In my essay, I will look at a few New Religious Movements (NRMs), past and present, and explore their use of language as their ultimate form of power. How can one practice coercion using language ? Are cult members manipulated by their leader through verbal or non-verbal acts of communication ? Can the techniques used in such settings be useful in others, such as advertisement ? By using my different sources (see below) and going deep into cults such as the Manson family, Children of God and Scientology, I hope I will be able to answer these questions and bring a critical approach to the linguistic side of cults.

What is coercion ? How do New Religious Movements use it ? Is there even such a thing as brainwashing ? Can anyone be manipulated by a cult leader ? What type of language is most effective to convince people ? What are loaded and co-opted terms and how do they work ? Is brainwashing dangerous ? How has language been used in the past to build cults ?

The Overlap of Cults and Culture

"Cult, which shares an origin with culture and cultivate, comes from the Latin cultus, a noun with meanings ranging from "tilling, cultivation" to "training or education" to "adoration." In English, cult has evolved a number of meanings following a fairly logical path. The earliest known uses of the word, recorded in the 17th century, broadly denoted "worship." From here cult came to refer to a specific branch of a religion or the rites and practices of that branch, as in "the cult of Dionysus." By the early 18th century, cult could refer to a non-religious admiration or devotion, such as to a person, idea, or fad ("the cult of success"). Finally, by the 19th century, the word came to be used of "a religion regarded as unorthodox or spurious."

From the Jonestown massacre in 1978 to Scientology's growing following since the mid 1980s, we have watched New Religious Movements gain popularity and probably convinced ourselves that we would never fall for it. But what if no one is safe from cults' coercion ?

Brainwashing might not be an actual concept, since it presents an "untestable hypothesis" according to scientists. Regardless, mind control techniques have been explored by new religious groups and even governments - with the famous project MK-ULTRA - to try to get people to do something against their will. For the first part of my paper, I want to prove that one can influence another but that, at the end of the day, we are the perpetrators of our own actions and joining a NRM is no exception.

Based on the Lofland-Stark model, presented by Lorne Dawson in Comprehending Cults: The Sociology of New Religious Movements.

1. Tension : Unpleasant feeling felt by the individual that is mostly psychological such as strain, frustration or deprivation.

2. Change in problem-solving perspectives : When psychiatric, economic or political solutions no longer or fail to ease the individual's tension.

3. Seeker ship : Individual seeks religious or spiritual answers to their problems.

4. Change in circumstances : A life changing event occurs such as a move, the loss of a job or a loved one, divorce or heartbreak, etc.

5. Increase in cult affective bonds : Along a decrease in out-cult affective bonds.

6. Cutting ties : The individual separates themselves from non cult members.

7. Intensive interactions : Increase in participation in the cult's activities.

For the linguistic part of my paper, I want to provide concrete examples of the tools used by NRMs for coercion.

Loaded-terms : Jim Jones' "revolutionary suicide", which he described as a "political statement against the hidden rulers". This creates a sense of importance reinforced by the feeling of belonging to a group that can create big change.

Co-opted terms : Scientology borrowed many words from science to appeal to outsiders and be taken more seriously, although none of their beliefs are actually based on scientific evidence. The best examples would be "engrams" or "psychogenic".

Thought-terminating clichés : Vague language or phrases used to limit one's doubts and reach a greater number of converts. "Everything happens for a reason" or "this is what you were meant for" can be used to keep someone from questioning the cult's practices. Scientology makes use of this techniques a lot.