Cults, Cults Everywhere!
Dearest Reader,
In the 1990s one of the hottest shows on television was Bravo’s Inside the Actor’s Studio. hosted by the late, great James Lipton. I was a massive fan of the program in the 1990s into the early 2000s and occasionally re-watch old episodes. During the pandemic, I re-watched an episode of the program with guest Tom Cruise from 2004. This is the era of the Hollywood actor’s career circa Vanilla Sky (2001), Mission Impossible II (2002), The Last Samurai (2003) and Collateral (2004). Cruise is sporting a tight black turtle neck and has some beard growth as he boasts that infectious, intense smile which made him one of the most profitable actors in film history. However, Cruise is also a proud and revered member of The Church of Scientology—effectively a cult with a stable of Hollywood stars as devout members. Cruise joined in 1986 after being introduced by his then wife, Mimi Rogers. Aside from being an entertaining performer, I have often examined Cruise, closely looking for traces of how his membership in a cult affects his worldview. How does that Faustian bargain of a cult membership in exchange for fame present it self? In the church, Cruise is arguably it’s most exalted member and he willingly acknowledges the cult’s role in shaping him for professional success following years struggling with dyslexia. Some argue we are living in an age of cults everywhere and I have to admit, I tentatively agree with that framing.
Cults are loosely defined as a group with: 1. a charismatic leader (often a malignant narcissist or sociopath) 2. a clear ingroup/outgroup dynamic, 3. a commitment to self-improvement via a rigid dogma of some kind 4. a theory of how the world works, 5. clear enemies, 6. intense peer pressure and 7. a commitment to “good” over “evil.” There are other elements to be sure, but the above elements provides a fair understanding. People usually join cults when their life is in some kind of transition or upheaval.
I remember being in my twenties and told about a group called Landmark in NYC. I was working retail and a colleague had joined the group because Landmark (akin to EST from the 1970s) offered a sense of purpose, belonging and a program which was pretty aggressive, if not abusive, as I recall. I never attended a meeting, but a number of people my age tried Landmark at one time or another. One thing I found particularly odious about Landmark was after joining, you often paid thousands for all kinds of classes and training to be a better version of yourself plus they made you become a rabid recruiter of new members. So even though I never joined Landmark, I remember my friend was unrelenting in her evangelism for me to join.
I went to Christian school and Catholic school for a several years as a kid because it was usually more affordable and provided a good education. I was never part of any church, mosque or temple, but everyone around me was. I have always had an aversion to “group think” and I suppose that has saved me from a couple weird situations because I am able to stand apart. I first clearly noticed this as a child in religious schools, especially with Catholics who are masters of indoctrination. What was most surprising about Catholic school was how few questioned what was taught in religion class and settled for mischievous rebellion instead—lots of secrets and lies. Nearly every “religious person” I have met is filled to the brim with secrets and lies as opposed to say, discretion and tact.
As I grew up, I became fascinated by religion. Because as I studied colonialism and neo-colonialism, religion was/is often a critical facet in controlling the global south and making people do things or believe things that are not beneficial to their overall wellbeing. I also realized that most organized religion started as cults, but their broad “popularity” comes through coercion or fear and usually a strategic utility by the state. So, although I respect the religions of the world (despite how it may seem!), as an indigenous East African I know what many people, fully indoctrinated by religion, don’t know—religions are just cults with a tax ID. Yes, there is absolutely profundity and genuine wisdom in religion, but more often than not, once a cult gets legitimated and some guy stands before you preaching, most people no longer question their belief system. Because how scary would it be if, in this world daddy or mommy isn’t in charge? What if it is actually just us?
Indeed one could argue that we are living through an age of mass delusion via cult-like thinking as people grasp for a kind of paternalistic safety blanket. Consider the broad impact of Christian prosperity gospel and megachurches that ironically promote inordinate wealth which Jesus was not a fan of (last I checked), the yoga industrial complex that promotes toxic wellness culture all while appropriating dimensions of Indian spirituality, and even the MAGA movement led by Donald Trump that promises easy fantastical solutions to a fractured electorate. If people want to understand why Trump seems impervious it’s because he actively uses a messianic approach in his takeover of the Republican party. Even when you watch his rallies, Trump has successfully convinced millions of marginalized Americans that his “persecution” for the many crimes he commits are a well orchestrated attack against him by those intimidated by his divine power—rather than simple accountability for his actions as a recently convicted felon. Furthermore, any suffering he endures is to protect his MAGA flock of hardcore followers and many of them believe this: “Daddy Trump can do no wrong because he loves us.”
Social media is another major environment for cult-like behavior given all the attention to be mined and profits to be made. A recent three-part documentary from Netflix called Dancing for the Devil: The 7M TikTok Cult (2024) details the strange activities of the Los Angeles-based Shekinah Church who also run a TikTok dancer management agency called 7M. It exposes a cult in real time. The doc follows the trials of the Wilking family as they struggle to deprogram their daughter Miranda who has become a massive TikTok star along with her husband James (BDash) Derrick, both managed by 7M. Miranda Derrick, as she’s known on social media, has 2.1M followers on TikTok and 1.7M on Instagram while her husband BDash boasts 5.9M followers on TikTok and 1.9M on Instagram. As die hard members of the church and aspiring professional dancers lured by seductive opportunities in L.A. (though BDash is a California native), I imagine all that attention is hard to walk away from. Also, like Tom Cruise, I think Miranda and James are highly favored in the church, which I think explains their unwavering loyalty.
As an African, I love dancing and often share videos of dancers from social media, so I unwittingly came across BDash, first, then Miranda some time ago and enjoyed their artistry. I was completely unaware that they and several other popular social media dancers are members of Shekinah Church. The church is run by malignant narcissist Robert Shinn, who is accused of fraud, theft, sexual coercion and rape among other ills over some 30 years of grifting his church members. What’s even crazier is that the church remains active and Miranda, BDash and other dancers are still in the church and under 7M management. The documentary only premiered on May 29th this year with fallout ongoing. Hopefully Miranda and others will come to their senses, but their whole lives, personally and professionally are governed by the church so it remains to be seen what will happen. Personally, I can’t look at them the same way, but I hope they leave before any deeper harm befalls them.
I think it’s safe to say that many people feel lost and without a sense of community these days given that confidence for existing institutions remains in steady decline—particularly in the United States. Furthermore, this is a nation founded on Protestant cults fleeing persecution in England and other parts of Europe. These cults legitimated genocide and chattel slavery on the basis of “God’s divine will,” so characters like Donald Trump and Robert Shinn are arguably more the rule than the exception. Though it is still amazing that given the shocking path of destruction by cult leaders like Charles Manson, Jim Jones, and David Koresh, for example, that America is on the verge of electing a bonafide cult leader for president—again. I suppose social media has primed us for it as we’re all “followers” these days. But regardless of the victor this election season, it kind of already feels like we’re in a cult that many are clamoring to escape.
With Love During End Times,
Agunda
P.S. I don’t believe in any “end times” because of African perspectives on time/ontology, but I think it’s an apt, tongue-in-cheek salutation. Peace.