A cult leader is a charismatic individual who uses the mass media to spread big lies, conspiracy theories and holds rallies to promote political or religious propaganda that serves the perverted interests of themselves, a group, or a country. The process aims to create an idealized hero to worship and blindly follow. People who join cults are often driven to commit dangerous acts to support the false message of the cult leader.
Trump cannot and will not stop lying. He is a diagnosable, pathological liar. The strategy of repeatedly telling lies while simultaneously accusing your opponent of lying (when they are not) is a strategy that dictators and propagandists have used throughout history to control the beliefs and influence the behaviors of masses of followers. Unfortunately, the Republican electorate’s ignorance about mental illness and cults and its refusal to believe the warnings from thousands of mental health professionals about Trump’s pathology accounts for the dangerous takeover of the GOP that is taking place.
Throughout history, cult leaders have influenced people to believe lies and conspiracy theories which have led to mass hysteria and loyalty to the literal word of the leader. Examples of deadly events caused by infamous cult leaders are; Hitler’s extermination of 6 million Jews, the 1978 mass suicide of 900 people in Jonestown, South Africa, who died by drinking a poisonous kool-aid ordered by Jim Jones, the deaths of 700 followers of a Christian doomsday cult who perished in a fire in Uganda in 2000, and the deaths of followers of the Branch Davidian religious cult led by leader David Koresh in an FBI siege in Waco, Texas in 1993. On a smaller scale, seven people were slaughtered by followers of murderous cult figure Charles Manson in 1969. Thanks to Trump’s lies about COVID, hundreds of thousands of misinformed Americans needlessly died.
Characteristics of a Cult
- A group that commits to a leader with unquestioning loyalty and commitment despite the inappropriate content of his message
- The group is committed to expanding the membership of the cult
- The group focuses on bringing in money to sustain and grow the cult
- Questioning or doubting the doctrine of the cult or anything the leader says leads to punishment or removal from the group
Donald Trump and his America First/ MAGA movement is a cult. The follower’s and Trump’s behaviors and beliefs fit all of the above definitions of cultism. THE JAN. 6TH INSURRECTION IS TRUMP’S CONTRIBUTION TO HISTORICAL CULT-DRIVEN, HATE-FILLED VIOLENT EVENTS LED BY FORMER CULT LEADERS.
Trump created the “Stop The Steal” narrative, which sent the false message that the Democrats and Joe Biden stole the election from him and destroyed democracy. This lie was the most dangerous, anti-American gaslighting maneuver of the over 20,000 lies Trump has told. Trump held a rally on Jan. 6th, instructed his agitated mob to march to the Capitol building, ” be strong,” and stop the electoral vote certification. He knew members of the group were dressed in anti-Semitic and anti-black attire, and yet he continued the aggressive directives towards members of Congress.
During the insurrection, Capitol police were verbally and physically attacked by the mob, five people died, and the interior and exterior of the Capitol building itself were desecrated. Credible reporting confirmed Trump was watching the insurrection, did not take immediate action to stop it, and appeared impressed by the passion of the mob trying to carry out his orders to stop the certification of a fair democratic election which had been validated by every state attorney general, over 60 federal court judges as well as the Trump-stacked Supreme Court.
The “big lie” has become the only platform of the current Republican party. Cult leader Trump needed a slogan to continue his movement to delegitimize Joe Biden and advance his goal to destroy democracy and resume his dream of transforming America into an autocratic nation.
Opportunistic traitors like Senator Lindsey Graham, Rep. Kevin McCarthy, and Senator Mitch McConnell have rallied members of Congress to commit to the propaganda line of a stolen election to gain Trump’s support for their re-election effort. The MAGA cult of Trump chooses power over the rule of law, national security, and the morals on which America was built. Eventually, cults and cult leaders don’t end well. The mental pathology and strange beliefs of cult leaders prevent them from stopping their crusade of power, the corrupt pursuit of control, disregard for human life, and deranged ideology.
Fingers are crossed by millions of Americans that New York State indicts Trump for his tax and financial crimes. Georgia indicts him to force the state attorney general to find enough votes to win the state illegally. Every attempt by Trump to steal the election that he falsely claims was stolen from him failed. America survived the Trump presidency, and the”big lie” cult will eventually bring Trump and his acolytes down and rid America of corruption, propaganda, and Donald J. Trump.
