Are People with AS Less Succeptible to Cults?

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I don’t like Cults. In my opinion, they are deceptive and make no logical sense. And they seem to play mind tricks that are so easy to spot.
It all seems a complete waste of someone’s time. And from what I read, they perform all sorts of really goofy bazaar acts that accomplish nothing. Some of these activities are frightening and cross ethical lines. From what I gather, cults leaders tend to make up their own small community of followers to rule, in order to satisfy there own ego for control and sexual immorality. Men Cult leaders always seem to get really weird in the sexual department.

I like honesty, logic and forthcoming. I can see through the trickery, its not for me.

I think anyone, Aspie or not, can fall into the hands of a cult given the right upbringing. It's all very well going on about Aspie rationality but it depends on the foundation upon which that rationality has been built. For instance someone raised a Creationist may be entirely rational, but operating within a logical framework which is totally different to that of someone raised agnostic, or full-on atheist. If the Creationist subsequently shifts her belief system to a scientific one, it involves a fundamental shift in her concept of reality. Same with the atheist who becomes a born-again Christian. Either way neither of these people will ever see the world quite the same as the faithful Creationist or the faithful atheist, whichever side they end up on. Sometimes, world-views are formed with chinks in the armor, as it were, which allow a person to throw off how they've been raised and shift from one alignment to another, and that's where a cult can get in.

Hope that turned out understandable

As someone who was raised in a cult-like religion, I have to say that I was never capable of the level of brainwashing required to truly be a member. I wanted to believe that life was simple and all I had to do was follow the rules and I would make it through Armageddon. That part appealed to my Aspie need for the universe to make sense through order and fairness. The logical part of me, though, was always thinking, "These people don't really believe this crap, do they?" I had to play make-believe to go along with their fairy tale beliefs. I knew, deep down, that I wouldn't be able to do it forever.

Aren't we supposed to be impressionable?

nah your right. I was brought up a catholic and I can't ever remember believing.

Some might be more susceptible, being both gullible and lonely.

Janicka, could you give us an update? What happened with your husband and the cult?

I forgot to add that going to these religious meetings was painful for me, because of the constant social interaction with crowds of people. Believe it or not, even in cults, there are cliques. There were certain people who gossiped about me or looked at me strangely, even in the supposed brotherhood. Ugh! I can't tell you what a relief it is for me not to have to deal with it anymore!

I also think "Aspie rationality" has been exaggerated.

He seems to have pretty much lost interest, but he still brings up the fact that he had to "give it up" because I couldn't live with the made up rules and crap. I'm hoping that he just totally forgets it in the long run.

I'm curious about the name of the cult. Do you not feel comfortable saying it?

Well... it was more along the lines of a rogue religious leader within a faith that is generally not considered to be too far out of the mainstream. That's about all I want to say on the matter, because I don't want to unfairly label all people of a mainstream religion as being in a cult (or give that impression).

Fair enough!

You'd be SURPRISED! Peoples LIVES and FAMILIES have been destroyed because of mormonism.(Some things like lack of vice are good, but forced tithing and adherence is pretty bad. And their old commercials were pretty deceptive. Their new ones are even more so) They have LOTS of control! And they ARE, by definition, a cult.

Then again, you could call islam a cult, and it basically calls everything else a cult while redefining characters in judiasm and cchristianity!

Some jews consider christianity a cult. PURE Christianity doesn't allow for certain things cults generally have, like total control. Catholicism DOES though! BTW you can read the Bible, and some books that might not be in the catholic Bible(like timothy) SPELL IT OUT, to see how catholicism deviates from the original plan.

Steve

Yep. I just don't think most of us have what it "takes" to be led anywhere we don't already wanna go. I've read that cults need three things to survive and thrive:

1. withholding information from followers - we ain't having that!
2. us vs them mindset - whatduya mean "us?"

And oops, forgot the last one! But you get the idea!!

Apergians are less likely to fall in with religious cults which rely upon peer pressure or "cult of personality. " Beware of esoteric or mystical sects, for their allure can be great.

I'm all for peace and love and morals and equality, but I think all organised religion should be avoided because it's just mind control using threats. In other words - bullying.
And I'm sure lots of you feel the same way about bullies as I do.
Hope things work out ok for you Janicka, and I would react exactly the same as you.
However, I wouldn't use a marriage guidance counsellor because he/she will probably try to find some middle ground, and in this instance I can't see where that would be.

I have a friend who is an Aspie and atheist, whose wife is a biblical creationist. He rang me to ask for help a few years ago, his wife was bringing him to lectures about creationism and he could not help telling everyone there that they were completely and utterly wrong. This was making people angry.

So I rang another friend of mine, who is a scientist and is very religious. He does not believe in creationism, he is a geologist and one of the smartest I have ever met. He met and talked to them and told them how to compromise.

In AS, it can be very difficult to accept people who are wrong, we always have to tell them the truth. One of the things we have to remember is to accept that people can hold views completely opposite to ours.

Things could be worse though.

Jerusalem syndrome

1. Anxiety, agitation, nervousness and tension, plus other unspecified reactions.
2. Declaration of the desire to split away from the group or the family and to tour Jerusalem alone. Tourist guides aware of the Jerusalem syndrome and of the significance of such declarations may at this point refer the tourist to an institution for psychiatric evaluation in an attempt to preempt the subsequent stages of the syndrome. If unattended, these stages are usually unavoidable.
3. A need to be clean and pure: obsession with taking baths and showers; compulsive fingernail and toenail cutting.
4. Preparation, often with the aid of hotel bed-linen, of a long, ankle-length, toga-like gown, which is always white.
5. The need to scream, shout, or sing out loud psalms, verses from the Bible, religious hymns or spirituals. Manifestations of this type serve as a warning to hotel personnel and tourist guides, who should then attempt to have the tourist taken for professional treatment. Failing this, the two last stages will develop.
6. A procession or march to one of Jerusalem's holy places.
7. Delivery of a ‘sermon’ in a holy place. The sermon is usually very confused and based on an unrealistic plea to humankind to adopt a more wholesome, moral, simple way of life.