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Picture you’re at a sales pitch; the salesman's only weapon is their words. It may not sound like much, but if used correctly, this salesman can make you buy anything as long as they make it sound like you need it. Now take that salesman and turn them into a cult leader. Cults may have a bad name to them, but if this salesman is good at his job, they will have you believing it is a peace movement to capture Mars if they so please. Why would someone want to join a peace movement to capture Mars? Because it sounds like an essential group to participate in for one’s life purpose.
It is in human nature to search for this purpose in life, so you can keep living with a smile and not go down some mental health spiral. A cult may give this purpose by allowing its members to join a movement or belief system that they believe is essential to them. This group can provide a purpose by taking everyday activities from different cultures or random symbols and adding new names to make them sound necessary in one’s life. For example, one can reword going to the pool as “bathing in the holy baths”, or walking to class as “trekking to the building of information.” It does not matter how simple or weird the activity may be; if it sounds enticing, people will want to join and participate.
While these manipulation tactics may sound scary when viewed in the context of cults, it can also be fascinating to discover how a cult can make an arts and crafts activity sound interesting. Just because a cult may be somewhat manipulative with its language at times, doesn’t make it an overly harmful thing to be a part of. Businesses use these tactics to convince people to spend too much money on clothes, with “luxury” being the only thing that separates their product from the normal one.
This exhibit covers three different cults: People's Temple, Rajneesh movement, and Shumei. While two of these three cults may have been violent, the summarized practices and rewritten phrases will not be. It's essential to show that not all cults are this way, with many just being quirky basement dwellers meeting once a week for an arts and crafts activity.
People's Temple (USA, Guyana)
People's Temple (USA, Guyana)
When the People’s Temple moved to Guyana in the 1970s, the relocation wasn’t presented as a retreat but rather as an “agricultural mission.” Instead of being seen by its members as a defeated travel away from their homes to escape, it was seen as a purposeful expedition to a different land to spread their movement further. “Agricultural mission” suggested something peaceful and productive, making it easier for members and outsiders of the group to see the move as an opportunity rather than what was to be revealed. This rewording of an otherwise negative phrase allowed its members to gain a sense of purpose in doing something they believed to be pragmatic (Federal Bureau of Investigation - Jonestown).
IMG_0574.MOVRajneesh Movement (India)
Rajneesh Movement (India)
The Rajneesh movement, in many of its events, borrowed from other cultures and created its own, especially during celebrations like Bhagwan Shree Rajneesh’s birthday. Followers wore symbolic face paint and used colorful, abstract symbols, changing meanings based on the celebration. These elements weren’t always explained, as they were sometimes made up on the spot, but the people were convinced of their meaning even if they didn’t know. The mystery and improvisation of their culture added to their belief in spirituality.
The cult created its own language by turning personal expression into a ritual, and its symbols were more about creativity than anything else. Rajneesh’s birthday became more than just someone’s celebration; it became a moment of spiritual unity, made sacred through invented symbols that invited interpretation instead of setting boundaries. (Mak, G - Rajneeshpuram was more than a utopia in the desert—it was a mirror).
Shumei (Japan)
Shumei (Japan)
The Shumei movement, rooted in spiritual natural farming, often used peaceful/spiritual language to describe its practices. Instead of using strict naturalist ideals, they rephrased their philosophy to terms like “purifying nature” and “divine agriculture.” This wording emphasized harmony and spirituality, distancing the group from more extreme naturalist ideologies. Rather than their ideals describing how they farm, they emphasised their sacred relationship with the earth. Shumei framed its practices as universal and uplifting, using soft and holy language, rather than rigid or radical. The phrasing allowed the group to stay approachable while holding unconventional and controversial views on agriculture. (Mother Earth News - Shumei Natural Agriculture: Growing food spiritually).
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