- 20.03.2025
Faith as a Social Parasite
Answer:
Identification with a leader creates a sense of security through belonging to a stable group, where an individual receives support, clear guidelines, and the feeling that their life has meaning by being "one of us" within some collective. However, in this process, the personality may lose the ability to act independently. Personal opinions and independent beliefs are often relegated to the background in order to conform to the group and obey the will of the leader.
Cults use a variety of psychological and organizational techniques to attract and retain their followers, and real management often turns out to be delegated not to a single "mythical leader" but to an entire group of administrators and managers.
Fake preachers and con artists use religious rhetoric and claim to speak on behalf of God precisely because they know that the true essence of God is beyond full human understanding. They deliberately resort to external symbols and words to earn people’s trust while hiding their true purpose—to manipulate believers for personal gain.
People with a lack of internal stability and neurotic conditions often experience difficulties adapting to a predictable daily life, which drives them to seek emotional experiences in crisis or unconventional situations. Such individuals, due to their mental instability, are more inclined to perceive risk as a way to affirm their significance, assert themselves, and feel superior to others. As noted in one source, the traditional, measured life irritates the addictive personality, while crisis situations—with their unpredictability, risk, and intense emotions—provide the foundation for gaining self-confidence, self-respect, and a sense of superiority over others (source: 11_50.txt).