A respectful note for whoever thinks Mormonism is not a cult, please consider the BITE model developed by Dr. Steven Hassan based on his own observations and experiences as a cult survivor.
The BITE model describes the four areas of authoritarian control cults exert over their followers. The acronym refers to [B]ehavior Control, [I]nformation control, [T]hought control and [E]motional control.
Consider the 1984 General Conference talk by Elder Ronald E. Poelman of the First Quorum of the Seventy. This talk was given, but church leadership afterwards had Elder Poelman revise the talk and give it again so they could edit the video of the talk too. The church intended to revise the talk with out having to say they revised the talk. Learn more about this censorship of the Gospel and the Church talk by Elder Poelman.
Speaking specifically about the completely disingenuous way the Mormon church (a) modified the contents of Mr. Poelman’s speech, (b) published the altered version without any explanation to the memership, (c) re-filmed Mr. Poelman giving an updated talk (d) while doing everything in their power to mimic the original environment in an intentional effort to erase from reality the original speech; please consider the Behavior, Information, Thought and Emotional (B, I, T, E in the BITE model) manipulation committed on the church’s followers:
Behavior Control
The church had Elder Poelman change his talk. He initially felt that his talk was profound, but his behavior (and thoughts) were manipulated in such a way that he felt he should revise the talk and completely change the message. Initially, he proposed the church and the gospel were distinct entities and the main focus should be on the gospel. Other church leaders had such influence on him, that he changed the messaging!
The church also wanted the original talk to disappear into the memory hole and effectively replaced it. The members were gaslighted to think they must have remembered the talk incorrectly when the updated one was released as if it were the original and only version of the talk. Thankfully some had recorded the original, and there is evidence of the attempted subversion.
Information Control
Deception
- Deliberately withhold information
- Distort information to make it more acceptable
- Systematically lie to the cult member
Extensive use of church-generated information and propaganda
- Newsletters, magazines, journals, audiotapes, videotapes, YouTube, movies and other media.
- Misquoting statements or using them out of context from non-cult sources
Thought Control
Use of loaded language and clichés that constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts, and reduce complexities into platitudinous buzz words. Memories are manipulated and false memories are created.
Emotional Control
Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault. It is always painful to discover that what we held as moral and honorable actually wasn’t. We’ve all gone through this process a few times in life when we connected with someone new who looked and sounded like an upstanding person, only to discover later it was all a facade. That disappointment is always painful. In time, though, our emotions recover and we come out from that experience wiser and seasoned; better prepared for the future.
The same happens with some of the organizations we subscribe to. The MLM we joined full of excitement and with hopes of becoming financially stable, only to discover it was nothing but a pyramid scheme. Or the new club for children to learn sports and have constructive activities we registered our kids in turned out to be a money black hole where the kids were left by themselves and the top director went to vacation to the Bahamas.
Well, consider that the same happens with the religions we adopt. When we are all-in believers, just entertaining the notion is painful. Most of us here know it through personal experience. But shouldn’t you test the hypothesis just to be sure you are in the right religion? After the test, you will be either a stronger believer or a wiser, deeper, more mature person able to distinguish between truth and falsehood.
Please educate yourself about cults. Pause your emotions for a minute as you consider the Mormon church through reason. Ask yourself why would the Mormon church alter and hide Poelman’s original words, and then reenact the talk such you don’t know the original content of his speech. You’ll be a better, stronger, more knowledgeable person afterward.
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