Ex-Scientologists, Recovery, and Helping Others – A Discussion with Jon Atack
In this week’s episode of the Influence Continuum, I had the pleasure of speaking with my dear friend and colleague, Jon Atack. Jon, who resides in Nottingham, England, is a prolific writer, artist, musician, and world-renowned expert on Scientology and authoritarianism. Our conversation delved deeply into the complexities of mind control, the importance of processing and healing from cult experiences, and the challenges former members face in reclaiming their lives.
Jon Atack’s Journey and Contributions
Jon and I have been allies since the late 1980s, united in our stand against authoritarianism and authoritarian regimes. His multifaceted career includes writing novels, poetry, and a translation of the Tao Te Ching. Most notably, he is the author of Let’s Sell These People A Piece of Blue Sky, considered the definitive book on Scientology, Dianetics, and L. Ron Hubbard. During our podcast, we discussed the new audiobook versions of Scientology: The Cult of Greed and Opening Our Minds: Avoiding Abusive Relationships and Authoritarian Groups.
Jon’s journey highlights the extensive undue influence and mind control tactics used by Scientology to manipulate its members: he spent nine years in Scientology, ascending to the 25th level of Hubbard’s “Bridge to Total Freedom,” a state supposedly granting out-of-body experiences and miraculous abilities. Never a live-in member, Jon became a leader in the exodus from the group when he became disillusioned with the increasingly bullying and authoritarian attitude in the organization. For him, the final straw came when he was ordered to “disconnect” – cut off all contact with – a close friend of his who had been declared a “Suppressive Person,” Scientology’s term for an undesirable. Jon refused.
Processing and Healing from Cult Mind Control
A significant portion of our discussion focused on the struggle former cult members face in processing the mind control they endured. Understanding concepts such as the BITE ModelTM of authoritarian control, Lifton’s eight criteria for thought reform, Scheflin’s social influence model, and malignant narcissism is crucial for healing. Former cult members should also be aware of how hypnosis also plays a significant role in cult indoctrination, a fact often misunderstood or underestimated.
Jon’s significant work includes Never Believe a Hypnotist, which uses Ron Hubbard’s own words to show his deliberate use of hypnotic techniques to manipulate followers, contradicting his claim to be de-hypnotizing them. He shared many stories of how some former Scientologists struggle to realize that many of their deeply held beliefs were based on manipulated states of consciousness. The instilled or “implanted” beliefs become the software with which people reason. It is a hard task for anyone, regardless of cult indoctrination, to admit they were wrong; a former Scientologist not only has to admit they were wrong, but they must carefully reconsider an entire worldview based on Hubbard’s unscientific and bizarre opinions.
Cognitive Dissonance in Scientology
Jon talks about a former high-ranking Scientologist, who, shown two contradictory accounts given by Hubbard, declared that he “must have had two bodies”, so both stories were true, rather than believe that “the Source” of Scientology had lied. This striking example of cognitive dissonance illustrates the profound undue influence and suspension of critical thinking that cults enforce. Members will make all sorts of logical flip-flops to believe that their leader is not lying to them.
This behavior exemplifies the deep psychological hold cults have on their members. Such stories underscore the importance of applying the BITE ModelTM to understand how behavioral, informational, thought, and emotional control mechanisms can create such cognitive dissonance. It is vital to examine the doctrine, the beliefs, and the customs of a group after leaving to be sure that these no longer influence you; no longer direct your behavior, your information gathering, your thoughts, or your emotions.
Hubbard taught ludicrous ideas, for instance, that the planet Venus is inhabited by intelligent aliens. The surface temperature of Venus is always in the hundreds of degrees. In the book Scientology: A History of Man, Hubbard says that we are descended from clams. He calls these ancestors “The Boo Hoo” and “The Grim Weeper”. It is important for former members to realize that their leaders were fabulists and made-up stories rather than doing proper scientific research.
The Importance of Critical Thinking and Reality Testing
Encouraging critical thinking and reality testing is vital for recovery from cult influence. Jon and I observed that those who leave cults without thoroughly processing their experiences remain vulnerable to other forms of manipulation and never wholly remove themselves from harmful mindsets, such as all-or-nothing thinking and a deep need to take sides, which leads to infighting among exes from all sorts of groups. Learning to question deeply held beliefs and understanding the tactics used by cult leaders liberates former members.
For instance, every Scientology book says at the beginning that the “misunderstood word” is the “only reason a person gives up a study or becomes confused or unable to learn is that he or she has gone past a word that was not understood”. By focusing on the definitions of words, Hubbard turns followers away from understanding the fragility of his simplistic psychological and spiritual system. It turns attention away from the simple fact that Scientology procedures produce euphoria – or “very good indicators” – creating an addiction-like dependency even though the promised godlike powers never emerge.
Members often retain the cult’s loaded language, which hinders their recovery, as language often shapes our thoughts. To understand how an authoritarian group can use language to limit thought, Jon recommends that everyone read the appendix to Orwell’s classic book, 1984. Orwell shows how redefinition can inhibit reasoning. Hubbard taught the same idea in “Propaganda by Redefinition of Words.” Reclaiming personal language and thought processes is essential for breaking free from the residual effects of cult indoctrination.
Overcoming Phobias and Reclaiming Freedom
Phobias are a universal mind control technique, easily programmed into individuals to instill irrational fears about questioning or leaving the group. For example, Scientologists who have not yet undergone a certain level of training known as “The Wall of Fire” are warned that if they hear about it before they are prepared, they will die of pneumonia within 48 hours. Other groups threaten eternal damnation or some other spiritual calamity to those who leave. Jon and I emphasized that usually, after people leave cults, they lead fulfilling lives once they have escaped the phobia, guilt, and aversion invoked in them. We also noted the necessity of finding out what constitutes a healthy, everyday life beyond the cult’s influence.
Jon spoke about a man who was housebound for 20 years after being labeled a “suppressive person” by Scientology. After reading Jon’s book, Let’s Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky, and engaging in just one hour of conversation, the man reclaimed his life and found a job. It took former high-ranking Scientology official Jesse Prince six years after leaving before he dared read Jon’s book. Jesse recommends that everyone read it at least three times to understand Hubbard and his organization. Jon also talked about helping a former member overcome a deep-seated fear of scented products, which was instilled by Scientology because of Hubbard’s belief that the “psychs” are controlling us through scents. After 16 years away from the group, this seemingly small victory allowed her to begin reclaiming autonomy over her thoughts and actions by questioning the “truths” of the Hubbard ideas she had lived by since childhood.
The Call for Unity and Education
Jon and I stressed the importance of former members working together to help those trapped in cults. We highlighted the need for comprehensive education on cult mind control techniques to inoculate individuals against future manipulation. Our shared understanding and resources, such as Jon’s books and my work at Freedom of Mind, are invaluable tools for anyone seeking to understand and escape the grip of authoritarian cults.
Resources:
Opening Our Minds: Avoiding Abusive Relationships and Authoritarian Groups
Scientology: The Cult of Greed
Let’s Sell These People a Piece of Blue Sky
Jon’s YouTube channel, Jon Atack, Family, and Friends
Jon’s website
Jon’s translation of the Tao Te Ching
Jon’s novels, Voodoo Child and Halcyon Daze
The post Ex-Scientologists, Recovery, and Helping Others – A Discussion with Jon Atack appeared first on Freedom of Mind Resource Center.