It's always complex isn't it.  Yes in the early days there must have been people who deliberately faked a smile.  Either because they were scared of being in their mind or because they were fakers themselves.

But I think many of us were like that young woman who got deprogrammed - still uncompromised and being honest about what she thought she was experiencing - I remember back then before asking questions got banned, quite a lot of the questions were new premies saying I didn't experience it, I didn't get it.  I don't feel anything for Guru Maharaji, what's wrong with me?  To which the mahatmas would reply keep on going and it will all happen.  

Then I think many of us, we sort of became compromised by all the inconsistencies in what we were believing and too busy remembering to pay attention to our breathing to even think of entertaining any doubts.  Believing without questioning - true cult members.

Um, just to circle back to health fixations - someone added caring about whether it is a natural substance or not to the list.

My personal experience direly underlines the difference.  I can eat the seaweed that msg was initially created from til the cows come home but one pinch of synthetic msg and I am catapulted to death's door.  I could go on.   well just one more - I love the smell of oranges, from their blossom to their fruit but the orange scent in cleaning products literally makes me feel faint.

The chemists have got a lot to answer for in my opinion.