The Mujahedin Cult
The Always VICTORIOUS Cult
The translated text of an article presented at the Symposium of the Link between Cults and Terrorism held in Isfahan.
MKO defined as a cult
The original meaning of the term cult, derived from the French word "culte", comes from Latin noun "cultus" which is related to the Latin verb "colere" meaning "to worship or give reverence to a deity". The term has originally a positive, religious connotation but in recent years, it has turned to be a widely used popular term, usually connoting some group that is at least unfamiliar and perhaps even disliked or feared. This latter use of the term has gained such credence and momentum that it has virtually swallowed up the more neutral historical meaning. The term can be defined either sociologically, concerned with behavior, or theologically, concerned with doctrine. “Sociological definition Include consideration of such factors as authoritarian leadership patterns, loyalty and commitment mechanisms, lifestyle characteristics, [and] conformity patterns (including the use of various sanctions in connection with those members who deviate)”. [3]
Authoritarian leadership is the most domineering characteristics of a cult leader and most ex-members of a cult enumerate the hallmarks of a cult leader as follow:
– single authority
– questionable credentials
– requirement for unconditional trust
– they always claim to be in unique direct contact with God
– sexual misconduct
– grandiose promises
– they demand major ongoing financial contributions from members
– they claim that evil sinister forces attempt to subvert them [4]
Besides these characteristics of a cult leader, a cult, regarded destructive, has its own characteristics. Dr. Robert Jay Lifton’s criteria for a destructive cult run as follow:
1. Authoritarian pyramid structure with authority at the top
2. Charismatic or messianic leader(s) (Messianic meaning they either say they are God or that they alone can interpret the scriptures the way God intended.
3. Deception in recruitment and/or fund raising
4. Isolation from society — not necessarily physical isolation, but this can be psychological isolation.
5. Use of mind control (Mileu Control, Mystical Manipulation, Demand for Purity, Confession, Sacred Science, Loading the Language, Doctrine Over Person, Dispensing of Existence) [5]
MKO portraits two completely different images; its relation with the world outside and its internal structure. Duped by its heavy propaganda blitz, most people in Western countries, unaware of its terrorist nature, take it for a revolutionary, freedom-seeker, and pro-democratic organization. The group ‘s internal structure, totally concealed from the eyes of the outsiders, nearly shares all of the characteristics of a destructive cult with added emphasis on the authoritarian pyramid structure and mind control techniques. Massoud Rajavi, the long self-appointed leader, is known to be the mastermind of MKO. Released from Shah’s prison after revolution, Rajavi took up the responsibility of acting as the organization’s spokesman that awarded him an opportunity to develop authority both within the organisation and in the public’s perception.
How did the Mujahideen become a cult? The principal lever for the transformation of the organization from a mass movement to a cult was Rajavi’s “ideological revolution” in January 1985. The first phase of this revolution basically involved Masoud Rajavi marrying Maryam Qajar Azdanlou, the wife of Mehdi Abrishamchi, Rajavi’s most trusted lieutenant. The marriage was an overt violation of Islamic marriage rituals and a majority of ranking members saw the whole affair as an ugly and bizarre form of cuckoldry. The event, more regarded as an internal coup d’ata, promoted the husband to the rank of a guru and the wife to the rank of the joint leader of the organization. Massoud Rajavi indoctrinated the ideological revolution as a purging process saying “Those Mojahedin members who pass through this furnace, are more steadfastness, more steel like person, and have more future in the resisting’ [6]
Masoud Rajavi was exalted as a charisma and some subservient considered the historic achievement as an outcome of an ideological genius in Massoud Rajavi. Bijan Nyabati, a devoted a partisan, in adoring Massoud Rajavi’s personal charisma states:
In the front of revolution and progressiveness, you would not find two people with the same political and organizational potentialities of Massoud Rajavi among all the opposition. [7]
Nyabati abruptly changes the position of Rajavi from a leader to that of a religious, Shi’it imam:
The main core of Mojahedin’s ideological revolution was to solve the issue of leadership. It could put an end to a problem known to be the Achilles’ heel in most contemporary revolutions and movements; only a stabilized theory of imamate inside the organization could lead the new revolution. [8]
Many of his messages imply that he has a close relationship with Imam Zaman (the last and still awaited Imam in Shiite Islam) and therefore he has direct contact with God. Under Rajavi’s instructions as an ideological leader, members began to give up Islamic practices and rituals because, as stated by their chosen ideological leader, they were no longer individually responsible; they were only responsible to Rajavi and he was responsible to God. Later on, especial prayer texts were devised to praise him and his wife, Maryam.
The ideological metamorphosis opened a new gate onto a path where, in the first place, the rationality and even the social-political understanding of individuals were targeted. In other words, individuals would be transmuted into obedient and subjugated creatures serving the wills of the ideological leader. The whole idea can be concluded as:
That is clear that such process could pursue in no rational route. The dominant element in the process is “love” and “emotion” that bypass logic and reason. The means are not those of polemics and persuasions but self-devotion. That is the point where Massoud claims Mojahedin’s heart. [9]
A wave of advertising total devotion to the ideological leader began to be imposed on the minds of the insiders to indoctrinate that the ideological leader had an ideological vision which was broader and more universal than understanding and vision of an ordinary follower. He could see things and think in a way that seemed illogical and irrational at the time but proved to be correct at the end. Hence the followers had to follow the leader not on the basis of understanding, but on the base of total trust.
The second phase of the full transition to the status of a cult started after the Iran-Iraq cease-fire in 1988. Rajavi launched thousands of his warriors on ”Operation Eternal Light” across the border to capture Iranian territory. It was a total military failure. The operation before anything was a resolution of Rajavi’s own volition, a proven suicide operation excluding the leader himself. The failure proved to be a victory for Rajavi; the made amendments to the ideological revolution after the operation guaranteed his position as a hallowed figure with the sole authority to question anybody while the members were not in the least permitted to violate the leader’s sacramental sphere. To create a compelling control atop, all the individual attachments and values had to be detached. The detachment did not include physical spectrum, but above that, psychological scopes.
In a general meeting, Rajavi announced that as the ideological leader, he had issued the divorce of all the members from their spouses and asked all to hand over their marriage rings. The physically divorce of spouses and, consequently, children was the first taken steps; the world outside with all its attractions and emotional attachments had to be cleaned of the mind and devalued. One had to replace them with an alternative that was no one but Massoud and Maryam Rajavi.
Anne Singleton, a separated member of MKO in her book so describes manipulation of the members within the cult:
The psychological manipulation of members springs from Rajavi’s avid interest in using psychology as a means of controlling people. He has read voraciously from the time that he left prison, books on politics, psychology and history etc. His ideology is a mishmash of all these books, and not a single part of it derives from original thinking. Rajavi uses psychological manipulation to control people. The massuls [responsible ranks] are instructed to behave in particular ways towards individuals according to what is required of them or in response to a problem they might have. On a simple level, the warmth and affection shown to newcomers is a basic method of attracting them, fulfilling a basic need, which they lack. The person is told – and this is the ideological element – that if they look for love and affection outside Maryam they will become corrupt and ‘nothing’, they will be condemned to a life of obscurity, drudgery and meaninglessness. A picture of ordinary married life is portrayed as a hellish prison for both sexes. Children are the ultimate burden, removing the person further and further from the glorious joy and happiness that could be theirs if they give all their love to Maryam. She will return their love a hundred fold, and only inside the Mojahedin will they be able to fulfil their true potential as a human being. [10]
During the first Gulf War and the US attack to Iraq, MKO leaders enforced separation of the members’ children residing in Iraq-based camps. The children, about 800 including little babies, were sent to different Western countries for some purposes. First they could be abused as potential fundraising instruments to collect large amounts of charity money on pretext of Iranian homeless children. On the other hand, the children could be trained as the next generation of MKO soldiers. Nadereh Afshari, an ex-member of MKO and who was posted in Germany and was responsible for receiving children during the gulf war, has revealed that when the German government tried to absorb Mojahedin children into their education system, the organization refused. Many of these children were sent to Mojahedin-run schools, particularly in France. She has elaborated that Rajavi ”saw these kids as the next generation’s soldiers. They wanted to brainwash them and control them. Every morning and night, the kids, beginning as young as 1 and 2, had to stand before a poster of Massoud and Maryam, salute them and shout praises to them “. [11]
In June 2003, people in some Western cities were shocked to witness one of the most appalling cult potentialities of MKO. On 17 June 2003 more than 1.200 France police and gendarmerie forces raided 13 MKO-run offices in Paris districts and arrested 164 suspected Mojahedin cadres as well as Maryam Rajavi on charges of terrorist activities. In the next few days, to carry out premeditated missions, a number of the group’s members immolated themselves in public to protest Maryam Rajavi’s arrest. According to reports issued by the group itself, ‘œ16 people attempted to set themselves alight in three days in Paris, Berne, Rome, London, Ottawa, Athens and Nicosia’. The human tragedy ended with two deaths; two women, Sediqeh Mojaveri, 44-year-old, and Neda Hassani, 19-year-old, died because of the self-immolation injuries. [12]
Besides old members joining the organization for political causes, a large number of the members are the young Iranian people who have been deceived to join the group. These young, unaware recruits fall into the trap of the middlemen who by false promises of good job, high salary and residence in Western countries paralyze their rational minds and send them to MKO’s camps in Iraq. Undergoing brainwashing methods in the camps, they rarely dream to return to Iran because they are unnerved and intimidated by the threats of being tried and even executed for having connection and cooperating with a counter-revolutionary group.
The members who try to leave the MKO or criticize it in any form have to pay a very heavy price. In a 28-page report released by Human Rights Watch in May 2005 entitled ‘œNo Exit: Human Rights Abuses Inside the MKO Camps,’ shocking details about inhuman behaviors and control of the insiders of MKO was published for the world. The facts revealed how dissident members were tortured, beaten and held in solitary confinement for years at military camps in Iraq after they criticized the group’s policies and undemocratic practices, or indicated that they planned to leave the organization. The report is based on the direct testimonies of a dozen former MKO members, including five who were turned over to Iraqi security forces and held in notorious Abu Ghoraib prison under Saddam’s rule.
A common, routine procedure in MKO is self criticizing and confession sessions. The members have to write detailed daily reports of activities, their previous night’s dreams, their thoughts, and even love and emotional daydreams. In some cases, they are forced to read their reports before other members and suffer humiliation. Ali Qachqaoui, a separated member, reveals: ‘œThey remote controlled us, like robots. They told us, ‘If you have sexual fantasies, even a dream, you must report it in writing in order to exorcise it’. In a speech repeatedly broadcast in video, Maryam Rajavi told the Mojahedin: ‘80% of your energy should be used in the fight against your sexual instincts’. Many of the organization’s officers, who protested against this sudden authoritarian and sectarian change of course, paid a heavy price for their insubordination. They were humiliated, tortured and imprisoned. [13]
As a closed cult, the members receive any information through a biased channel. No form of news and information, movies and even the group’s own TV productions is presented unless reviewed and censured beforehand. Even the members active in Western countries are severely prohibited to have direct access to the media and have to attend periodical controlling meetings, write reports, and listen to direct or televised addresses of the high ranking members and leaders.
MKO has long been using a lexicon of its own. The terms they use inside the organization have their own connotations different with those used outside. The followings are examples of a more than 1200 terms lexicon volume:
– Alternative: meaning MKO as the sole alternative for Iran’s current ruling power
– To become ‘˜H’: used when demoting a rank
– Organizational marriage: forced inter-organizational marriages ordered by leaders
– Food echelon: a food menu that qualitatively and quantitatively is prepared according to hierarchical posts
– Ideological pride: Massoud and Maryam’s marriage known to be a glorious hallmark of the organization
– Active: a member who well accomplishes the issued orders
– Ring of connection: meaning Maryam Rajavi. Members are not capable to unite with Massoud unless through Maryam
– The host: meaning Iraq
– The guesthouse: the jail where protesting members and quitters were held
– ‘¦. And more
To determine how dangerous MKO cult might be, ‘œthe Advanced Bonewits’ Cult Danger Evaluation Frame’ can be a good help. As Bonewits explains, ‘œThe purpose of this evaluation tool is to help both amateur and professional observers, including current or would-be members, of various organizations (including religious, occult, psychological or political groups) to determine just how dangerous a given group is liable to be, in comparison with other groups, to the physical and mental health of its members and of other people subject to its influence’. [14]
The Advanced Bonewits’ Cult Danger Evaluation Frame
Factors: 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Low High1. INTERNAL CONTROL: Amount ofinternal political power exercisedby leader(s) over members. 1. _________________________ 2. WISDOM CLAIMED by leader(s);amount of infallibility declaredor implied about decisions or doc-trinal/scriptural interpretations. 2. __________________________ 3. WISDOM CREDITED to leader(s)by members; amount of trust indecisions or doctrinal/scripturalinterpretations made by leader(s). 3. _________________________ 4. DOGMA: Rigidity of reality con-cepts taught; amount of doctrinalinflexibility or "fundamentalism." 4. __________________________ 5. RECRUITING: Emphasis put onattracting new members; amountof proselytizing. 5. __________________________ 6. FRONT GROUPS: Number of subsid-iary groups using different namesfrom that of main group. 6. _________________________ 7. WEALTH: Amount of money and/orproperty desired or obtained by group;emphasis on members’ donations;economic lifestyle of leader(s)compared to ordinary members. 7. ________________________ 8. POLITICAL POWER: Amount ofexternal political influencedesired or obtained; emphasis ondirecting members’ secular votes. 8. ________________________ 9. SEXUAL MANIPULATION: of membersby leader(s); amount of controlexercised over sexuality of members;advancement dependent upon sexualfavors or specific lifestyle. 9. _________________________ 10. CENSORSHIP: Amount of controlover members’ access to outsideopinions on group, its doctrinesor leader(s). 10. ________________________ 11. DROPOUT CONTROL: Intensity ofefforts directed at preventing orreturning dropouts. 11. _________________________ 12. VIOLENCE: amount of approval whenused by or for the group, itsdoctrines or leader(s). 12. _________________________ 13. PARANOIA: amount of fear con-cerning real or imagined enemies;perceived power of opponents;prevalence of conspiracy theories. 13. _________________________ 14. GRIMNESS: Amount of disapprovalconcerning jokes about the group,its doctrines or its leader(s). 14. _________________________ 15. SURRENDER OF WILL: Amount ofemphasis on members not having tobe responsible for personal deci-sions; degree of individual dis-empowerment created by the group,its doctrines or its leader(s). 15. __________________________ 16. HYPOCRISY: amount of approval forother actions (not included above) which the group officially considersimmoral or unethical, when done by or for the group, its doctrines or leader(s); willingness to violate group’s declared principles for political, psychological, economic,or other gain. 16. ___________________________ 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 8 9 10 Low High
A precise evaluation of MKO well crystallizes it as one of the most destructive and visible examples of a group intermingling the characteristics of a terrorist group and a cult to be nominated a terrorist cult. A terrorist cult poses a greater danger because of the growing use of mind control and cult control techniques. Most terrorist organizations actively study and use mind control and cult control techniques to indoctrinate members into committing the horrific acts of terrorism that shock our senses. The real cause of much of today’s terrorism is not what the terrorists themselves advertise and claim in their publicly stated agendas and rationalized causes. The real cause of acts of terrorism is how these agendas and ideas were implanted into the minds of the members with mind control and cult control techniques by their handlers. The responsibility lies on the shoulders of the responsible minds and elites of a society to illuminate the naïve minds and depict a clear-cut image of a destructive cult to stop any further jeopardizing the young generation’s career.
Sources:
[3]. A Guide to Cults and New Religions; ed. Ronald Enroth, Downers Grove, Ill, InterVarsity 1983, p14.
[4].www.phact.org
[5]. www.refocus.org
[6]. www.banisadr.infoideologicalChapter Five.htm
[7]. Bijan Nyabati interview with Zari Isfahani, Taliah-Sepidedaman.com
[8]. Nyabati Bijan; ‘œA distinct look at Mojahedin’s internal revolution, slightly from inside, slightly from outside’, 113.
[9]. Ibid.
[10]. Singleton Anne; Saddam’s Private Army, Iran-Interlink, 2003.
[11]. www.rickross.comThe Cult of Rajavi.htm
[12]. www.mojahedin.ws
[13]. www.mojahedin.wsbooksThe People’s Mojahedin of Iran: A struggle for what?
[14]. www.qed.net/bonewits/ABCDEF.HTML
Nejat Association – Translated by mojahedin.ws -August, 2007
Issue 14 – August, 2007
INSIDE THIS ISSUE:
1. Exile Group Stays on EU terror List
2. East French Lines in Terror Alert
3. The presence of MKO in Iraq is against the law
4. Four more defectors of Rajavi’s Cult repatriated
5. Breaking the ties that bind
6. Rajavi name in Mojahedin propaganda sails a cult spiraling towards disaster
7. Elaheh, the singer of flowers passed away
8. Coordinator of MKO terrorists arrested
9. Status of MKO members held in Iraq prompts debate
10. Anne Singleton interview with BBC
11. Two postings from NIAC about MKO
12. NIAC Makes Progress in Defamation Case with VOA
13. NIAC rebuts MKO and Front Page Magazine
14. Iraq will spare no effort to help Iran
Download Nejat NewsLetter-ISSUE NO.14
Download Nejat NewsLetter-ISSUE NO.14
The Arranged Ideological Revolutions; the Passage of Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) from a Political Group to a Religious Cult
Based on Dr. Massoud Banisadr’s “Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel”
The translated text of Hojjat-ollah Aflaki’s speech made at the Symposium of the Link between Cults and Terrorism held in Isfahan. He is an expert and researcher on Iranian history.
Introduction
Structural Characteristics of Cults:
Considering proposed definitions of a cult, its purpose, nature and structure, it is revealed that all cults share certain characteristics which distinguish between them and nations, religions and religious sects. Cult formation is based on such shared characteristics, intentionally or unintentionally, which continuously develop even when the cult is declining.
Such characteristics consist of ideas, rituals, rules, doctrines and unique theories which distinguish a certain cult from other cults and the society. It has to be noted that this stage is determined intentionally by cult leaders, founders and ideologues.
There are some cases in which cult formation has not been predetermined and leaders were to bring about religious and social reforms. However, as a result of inferring new ideologies, they have separated themselves from others thus forming a cult faced with opposed ideologies on the part of the society.
Another characteristic of cult is the factor “devotion” and blind obedience of devotee toward mentor or leader. Such a characteristic is not present in the fundamental definitions of cult but the fact is that during history, cultists have not denied such a factor rather they are proud of it and consider their membership in a cult as a bliss and honour. They regard themselves as sheep protected by cult leader. For example, the factor of devotion in the cultist structure of Sufism, Isma’ilie Alamout (followers of Hasan Sabbah), Isma’ilie Mahallati (in Iran, Tajikistan, India, England, and Africa) is the main characteristic to the point that followers of Agha Khan Mahallati presented him equal in his weight gold and diamond. (Schpigel Journal, 1949, No.29, 33).
Cults have other characteristics which are either the result of above-mentioned features or complement them. First, from a cultist viewpoint, people are either insider or alien and the latter are misled. Second, cultists have to observe the factor “keeping secret” carefully so they never let others participate in their circles. For example, Sufis scarcely let others participate in their sessions of invocation or “Sama” Or leftist groups in Iran shook hand with each other in a special way and called it revolutionary as opposed to imperial one. They called each other “comrade” and “brother” and attired in contrast to common norms. As such, it may be necessary to study such cult characteristics in Mojahedin-e-Khalq Organization (MKO) in order to discover corresponding similarities within the group compaired wit other known cults.
B. Cult Conducts within MKO
MKO has internal and external aspects which are somehow contradictory referred to by its former members. The emphasis put by the organization on factors such as honesty and keeping secret confirms this fact since MKO is not merely a guerilla or political group rather its leaders consider it as a cultural, religious, and social group aimed at improving all aspects of human life. As such, keeping secrets in the organization involves security issues as well as instructional, ideology and inter-organizational conducts. Finally, as a result of ideological revolutions in the organization, this political group turned into a dogmatic cult.
It seems that most ideological revolutions formed by Massoud Rajavi, MKO’s leader, against Islamic republic of Iran have been preplanned and then revealed as separate revolutions to justify the organization’s actions. Eventually, all such ideological revolutions turned MKO into an ideological and religious cult and enhanced Massoud Rajavi from the stance of a guerilla leader to an ideological one who appointed his wife as the ideological mother of MKO. Below, a number of the organization’s approaches are listed.
1. Ideological revolutions concerning the relation between men and women:
The process in which Maryam Azodanloo (Maryam Rajavi) turned into ideological mother of MKO is very interesting. Such a process is a clause of ideological revolution and reveals cult formation process clearly. It has to be pointed out that such a process includes various stages of ideological revolution and has happened over years. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, 478).
Some of the clauses of the revolution which promoted Maryam Rajavi to the position of the ideological mother of the organization are as follows: only Maryam Rajavi can participate in female sessions since she is their mother. Massoud Rajavi is not only the ideological leader of MKO but occupies the position possessed by a Shiite Imam. The insiders’ heart had to be enamored with his love and submit to him in total obedience. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, pp.242, 428,478).
Gender revolution aimed at making members far from sexual inclinations which make men consider women as subjects of trading who lure them and try to attract the attention of men by showing off. Therefore, such a revolution was brought about in order to overcome gender crisis intensified in recent years in the organization despite separation of men and women. One of the main approaches in this regard was absolute separation of men and women to the point that men were not allowed to participate in women sessions nor vice versa. Even a man could not sit on a chair on which a woman was sitting before. However, Maryam Rajavi was an exception to these rules. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, 379).
Gender attachment is human grave from which Mojahedin have to flee. They can do so through above-mentioned ways and also professing their sinfulness before Maryam and Massoud. It means that all people are sinful, wives are witches and marrying them is forbidden. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, pp.342-5). In many sessions, Massoud Rajavi and associate cadres acted offensively toward other highly educated members some of whom represented the National Council of Resistance in countries such as the U.S. For example, once Massoud Banisadr, the representative of the National Council of Resistance in the U.S., was about to speak and Massoud Rajavi introduced him as follows: “a dead man speaking deep from his grave”. Anyway, profess of sinfulness was one of the major characteristics of this clause of revolution, i.e. all members are sinful and it is only Maryam Rajavi who is innocent. Therefore, Maryam and he have to be relied upon in all matters. Since nobody deserves knowing Massoud except Maryam, he has to pass this way along with Maryam. Therefore, members have to follow Massoud Rajavi and Maryam Rajavi fighting against Islamic republic of Iran both politically and ideologically. As such, the presence of Maryam Rajavi as the single ideological member of the organization was vital to understand Massoud Rajavi, his love to God and members and his detestation of Khomeini, the Islamic revolution leader. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, pp.347, 354).
In fact, the main objective of all ideological revolutions is winning absolute obedience of members, the most fundamental factor for running the cults. Therefore, Mojahedin have to be absolute devotees and stop doing common practices like jesting, free study, working out of the organization, unless it is an act of fundraising, non-organizational relations, attachment to personal property and sexual relations out of organization, keeping their personal books and the like. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, pp.207, 214).
The process of divorce revolution was as follows: Massoud Rajavi was considered as imam of the time and nobody was worthy enough to see him since the members and their partners were themselves the veils. Therefore, women were told their husband and men were their barrier. So couples got divorced. Even single members underwent such a revolution promising not to get married in the future. All divorce papers were signed and delivered to Massoud Rajavi over one week. Any doubtful member was punished severely. For example, a member called Yaghubi who was a ranking member lost his status as a result of having relation with his wife. Or other members such as Karim Haqqi and his wife Maryam Babaee were subject to severe torture over years which ended with the wife’s suicide.
In fact, the main reasons behind such revolutions, and divorce revolution in particular, were not those acknowledged by the organization’s leaders, rather, they were as follows: winning complete obedience of members, solving marriage problem in the organization (in which men were 3 times more than women) (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, p.238) and also a terrible monopolism to the point that according to a foreign reporter, Massoud Rajavi could not endure members loving anybody except him. Consequently, children were sent to orphanages so as not to see their parents.
In fact, divorce and gender revolutions were complementary. It is worth noting that before divorce revolution, members were said to marry each other to compensate for emotional problems of those members losing their partner in Forugh operation. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, 326). Moreover, in divorce revolution, couples were forced to perform three-fold divorce in which they could never possibly remarry. Such a divorce is against Islamic rules. Such actions by MKO turned it into a religious cult exceeding human rights.
Ideological revolution of MKO considered men as wild and passive creatures so that it was believed that men should be replaced by women in the organization. Moreover, they were ordered to criticize each other openly and even call their friends murderer. Otherwise, Massoud Rajavi and other officials got angry, offended them, and called them rubbish, dirty mouse, traitor, hypocrite since they did not criticize others. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, pp.392, 426-7,).
This stage of revolution aimed at expelling opposed members and replacing them with women. In addition, they made members admit to guilts they have done before in the presence of Massoud Rajavi and Maryam Rajavi and Tahereh. Once a man complained of his wife being so thin was called by officials as obscene, cuckold, rubbish, fool, etc. it is evident that according to the organization’s ideology, women had superiority over men. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, pp.230, 234).
Massoud Rajavi believed that ideological revolution may increase members” capabilities so they performed such offensive actions toward members. According to one clause, men could not achieve high ranks so 12 female members were selected as key members of leadership council and 12 females were selected as alternative members. All of them declared that Massoud Rajavi is their master and they are his maid. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, pp.380, 421).
It is doubtful why 12 members were appointed. Such a selection seems ideological since 12 symbolizes the number of Shiite innocent Imams. Furthermore, appointing females instead of males confirmed the superiority of women over men. MKO believed that it was necessary to fight against Islamic Republic of Iran so women took responsibilities not based on meritocracy. Such considerations led to so called seat revolution (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, pp.285, 283, 414, 482,).
In fact, the issue of feminism in MKO aimed at expelling those male members who criticized the organization, accusing Islamic Republic of Iran of exploiting women, and abuse of women’s tender emotions to secure the leadership of Massoud Rajavi and his wife turned the organization into a cult. Although the organization tried to conceal the issue of divorce revolution which was to the advantage of Islamic Republic of Iran but the memoirs of separated members revealed it (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, 368).
It is worth noting that before the performance of forced divorces, all members got divorced in the presence of Abrishamchi, MKO’s number 2 in rank, who had already wedded them all in the name of Massoud Rajavi and Maryam Rajavi. (Memoirs of an Iranian Rebel, 25).
Translated by mojahedin.ws
The Cult of Rajavi
Salvation
The translated text of Dr. Massoudinia’s speech made at the Symposium of the Link between Cults and Terrorism held in Isfahan.
5. Control of Relations within MKO: a Review of Banisader’s ‘Memories of an Iranian Rebel’
The book “memories of an Iranian Rebel” written by Mas’ud Banisadr, is one of the significant documents in inter-organizational relations of MKO. As it was pointed out, the third index of cults is brainwashing and mental control of cultists. This book is an amazing document in this regard. The final section of the present article is a review of this book in order to actualize professional indices of relations of MKO. Psychological strategies used for justifying people such as the length of organizational sessions, debriefing strategies and mental control, duality of extra and intra relations, humiliating members, cutting emotional relations with relatives, determining the relation of members with others, and their family in particular!
Internal controlling system of MKO in contrast with traditional cultist system focuses on some complex and unbelievable dimensions. Traditional system controlled members mentally using middle ages strategies. Classic cultist strategies exert security control directly toward the extent of inclination and submission of members. MKO make use of modern sciences for controlling members and even the slightest degree of members’ disobedience. Mas’ud Banisadr quotes an instance of behavior of MKO leader (Rajavi) with executive members, i.e. the highest inter-organizational assembly. This case reveals some points about the nature of such relations. He writes:
In an assembly of executive officials, Rajavi said: ‘Doctor told me that your urine is foamy, while it is not so in ordinary members’. We were shocked. He added: ‘Do not look at me as such. It seems that you do not understand what I say. It means that you cannot control your sexual tendencies yet and seminal fluid results in your urine be foamy while other members have not such a problem.’ Then a number of members started to confirm his comments and even one of them said: ‘We are not executive officials, we are heys (a word said to donkeys while carrying load). Then they all imitated him saying the word hey. (57)
Comparing sexual relations of ideological revolution of MKO with historical cases such as exoteric sect of Isma’ili under the leadership of Hassan Sabbah which emasculated members shows that the former results in more severe mental consequences. Emasculation of exoteric members has been physical while that of MKO id psychological and life-long and makes members subject to public scandal. In addition, such a process is a kind of mental emasculation. Those involved in such process, prefer methods used by Hassan Sabbah. Banisadr says:
I can not accept that physical emasculation is more difficult. It consists of a surgery with a period of convalescence while mental emasculation involves severe life-long pain. (58)
Debriefing strategies in MKO are a mixture of traditional, modern and even religious methods in middle ages and contemporary period. One of such controlling strategies of preventing any disobedience is the principle of confession. It forces members to confess to all their internal conflicts, whether mental, emotional, or sexual.
In this process, the member has to explain all his past and present events openly.
What follow is the comments of Banisadr of his memory in childhood. He has to explain it publicly to prove his capacity for transferring to the next stage of ideological revolution.
My most annoying memory is a sexual rape which happened in my childhood. I had never spoken about it .In fact I had forgotten it. But there I had to explain it. It was very difficult for me to speak about it since in Iranian culture and even in the world it is a kind of disgrace and shame. (59)
Another principle of ideological revolution is called ‘cutting all past attachments’. In this phase, members have to cut all their emotional relations of the past and form new ones based on new criteria. So they have to sacrifice all their emotions and even kill their relatives. Banisadr describes this phase of ideological revolution as follows:
The session was titled ‘cutting all past attachments’. A man had to leave his girlfriend to pass this phase. He told me crying that he loved her so much but could not marry her because of his beliefs. Another member had to leave his brother who was a council employee and even had to promise that he would kill him if necessary. (60)
Passing this phase required the destruction of whatever belonged to the past. Maybe the most difficult phase of this process for me was burning all my family photos. The members had to not only forget their past but also deny all their relations. Banisadr this process as follows:
I cut all my family photos into pieces since I had to deny all my relatives and even my parents. Maybe my father is responsible for my bourgeois tendencies and I have inherited my calm nature from my mother. Ann (my wife) asked me crying not to do so because they were not just mine. But I had to do so. After that I was welcomed to the organization. (61)
The points of similarity between these comments and studies about cultist relations which cut members from their past is amazing. It is even more interesting that such an action is considered as a holy one. Such a strategy considers cutting emotional relations as a religious action. Singer refers to this point in his cultist studies:
As part of the process of inducing guilt, all the recruit’s former personal connections are deemed satanic or evil by the cult and are shown to be "against the chosen way. Since nonbelievers are bad, all relations with parents, friends, and other nonmembers are supposed to be halted. Any weakness in this area is considered bad. The consequent impact is that recruits feel deep guilt about their pasts. Besides having their families and personal relationships condemned, recruits are also led to believe that they themselves were "bad people" before joining the group. (62)
Singer refers to a case in which MKO prevented a woman to meet her brother. How can we justify such an action? And why such an ordinary meeting is considered so significant? Singer answers as follows:
In another example, a woman’s brother, who lived out of town, came to the cult house to visit her while she was working her shift in the cult-run factory. For this reason she missed seeing him, but cult officials told her, "See, the Divine Plan willed it that you must not see your brother. (63)
Singer describes psychological aspects of such a process as follows:
Brainwashing is not experienced as a fever or a pain might be; it is an invisible social adaptation. When you are the subject of it, you are unaware of the running procedures and, moreover, the changes that form inside you. (64)
Members are convinced that they can not live without cultist relations and without which they would be subject to banality, passivity, etc. Singer describes this aspect of cultist relations as follows:
The recruits are also imbrued that if they leave, they will be damned or they themselves will die a pitiful death or become losers or lost souls. In this way, anxiety is heaped upon the guilt. Just as the initial love bombing awakened feelings of warmth, acceptance, and worthiness, now group condemnation leaves recruits full of self-doubt, guilt, and anxiety. Through this kind of manipulation, they are convinced that they can be saved only if they stay within the group. (65)
The mechanisms of cults make members believe in leadership to the point that they even kneel down to the leader and pronounce the articles of faith. Hossein Abrishamchi writes to Rajavi:
I wish to come to you, who are the leader of this great revolution, and kneel down and profess my devotion …. (66)
Abu-al-Ghasem Rezaei, another member of MKO asks Rajavi to intercede on his behalf in the hereafter. (67)
Mas’ud Banisadr refers to the long time of sessions during the ideological revolution and points out its mental consequences. He says that some sessions lasted three days. He says:
This session (with Abrishamchi) took three days and nobody slept. (68)
Banisadr describes the reaction of one of members who wanted to resist against the revolution as follows:
Suddenly, one of officials called Behnam knocked his head to the wall so strongly that it bled. (69)
Terrorism is a threat against security and peace. It exploits people in organizational relations. The findings of recent studies show that as technology and science develop, the strategies used for the exploitation of members in terrorist groups and cults get more complex. MKO is one of such cases. The disaster caused by the group in contemporary world is unprecedented in terms of the extent of the aggression imposed on citizens. Global consensus and unbiased judgment is the best way of controlling such a phenomenon. Western countries should not repeat their mistakes concerning Al-Qaede in the case of MKO. Such organizations do not regard terror and aggression as an instrument but as a worldview. Rajavi says: “viper does not give birth to dove". This is his most truthful comment. As such, terrorism would never give birth to democracy and freedom. According to Oscar Wild, it is too difficult to shake hands with blood-stained hands even in exchange for freedom.
Endnotes
57. Banisadr, Mas’ud,. Memories of an Iranian Rebel, 2005, Khavaran Publication.
58. ibid.
59. ibid.
60. ibid.
61. ibid.
62. Singer, Margaret Thaler. Cults in our midst, 118.
63. ibid.
64. ibid, 61.
65. ibid, 119.
66. Mojahed journal. No.247. p.27.
67. ibid.
68. Banisadr, Mas’ud; Memories of an Iranian Rebel, 2005.
69. ibid
Nejat Association May 2007
Translated by mojahedin.ws
July, 2007
1. Four more defectors of Rajavis’ Cult repatriated
2. Interpol hunting for MKO leaders
3. East French Rail Lines in Terror Alert with Four MKO Members Sought
4. Iran condemned British overt support for a Proscribed terrorist group, Mojahedin Khalq Cult
5. I am Raymond Tanter’s wife and I would like to make a statement
6. Response to Christopher Booker
7. UN and Iraq Cooperate to Expel the MKO
8. Tancredo supporting Mujahedin -e Khalq terrorists
Download Pars Brief – Issue No.35
Download Pars Brief – Issue No.35
The translated text of Dr. Massoudinia’s speech made at the Symposium of the Link between Cults and Terrorism held in Isfahan.
4. Structural and formal similarities between Mojahedin-e-Khalq and Cults
It has to be pointed out that there are no significant differences between traditional cult methods (like that of Hassan Sabbah) and the modern cults getting advantage of psychological modes. In all, the main identical factors are the self-appointed leader, total devotion and exploitation of members. After ideological revolution in MKO, leadership was considered as the zenith of the organization that, emphasized in inter-organizational meetings, had to be obeyed blindly and whose superiority could never be questioned. Such a leader is only accountable to God. In other words, he is regarded as the vicegerent of God. Mahdi Abrishamchi describes the position of leader as follows:
Leader is not accountable to low-ranking members. His responsibilities are determined by ideological and political necessities of the organization. (36)
Therefore, the leader is on top. Such a position makes the leader unchallengeable and holy to the point that the entrance of others to this position may be considered as a serious sin. Abrishamchi says:
Normally, all members are accountable to high-ranking officials. Now, to whom is Mas’ud accountable? Only to revolution. He is just accountable to God. Everybody has a responsibility in the organization except for the leader. Maryam and Mas’ud are not accountable to anybody. (37)
Such a view places the leader in the status of God. Abrishamchi believes that the whole universe depends on God; likewise, MKO depends on its ideology, i.e. leadership. He believes that:
The issue of ideology, is the issue of a revolutionary organization, the issue of being or not to be. If philosophy considers God as the creator of whole being, in a revolutionary organization, ideology works as such. The existence of organization depends on its ideology. (38)
Logical reasoning of Abrishamchi is like that of Hassan Sabbah. He proves his mission for leadership as follows:
The Arabic phrase ‘لا اله الا الله’ means that there is no God but Allah. First it says ‘there is no god’ and denies the existence of any god and in the second part it says ‘but Allah’. There is no logical relationship between these parts and it does not say why there is no god but Allah. So accepting the fact that there is no god but Allah is a obligatory. (39)
Mahdi Abrishamchi like his historical counterpart, Hassan Sabbah, regards leadership as an ideological matter of inevitable legitimacy. He says:
There should be an ideological interpreter in the organization to determine its ideological boundaries. In Mojahedin-e-Khalq, Mas’ud Rajavi does so. As such, leader is not accountable downward; otherwise his position would be interrupted. (40)
Such comments, compared with that of Batinis leaders who accused their supporters of failing to develop an esoteric understanding of divine verses and of the leadership, seems to be identical. Furthermore, irrational belief of some members in absolute leadership is like that of self-appointed Batinis leaders. A comparison between this claim of Hassan II, the third imam of Batinis, regarding his legitimate leadership with those of MKO helps develop a better understanding:
When you see the sunlight it is as if you see the sun itself. It is not possible to see sun without its light. As such, I am the divine light. When you see me it is as if you see God. Whoever wants to be blissful in this world and the hereafter should love me. (41)
Now, if not explicitly, such claims are implicitly made by the self-appointed leader of MKO. A high-ranking member when praising Rajavi says:
Thanks God I came to know you, otherwise, according to the holy prophet of Islam, if did not know my imam of the time, I would have died in ignorance. Today, I see myself embraced by God and I found Him at the end of the route wherein I saw you at the beginning. I feel his absolute presence as I feel yours. (42)
These cases show clearly the amazing similarities between doctrines of MKO and that of exoteric sect of Hassan Sabbah.
Such a background is formed by a mental shock imposed on the beliefs of members. Such a strategy reminds us of debriefing strategies in the medieval ages. Only the goals are different. It is similar to the strategies of exoteric sect (Hassan Sabbah). Despite what can be imagined regarding the brainwashing strategies for making people ready for any kind of sacrifice, physical sacrifice is a minor part of the demands of the leader of cults who exploit members. What determines the extent of members’ obedience is not only their self-sacrifice but also their blind obedience. It is a fact that physical self-sacrifice in cults is a preface to next steps. The significance of such organizational disciplines can be seen in exoteric sects. They force members to be devoted completely to all principles and values of cult and this happens before physical sacrifice. In principles of cults we read:
We don’t need exited members but members of stable belief. We want to be sure whenever a command is issued nothing may prevent it. (43)
The danger of boldness for cult leaders is the possibility that it leads to disobedience. Such a self-devotion is justified in exoteric sects as follows:
Only calm members are reliable and those who are so exited calm down quickly. (44)
It has to be taken into consideration that scientific studies focus on those components in cultist psychological strategies which have been mentioned as the key of success by cultists. Singer refers to falsification of conscience as the most important consequence of cultist strategies while studying empirical and psychological strategies for recruiting members in cults and says:
Nowadays, cults’ plans is based on forming personal imbalance through falsification of conscience, awareness, beliefs, worldview, emotions, etc. their main technique is attacking mental balance of members and also attacking a person capacity for self-evaluation. Such attacks are carried out under different conditions and rarely involve any force or physical imposing. Such a strong psychological process results in personal imbalance and dependence to others. (45)
Such components are the basis of mental background of mechanisms in terrorist groups. Comparing such components with theoretical analyses would show the points of similarity between these trends. It seems that so-called ideological revolution in MKO has been a starting point for using such strategies and developing blind obedience in members toward revolutionary principles.
Bijan Niyabati, a Marxist supporter of MKO, describes ideological revolution of the group based on cultist leadership of Rajavi, absolute mental, ideological and even sexual self-sacrifice of members. He refers to above-mentioned components as attacking conscience and basic receptions and thus shocking members. He refers to member’s conscience as old understanding and regards cultist components as new understanding. Comparing such comments with findings of Singer shows the amazing structural similarities between cults and MKO. Niyabati says:
A successive interpolation of new elements of value into the old system of values is possible only through upsetting the equilibrium of old value system that occurs only by the means of a sudden shock. (46)
He considers destabilizing of values as the starting point to reform the dominant values in the society. In other words, disruption of personal beliefs is followed by its disruption in the society. The success of personal effectiveness depends on the generalization of such strategies to the society.
However, he asserts that forming such a shift in society demands political power while mental shocking is sufficient for individual imbalance. He says:
However, although to disrupt the predominant value equilibrium in an individual in order to be substituted by new value equilibrium proves not to be unmanageable, it is a long, hard task to be accomplished either through assuming an authoritative political power (as well as controlling economy and the media) or a stricken shock. To disrupt the subsisting equilibrium and to prepare an individual to be reconciled with the new milieu, it is evident that only a shock and nothing else can possibly be productive. (47)
He regards such intra-organizational shifts as an index of an ideal cultist society resulting in political revolution. He also refers to all symbols and institutions of such a society and says:
Such a micro society needs all indices and political structure of a real society, i.e. government, president, parliament, army, police force, prison, legal courts, broadcast, diplomacy system, financial systems, etc. Such a micro society should be a pioneer in the transfer of human beings to humanistic values far from the existing animal-like values.(48)
He is aware of the mental consequences of this shock. He believes that such an attack may result in the person being wise or mad. In this strategy, classification of values into absolute good and absolute bad prevents person from a realistic analysis. Mahdi Abrishamchi, a member of MKO, justifies ideological revolution and the marriage of Rajavi with Maryam Azodanloo after her divorce, using an absolute reasoning. In such a situation any evaluation depends on absolute acceptance or absolute rejection. Such logic makes this act as a holy one beyond our understanding. Mahdi Abrishamchi says:
Our mind is aware of the logic of sacrifice. It is an amazing story. Everybody who hears it (their marriage) cannot remain indifferent or express a moderate idea. You have to regard it either as deceitful or eclectic or a purely ideological one. There is no middle point. You have to either confirm or reject it. (49)
The leader himself emphasizes such an analysis of subjects. He is not afraid that others regard this action as a dishonored one. Rajavi says:
This is a rebirth. You can accuse me of being whimsical, dishonorable and even a person who stole the wife of his friend. But if I were acquitted, you have to follow me to the end. (50)
Niyabati asserts the mental consequences of such a shock. He refers to the fact that if such a personal imbalance is not replaced with another system, it would not lead to expected results. He says:
Madness or wisdom is the inevitable consequence of such a value imbalance. The difference between a mad person with a wise one is that the former has not replaced his value system with an alternative but the latter has. In both cases, the main factor of such personal imbalance is a mental shock. (51)
He also refers to a third situation between madness and wisdom; A situation which results in the sense of absurdity and passivity in members. In this regard we read:
In summary, without that imbalance there is neither wisdom nor madness. It is evident that absurdity and absolute determinism are added to the consequences of such an imbalance. (52)
According to Singer, the main factor in the success of members’ brainwashing is the disruption of their value system to the point that makes them fully submissive toward predetermined behaviors and activities. Singer describes such a disaster as follows:
These latter-day efforts have built upon the age-old influence techniques to perfect amazingly successful programs of persuasion and change. What’s new-and crucial–is that these programs change attitudes by attacking essential aspects of a person’s sense of self, unlike the earlier brainwashing programs. (53)
Niyabati refers to the third index of cults as the determining factor in political exploitation and says:
Power equations should be changed objectively rather than subjectively and this is not possible without a basic change in value systems. (54)
Instrumental use of latest achievements of empirical sciences, and psychology in particular, shows only slight differences between brainwashing strategies of MKO and those of cults. Niyabati says:
In a conference on the study of the latest scientific findings concerning functions of different parts of human brain, it was argued that activating different parts of the brain may affect social behavior and characteristics of people. For instance, while the left hemisphere is the center of mathematics, logic, politics, etc the right hemisphere is the centre of culture, arts, poetry and emotion. Activating these hemispheres may determine the future role of children in the society. (55)
Despite all scientific and political reasoning of Niyabati for focusing on the achievements of ideological revolution, he finally refers to history. Such inevitable similarities relate cultist mechanisms to Sufis’ styles. He quotes Shams-Al-Din Ameli to justify the leadership of Rajavi:
"During spiritual path, there should be no question. The wayfarer has to be a devotee to Sheikh and accompany him submissively, never complaining of anything" and quotes Moulavi (Sufi poet) as follows:
A wayfarer has no responsibility and should be submissive like a piece of wood in the hands of carpenter. (56)
Such reasoning for proving ideological revolution and absolute leadership of Rajavi is that of a person who doesn’t believe in religion and metaphysics. Such a method is using religion for theorizing cultist principles.
Endnotes
36. Lectures of Mahdi Abrishamchi on the Ideological Revolution in MKO. (1985). Taleghani Publication.
37. ibid.
38. ibid.
39. Amir, Paul. (TR). . (2006). the Lord of Almout. Javid Publication.
40. Mojahed journal. No.255.p. 23.
41. Amir, Paul. (TR). . (2006). The Lord of Almout. Javid Publication.
42. Mojahed journal. No. 241. p.20.
43. Amir, Paul. (Tr). .(2006). The Lord of Almout. Javid Publication.
44. ibid.
45. Niyabati, Bijan. A different look at Mojahedin’s Ideological Revolution, 2004.
46. ibid .
47. ibid .
48. ibid .
49. Lectures of Mahdi Abrishamchi on the Ideological Revolution in MKO. (1985). Taleghani Publication.
50. Mojahed Journal. (1985). Marriage of Maryam and Mas’ud.
51..Niyabati, Bijan, A different look at Mojahedin’s Ideological Revolution, 2004.
52. ibid.
53. Singer, Margaret Thaler. Cults in our midst, 60.
54. Niyabati, Bijan. A different look at Mojahedin’s Ideological Revolution, 2004.
55. ibid.
56. ibid.
Nejat Association May 2007
Translated by mojahedin.ws,August, 2007