I've spent a lot of my life studying cults. I was born in one, we escaped when I was very young. We witnessed mass denial, magical thinking, abuse, violence.

And I just want to say for the record there is a cult gathering happening in Tulsa today.

The people saying they'd "rather die" than question the leader, the people attacking anyone who disagrees with the leader, expelling them like heretics, people lost in a bubble of misinformation which they'll defend violently.

Let's just say it's all very...familiar.

The thing about cults is the damage is as often emotional as physical. As kids we were separated from our parents and put in an orphanage.

For those asking here is an excerpt from my book published last month in Time Magazine.

It's called Hollywood Park. https://time.com/5838998/mikel-jollett-hollywood-park-synanon/

I just want to say something very clearly:

Many people at the Trump rally today will die. Even more of their vulnerable family members will die. Those are the cold hard facts of this disease.

They DO NOT DESERVE to die. They have been LIED TO. This is a disaster for everyone.

The issue is that the rally itself is life-threatening, according to disease experts everywhere.

To risk dying -- to deny basic facts of science, of sanitation -- in order to support a leader who wants you to listen to HIM instead...that's a cult. https://twitter.com/sugarplumhsmom/status/1274384737809948672?s=20