Jean Spademan (aka 'Syro')
John Hibbert
Sam Wibberley
The BITE Model of Mind Control as It Applies to Kings
Chapel/Bethel Church
Information supplied by former members
I. Behavior Control
Regulation of individual’s physical reality
Where to live is often checked with Syro. Also prospective
marriage partners, dates for weddings, and names for children.
Need to ask permission for major decisions
Not so much 'ask permission', but many members check with
Syro about major decisions.
Need to report thoughts, feelings and activities to superiors
Not so much 'ask permission', but many members check with
Syro about major decisions.
Rewards and punishments (behavior modification techniques-
positive and negative).
I've been told that especially in the 'inner circle' people
are often made to feel good about themselves when they do
'the right thing', which might mean being harsh to someone
who is 'not right' in some way. Showing 'righteous indignation'.
II. Information
Use of deception
Newcomers are not usually exposed to disciplining etc, or
even knowledge of the fact it happens.
Access to non-cult sources of information minimized or discouraged
Committed members will not usually have anything to do with
anything critical of the group. They would be frightened even
to think about it, for fear of giving ground to the devil.
They will also often shun former members, since 'light has
no fellowship with dark'.
Compartmentalization of information; 'Outsider' vs. 'Insider'
doctrines
Info certainly isn't freely accessible - for one thing
members are discouraged from talking of their experiences.
I've heard the leaders ask for the tape recorder (meetings
are usually taped) to be switched off when talking about
an outsider, or about something 'just for the church'.
III. Thought
Adopt "loaded" language
The group use quite a few phrases, such as 'put your flesh
down' or 'dying to self'. Murmuring is another loaded word,
since outsiders wouldn't have a clue what it means.
Only "good" and "proper" thoughts are
encouraged
The group put a heavy emphasis on the thought life. They
will quote a scripture where Jesus says 'if a man looks at
a woman to lust after her ....' to mean God expects members
to watch their thoughts, not just actions. They also use the
idea that God can reveal those thoughts to Syro to make members
frightened of being exposed. When members are accused of thoughts,
it makes no difference of course whether they have thought
them or not.
No critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy
seen as legitimate
Members are discouraged from publicly voicing such questions.
Because of the murmuring thing, most members would see such
questions as wrong anyway, even before they were asked.
IV. Emotional
Make the person feel like if there are ever any problems
it is always their fault, never the leader’s or the group’s
Problems are always caused by either 'the flesh' or the devil,
in that order.
Excessive use of fear: Fear of thinking independently;
fear of the "outside" world; fear of enemies; fear
of losing one’s "salvation"; fear of leaving the group
or being shunned by group; fear of disapproval
All are present to some degree.
Phobia indoctrination: programming of irrational fears
of ever leaving the group or even questioning the leader’s
authority. The person under mind control cannot visualize
a positive, fulfilled future without being in the group.
Very familiar to me. I've also heard of people being told
by Syro of dire consequences when they have decided to leave.
One person was told her family would break up and she would
die within 6 months.
Related Articles:
Exposed: The Church of Fear - Chad/North Notts Newspapers
Ltd. 2-Mar-00.
Freedomofmind.com fully supports religious
freedom and the United Nations Universal Declaration of Human Rights.
The fact that a person’s name or group appears on our website
does not necessarily mean they are a destructive mind control cult.
They appear because we have received inquiries and have established
a file on the group.
The Freedom of Mind Resource Center Inc. was established by cult expert Steve Hassan.
