The proliferation of health cults as colleges-chiropractic, Moonies, etc.

[cdmguy]

Medicine stopped fighting health cults so they are proliferating: Why this is a bad thing​

Have you ever considered that many chiropractic colleges area actually health cults that indoctrinate students using cult mind control to serve their organizations? I am not saying this lightly and I personally attended one of them, Life University, in the 1990s so I speak from first hand experience. According to cult expert Stephen Hassan, Cults operate according to the BITE model:

1. Behavior Control: Cults regulate members’ behavior through strict rules, guidelines, and rituals. These controls often extend to personal choices, such as dress code, diet, and daily routines. By enforcing conformity, cults limit individual autonomy and reinforce group cohesion1.
2. Information Control: Cults tightly manage information flow. They restrict access to external sources, discourage critical thinking, and promote their own narratives. Members are discouraged from questioning or seeking information that contradicts the cult’s teachings. This control over information prevents followers from making informed decisions.
3. Thought Control: Cults manipulate thought processes by promoting black-and-white thinking, discouraging doubt, and demonizing dissent. They use loaded language, thought-terminating clichés, and mind-altering techniques to suppress independent thought. This ensures that followers remain loyal and unquestioning1.
4. Emotional Control: Cults exploit emotions to maintain control. They create intense emotional experiences during recruitment and indoctrination, fostering dependency on the group. Fear, guilt, love-bombing, and isolation are common tactics. Emotional bonds keep members committed even when faced with harmful practices or unethical behavior

In chiropractic, I see these characteristics throughout the education which is really indoctrination.
1. Behavior Control. Students are forced to attend assembly classes where they chant together and have a strict set of rules and rituals. Here is one example of it, Life University's assembly teaching students to do the "Money Hum" chant.
2. Information Control. Chiropractic colleges encourage students to have conversations in curated isolated school forums which have electronic walled gates preventing them from encountering outsiders who may shake students overly rosy view of the field. For example, review the difference between the Occupational Outlook's view of Chiropractic given to students and reality. The result of the information control causes students to become cut off from critical thinking, diverse perspectives and having open dialogue which translates into them being unable to realize they are indoctrinated.
3. Thought Control. Chiropractic students are taught that medicine had no legitimate reasons to criticize chiropractic, a gross misrepresentation of the Wilk v. AMA lawsuit where a judge deemed anti-competitive practices more important than public safety.
4. Emotional Control. Students who reveal any of these practices are cut off from their peers. New students are love bombed by admissions staff and specially trained student ambassadors.

Interestingly the Moonie's cult purchased the University of Bridgeport in 1992 and retained it until mass protests in 2021 from the community.

The Life University College of Chiropractic was modelled from the Divine Light Mission (DLM) cult. Life's president Sid E. Williams was a member of DLM.

The AMA v. Wilk lawsuit's Chilling Effect on Health Cult Criticism

The Wilk v. AMA lawsuit, which began in 1976 and culminated in a 1987 ruling, significantly impacted the chiropractic profession. Let’s delve into the details:

1. Background:
   • In 1962, the Iowa Medical Society adopted the Iowa Plan, aiming to eradicate chiropractic in that state. The plan included strategies such as opposing chiropractic inroads in health insurance, workmen’s compensation, labor unions, hospitals, and containing chiropractic schools.
   • The American Medical Association (AMA) hired Robert B. Throckmorton, the author of the Iowa Plan, as its general counsel. By 1963, the AMA’s objective was the complete elimination of the chiropractic profession.
   • The AMA formed the Committee on Quackery in 1964, with the goal of doing away with chiropractic throughout the United States.
2. Actions Taken by the AMA and Committee on Quackery:
   • Conducted nationwide conferences critical of chiropractic.
   • Distributed publications disparaging chiropractic.
   • Warned against professional association between medical physicians and chiropractors.
   • Discouraged cooperation between colleges, universities, and chiropractic schools.
   • In 1966, the AMA adopted a resolution labeling chiropractic an “unscientific cult,” invoking AMA’s Principle 3, which deemed it unethical for physicians to associate with “unscientific practitioners” 1.
3. The Lawsuit and Ruling:
   • In 1976, chiropractors, including Chester A. Wilk, filed an antitrust lawsuit against the AMA and other medical organizations. They argued that these organizations violated antitrust law by restraining chiropractors’ business practices.
   • U.S. District Court Judge Susan Getzendanner ruled in 1987 that the AMA, along with its co-defendants, had engaged in an unlawful conspiracy to “contain and eliminate the chiropractic profession” 2.
   • The ruling highlighted the AMA’s efforts to suppress chiropractic through anti-competitive practices.

Why should Physical Therapists stick their necks out to counter health cults?

Authority figures, whether they hold political, religious, or community leadership positions, have a responsibility to address and speak out against harmful practices, including cults. Here are some reasons why:

1. Protection of Vulnerable Individuals: Cults often prey on vulnerable individuals, exploiting their emotional needs, fears, or desire for belonging. Authority figures can use their influence to raise awareness about the dangers of cults and help protect potential victims.
2. Educating the Public: By speaking out, authority figures can educate the public about the tactics used by cults. This includes sharing information about mind control techniques, manipulation, and the signs of cult involvement. Increased awareness empowers people to recognize and avoid such groups.
3. Promoting Critical Thinking: Authority figures can encourage critical thinking and skepticism. They can emphasize the importance of evaluating information, questioning authority, and seeking evidence-based knowledge. This helps individuals resist undue influence from cults.
4. Legal and Regulatory Action: Authorities play a crucial role in enforcing laws and regulations. Speaking out against cults can lead to investigations, legal actions, and the protection of victims. Reporting suspicious activities ensures that cult leaders are held accountable.
5. Supporting Former Cult Members: Many former cult members struggle with trauma, isolation, and reintegration into society. Authority figures can advocate for resources, counseling, and support networks to help these individuals recover and rebuild their lives.
6. Promoting Inclusivity and Tolerance: By condemning harmful practices, authority figures reinforce values of inclusivity, tolerance, and respect for individual autonomy. They send a message that manipulative groups will not be tolerated.

However, it’s essential for authority figures to strike a balance. They should avoid creating an adversarial environment that pushes cult members further into isolation. Instead, they can focus on education, empathy, and outreach.
Remember that speaking out against cults doesn’t infringe on religious freedom or personal beliefs. It’s about safeguarding individuals from harm and promoting a healthy society.

Implications for Health Care Professionals:

• Health care professionals can criticize chiropractic practices without running afoul of anti-competitive laws. The Wilk v. AMA lawsuit exposed the AMA’s unethical behavior and emphasized the importance of fair competition.
• Criticisms should be based on evidence, professional standards, and patient safety. Critique should focus on practices rather than attacking individual practitioners.
• Transparency, respectful dialogue, and evidence-based discussions are essential when addressing controversial topics like chiropractic practices.
• A good information source with critiques on chiropractic schools is Chirobase.

In summary, while physical therapists can express their opinions, they should do so responsibly, adhering to ethical guidelines and promoting informed discussions.

The Moonies cult being forced to sell the University of Bridgeport in 2021 was a win against cults (although the non-evidence based chiropractic program is still operating). Let's keep fighting to route out health cults in education.

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