Quote
zelig
Another real issue Shanti, is the protection of the children of former diciples involved. I refuse to mention names, unless they are public figures. It's true that JG is immune to criticism because he is delusional, but no one knows what his current crop of followers may do. Everyone has a different experience of the group and everyone has a right to privacy, especially the children born into the group who are now in their early 30's and younger. For some ex-diciples, it is a matter of embarassment, not fear or hurt. Some may have become public figures themselves and do not want their stupid past to be exposed.
"It's true that JG is immune to criticism because he is delusional, but no one knows what his current crop of followers may do"
So what does that mean? Should we be afraid of his current crop of followers? Please do not misunderstand, I'm not being sarcastic at all, I [u:813e47d830]really am just asking your opinion[/u:813e47d830]. If we criticize Chris, they will be watching these post & come after us? If that is true, or even a possibility, then we shouldn't be posting any thing at all. I don't think my intention of posting here was to simply bash Chris...but to share my own personal experience of being his diciple. And no, it's not just mere sentiment, as someone suggested. Now I am being very serious: if anyone who is posting here has knowledge of, or even suspects that we or our families are in "danger" by doing this...they should speak up...ASAP. I personally have not taken that seriously...but, perhaps I should be???
Re: the children, I totally agree. I know my children who were around all this DO NOT particularly want it to be common knowledge that either they were subject to all this, or that their parents were. It's not a part of their past that they readily share with friends, boyfriends / girlfriends, co-workers etc. First off, they feel if someone wasn't involved they would never truly understand, and just think them wacko! It has become like the classic family skeleton in the closet. Once explanations were given to my children when they asked about certain things: events, time-lines etc...for my family anyway, it is not a subject of discussion any longer...hasn't been for many years.
You bring up a good point:
" For some ex-diciples, it is a matter of embarassment, not fear or hurt. Some may have become public figures themselves and do not want their stupid past to be exposed."
I guess I had not really considered the embarrassment factor. I think I see my own self, at least in part, as a sum total of my experiences & what I learned from them. But I am not in public life, (for example) and if I were, I may very well not want this part of my varied past to be subject of conversation, or to be thought "less of" because of it, or criticized because of it.
Again, I think we all have to think, react, & come to terms with all this in whatever way makes us comfortable & okay. Let sleep dogs lie, may work the best for lots of ex-diciples. It has for me for a long time! I just happened across this forum... The post I saw seemed so honest & open...and I was very tempted in jump right in. Like...oh my god, ex-Chris diciples are REALLY talking about him & their experiences! This I had never seen before. Of course, I'd never looked for it either.
I guess a big question is: what can we accomplish by doing this?
Give an outlet for people to vent about that experience? Give people an opportunity to perhaps find lost friends? Give out information to perhaps inform someone that's considering becoming a diciple of Chris' ?
What is the greater purpose and good of this forum? I thought I understood a couple days ago, now I'm not so sure. Comments please.