When I first came across Lifton's book Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism: A Study of "Brainwashing" in China  I did not at first believe that it could be applied to the Exclusive Brethren. 


In his book, Lifton outlines eight  criteria for thought reform so I thought I would look at each one by one. I will do this here and on peebs.net


Let's start with Milieu Control - this is the control of information and communication both within the environment so within the EB. and between the group - and therefore the individual in the group -  and the outside world. It also applies to control of communication within the individual. This to my mind results in two things - isolation from society at large but also isolation from one's true self. 


By completely controlling the individual's inner environment  - their thoughts, feelings, behaviour etc - the EB I believe are denying the child the normal stimulation needed for healthy growth. They 'trample on the natural', love is conditional, the true self is repressed and a kind of proxy or pseudo personality develops to satisfy the demands of the group and of the parents.


By depriving the child of alternative perspectives and the kind of environment needed for healthy development of the naturally enquiring mind, groups like the EB are abusing their children. 


When people leave the EB, the lack the necessary information and experience needed to make the transition to the outside world - even the EB themselves have said that when people leave they lack the skills they need. one of the three stooges on the BBC Everyman programme said this. 


Control the environment, control the information coming in and going out and you can control the members. It worked in China and it works for all the cults in this world. It works for the EB too. 


just some thoughts which I hope will develop as I muse on this.