Posted by:
derrida
(
)
Date: October 30, 2011 12:27AM
Someone wrote on another thread of members being "mouthpieces for the Morg." It's an idea that's come up before; it's even in the idea of the Morg--robotic, hive-beings who only exist to serve the whole.
The figure of the Zombie gives a certain twist: Not only is this a religion of the dead reanimated, resurrected, but the organization, as the real God the members worship--if unknowingly--exists through its smiling members who are trained and indoctrinated in the arts of sacrifice, duty, and obedience pretty much to the exclusion of anything else. They are unknowing agents of the larger organization and their actions are shaped by the church to pretty much just serve the church. Well, maybe one could say they are trained some of them also in the exercise of power once they have proven themselves loyal enough. The church does make ample space for the exercise of power and authority for those members who crave or otherwise are willing to enact it.
The members are so trained in the practice of being unselfish, that any thought for oneself is closely scrutinized by the cult programming (in one's own head!) for How much it might conflict with the overall goals of the cult. (I remember that the thought that I might look after my own interests, that I might do something that could be considered "SELFISH," filled me with anxiety and dread when I was a TBM.) Of course, the most selfish thing one could do would be to question the church.
Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 10/30/2011 11:05AM by derrida.