“If you prove yourself worthy of this Knowledge, you will then be allowed to cross a threshold which will give you access to the Initiate Section. Despite all appearances, keep in mind that this admission is earned and is far from automatic. Many are the Neophytes who leave our Order before completing study of the preparatory degrees”

In his book ‘Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism’, Robert Lifton describes a concept which he calls “The Demand for Purity”.  According to Lifton, any group environment in which humans are held up to an impossible standard of perfection will lead to a general atmosphere of shame and guilt. These emotions create a breeding ground for manipulation and thought control, as individuals are taught to punish themselves for their failure to live up the group ideal.

In AMORC, recruits are drawn in by the promise of cosmic enlightenment. They are then informed that their current state of evolution is far from the advanced state of the society’s most advanced practitioners. In order to achieve this state they are told to dedicate themselves to increasingly rigorous periods of study and meditation. If the recruit fails during any of these steps, then he or she is informed that it is down to deep-seated defects in their own personality. Thus, anyone who wishes to leave the Rosae Crucis is characterized as a fundamentally flawed individual. Of course, nobody wants to admit this sort of unworthiness, especially after years of committed membership, so they persevere and redouble their efforts despite the growing difficulty.

This is how cults thrive, by undermining your self-belief wherever possible and replacing your criteria for worthiness with the impossible standards laid forth by the cult leadership.

 “We understand fully that you may be impatient to find out about our teachings; and you must remember that these lessons convey something other than mere intellectual knowledge. As we previously explained, they also serve as a basis for spiritual alchemy slowly taking place on all levels of your being. You will gradually realize that a mental and psychic evolution is being subtly achieve”

Whether by design or happenstance, this passage perfectly describes the ideal mindset for indoctrination. When a new recruit joins a cult, they are by nature excited and enthusiastic. After all, they have just found the answer to all of their personal and spiritual concerns. While this attitude is useful for grabbing initial engagement, it can quickly become detrimental for the group if the individual is demotivated by the lack of progress.

To combat this, the cult will seek to tease out your enthusiasm as it gradually transforms you into a devoted follower that will never question the authority of the group’s leadership.  In order to achieve this objective, the cult must attempt to create this desire to conform within the recruit themselves. Any attempts to impose a new way of thinking without sufficient preparation will usually lead to a swift and hasty rejection. Instead, the cult will shepherd you carefully along the path using reassurances, praise, stern warnings and promises of the bounties to come.