Manson Family (the Cult) PDF

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Mylenda Neal is professor...

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Serial Killers

Cults: The Manson Family (One of the most infamous cults in US history) x Who were the cult members? How did Manson change them from law-abiding citizens to ruthless murderers? Cults The term cult usually refers to a social group defined by its religious, spiritual, or philosophical beliefs, or its common interest in a particular personality, object or goal. In the sociological classifications of religious movements, a cult is a social group with socially deviant or novel beliefs and practices,[3] although this is often unclear x New Religious Movement - A new religious movement (NRM) is a religious community or spiritual group of modern origins (since the mid-1800s), which has a peripheral place within its society's dominant religious culture. NRMs can be novel in origin or part of a wider religion, in which case they are distinct from pre-existing denominations. x

Destructive Cults – unlike new religious movements, are branded as such because cult members harm and murder both members of their own cult and unsuspecting outsiders. o The Manson Family is a destructive cult o Destructive cults have 3 distinctive features: 1. Charismatic leaders – become the object of worship 2. Cult leader takes advantage of the group members and uses them for sex and financial gain 3. Thought reform – “mind control”

Manson Family – how began x He dated and stayed with Mary Brunner after released from prison in 1967 (his first follower) x Height-Ashbury District in San Francisco – hippie culture -- Manson observed and imitated this culture to recruit – concept of free love – this concept allowed Mary to let him bring more women into the home x Manson said he was a “mirror” – reflecting to the kids what they wanted to see (and hear) x The small group migrated to LA and grew exponentially larger x Manson had a knack for spotting troubled young people with malleable personalities and convincing them that he was the answer to all their problems in life (one follower said “this is what I’ve been looking for”) -- He could pretend to be whatever his followers wanted him to be x So successful in recruiting that he began to use of his male followers (like Tex Watson) to help recruit others - Had about 100 followers (25 to 35 willing to do anything for him) Tate-LaBianca Murders – Aug 9 and 10 1969 x Presurser: On July 27, 1969, Bobby Beausoleil (Manson follower) murdered music teacher and drug dealer Gary Hinman - killed over money and property that Manson claimed Hinman owed to the Family. Manson cut Hinman’s ear off with a sword. Then told Bobby “you know what to do” – Bobby killed him. (signature Manson tactic – never had to directly order members to commit murder – he could persuade them to kill and make it seem like their idea). Bobby wrote “Political Piggy” in blood on wall and stamped bloody print on wall. Manson hoped police would see print and blame murder on the Black Panthers. Bobby left a finger print – picked up by police x Bobby in jail. Manson afraid he’d talk. So, he had to create a distraction – someone rich and famous needed to die. He also needed to maintain control over the family, who believed he was a higher being

Another signature of cult leaders: lift themselves up as spiritually endowed leaders, elevated about the rest of mankind. This technique is called “Mystical Manipulation” – key element of thought reform/mind control often involves leader setting himself up as a prophet – will reference coincidences to make it look like these events are fulfillment of prophecies. Family believed Manson was a prophet. Manson’s prophecy – predicted that an apocalyptic race war known as Helter Skelter was going to commence that summer (1969) – o Named after the Beatle’s song Helter Skelter - he twisted an ordinary song into a prophecy of war. x Manson preached that during Helter Skelter African Americans would rise up against the white people who had mistreated them and murder them all. The only white people who would survive would be Manson’s family, hidden in a secret underground city in Death Valley. x Summer almost over, race war didn’t happen. Manson couldn’t let family think he was wrong (he was a divine being, and infallible – and had to keep control over them). So, maybe Manson’s family needed to instigate the war – they would commit a series of murders and get the Black Panthers to take the fall – this would force the African Americans to rise up and rebel against the government (police would then be too busy to look into the Hinman murder) x Under the influence of hundreds of trips on LSD, they believed Manson’s prophecy was real and inevitable (thought they’d soon rule over and repopulate the world) x So…on Aug 9 they were eager to do his bidding and commit murder. o He chose Tex Watson to lead - Manson manipulated Tex into thinking it was his idea o Hierarchy structure: Manson ruled first – supreme. Next, men rule women. Women obey all men – no ability to think for themselves. o Chose the house of Terry Melchor (music producer who did Manson wrong – didn’t give him a record deal) – remembered address. New occupants had to be rich. o So, Tex took 3 women members: Susan Atkins, Patricia Krenwinckle and Linda Kassabian. o All 3 women were young and vulnerable when Manson found them – looking for love, acceptance and belonging. Manson preyed on this – manipulated them with comlpliments, said were “soulmates”, etc. Then manipulated later with fear and shaming. Afraid to leave at that point. Self-worth destroyed. Did whatever told – because no will of their own. (all part of the Mind Control – shame, isolate and tell them to give up their own identity) o 3 women had no idea where they were going or that going to kill, thought stealing cars o But didn’t matter – no ability to think for themselves, just do as told. And they did. o Aug 9 – Tate Residence (Actress Sharon Tate and 4 of her friends brutally murdered, wrote PIG on door – too look like Hinman murder) o Next day, news spread, but didn’t create Helter Skelter – needed another murder o Aug 10 – LaBianca home - Same people with Leslie VanHouten this time – brutal. Carved “war” in stomach, fork into stomach, knife in neck, “Death to Pigs” and “Rise” written on wall in blood and “Helter Skelter” on fridge o Manson wanted murders connected – but police didn’t connect. So looked like he’d get away with it. x But – he and family arrested for car theft. Susan Atkins started to talk in prison about the murders – the Tate-LaBianca murders were connected. x Trial of Manson, Tex, Susan and Patricia. Manson still exhibited mind control – told girls what to say, how to act, etc. They did it. Received Death Penalty – commuted to Life with Possibility of Parole after death penalty abolished Only after in prison away from Manson did the girls start to think for themselves again. Expressed remorse. Model prisoners. x Atkins died of Cancer in 2009: Patricia still in prison – longest serving female in US History: Van Houten – up for parole (Aug 2017) – waiting to hear – may be released in 2018 if granted.

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