Having just read a great book called Combatting Cult Mind Control, I
couldn't help commenting about the cult accusation in one of the last posts.
This book was written by a psychologist with a great background. He gave
many characteristics of cults, a few of which I would like to share, lest we
lose any of you due to unneeded and unrealistic fears.
Cults operate deceptively by taking away members choices very subtly.
They talk about how free their members are and how great it is to be able to
make choices freely, but in reality the only correct choices a cult member
can make are those that agree with cult doctrine. They talk about
unconditional love, but try to leave the group, and see if you are loved
anymore.
Quite often they teach phobias. By this I mean that they instill fear
of leaving the group (something horrible will happen to you or your kids if
you leave, you might die or be in a horrible accident, etc.) or fears related
to other doctrinal issues (if you don't have a large number of children,
practice birth control, you may lose touch with the leader or God, etc.).
They trick you into joining by offering something utopian (a perfect
family life, a fair/just world,-- things that are not realistic in this
world--but are often wished for). They claim to have divine guidance or some
higher power leading them, even if it is merely the leader himself. They
claim to be the one and only truth. They claim to have the one and only
truth. Etc. Etc. Etc.
I personally don't believe that anyone here has been sucked into any such
thing as a breastfeeding cult. Many of us have left LLL or other such groups
for a time, and returned and no pressure has ever been placed on us one way
or the other. We certainly don't claim to have the one and only truth. We
are constantly searching for facts and formulating theories to research, etc.
Many of us have bottlefed for various reasons, and most of us got into
this line of helping because another person helped us when we were in major
breastfeeding trouble, I would bet. Most of us just want to return the
favor and make the world an easier place to breastfeed.
Prefering one way of feeding doesn't mean we denigrate other ways or that
we never see a need for other ways. Having a preference is not the same as
believing in only one way. And last but not least, no one indoctrinated us
into this, except perhaps our bodies. We chose this plan of action because
we wanted to, not because someone or something else lured us into it. And we
can leave whenever we please...guiltlessly.
Gena ([log in to unmask])
May the Force be with you, too!
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