use of special music during ritual actions. This type of music is called meditative music. Its characteristic, as a rule, is a repeatedly repeated musical pattern. The very performance of the music is monotonous and "sleeping". It is well known that in the state of transition from sleep to wakefulness and vice versa, human consciousness is most susceptible to external formative influences. The choice of such meditative "sleeping" music for religious rituals of sectarians with the same type of musical pattern, on which constantly spoken phrases fall, is an effective psychological method of introducing certain ideas and postulates into the consciousness of sect members.
5. Reception - "Extra-worldliness" of the Teacher. In a number of religious sects, especially in the eastern direction, for example, Aum Shinrikyo - Asahara, the White Brotherhood, etc. accepted the deification of the Teacher. He is, as it were, a double of Jesus Christ or Mohammed. The very behavior of such a Teacher (Sai Baba) in public has a tinge of some sacred detachment. In other words, the cult of the sacred king is modeled as a conductor of divine energy to the earth in an early class society. The authority of this type of Teacher (Sai Baba, Vissarion, Asahara, etc.) is not subject to any doubt, and actions are subject to discussion. A similar technique is used to create a sense of being chosen and protected among sectarians, as well as to remove social responsibility from adherents.
6. Rhythmic and phonetic influence consists in the fact that in a number of sects phrases are selected for memorization and constant repetition, which, in addition to superficial semantic, also have deep rhythmic and phonetic content, which strongly affects the psyche. For example, the word AUM, often used in Eastern sects, motivates unconscious submission to tribal or pseudo-tribal structures - sects. Or the saying repeated by Hare Krishnas: "Hare Krishna, Hare Krishna, Krishna, Krishna Hare Hare. Hare Rama, Hare Rama. Rama, Rama, Hare Hare." It contains in all 16 words the phonetic sign "R", which, when frequently repeated, causes "herd unmotivated aggression" due to the fact that it is also used in the natural environment as a sign of threat - "growling". In addition, the phonetic sign "K", repeated four times in 16 words, motivates the attitude towards the direction of action against anything. The phonetic sign "X", repeated 8 times, subconsciously motivates for stable and unchanging views and beliefs with a touch of sacredness of these views, which, in turn, in combination with musical influence, increases the attachment and dependence of sect members on leaders.
7. Also, the most important factor in keeping people in a sect is the acceptance of joint religious and social activities, where each member of the sect feels his activity is part of something big and therefore important and significant.
In general, the psychological impact in sects goes through the modeling of traditional tribal and tribal and family relations in a pseudo-family - a sect using one or another religious component. The religious aspect, by and large, can be anything, but, as a rule, it is based on its interpretation of already existing and proven scriptures or their synthesis. Such modeling creates at the initial stage of a person's stay in a sect the illusion of social security and being chosen, removes responsibility in making personal decisions. As a rule, all of the above methods lead to the "socialization" of personal property and savings. Such socialization is a direct expropriation of citizens' property through the use of methods of psychological influence on them. Moreover, the very principle of socialization has numerous analogues in family relations. For example, before Stolypin's reforms, communal - public lands were preserved in the Russian countryside: pastures, forests, fishing grounds, etc. The Soviet communes and collective farms, where the state assumed the role of the leader of the pseudo-tribal community, were another historical basis for the expropriation and socialization of funds.
Senior Researcher of the Laboratory
psychological problems of education
State. Research Institute of Family and Education
and Ministry of Labor of Russia, candidate of psychological sciences
Nagovitsyn A.E.
