Excellent, interesting, and instructive work!

I'm not a professional philosopher, but I love philosophy, I read everything I can about this science, everything I can understand.

I read this excellent piece of yours carefully, clear and easy to read.

I have highlighted this bellow passage in order to be able to ask you, if possible, for an explanation of a fact that I summarize below.

"Mystical manipulation: A well-planned emotional manipulation which appears to be spontaneous to those uninvolved in the planning of the “mystical experience.” This can include fasting, sleep deprivation, extended engagements in prayer, and speaking in tongues. The idea is to cause a spontaneous “mystical experience” in someone which was actually carefully executed and manipulated behind the scenes".

This topic and the 8 distinct markers perfectly define what happened to a young friend of ours who used to visit our house; he was, to me, like he was a nephew.

Agnostic, intelligent, with a wide cultural background, who lived in several countries; it was a delight to hear his stories, to converse with him on various subjects; about religions, he had read and studied many and concluded that all, without exception, including tribal ones, were ways for their creators, representatives or chiefs to enslave and take advantage of the fanatics who follow them.

One day, a friend of his - who I also knew - must have given him a "catechesis" and, suddenly, he appeared to me with a "book" of spiral bound typed pages from the "Book of Enoch" and suggested to me that I read, because religions are based on lies and hide the true truth (what a change, what a swerve!).

I read it, and it couldn't be anything other than a bunch of idiocy, unacceptable to anyone with a minimum of formal study, some culture and the use of reason.

Our chat about this "revelation" was difficult, as he interrupted my pondering, gathering "evidence", reciting excerpts from the true Bible, I don't know if from the Coptic Orthodox Church or the Ethiopian Orthodox Church, it seems to me that one originates from the other.

A huge sadness invaded me. But I didn't cut relations with him, I even said that we could talk about the subject other times.

What was incredible and melancholy, is that in another encounter, he "proved" to me, with Haile Selassie's ancestry story, that he was the Christ; moreover, that Armageddon had passed and the wonderful Selassie had proved it in a "memorable" meeting at the League of Nations.

He sold his house in a prosperous city, his workshops, bought a farm in a mountain, surrounded by woods, and hillbillies who live nearby; there he went, with his family, to be able to educate his children away from the hustle and bad influences of the city!

We communicate by email, What's Up and occasionally by phone; I know he does four or five fasts a year, one of forty days (!); fortunately such a religion does not recommend or allow flagellation.

He tells me what he does, how he is raising his children.

As far as I can see and understand, he is very cheerful and happy.

Other snippets I highlighted:

"or are you already a member and this it's too late for you?".

Is it too late for him?

"It is the intrinsic values ​​of Fascism or Communism in the extremes that make them feel justified killing each other. Except for the elements of cult beliefs that the systems share, they are diametrically opposed systems".

Yes, religions also justify the killings, tortures of individuals and barbaric wars.

Congratulations and thanks for posting it!

And, thank you so much for following me; I don't understand your reason, but I'm very honored.