After watching the Republican National Convention, I wondered if what America witnessed was a cult in full scale during prime-time television. The Trump family and the Republicans that preached the good book of American Trumpism was in some cases a representation of what many would consider a full-bore cult society.

The lack of political correctness and social empathy encompassed this convention with all the pageantry of the stars and stripes of our American flag. Americans watched this show like a train wreck, hard to look away, and also hard to believe our fellow Americans will swallow this rhetoric like apple pie.

Steven Hassan, an ex-member of the Sun Myung Moon cult in the 1970s, "defines cults along a continuum of what he calls ethical or unethical influence. There can be cults where people know what they're getting into and have access to alternative opinions and are free to leave without threats. That's what you might call an ethical cult.

And then on the unethical side, some cults are essentially based on authoritarian pyramid structures, usually with somebody at the top that claims to have total power and total wisdom, and they use deception in recruitment, which is crucial."

Well, there is the rub, see the Republicans do have the ability to walk away from their party, change their direction, and vote their conscience. Yet at the same time, President Trump makes it difficult and at times ruins a person's political career if they make that choice.

Also, Trump has on more than one occasion stated that he alone is the only one who can save this country from the ills of society. He denies anyone or anything that contradicts his beliefs, whether it is religious, political, scientific, or medical opinions. He focuses on only one positive such as the stock market, while the country is in another depression akin to the first depression in the 1930s.

People are dying by the thousands daily and he insists that "It is what it is," and his efforts have saved millions from their demise. Never giving the praise and respect to the local governments that stepped up and took charge when his task force looked for ways to make money from the pandemic.

What is important to understand is there are religious organizations that are focusing their efforts on Trump because of his undefined charismatic nature. His tell-tale narcissistic nature draws people in because they need a leader. He has no redeeming qualities as far as true religion represents. He is of oneself centered religion of prosperity to oneself alone at the cost of others.

For whatever it is worth, I do not practice a religion. I was baptized Catholic and received my first holy communion, however after my father ran off with a woman half his age, my parents divorced and my mother by no fault of her own was excommunicated from the Catholic church. From that point on my mother left our choices on religion for us to make. She was heartbroken, yet she quietly practiced her faith outside the church walls.

So how do we stop a cult from growing? Some say people with little faith or in need of a higher power will be drawn to a cult leader. That it is our human nature to find good in someone to accept his faults or flaws if it fits the person's need for existence. The media as well as politicians, from local to state and national arenas have to provide everyone the knowledge for making a democratic choice. Not by bullying or scare tactics but teaching that they have a choice in this election. Their voice will be heard and their needs for acknowledgment will be satisfied if they use tools like voting to make the change needed for our democracy.