Of course, all cult members believe that their religious narrative is true (as outrageous as it might be) whilst all of the remaining 9,999 religious narratives are "obviously" false. This reminds me of Richard Dawkins' brilliant observation that while religious people are atheists when it comes to 9,999 "false Gods" and true believers about their one "true God", he happens to be an atheist about one additional God only (i.e., all 10,000 Gods or variants thereof). Hence, feverishly religious people and Richard Dawkins are almost equally atheistic in their religious outlooks!

Keep up the good fight Dr. M.

GS

Thank you so much Dr. Saad.

Several years ago I was presented with the Committee for Skeptical Inquiry's "Citizen Sane" award. Given in recognition of efforts to promote logic and reason in the media, I consider it one of my highest achievements. As a little boy, I looked forward to the distant future and the new millennium thinking that, by then, all Dark Age beliefs would finally be cast out. Alas...it was a childish dream...the work remains.

Steve

Sorry Smart Steve, you are only describing an extreme variation of the universal human condition. People search for meaning. Many in the West now ascribe to the immanent Cult of Materialism. They keep themselves busy with mindless electronic diversions. Their Temples are big box stores and casinos in Las Vegas. Their increasing demands are for more stuff. Their recurrent rapture is the next acquisition. And when that is not sufficiently satisfying, the next and the next and the next…

Oh there's plenty of idolatry floating round Steve, even among the Olympian cohort of sages like Richard Dawkins.

There you go, being sardonic again.

Anyway, with billions of people, even an "extreme variation" will be enough to fill your cult. Have you decided on a name?

SS

Please sign me up as a charter member (can I be the granfalloon?)and put me down for two of each...martinis and women.

Since I leave for the East Coast in the morning, it looks as though you and Dr. Saad are going to have to carry on without me.
If anybody makes a nasty comment, give 'em Hell.

Gonna miss you guys.

Steve

If I may add, there is the concept and implementation of what is called groupthink in cults, as well as religions and corporations

The persuit of group unity and adherance to the group's paradigm prevent individual cognition, as one must adopt to the collective affect of the group.

It would seem to me that the idea of Groupthink is covered right at the beginning...in item #1:

To Create Your Very Own Cult
1) Begin by creating your own reality. You do this by keeping your members away from outsiders. An isolated farm in the middle of Idaho is good but if such a retreat isn't available, impose a form of self-censorship. If it's not of the cult, it's of the devil.

I see Groupthink as a form of agreed upon reality. Do we - as a group of two - agree upon that?

Steve

May I suggest an eighth technique? Name a specific date for the end of the world and the coming of paradise. Paradoxically, many cults have grown spectacularly after the prophet's initial prediction has been shown to be false. There's a classic book about this, "When Prophecy Fails," by Leon Festinger.

How can this be? Festinger's explanation is that the original converts redouble their efforts at evangelism after the prophecy has failed, because they now have doubts, but more converts suggest that the group is succeeding. I don't know if he's correct, but I do know that in the world of prophecy, the accuracy of your predictions often doesn't matter much. Nice work if you can get it.