Newsletter: Shining the Light on Authoritarianism
Truth Matters, Compassion Matters More
This week’s livestream will take place on Wednesday, Jan. 21st, from 2:00-3:00 p.m. EDT. Join us with your questions! You can see last week’s recording here if you missed it. I also did an additional livestream with Dr. Anne Nelson on Thursday, the 22nd, which was covered by the Washington Spectator.
One of the most frustrating things I’ve encountered as a cult expert is the propaganda technique that destructive authoritarian cults use to convince the public that they are the victims of religious intolerance. To be clear, I am pro spirituality and religious communities, whether they are old or new; I am against the abuse of power by malignant narcissists and the stripping away of human rights and freedoms. Too many high-control groups masquerade under the propaganda term NRM or “new religious movements.” They hide the abuse of their members, harass critics, and exert undue political influence. They are often extremely wealthy, usually from money extorted from well-meaning members. The big cults have armies of lawyers, lobbyists, and PR/ marketing firms.
One insidious Russian cult group is AllatRa, an organization that claims to “explore global climate change on Earth” and “strive to apply their skills and best qualities for the benefit of society.” However, as with many destructive cults, their stated goals and their actual agenda are polarized opposites: the group serves as a sophisticated disinformation network spanning 41 countries. Its leader is wanted and in hiding in Slovakia, and its registered lobbyist is currently pushing climate apocalypticism to American lawmakers.
What is AllatRa?
As a special Substack post for this week, I have published a report exploring the actions, motives, and influence of this group, AllatRa: A Russian Cult Is Now Lobbying Washington, the EU, and the United Nations and Engaging in Mass Disinformation. To make sure that it is available to as many people as possible, I have made it free for the first week. In it, I discuss:
The dubious origins of AllatRa
What the Ukrainian Secret Service found in their investigation of the group
AllatRa’s main front group, the “Creative Society”
Their network of information control
How AllatRa dehumanizes their critics
How they have used foreign agent lobbyists to infiltrate the U.S. Government
Why they pose a sophisticated hybrid threat to freedom worldwide
This is one article you’ll definitely want to check out. You can also watch my Instagram short on the subject.
This past week, the recording of my colleague Rachel Bernstein, LMFT’s, IndoctriNation podcast, came out, entitled: The Truth About Trump. We discussed the overlap between cult behavior and modern politics, Fourth Generation Psychological Warfare, why certain groups are more vulnerable to manipulation, and what it takes to build resilience and critical thinking in a world full of persuasion and manipulation. Rachel was kind enough to post this teaser clip on Instagram, and you can also catch the episode on YouTube.
Through all of the polarization of our political landscape, it is important to remember that those who have become entrapped in the mindset of extreme beliefs are not evil - these people are our neighbors, our friends, our family. One of the most difficult things for any human being to say is the words: “I was wrong,” and that inability, along with shame and the fear of reprisals, is a force that keeps many good people entrenched in harmful belief systems.
Exit Ramps for Former Extremists
For this week’s Cults, Culture & Coercion podcast, I’ve pulled a past interview up as it is more important than ever to remember: Defining Exit Ramps for Militia Members, with Former Propagandist Oath Keeper Jason Van Tatenhove focuses on making sure that the people stuck in the MAGA mindset can be afforded the opportunity to return to a healthier way of thinking, without being condemned for having been swept up into extremism. Please share it with someone who will benefit from the message of compassion.
Listen on Apple | Spotify | Watch on YouTube
Read my Substack post about Jason Van Tatenhove:
Defining Exit Ramps for Militia Members with Former Propagandist Oath Keeper Jason Van Tatenhove
Finally, I was thrilled to hear that the popular Instagram influencer, epistemiccrisis, a physical therapist with a doctorate in his field and an expert on dementia, has cited my work in a video analyzing Donald Trump’s behavior. He grew up in the New Apostolic Reformation (NAR) and was MAGA. I just talked with him and we decided to do both a livestream together as well as have him on my podcast.
As always, please let us know what you think about these pieces or what you’d like to see us discuss in the future. Thanks so much!
Looking forward to tomorrow's discussion! As a former ICOC member of twelve years, I appreciate your work. Reading Cult of Trump now. :)
Brilliant expose on AllatRa, honestly had no clue climate orgs could be fronts for disinformation networks. The way they masquerade as benevolent while engaging in propaganda is classic victim-flipping tactics I saw firsthand working with an activist group that got infiltrated. What dunno gets talked about enough is how these groups exploit genuine concerns to build legitimacy befor subverting them. Compassion-based exit ramps are critical.