I had a really strange experience and now I have gone down a google rabbit hole and I just don't know where to turn

Months ago, I went to an event at a local "gathering place"(??????). It was supposed to be a community event, at least that's what it was billed as, like a potluck dinner with music after. It was at this guy's house but he owns a ton of land thats like a public park and has a big house so he invited me over... we knew each other online mostly, Ive run into him here and there at a few places and so we kind of know each others faces. I went because I am new to town and I like making new friends and I love music and he made it seem like it was just a casual gathering of friends, those were the words he used.
Except it was weird. There were only a handful of people there and he asked strange questions and this woman came out and talked to us about envisioning our best self and trying to be "global" in a "local world" and building community and tolerance and honestly most of it went whoosh right over my head but I was uncomfortable all the while I was there. I tried to leave but they were all so weirdly forceful? about me staying while still being really polite and in the end I texted me friend and he called me and pretended to have an emergency and I left.

I felt strange afterwards for a while, something was rubbing my brain the wrong way so I googled the guys name and it turns out he used to live at these cult headquarters out in the berkshires and he worked for them.

What do I do? Not go back, of course, but like what do I do other than that?

This sounds serious, that you had to get help from a friend to leave
a social gathering.

To keep an adult from leaving what was billed as a social gathering - that's a human rights violation. It is illegal. You are not making a big thing out of nothing.

If this is how you're treated during recruitment, imagine the potential trouble for anyone
who is a member of this weird outfit.

but what do I do? Theres people I like who are going to events there

That's really difficult for you. It sounds like you live in a small community and some of your friends, or people who potentially could become friends, are in a cult. Just be very, very careful.

You could try to warn people, but if you don't know them very well, they might take your concerns the wrong way. It's not easy. I would probably just avoid these people as much as possible. It's safer.

If you can see these people outside of the leader's house and have good one-on-one conversations with them in a social setting, then just do that.... But beware, they will probably try to get you to go back to the leader's property with them. The more time you spend with them, the harder it will be to resist their insistence.

Cult members can be very, very friendly, very caring, compassionate people who show a lot of interest in you and make you feel special. But that is just the tip of the iceberg.... They will turn on you in a second and be vicious towards you if you criticise their leader or their beliefs.

They do not listen to reason and reasoning with them is quite pointless. They parrot certain phrases over and over again... And they have certain unusual words that they like to use... Words that are particular to their cult.

They try to monopolise your time and energy, too.

Please be careful.