Agreed. The important thing to note is whether the process of "heart opening up" etc is in some way specific to the group and the person, or whether it is a natural by-product of intense relaxation caused by (either well placed or misplaced) faith and trust and a sense of safety.
Because such an intense and euphoric relaxation experience can then leave one open to be less questioning of other aspects, and to slowly lose one's perspective.
The first phase of cult indoctrination can involve "love bombing"- creating these euphoric highs and sense of being held. The next phase though, once you're hooked, is to begin to devalue and tear down the recruit, who is now addicted to the kick, and will do anything to get it back.
Then follow stages three and four... until you've lost your true personality and another personality conditioned by the group emerges: this is often labelled your true self, but in fact most cult literature points to this just being some split off secondary personality that fulfils a group function. If you hated your original self, then this can feel really great. And if it's not harming anyone, knock yourself out. But it's a new, compliant personality, not an absence of ego.
So what? Well, with informed knowledge, insight, and one's natural (God-given :) critical reasoning, such intense and euphoric initial relaxation periods can be then weighed and balanced with other factors. So that one doesn't just jump in head first without a clear idea of what one is getting into.
I too hope that, if they're out there, people who have experienced any abuse, by any group (as I have), see this and are able to come forward! They may then have a safe place, without fear, to feel supported after years of having nowhere to turn to.
But very often in these situations people fall away and just try to move on, feeling helpless and blaming themselves. Or they are afraid of repercussions: For example, one thing that (the most pernicious of cults) Scientology is famous for is using any confessions received from a vulnerable member to tear down and try to publicly humiliate and threaten anyone who complains about them. Such actions are another real cult red flag.
Also, with many ex-members, it takes a long time to accept that you have a right to be angry. The groupthink make the senior people infallible. And as you said, any problems you have it is just "your mind".
Because such an intense and euphoric relaxation experience can then leave one open to be less questioning of other aspects, and to slowly lose one's perspective.
The first phase of cult indoctrination can involve "love bombing"- creating these euphoric highs and sense of being held. The next phase though, once you're hooked, is to begin to devalue and tear down the recruit, who is now addicted to the kick, and will do anything to get it back.
Then follow stages three and four... until you've lost your true personality and another personality conditioned by the group emerges: this is often labelled your true self, but in fact most cult literature points to this just being some split off secondary personality that fulfils a group function. If you hated your original self, then this can feel really great. And if it's not harming anyone, knock yourself out. But it's a new, compliant personality, not an absence of ego.
So what? Well, with informed knowledge, insight, and one's natural (God-given :) critical reasoning, such intense and euphoric initial relaxation periods can be then weighed and balanced with other factors. So that one doesn't just jump in head first without a clear idea of what one is getting into.
I too hope that, if they're out there, people who have experienced any abuse, by any group (as I have), see this and are able to come forward! They may then have a safe place, without fear, to feel supported after years of having nowhere to turn to.
But very often in these situations people fall away and just try to move on, feeling helpless and blaming themselves. Or they are afraid of repercussions: For example, one thing that (the most pernicious of cults) Scientology is famous for is using any confessions received from a vulnerable member to tear down and try to publicly humiliate and threaten anyone who complains about them. Such actions are another real cult red flag.
Also, with many ex-members, it takes a long time to accept that you have a right to be angry. The groupthink make the senior people infallible. And as you said, any problems you have it is just "your mind".