awestruck worshippers of Trump at a rally

I am one of the many millions around the world right now watching in disbelief at how America, a country once admired for all things wonderful in the world, has sank so low in the last few days that one cannot imagine it getting any worse.

Just now, a video making the rounds on the internet shows a reporter at a Donald Trump rally interviewing his supporters. One of the men asked about the new allegations claiming Trump’s sexual assaulting women. When the question was put forward to him for a comment, one of the male supporters responded simply by saying “he does not care!”. He also went on to say he also wouldn’t care if we eventually found out that Donald Trump has been lying to the American people. The same reporter proceeded to ask some of the women, thinking that as women, they might have a different view. Their response was the same but this time, used the opportunity to blame the media for brainwashing the population.

I have friends who managed to leave churches that masqueraded as cults and whose families denounced them after they left those cults and they are all too familiar with this kind of blind behaviour that Trump supporters seem to be demonstrating.

It was then I realised something, Americans need to be very careful.

Right now, It’s all too easy to focus on all the things that would destroy any chance of getting him to the White house when in fact the biggest issue could potentially be that the greatest cult leader of all could have bagged himself the largest platform to brainwash the entire world.

Serbian Radical Party chants Donald Trump

“This is a struggle for the survival of our nation. Our campaign represents a true existential threat.” So goes the style Donald trump uses to speak willfully at his Rallies — issuing apocalyptic call to arms to his supporters where in the same breath, he portrays himself as a victim of a smear by the establishment, and now the media. This is a behaviour most synonymous with cult leaders. Not once does it even occur to him that his unacceptable behaviour in that now infamous video with Billy Bush, might have something to do with his latest onslaught?

From Jim Jones to Charles Manson, the cult leader’s style has always been to portray himself as a victim fighting an establishment. A fabricated reason that only seems to makes sense to them and their followers.

Charismatic cult leader

I worry that whilst America focuses on all the other details, they fail to see the woods for the tree.

Here are 10 typical traits of a Dangerous Cult Leader, pulled from Psychology Today.

He has a grandiose idea of who he is and what he can achieve.

2. Is preoccupied with fantasies of unlimited success, power, or brilliance.

3. Requires excessive admiration from followers and outsiders.

4. Has a sense of entitlement — expecting to be treated special at all times.

5. Is arrogant and haughty in his behavior or attitude.

6. Has an exaggerated sense of power (entitlement) that allows him to bend rules and break laws.

7. Hypersensitive to how he is seen or perceived by others.

8. Publicly devalues others as being inferior, incapable, or not worthy.

9. Takes sexual advantage of members of his sect or cult.

10. Needs to be the center of attention and does things to distract others to insure that he is being noticed by overdramatic speech, or by making theatrical entrances.

Does this remind you of anyone?

As the whole world gasps at each word that escapes Trump’s mouth , Americans need to be very careful. If Donald Trump is indeed this way, then The Republicans might have just birthed a cult leader and given him the largest stage on the planet to recruit new members.