Welcome to the Trauma-Informed Take, where I write about mental health, patriarchy, religious trauma, Christian Nationalism, and today, cults! I’m of the opinion that —even though they would vehemently deny it—the fundamentalist Christianity I was raised in, mainstream as it was, shares many characteristics of cults. Which made it super easy to recognize how MAGA supporters are also behaving in very cult-y ways. Here’s my take on the cult-like behaviors of these two groups!
The January 6th hearings have just wrapped up for the summer after airing eight televised hearings over the last month and a half. These hearings are the product of over a year of investigation by the committee. If you are a politics nerd like me, you’ve probably been trying to pay attention.
The hearings, from what I have seen, are incredibly well-organized, coherent, and even visually appealing with helpful graphics and edited interview clips inserted at just the right times. They use Republican witnesses sharing their testimonies to make their points – not just because that’s who surrounded Trump at the time, but to try and emphasize that this is not a partisan witch hunt.
As much as I appreciate the work of the committee, I am discouraged that no matter how clear and convincing their evidence is, no matter how many Republicans they use as witnesses, it will never be enough to persuade a member of the MAGA cult to change their mind.
After all, all Trump has to do is declare it “FAKE NEWS!” on his oh-so-successful social media site Truth Social and then every shred of evidence becomes null and void, simply because the cult god said so. The election was stolen, despite every prediction ahead of time that this was exactly what Trump would say, because the cult god said so.
That angers me, but at the same time, I can unfortunately understand where they’re coming from. As a former Christian fundamentalist myself, it’s clear to me how both groups operate in very cult-like ways. And when you’re in a cult, it takes a lot to change your mind and get you out. “Outside” information is inherently distrusted, and the only trustworthy information is that which comes from within the group.
I’ll use some sociological characteristics of cults borrowed from a book called The Challenge of Cults and New Religions by Ron Rhodes, as referenced on Andy Nasalli’s website. *Ironically, both men have strong Christian evangelical fundamentalist streaks, with Andy being a graduate of Bob Jones University and Ron’s book having its foreword by Christian apologist Lee Strobel – if ya know, ya know. But those Christians obsess about seeing cults in other places and most certainly not as part of their own group!*
Authoritarian Leadership
MAGA: Cults are marked by extreme devotion to a charismatic, authoritarian leader. That’s the defining characteristic of MAGA followers. Trump can do no wrong, no matter how wrong it is to anybody else. They will even break every historic norm in our country and storm our Capitol with weapons, ready to hunt down and assassinate the politicians that they have been told by their leader have betrayed them. Trump sent them, and that was enough.
Fundies: Spotting the authoritarian leader of Christian fundamentalism is a little harder because the leadership is so diffuse. Preachers and other male leaders of the church are given a lot of authority, and they are presumed to speak on behalf of God. They are often charismatic and use tactics of fear and intimidation (threats of hell and outsider status) to prevent questioning of their authority.
However, I think it’s also fair to think of Dr. James Dobson of Focus on the Family, whose influence impacted millions of innocent children, as a charismatic, authoritarian leader (book titles like “Dare to Discipline” and “Discipline While You Can” might lend a hint). And Jerry Falwell and Franklin Graham, who willingly got on the Trump bandwagon, probably also qualify!
Exclusivism / Isolationism
Fundies: When I was a Christian fundamentalist, I believed my group was the only one that had the “correct” version of the truth. We were absolutists and we got our absolutes directly from the Bible (lol... we had no idea how we cherry-picked our beliefs). Anyone outside Christianity was most certainly destined for hell, but even people who called themselves Christians but didn’t have the *right* beliefs were not *real* Christians. Posers. We had the real truth, and everyone else was against us. Those outsiders were dangerous and corrupting of our pure beliefs.
MAGA: Committed MAGA supporters dive deep into the MAGA universe and surround themselves with a certain version of reality. They won’t watch or listen to “MSM” (mainstream media, to the uninitiated), instead intaking a diet of media like Fox News, OAN, and Newsmax. All Trump has to do is declare the January 6 hearings “Fake News” and a “witch hunt,” and poof! All validity of the thoroughly investigated hearings goes completely out the window. The election is stolen just because he said so, not because of any actual evidence supporting such a claim. If you can isolate yourself from other forms of reality, the cult mentality can hold.
Opposition to Independent Thinking
MAGA: I think of every recent culture war issue that MAGA / far-right extremists go nuts over that has so little substance behind it. They couldn’t tell you what “critical race theory” is, but they know it’s Very Bad and worth taking over school boards to disallow their snowflake children from learning about whatever it is. The libs are cancelling Dr. Seuss. Transgender people are dangerous pedophiles. Regardless how little substance is behind the claim, if it’s a soundbite that supports their feelings, it’s substance enough. Don’t say otherwise, otherwise you will (ironically) be cancelled. [Yes, we could also get into a discussion about how the Left can do this. Groupthink mentality is strong in many places].
Fundies: Critical thinking is a dangerous thing in a fundamentalist church. The only “critical thinking” one is allowed to do is the kind that indoctrinates – oops sorry, I mean, “educates” -- you on how to defend your beliefs against the secular world. Additionally, leaders teach that the Bible, by which they mean their particular interpretation of the Bible, needs to be the ultimate authority on your life. And if you have any opposing opinions on that interpretation... well, you’re wrong. Independent thinking be damned.
Fear of Being “Disfellowshipped”
Fundies: Each church or sect has its own term for it, but every former member of these groups knows the fear of coming out with your changing beliefs and the backlash the group will give you. Will you be kicked out of the church? Given the cold shoulder by all your former friends? Disowned by your family? Hard to say, but you’d better be really committed to your need to leave the group because the consequences may be dire.
MAGA: Liz Cheney. The Republican darling turned scum of the earth, according to the Trumpists. Need I say more?
This is a flyover analysis of the the ways MAGA followers and Christian fundamentalists operate in cult-like manners, but it rings pretty true to me! What do you think? What other culty behaviors do you see showing up in these groups? Would love to hear your thoughts in the comments!
I'm assuming you've heard of the BITE model (behavior, information, thought, and emotional control) for evaluating whether a group is a cult? I was just watching a video this morning of ex-Mormons examining this Mormon mom group on Facebook and it fit many of the BITE model criteria
And here is the oerfect example to demonstrate the Trump cult: Days before the 2020 election Steve Bannon broadcast to a listening audience exactly how Trump planned to cheat—cut off counting before mail-in ballots came in, declare victory early whether winning or not, claim fraud immediately upon not winning regardless of facts. Republican Christians always considered themselves the party of morality. So why did that broadcast not ring alarm bells in the heads of every moral Christian Republican and cause them to realize they were supporting a liar and criminal in the presidency? Answer: Because they were blinded by complete unquestioning loyalty to the cult. Their consciences were and are seared to their own support of gross immorality because they believe the cult is chartered by god for a higher purpose. Never mind that they know god does not condone lying, cheating, or criminal conspiracy to steal elections. They flat out don’t see it because of cult blindness.
Wow! That comment is so good i think I’ll make it a blod article and link to your article Christine. See, you inspired me again!! LOL