Writing in LORE magazine, George Ulrich had this to say about masks:
One of the most important things that masks do is transform the identity of the wearer, and changing identity is not the same thing as transforming it … They permit us to replace one reality with another [and, while in place] have the ability to conceal, change, or transform the "person" behind the image into something or someone else other than who we are.
The change of identity that a mask produces is always only superficial and temporary. Although the change can be a radical one, there is no profound transformation of the person behind the mask. When the mask is removed, the person is seen to have remained unchanged—the wearer has not been transformed by the mask at any deeper, intrinsic level.
Think of any of the masked characters of the screen: Zoro, Superman, Batman … even Ned Kelly! They all don their mask in order to enter into another role—mostly the very opposite to their natural selves. So we witness the ultra-conservative Bruce Wayne changed behind his mask into the outlandish super-hero, Batman. But Wayne remains untransformed. When the mask is removed, he returns to his former conservative self and life-style.
Masks are sometimes worn to conceal aspects of a person’s appearance that are considered undesirable—or ugly. In the Phantom of the Opera, the phantom wears a mask to conceal his horrific facial scars. His mask also affords an aura of mystique. But it fails to transform him. As his captive Christine discovers, with mask on or off, the phantom remains intrinsically the same. Burglars and thugs also hide behind masks in an attempt to conceal their physical appearance and identity. But once again, although the mask changes their appearance for a time, there is no transformation of their true self. And then, sadly, as Michelle Britton bears out in her poem (below), many ordinary people don invisible masks in their unsuccessful attempts to shield themselves from others:
Masks can serve a variety of purposes—from serious to frivolous and their use generally causes very little reason for concern. However, when a mask is used by one person in order to deceive others, its use is then illegitimate and dangerous. A person wearing such a ‘mask of deception’ has the capability of inflicting a great deal of mischief, pain and damage onto others and also, upon themselves. Nowhere is this more clearly evident than in the ‘masks of deception’ worn by cult leaders and their members.
Have you seen the ‘plastic smiles’ sported by those who are used to promote a commercial cult? Every page of their glossy brochures present physically ‘near-perfect’ men and women who, through dazzling smiles and sparkling eyes, promise all sorts of rewards accompanying a purchase of the products they advertise—and even more, if you sign up as a distributor/member! Can their products really produce such smiles and glamour? Or, is it just a mask of deception? And what about exposed and cornered religious cult leaders who, as they inwardly squirm in discomfort, manage to portray a super-slick, super-calm façade? They too, are very adept at slipping behind their masks of deception?
Then, there are those whom you meet on the street corner or who come to your door offering to share with you ‘the truth’ they have found. Is it possible that these nice, clean-cut, neatly dressed, ‘sincere’ men and women might also be hiding behind masks of deception? Sad to say, it certainly is possible and, more often than not, the invisible ‘mask’ you are seeing is concealing a very different face underneath. As one former cult member shared:
No matter how I felt. No matter even if I felt that I wanted to burst into tears, I always had to present myself as having it all together—after all, I had ‘the truth’ and life must be wonderful, always wonderful, ‘in the truth’! So I would put on my mask, smile and say all the right things. No-one ever knew that I felt very different to how I looked.
Such personal accounts as this are repeated over and over by former cult members as they recall their inner struggles and the masks of deception they hid behind in order to conceal their struggles from others. But, you may be wondering: How do they get into this situation. After all, no one makes them wear masks of deception—do they? They choose to live like that—don’t they? If they’re so unhappy, why don’t they just quit it instead of play-acting like that? Why don’t they just put away the masks and get on with life out of the group? Well, let’s examine each of the above questions and address the assumptions:
* How do they get into this situation?
The ways people get involved with a cult group are as numerous as the number of cults that are around. But, basically, they find themselves ensnared in this situation over time. It is a process wherein they are led to make choices based on the information that the groups’ leaders make available to them. Over time, through ‘study’ programs, meetings/seminars and other disciplines, cult members are trained to think and behave in certain ways that are acceptable to the group—and they are aware that there are punishments for failing to do so! As a result, over time, they lose their individuality and begin to behave with a group mentality, finally living as ‘clones’ of the group’s ideals. By this time, unbeknown to them, the masks are firmly in place!
* No one makes them wear masks of deception
It’s true that no-one physically forces them to wear masks of deception. It’s a learnt behaviour that is unwittingly adopted by the new convert and then subtly reinforced by the cult leader/s over time. The reality is: until the mask is removed, cult members are oblivious to the fact that they are living with such masks on! The teaching, reinforcement and control in a cult is so sophisticated and insidious. Ask any cult member about the masks they wear and they will adamantly deny that they even exist. No-one makes them wear masks but every cult member subconsciously knows that, to survive, they must wear them!
* They choose to live like that—don’t they?
I always find the best answer to this question is given by those who were once living ‘like that.’ As any former cult member will readily admit, they never chose to live in a state of deception and they never chose to live in a state of emotional and mental anguish. Yet, that’s where they found themselves! They were victims and they were trapped—choice didn’t even come into it until they began to realise something was wrong and began to question things. Then, they were faced with the choice to either remain living ‘like that’ or to make a break. That’s a choice that is never an easy one to make!
* Why don’t they just quit it … put away the masks and get on with life?
Again, because they are victims of cult deception and manipulation. The cost of ‘quitting’—spiritually, emotionally and psychologically—can be too daunting to entertain until they become clearly convinced that they are being deceived and manipulated. The masks have become their ‘norm’. Until a cult member realises that they can safely ‘put away the masks’ and squarely face their own doubts about the group, they cannot ‘get on with life’—In fact, until they can do this, to them the group is life and there is no life outside of it! To ‘quit’ the group is to step into certain destruction. As one former cult member put it:
Everything was always so black or white—good or evil. The only good was in the group. Everyone and everything outside of it was evil. To leave the group equaled leaving everything that was good and going back to evil. There was no middle-ground, no possibility of staying in with God and being saved unless we remained in the group. And that’s why we always wore this mask—that everything is wonderful in the group—you would never have dared to indicate it was anything otherwise!
How Can We Help Them Remove Their Masks?
In her poem, Michelle Britton provides us with a clue:
… inside I’m dying. Need someone to talk to. Understanding.
None comes. So I hide. Hide behind masks.
We need to be aware that, behind the smile, the cult member we are speaking with may well be ‘dying inside.’ Inside, behind the ‘I’ve got it all together’ mask, they may desperately ‘need someone to talk to’—someone who will listen with understanding and compassion. In Matthew 9:36 we read:
When [Jesus] saw the crowds, he had compassion on them, because they were harassed and helpless, like sheep without a shepherd.
At the hands of the self-preserving religious leaders of the day, the people were being abused spiritually. Those who sought to worship God, were burdened with all manner of religious works and obligations, way beyond what God required of them. They were helpless, reeling through life like sheep without a shepherd. Jesus understood their plight and he came to them with an invitation:
Come to me, all you who are weary and burdened, and I will give you rest. Take my yoke upon you and learn from me, for I am humble in heart, and you will find rest for your souls. For my yoke is easy and my burden is light.—Matthew 11:28-30
Michelle Britton tells us that those who hide behind masks are slowly dying inside. They have a desperate need to talk with someone who will listen with understanding.
In Phantom of the Opera, there is a scene in which the captive Christine tears the mask from the phantom’s face. As his heinous features are laid bare, his reaction to her is violent. As he attempts to hide his scarred face in his hands, he turns on her in an outburst of rage. Although Christine is clearly the victim in this scene, somehow, a sense of pity wells up throughout the audience for the Phantom. Of course, this is theatre. It’s fantasy. However, I have to admit that, as I reflect on the ways Christians at times describe their encounters with cult members—gloating over their verbal victory as they sought to ‘set them straight,’ I can’t help compare the scene! Too often I hear of a lot more ‘preaching at’ them than listening to them with understanding and compassion.How different this is to the way Christ met the needs of the people around him. As we saw above, Jesus was moved with compassion for them—he even wept for them (Luke 19:41 cf 13:34). He is One who understands our every struggle and who came to set us free (John 8:32, 36). He is the One who stands up for the voiceless and brings freedom to the prisoners and release to the oppressed (Luke 4:18). Yes, Jesus spoke out against the abusive, manipulative religious leaders of his day but, he reached out, with compassion and understanding, to the people under their control and he said to them: ‘Come to me ...’ Can you be the person who is there for those who live behind the masks; to meet their need and listen to them with understanding?
There is only one way we can do this and that is by knowing Christ ourselves—having a personal relationship with Him and having personally experienced the life-transforming power of His Spirit. Because then it is, as the apostle Paul declares, we no longer live, but Christ lives in us! (2 Cor. 13:5; Gal. 2:20) And, as Christ lives out His life in us, we reflect His nature. We bear the fruit of His Holy Spirit (Gal. 5:22-23) and we are enabled to express His love, compassion and understanding toward all others. Only Jesus can set people free and, for the purposes of this article, that translates as: only Jesus can remove the masks people hide behind.
But. since Jesus uses people to accomplish His work, as instruments in His hands, you and I can be the person who is there for others; to meet their need and listen to them with understanding. We can be instrumental in their masks being removed and in assisting them to begin again to make the right choices in their life.
So, the next time you meet the people hiding ‘behind the masks,’ instead of attempting to lever the mask off them—in your own strength and wisdom—why not share what it means for you to know Jesus and to have Him living in you. Boldly trust the testimony you have of Christ’s love for you and share this with them. Don’t argue with them—just lovingly share the love of Jesus with them. And let the Holy Spirit do the rest! Then, as you win their trust you may be blessed to meet the person behind the mask!