Is the LaRouchemovement a cult?

Yes it is a cult. But there are regional differences in the movement that partially has to do with culture and partially with who the regional leader is. In some parts of the movement people has traditionally worked less hard and the members had has many friends outside the organization and even a work outside the organization (like Sweden), in other parts of the organization people work six and a half or seven days a week and are basicly isolated from the outside world.

This is a checklist from an organization that works to fight cults. If you are a member, or is interested of the organization, you should look closely at this list, and remember that the dictates from the leaders and the internal limitations that one imposes on oneself, and the pressure to do certain things from the other members of the group, are equally important to reflect upon.

http://www.csj.org/infoserv_cult101/checklis.htm

Compare these patterns to the situation you were in (or in which you, a family member, or friend is currently involved). This list may help you determine if there is cause for concern. Bear in mind that this list is not meant to be a “cult scale” or a definitive checklist to determine if a specific group is a cult. This is not so much a diagnostic instrument as it is an analytical tool.

 The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

 Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

 Mind-altering practices (such as meditation, chanting, speaking in tongues, denunciation sessions, and debilitating work routines) are used in excess and serve to suppress doubts about the group and its leader(s).

 The leadership dictates, sometimes in great detail, how members should think, act, and feel (for example, members must get permission to date, change jobs, marry—or leaders prescribe what types of clothes to wear, where to live, whether or not to have children, how to discipline children, and so forth).

 The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leader(s) and members (for example, the leader is considered the Messiah, a special being, an avatar—or the group and/or the leader is on a special mission to save humanity).

 The group has a polarized us-versus-them mentality, which may cause conflict with the wider society.

 The leader is not accountable to any authorities (unlike, for example, teachers, military commanders or ministers, priests, monks, and rabbis of mainstream religious denominations).

 The group teaches or implies that its supposedly exalted ends justify whatever means it deems necessary. This may result in members' participating in behaviors or activities they would have considered reprehensible or unethical before joining the group (for example, lying to family or friends, or collecting money for bogus charities).

 The leadership induces feelings of shame and/or guilt iin order to influence and/or control members. Often, this is done through peer pressure and subtle forms of persuasion.

 Subservience to the leader or group requires members to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.

 The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.

 The group is preoccupied with making money.

 Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.

 Members are encouraged or required to live and/or socialize only with other group members.

 The most loyal members (the “true believers”) feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave (or even consider leaving) the group.

Now ask yourself this. Are the members of LaRouches organization discouraged or encouraged to watch TV? What happens if a member watches Ophra Winfrey, Glamour or Simpsons often? Can a member play any kind of music without being questioned? Can a member just create a facebook account or a MySpace account without any negative remarks? 

Are members free to speak up when thay think the leader, LaRouche, is wrong? Do people often do that? Do you, and other members feel comfortable when someone is critical to LaRouche? Have you ever heard LaRouche say that he was wrong, in anything? Do the organization in the USA still work politically with deployments and fundrasing six and a half or seven days a week? Are the leaders of the organization elected in a democratic way? When did the Baltimore Local (just to mention one) elect the Freeman couple as their choosen regional leaders the last time? 

To continue... Has the political shifts in the organization, been dictated democratically or by LaRouche? Who Decided that the movement at first should be against Obama (when Lyndon called him and his mother monkeys), who decided that the organization should talk well about Obama last fall? What happens if the members of the fundrasing team does not hit the quota? Are they induced to feel guilt and are they perhaps yelled at? Is it declader that they dont understand the historical importance of LaRouche/LYM or whatever? What do you think would happen if you demand to get ALL the internal documents about, lets say, why the European Leadership left the organization two years ago, and if you want to arrange a discussion or debate between one of them and LaRouche. What answer did Dino get when he wanted to have a debate in public about how the organization had been run some years ago? 

You have all heard that the fundraising was "kind of crazy" in the 80s, and that the organization borrowed too much money, but with the explaination that it could not be repaid because the government worked to shut dow the organization. Ask what that "kind of crazy" is! What would happen if you did?

Look at these two questions again. You all know that no one ever says that LaRouche is wrong. Right! If you do you will be bullied, and accused for being a traitor!

 The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader and (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the Truth, as law.

 Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

Now look at this one:

 Members are expected to devote inordinate amounts of time to the group and group-related activities.

Well look at this: 

http://american-lycurgus.blogspot.com/2009/03/why-lycurgus.html

http://american-lycurgus.blogspot.com/2009/03/seven-days-week.html

http://american-lycurgus.blogspot.com/2009/03/more-on-combat-fatigue-and-military.html

In Short. Yes, the movement of Lyndon LaRouche is a cult!

/T

PS

For another good list of the  characteristics of a cult, look at Alan Hassans "Bite-model": http://www.freedomofmind.com/resourcecenter/articles/BITE.htm