Church Universal and Triumphant, Elizabeth Clare Prophet, and the Gregory Mull Trial: A Review of the Coercive Persuasion Model
As part of a panel discussion, I will be presenting information on the application of coercive persuasion (and thought reform) models to Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT) during the 1986 trial of CUT v. Gregory Mull. Questions such as whether members of the group have agency and whether the church ever implemented a program of thought reform, mind control or coercive persuasion will be addressed. I will also discuss my own experience in leaving Church Universal and Triumphant as well as my experiences attending the trial and specific evidence presented. The panel will then discuss the presentation and various viewpoints and means of interpreting the material, as well as future directions for research.