Hi

I have been using this forum in a differnt topic for a while, and under a different name. Actaully under two different names at seperate times because the cult that I was a part of found out that I was writting on this site and came to my home each time to tell me to stop. The first time I was :shock: I could not believe that they were actually doing that becasue it seemed so drastic and frankly it seemed crazy. The second time, I kind of expected it and did not even open my door. I called the police and explained the entire situation to them, the officer advised me not to speak to them and to always call them first if ever approached by them again.

Having said all of that, it is clear to me that the main problem with cults is not the collective group it is the individual people. It is the responsibility of each individual, starting from the charasmatic (often crazy) leader, all the way down to the new inducti who has just accepted an invitation to join a meeting. I have started to realize that there is no magic behind all the smoke and mirrors, it is all an illusion. We have a responsibility to control our actions, our minds and especially our words. I realize now that I can not blame the people in the group that I was involved in any longer. It is not their fault because it was not their responsibility, it was mine, and looking at it clearly I realize that they are suffering. They have the burden of pretending, of manipulating, of lying, and worse of all they have the burden of prooving that their way is the way to the truth. It is a heavy and a hard burden, I know because I carried it for a while.

And now I am free. It is really nice! I am coming back to myself now. The first thing I realized was a change in the way I looked at the world. I am once again looking at all people regardless of their faiths or religions with respect again. I am once again not simply tolerating people. My heart is opening up again to people of all beliefs, and ways of life. I feel humble about my beliefs again, I am not judgmental now. I hear my own thoughts again, and pray in my own vioce, and speak with my own words. The funny thing is that I once thought of my self as the greatest of all sinners, some one so terrible, that feeling never went away while in the cult, but now that feeling is gone. I have finally forgiven myself, leaving the cult has taught me to take back the reigns of my life from fear, shame, and hate.

Has anyone questioned themselves, I mean has anyone asked themself what was really going on inside of them that made it ok to be a part of a cult. I do, and I am not sure if I have answered my question fully. I want to know what it is in me that facilitated my involvment in this group, and is it healed so that I will not be succeptable any more. Any one else struggling with that?

Thanks
meme

What other names have you used on this message board?

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truthseeker7777
Hi
Having said all of that, it is clear to me that the main problem with cults is not the collective group it is the individual people. It is the responsibility of each individual, starting from the charasmatic (often crazy) leader, all the way down to the new inducti who has just accepted an invitation to join a meeting. ........Has anyone questioned themselves, I mean has anyone asked themself what was really going on inside of them that made it ok to be a part of a cult. I do, and I am not sure if I have answered my question fully. I want to know what it is in me that facilitated my involvment in this group, and is it healed so that I will not be succeptable any more. Any one else struggling with that?

TS:

Sorry you were harrassed by your group. My family was harrassed in response to my posts. Glad you've not been silenced! They'll eventually give up, when they find their tactics no longer work on you.

Yes, we need to be careful and notice con-artists - good point.
However, please be careful of "blame the victim" approach.
Psychological and neurological research demonstrate the human brain will respond to stimuli, under the right conditions, to reform thinking patterns and behaviors.

You might appreciate the following:

[www.culteducation.com]

[www.culteducation.com]

And Recovery:

[www.culteducation.com]

(tks, Rick for ALL)

thanks toni

it is comforting to know that

Quote

the human brain will respond to stimuli, under the right conditions, to reform thinking patterns and behaviors.

and to answer the moderator my other names where max29 and truthseeker777, which are both closed now. I went in and changed the email to a bogus one which deactivated my user names.

Truthseeker: i'm really glad to read that you are free.

i am not a present or former cult member and i don't have a degree in psychology or anything like that, but i have been reading, just out of my own peculiar general interest, about cults for 30 years. And i want to join with the other post to ask you not to blame yourself for being "fooled" - though i do think it's right and sensible for you to try to understand how it happened.

but the purpose of my post is to point out that i've found from my reading that alot of "high-quality", intelligent folks get hooked into cults. I discovered this in reading about the David Koresh diasaster in the '90s. Some of those people who died with him were not what i had formerly thought of the type of people who follow cults. some of them were well educated people from healthy family backgrounds. So though i think you should try to examine yourself some, don't think there is something intrinsically "wrong" with yourself. Deception decieves, it's that simple.

thanks, you are write and the interesting part is that it is written in the bible that even the elect will be deceived "if that were possible" in Mathew 24:24.

Since writting this, I have not really been examining myself that much, I have been enjoying life and the holidays with family and friends. And I have been nursing my spirit, I know I will be all right, and maybe even a little bit better off then before.

thanks
meme

After being in a cult for 18 years it thrills me to see people set themselves free from these mind and spirit dmamging groups who come off as loving and benign at first but slowlly control your mind and body over time.
I am in the process of writing a book on my expereience in the hopes I can save and prevent others from going through the hell I experienced. I thank God for sites like this and hope my book makes a differnece.
Rickfree

I have only been out of a LGAT (MKP) for about 8 months now and am still amazed at the "stuff" I am weeding thru with my proffesional counselor. More power to you all..

Cheers,
M

Hi truthseeker,
I am in the process of analyzing myself as well why I got into that 'cult" for years. I got involved in this couple who use to be under the leadership of Word of Faith Fellowship in N.C. This young couple went to our church in the Philippines way back 1986. They got involved in our church and associated with us. They taught us this strong praying, screaming and yelling at demons when we're bound with it. And they also led us in worship. Around those time I was hungry and so wanting the presence of God in my life. So I went with it. Most of the members of the church did not like the way they were teaching us, the young people. This couple out of nowhere started confronting sin in people's lives publicly. And ended up caused the division in our church. We, the young people took this "couple's" side and left the church. They started a church thru us who left the original church. Now, I realize we were wrong for doing that, and definitely this couple were wrong in doing that as well. So, i stayed and others stayed as well. I left 2001, imagine those many years of deception I came under with.
We had this practice that if you are not "doing good" spitritually and not in your right place in God you will go at the backroom and pray yourself until you have a breakthrough. I was one of those who were constantly dealt with and yelled at and screamed at because they always see that I have a demon in me. You don't know how much I am still suffering from a poor self-esteem as a result of it. I was constantly bogged down and beaten down emotionally and "spiritually". Its like we can never be right in the eyes of God and in their eyes as well. To cut the story short, this couple that I was talking about ended up separated. The woman comitted adultery and has lived with a younger guy (half her age) and the most recent news I heard, she and this younger guy is getting married next week. WHAT A DECEPTION!!! And the worst thing about it, they still have this church in the Philippines with the followers. I am at awe as to why people are still there, obviously what this woman is doing is against the word of God and yet people are so blinded not to see it. These woman initiated having tattoos on their body, having all dyed colored hair. You can see this group. They have a website, just go to google search and type in churchwithanexclamationmark
You will ba amazed at what and how they look like now under the leadership of this woman formerly Candace Faraj. But I don't think she is not submitted or under the leadership of Word of Faith anymore. She's all alone in all these crazy stuff.
I pray that I can take my life fully back, confidence and self esteem back and for deep inner healing to take place as well after being molded and boxed in into that destructive culture. I wish I can share all the details of my expereince so everybody can be aware of this group and not join them.

Hey Truthseeker,

I'm brand new here, and am a little scared....but I'm sure thats normal-I guess... I attended a so-called "thereputic-boarding school" that was a cult (the place got shut down by the state of Mass.) I attended for 5 frightening years of my young life. My parents were looking on the internet for a residential therapy environment for me, then fell upon a place named the DeSisto School. It was quite convincing to many parents. And when the kids where in their clutches, many of them never made it home. Well, I could go on for a while, but I just wanted to let you know, that even if you were voluntarily or involuntarily involved in a cult, -it was absolutely NOT your fault! It its Their fault for abusing YOU.......take care.