I did say that Labour operates like a religious movement, not a political party
The pseudo-liberals might feel offended at the suggestion that Muscat’s organisation drew them in and held them using exactly the same principles of psychology and behaviour as a religious cult.
The emphasis on ‘movement’ as distinct from political party is part of this.
So is the artificial build-up of Muscat’s persona.
This is a religious movement, and make no mistake about it.
Joseph Muscat has built his image around that of American religious cult leaders.
That Labour operates as a religious movement has been clear to me for a couple of years now. Its recruitment of new converts was exactly like that of the big cult movements of the 1970s and, more latterly, the Catholic ‘prayer meeting’ movements that became so huge over the last few years.
Individuals are sent out to target others, with the targets identified at planning meetings. But instead of Fishing for Jesus, they Fished for Joseph.
But it was only this evening that it struck me that Muscat himself is modelled not on political leaders, but on religious cult leaders. I had just been watching a few videos of American ‘Bible’ leaders at their big meetings in convention-halls, and then I watched Muscat and Engerer under their tent in Mqabba.
Muscat gave his rousing speech, like the best of the Bible leaders. Then he embraced the Sinner (Engerer) and publicly absolved him with his acceptance.
Then the Sinner spoke of his persecution and that of his family because of his love for the new religion. He vowed to remain a disciple and to Fish Hard for Joseph.
The congregation applauded, mesmerised, but stopped short of shouting ‘Hallelujah!’
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By defending convicted criminal Cyrus Engerer, Joseph Mucat is showing that he is only prepared to defend “lil tal-qalba,” and he will do anything to do so.
Joseph Muscat is showing no respect towards the victim of Cyrus’s crime, and to victims of internet pornography in general.
Around the world, there have been cases of suicide committed after revenge porn was posted or circulated on the internet.
How can Muscat be credible about cyber bullying, for instance?
Muscat is being totally insensitive to victims of homophobia with the use of porn revenge and the use of threats in court to discourage them from continuing with their case to seek justice against their aggressors.
Rather than siding with the real victims, Muscat is siding with convicted criminals.
Consider the wise warning of G.K. Chesterton: “When people stop believing in God, they don’t believe in nothing — they believe in anything.”
People will always need to believe in something or someone. The current ‘craze’, which is now fading away, is the above. Pity they failed to sing Kumbaya while holding hands and looking up towards the moon or planet Cyrus2.
Who knows, maybe Joseph will promise them the arrival of that big spaceship that will lift them up from the roof of the 4th floor and save them all from a dying planet occupied by the nasty Nazzjonalisti.
Most would say that what that sign says is preferable to having Cyrus behind you.
A nation prone to self-mutilation through the ballot sheet and stuck in a loop of mediocrity and retrogression.
In this situation we are all doomed.
Convicted criminal Cyrus Engerer is now a Grand Member of the Xirka tas-Suldati tal-Azzar tal-Generalissimo Dottor Joseph Muscat.
This means that the PN has to treat Labour as political Moonies.
A true taghna ilkoll martyr. Now please off with his head so that tomorrow we’ll chant together santo subito. Long live Joseph. Hallelujah.
Spot on, you amaze me Daphne. You have outstanding analytical skills, in this case psychoanalytical.
Oh did I see that.
Cyrus had tears in his eyes as Muscat related how the poor thing was persecuted the moment he saw the light.
That which others feared, to remain seated ‘rashom baxxuta’, (dramatic pause), the Moviment kattar fostna.
Messianic is an understatement.
X’nista’ ngħidlek, Daphne. Prosit kemm int tajba. Ma stajtx iġġib il-boċċa eqreb lejn il-likk.
Naħseb li tul il-25 sena li kienu fil-gvern in-Nazzjonalisti, dak li kien qed jagħmel, jistudja kif se jimmanipula lis-segwaċi tiegħu u lill-oħrajn biex iressaqhom lejh ħalli jkollu merħla kbira tiġri warajh.
U rnexxielu ma’ ħafna għax naħseb li jekk jgħid li sejjer jaqbeż jagħmlu bħan-nagħaġ ta’ Bendu jaqbżu kollha warajh. Imma kemm hawn mzazen jaħasra.
Zomm kalm Cyrus ahna warajk.
U zgur li warajh. Ara tissograwx toqghodu quddiemu.
Joseph saves. He took us out of the Kastig desert and lay a banquet of two cents in the litre before us. He reads to us from the Duminku Testment and washes our sins away. Let us rejoice.
Exactly. And it’s an ‘Us” versus “Them” world–where truth and rationality and justice become the enemy of those with their hands on the controls of political power and pseudo-religious fervor.
I agree totally with you on this one as well. In fact I believe we will soon follow China and have a state religion as well.
The way he is behaving towards the Catholic Church is on those lines. Look at the despicable way he treated the Vatican’s invite to the canonization of the popes, the agreement reached on state marriage and the forceful way he is bringing in laws that defy the church teachings.
The people are so gullible. It is incredible that after a year of divisiveness and outright corruption he is able to draw a crowd.
This is madness.
‘Ahna warajk.’
Hmmmm….
So true! Many played the moviment tune to feel “in and cool” without hardly realising what’s going on.
Others went to great lengths to explain the characteristics of the movement.
“Ahna nemmnu f’ moviment u mhux necceserjament f’ struttura ta’ partit tradizzjonali”
“Il-partiti huma s- soluzzjoni tal- bierah”
“Huwa l- programm ta’ Muscat li jikkatalizza dan il- moviment”
“Ahna ma noboghdu lil hadd”
These comments are from Robert Musumeci’s Facebook over the past year. At the time I used to think that they were pure propaganda. After reading your article, I think that we are in for serious repercussions.
Interesting. The appeal to blind faith rather than reason because faith does not command critical evaluation.
This morning Mark Sammut posts the following:
http://markanthonysammut.blogspot.com/2014/05/a-revengeful-of-steel-elevated-to-by.html
Spot on! Now how do you counter that?
Joseph Muscat’s worst enemy is time.
Time reveals all. Time catches up. Time exposes each scam for what it is.
Joseph Muscat will be seeking to manipulate time and pre-empt it.
Time around issues would need to be made to stand still for long enough to collect the detail and work on it meticulously.
The scam merchant’s success is when he can hover on from scam to scam unhindered and uncontested.
The flurry, chaos, distraction and confusion is planted to help him along.
Terminology planted by him used by all ascertains that the playing field is his.
Refuse to adopt his terminology. Refuse to use his idiotic expressions.
Recognise that jibes of negativity are a deflection.
The false positivity high they are on can last a decade before the facades crumble enough.
Constantly bring up the scams of the past.
Retain the links between scams and expose them: – Joseph Muscat will try and keep them separate so that the failure of one will not domino the others. But there will always be a link – kept hidden – and incognito so that no one can trace this “mastermind scam designer.”
And so that Joseph Muscat can always lay the blame at someone else’s feet.
In that way, until time manages to catch up with him, he will always be chopping the heads off others without compunction.
Use and lose.
His bluff needs to be called time and time again.
Until that moment where time stands still for him and all the blame is at his feet.
Spot on, Daphne!
My feelings exactly. They are concocting something these two. Two vicious, spiteful vipers mesmerizing the people.
The level of ignorance on these islands is unbelievable.
Aren’t these people able to think for themselves? Don’t they have any principles?
And does Cyrus Engerer have absolutely no shame? On the day he was found guilty and sentenced for such a vengeful and spiteful criminal act, he goes and addresses a political activity. I would have expected the people there to stand up and leave and not listen and worse, applaud to his words.
And that buffoon Joseph Muscat baptises him a soldier of steel. I cannot believe how low these people can stoop. At this rate the centre of the earth will soon be within reach.
As the saying goes, hope is the last to die, and I sincerely hope that those with a little grey matter are able to see this for what it is.
I am a follower of your blog and although not always in agreement with your comments, many a time I find it an eye-opener and quite revealing.
However, I feel that comparing the PL with Catholic Prayer Groups is stretching it too far. I have personal experience of these local prayer groups and can confirm that my spiritual experience has been enriched and my life has turned for the better thanks to these prayer groups. So please Daphne I suggest you stick to the political situation in Malta where you so bravely expose values alien to our culture.
[Daphne – Your explanation illustrates the point, Mrs Vella. It is the recruitment and retaining methods I am talking about. The nature of the actual religion is irrelevant. You will notice that I also mentioned Bible leaders in America. The methods are the same right across the spectrum. It is not the actual religion that makes you feel good, but the sense of belonging and the support of others who are welcoming and forgiving. You find that in Catholic prayer groups. Others have clearly found that in Labour’s ‘prayer meetings’.]
@L.Vella
Daphne refers to cults, not prayer groups.
exactly!
Żommu Kalmi Lkoll. Ħadd mhu warajkom.
Sorry, but that Joe Demicoli of Banana Republic, Super One Radio, had already seen all of this coming in 2008.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=olX30mx515Y
That’s insight for you.
Daphne, you are simply brilliant, “Hallelujah”