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helpme2times
Carol, I read all about your experiences with The Way AND your very difficult health challenges. My heart goes out to you for all you've been through and I applaud your strenuous efforts to find healing and even wellness.
Also I can deeply relate to quite a few things you shared about yourself. I'd rather not be specific about that. (At least not at this time.)
Ye gods, I didn't have one long cult experience as you did, but I did become involved with two different cults for much shorter periods of time. I lasted no more than a year with either group. The involvements occurred approx. 15 years apart.
Oh, and then I nearly got sucked into the "school" of Byron Katie.
I might not be alive now if that had happened. Suicide was looking very good to me around a year ago.
Regards,
H
Hi H...
I had a post I had typed prior to the "I forgot to mention Lalich..." post. Since it didn't show up, I'll try to recompose it. And if it appears, apologies for the double post.
Thanks for the kind words, and for taking time to read all that stuff. I really do understand about the not being "specific" and about what you stated in the other thread regarding "weird/icky things ended up happening" behind the scenes with true believers. I didn't many to cause any discomfort with my question; my apologies if I did.
As far as the length of time of involvement, I look at my time in The Way as a slow chronic illness. There were some very good times as well, and I believe many of those were genuine. A few months after I left, I got very involved with an anti-Way online forum. It was helpful, but I experienced some similar stuff as had happened in The Way. I look at that short-time experience (a little over a year) like a car wreck. My point is, regardless of the time spent, both chronic illness and car wrecks are damaging. Car wrecks can be much worse!!
One man I discoursed last year had endured horrible abuse at a religious boarding school. He stated, "Comparing abuses is like comparing the levels of hell and Dante already did that." I have a tendency to minimize my experiences and not fully honor them, though I am learning! I think I'll always remember that statement from that man. {I'm not stating you are minimizing anything, just something that I've dealt with... :-) }
I'm glad you are still with us!!! Suicide brushes/ideation are a living hell. I've learned to maneuver when I get that low, thankfully those times are much, much farther apart and fewer; hopefully gone forever! *thumbsup*
Thanks again H!
In hope,
~carol :-)
I tend to oppose protecting the guilty. ~Fred Poole