This Traumatic Cult Documentary Is Now Streaming
I have long been fascinated by the psychology behind religious cults. I’m intrigued by what makes a person susceptible to joining a cult and equally so by what leads a person to become a cult leader. Today’s documentary recommendation Holy Hell gives viewers an inside look at the Buddhafield cult that formed in the 1980s and continues (in some form) to this day.
The Buddhafield cult doesn’t have a violent ending like the Jonestown massacre or the Heaven’s Gate cult. But that’s not to say this story isn’t horrifying in its own right. Leader Jaime Gomez ruled his flock through stone-cold manipulation, thought control, and brainwashing. The further you get into the doc, the more of a monster Gomez is revealed to be. He took multiple names as he ascended to guru status. But for the sake of simplicity, I will just call him by his actual name.
Perhaps the most surprising aspect of Holy Hell is that it is directed by a former cult member. Will Allen was a follower of Gomez for multiple decades and served as the group’s videographer. Accordingly, he has years of footage to go along with the story he’s telling.
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Allen delves into the psychology around what makes a person susceptible to joining a cult, which is quite fascinating. I’ve always been troubled by the idea that almost anyone could find themselves vulnerable to a cult (or cult-like organization) under the right circumstances. It’s terrifying to think that a perfect storm of conditions might render you or me vulnerable to being preyed upon. It has happened to doctors, lawyers, and the like. And that distinction makes it all the more troublesome. No amount of education can save a person when they are convinced they don’t need to be saved. On that basis, I was completely riveted by Holy Hell. Getting to go deep inside the mind of former cult members is nothing short of fascinating.
What stood out to me about the previous cult members profiled in Holy Hell is that they all seemed to be searching for something more. Something more out of life. We’ve all been there. Many of us are there now. But the film serves as an evergreen reminder that one should never allow their quest for more to override their common sense. Once you stop listening to your inner voice of reason, you render yourself dangerously susceptible to the power of suggestion.
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The doc serves to remind what a powerful tool the human mind is. Hearing firsthand accounts from former cult members recalling hallucinations triggered by what they believed to be a heightened state of consciousness is almost incomprehensible. But the fact remains that a person that wants to believe something badly enough will find a way to make it their reality. However, the level of delusion experienced by the Buddhafield cult members is staggering to take in.
Gomez had such a high level of compliance from his disciples that he was able to influence some of his young, male followers to engage in sexual congress with him. Adding insult to injury, he would charge them $50 for a ‘therapy’ session. But the session would end with him coercing the men into unwanted sexual contact. It’s hard to believe he was able to get away with that.
But this was no accident. He was very calculated. Every move was deliberate. He preyed upon people looking for more out of life. And he took advantage of their quest for meaning. He would get their total devotion by alienating devotees from friends and family. Gomez also used his background as a hypnotherapist to exert a deeper level of control over his followers. He would use their susceptibility to convince them he was acting in their best interests, when in reality, he was serving a selfish agenda.
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It’s truly horrifying to see and hear all the ways in which the cult members lost their sense of self. Each of them ceased to exist for any reason other than serving their master. They literally viewed their leader as a god on earth and took everything he said as gospel.
The disciples endured fat shaming and were told to undergo plastic surgery, terminate pregnancies, and so much more. He didn’t like members to think for themselves. His stance is that thinking inhibits spiritual growth. But I think the primary concern is that he doesn’t want his followers to have thoughts of their own.
While Gomez is a despicable person, the profile of the hold he has over his disciples is absolutely fascinating. The doc is difficult to endure but it’s a compelling look at the psychology behind religious cults. If you are as intrigued by the subject as I am, you are likely to find Holy Hell to be a captivating experience. As of the publication of this post, you can find the doc streaming for free (with ads) on Tubi, Peacock, and Plex.
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