Yes, Its a Cult

The epidemic of loneliness is ripe MAGA harvest grounds. Let's stop them.

I must admit off the top, when I first called MAGA a cult, I said it a bit tongue-in-cheek. “Hey, this party is so jacked up its like a cult.” As time has gone on I’ve become less sarcastic about it, and much more convinced that yes, the Republican party is in fact, a cult.

I have a slight bit of experience in this stuff. While I was never a member of an official cult, I was (as discussed in my book Renegade) a member of a very strict Baptist movement, called Independent Fundamental Baptist (IFB). There are many different flavors of IFB, as the movement is based on the autonomy of the local church and not a member of any broader movement, like those liberals over at the Southern Baptist Convention (lol). The churches I attended would be considered moderate by IFB standards, but still acceptable. We still couldn’t drink, couldn’t dance, couldn’t listen to rock music or in some cases any music with a beat. I, of course, did all of that and then some, that’s how I got started as a rebel that would eventually join a fraternity, get caught streaking, fail out of university, only to eventually get my act together and finish out with mostly A’s. There is quite a bit of scar tissue from those IFB days, and it can come back up when, say, my extended family sends me a letter calling me a member of the Devil’s army (link to THAT story).

But our difficult moments I believe, are preparation for our mission. In the military basic training is hard, but it’s the beginning of shaping a man or woman to be a fierce machine doing what only 1% of our nation is willing to do. My basic training of cult-light gives me insight to the Republican party, or, the new political cult.

One of the tenants of a cult requires a reliance on the group to be both the carrot and the stick of discipline. When the group itself keeps its members in-line, you are in an established place. In the ether of Twitter, Truth Social, and really every online community MAGA members find solace and community. Tribal identity, the most powerful force and middle of the needs hierarchy gives a sense of belonging. That requires a member of MAGA to “stay in line,” lest they be cast into the outer darkness of RINO village where all heretics go to die. School shooting? Don’t you DARE come up with reasonable solutions to curbing gun violence, you are expected to “own the libs” by wearing your AR15 pin just to shove it in their face. Have a nuanced position on immigration? Don’t say anything, or you’re for amnesty- a one way ticket to the lonely train. Every cult member fears this, but it’s just much easier to convince yourself of the tribe’s beliefs than to pretend, so you self brain-wash. Ya, this sounds super cult-ey right?

Initially it’s the cult founder that must discipline his followers. At the beginning of Trump’s Presidency, it was not uncommon for a member of the Senate or House to speak out when he tweeted or said something crazy. But the leader, in this case Trump, only has to “shoot a few people” (metaphorically of course) to keep everyone else in line. After that, the members go silent and again, it becomes easier to simply change your belief structure to feel moral than to pretend and fight the battle in your soul. The human mind can convince themselves of anything, if motivated enough. A sense of belonging, purpose, or identity is one heck of a motivator. The best example of the above is, Lindsey Graham.

The cult doesn’t believe in common ground. They only believe you’re all in, or you’re all out. As in my old church, it didn’t matter that the local mega-church believed in saving grace, they weren’t out ally, after all they had drummers (gasp) and believed in “Baptismal Regeneration” (which they didn’t, but what are facts anyway and what is Baptismal Regeneration…it sounded evil.) Some churches preached from the NIV version of the Bible, and not the KJV. Again, a fatal error.

Cult Republicans are the same. As an example, I worked the border with the Air National Guard, and believe we need stronger security…but my concern is less about the people coming here (we are a huge land mass) and more about the reality of human trafficking and the abuses that come with it. Doesn’t matter, until I pledge allegiance to Trump, MAGA, and a disconnection of reality, I am worse than a Democrat. After all I KNOW the truth, and still reject it. It’s a tenant of fundamentalism, the biggest enemy is the imposture…it’s why ISIS was more focused on killing fellow Muslims than Jews or Christians.

Why would Republicans elect a man facing criminal conviction and who can only serve 4 years, vs a candidate like Nikki Haley who would have a better shot at winning, and serving 8? Because she hasn’t, at least not yet, bowed the knee. She’s a heretic. The problem is when she does drop out, as many other candidates have, she will lose her membership in the club. So what will she do? Well, I hope not, but history shows losing candidates will beg for membership back in the cult.

Which goes to a cults superpower, and potential weakness. They are always willing to invite “backsliders” back in. In the church, its called repentance. Not in the sense of a personal relationship with the Lord, but in a public display of failure and humility. In my old church occasionally someone who went and tasted the fruits of evil would be asked to explain that to the 900 people in attendance and ask for their forgiveness. David Koresh would likely have warmly welcomed back a stray sheep as well. MAGA does the same. Tomorrow, If I went on CNN and stated how wrong I had been to doubt Trump and declared my loyalty, I could become his best surrogate. It’s a reality, and its hard to break when people so desperately need community.

This, however, is also the weakness. People in cults feel outcast and seek love. MAGA provides that in feeling, although it is shallow. We, as the democracy loving people we are, need to be willing to provide a sense of community and love for the outcast, to give people permission to leave. How many times have we seen someone leave Trump only to be hit repeatedly with “well how did you EVER like him,” and “but I left Trump earlier than you!” What happens? Well the people that need community, you guessed it, go back and ask forgiveness, forgiveness that is given in spades.

Can we quit casting out the repentant? Can we begin to respect transformation and welcome those with different political views without putting the millstone of the past around their necks? Can we build a movement with a real community not based on a strict adherence to political positions or loyalty to one man, but a commitment to the governing structure our forefathers created? If we can, we can crush the skull of MAGA and bring forward a true new American century. If we can’t, I fear the cult will grow as people feel increasingly isolated. After all, loneliness is an epidemic which is ripe for the MAGA harvest.

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