Quote
Stoic
It wouldn't have been Joe though.
Joe was under pressure to prove himself to the Apostle, it would have been presented, deceptively, as a life/death decision for Joe--his continued life in the group hung on whether or not he could produce what the Apostle demanded--which is always cash.
Joe had severed ties to his family, he had made that 'decision' persuaded by whatever claptrap the Apostle had been feeding him since the first contact.
Joe had nowhere to go back to so, since he had little worldly experience and was by now dependent on the Apostle for 'continued life' (the Apostle had usurped the parental role) he has to strive mightily to keep on the Apostle's 'good side' by doing his bidding--whatever that is.
The Apostle rules and manipulates through fear and young people have natural fears--they know they are not equipped to handle the adult world alone.
Orphan ducks will follow the first moving thing they see--as a parental figure. People in a fear situation do the same--they follow the voice of authority--whatever that voice says-- because it is better than the dreadful paralysis of fear and panic of being alone.
It wasn't Joe. It was the Apostle working Joe the way a puppeteer works a marionette.
Yes, Joe like every other Jesus Christian mirrors ''Wanker Extraordinaire Dave McKay''. If you've spoken to one you've spoken to them all. If Joe Johnson isn't a brainwashed cult victim then I really don't know who is. Joe represents everything that's bad about the JCs cult. Anyone who wants to find out if the JCs are a cult only needs to read the Joe Johnson story. Once they read that they'll find their answer.