In today’s post,
Cult Adjacent Ezra Miller, star of The Flash, was accused of running their Iceland home “like a cult.”*
The Big Post The big business of cults and why leaders turn their followers into unpaid employees.
*In the first published draft of this post, there was an error in the first sentence. I input the wrong pronouns for Ezra Miller and have since corrected this.
Cult Adjacent | Ezra Miller has been at the center of a series of violent and inexplicable altercations throughout the year. As of this week, the saga continued as it was revealed that Miller was now being accused of grooming and physically abusing minors and running a cult-like commune. Most of the articles I have read draw a firm distinction between Miller’s alleged abuse and commune in Reykjavík. This might be because the parents making these claims argue that there is a long history of grooming or because there is a huge geographical distance between the victims and the commune.
However, many of the claims of abuse of power, harming children, and the escalation of violence reveal a familiar pattern that aligns with my research on some cult leaders. Of course, people’s fascination with Miller and interest in being near them might also just be a byproduct of their celebrity. We have talked at length about the “cult of celebrity” and the overlap between adoration and obsession on behalf of fans/followers. However, a visitor shared, “Miller's personal assistant and spiritual adviser Jasper Young Bear would lead group meditations and that Miller even alluded to possessing supernatural powers.” This additional layer of spirituality and suggestions that Miller possesses supernatural abilities are not surprising but certainly cause for alarm.
The Big Post | In the 1970s Jim Baker, an innovative health food restauranteur, and eventual cult leader opened The Source Restaraunt. Baker (Father Yod) used the restaurant as a recruitment site for new members. Yod’s adherents were primarily young, female, L.A. transplants interested in new age practices and spiritual enlightenment. These followers typically began as his customers and were invited to yoga sessions to learn more about his beliefs. While Yod is not the first cult leader to build his following from his customer base, he is a good example of how to do it. These customers turned followers would often become unpaid employees of The Source restaurant allowing Yod to further line his pockets.
While most popular discussion of cultic practice prioritizes manipulation and examples of physical and emotional harm, financial abuse is also an important feature of indoctrination. I am especially interested in the transition of a client from customer > follower > employee. Exploring these transitions allows us to better understand the different means by which cult leaders exploit their followers.
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