Blogs About All Things Cultish And Coercive Control

If any group objects to the Victorian Inquiry into cults and fringe groups by crying “freedom of religion,” I’d honestly bet money that whoever is saying it is either a cult leader or a member of a high-control group.

This is where a third — and newer — narrative enters: the coercive control model. It doesn’t care what people believe. It cares how those beliefs are used. This model grew out of feminist and trauma psychology movements — women naming the invisible patterns of domination inside their own homes. Later, those insights were applied to workplaces, extremist movements, trafficking, and, yes, cults.

Recently, The Catholic Weekly published an article claiming that the Victorian Inquiry into Cult Recruitment might threaten religious freedom. Their framing of issues immediately raised red flags — because when someone starts arguing about definitions instead of behaviours, it’s usually a sign they’re trying to divert attention from accountability.

When practiced safely and voluntarily, fasting can indeed offer spiritual and even physical benefits. Short-term fasting can improve insulin sensitivity, support cellular repair processes, and heighten self-awareness. Many people find it brings calm, focus, and a deeper connection to their values. But context is everything. When fasting is done freely, it’s a spiritual or health practice. When it’s used as leverage, it becomes psychological warfare.

The NSW Government’s is in the process of reviewing it's Anti-Discrimination Act 1977. It's a well overdue spring cleaning of half century old legislation that is as out of date as wearing floral printed flairs. For decades, Australia’s legal framework has protected recognised religions from discrimination—but in doing so, it has left glaring loopholes that allow high-control groups (cults), to weaponise “freedom of religion” as a shield for abusive behaviour.

When faith becomes fuel for domination, and how to reclaim it from the jaws of extremism In the fairy tale of Little Red Riding Hood, the...

When Noble Values turn into Cultic Control PART 3 OF 4 Every tree is known by its own fruit. – Luke 6:44 Judaism, Christianity, and...

Is Creeping into Australian What Does Freedom Mean Inside and Outside a Cult?Politics PART 2 OF 4 In my last blog , I explored how...

From ISIS to Christian nationalists to hardline Israeli settlers, extremist movements across the three Abrahamic faiths share something disturbingly familiar: A belief that they alone are chosen by God, and that this divine status grants them the right—sometimes even the duty—to dominate others. This isn’t just religious conviction. It’s totalistic thinking, weaponised. And when you peel back the sacred vocabulary, what’s left looks an awful lot like a cult. The Core Claim: “

The recent Victorian Inquiry into Cults and Fringe Groups made an important distinction: the state has no interest in policing beliefs. It is behaviours—particularly coercive, deceptive, and controlling behaviours—that are the concern. Still, the grey area where faith transitions into manipulation is where many people get trapped. Understanding how spirituality can be used both to heal and to harm is a critical step forward. This grey area is often where spiritual abuse in cu

Struggles of Parents of Cult Victims often goes unrecognised. We watch powerless to help those we love be whisked away in a smoke storm of coercion & exploitation.

PART 2 OF 2 Art work depicting Wandjina by Pastor Kirsty Burgu A few days ago, I posted a series of blogs that looked at the nuanced...

Explore Indigenous Christianity in Australia and the fascinating intersection of traditional beliefs and Christianity.

Explore the covert influence of cults in Australian politics. Explore the subtle yet profound ways groups shape policies and public opinion.

Discover the complex challenges of "Living Like People 2000 Years Ago" in modern society.

Explore the dark reality of cultic exploitation: Volunteer Labour and Spiritual Justifications for Abuse.

Discover the disturbing overlap between modern slavery and cult behaviours in Australia.

Discover the history behind why Australia is secular today and the influence of the Church of England. Explore the Church Act of 1836.

Explore the dark dynamics of bullying in cults and family settings. Discover the stark contrasts in legal protections and support systems.

PART 2 OF 2 Explore how social biases fuel anguish within radicalised groups and their interactions with society.