Aardvark - I have found this Forum to be "my safe place" because of Forum rules that Rick Ross and his support people follow quite well. Even so, there have been times when someone's zeal to expose wrongdoing is aimed at the wrong target as I believe happened to you here. My attitude when this has happened to me is to refuse to be shut up or shut down by ANYone ever again.

The walk or cult conditioning you described is spot on. It is also walk/cult conditioning not to speak up, to have your feelings and opinions and beliefs shut down by disapproving people, and many more.

I hope you ignore any bad feelings and keep speaking up. It is refreshing to have a new voice on the Forum and it will be exciting to experience your transition which we can only do if you keep communicating. Thanks.

Aardvark Wrote:

> I thought for a moment that this site was a safe
> space for folks in transition from LWF.
> Apparently, I was wrong.

It has been for hundreds of people, Aardvark. But there have been exceptions.


Aardvark Wrote:

> I was at CLW (LA church) since 1972, worked with
> JRS and Hargrave for Word work, so probably a
> longer history at LWF than anyone posting on this
> site. So I believe my viewpoint is as valid as
> anyone else’s.

> So, let the attacks begin. :)

Unfortunately, I've been suffering from a nasty cold this week, so my attacks have been subpar. I refuse to make any excuses...even though, as I said, I have had a nasty cold that shows no signs of breaking. No excuses, though.

Onion wrote:
The walk or cult conditioning you described is spot on. It is also walk/cult conditioning not to speak up, to have your feelings and opinions and beliefs shut down by disapproving people, and many more.

Yes

Aardvark,

I suggest that you try to clear up this problem with the moderator.

It seems odd that none of my friends have weird former user names showing up in their old posts. Just bad luck?

PONDERINGS...

Post cult, I believe everyone is free to believe whatever they want. Everyone needs support for every step of healing they take once they leave a cult. Even the realization of mind control can be radically different depending on each person's personal experience in the walk. Many wise and learned people have pointed out to me that sometimes different views of an individual can be correct. I am still working on how to believe that and apply it to my walk experience but I haven't closed it down as a possibility.

Does any one person every possess all the answers? I know I don't and I don't believe any one else does.

My ideas and ability to cope with various things is still shifting and changing and I've been working on this since my first post to this forum in April of 2018. People who just learned of the deeper issues of betrayal within the walk after Shalom posted at the end of October 2018 are even newer at this than I am. It is a very difficult road.

I have tried to table my gut reactions to various individuals until I know who they are and what they represent. Many times my gut was right. Sometimes it was way off. Maybe it's my training from law school to look at every issue from every direction, not just two opposing views.

I still cannot handle the idea of attending a church service or even supporting any specific church or ministry. Is that wrong? I don't care really. I'm growing and changing constantly. Will my thinking about church change? I have no idea. I have thought about attending a Quaker service because no one preaches and I don't think they sing. Maybe I could handle that. Maybe not.

One way or the highway is total cult Bullsh-t.

I'm responsible for 2055 posts to date, all under the username 'changedagain.' My first post was on October 09, 2006...and (unfortunately) contained my signature sarcasm. Luckily, the person I was responding to (a family member), didn't take offense. However, we didn't talk much for 3-4 days afterwards. Probably just a coincidence.

[forum.culteducation.com]

Frankly, I'm a little disappointed I didn't have at least one alternate username that showed up in the results--like KingofIsrael. Something like that.
Of course, I just knew the results had to be monotonously boring.

> Or try chanting.

Well, as you all suspect I say 100 bless Johns and 200 Hail Marilyns every chance I get. It seems to take the edge off.

A A R D V A R K :


"Well, as you all suspect I say 100 bless Johns and 200 Hail Marilyns every chance I get. It seems to take the edge off."

Way to turn it around . . .

Aardvark Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> > Or try chanting.
>
> Well, as you all suspect I say 100 bless Johns and
> 200 Hail Marilyns every chance I get. It seems to
> take the edge off.

funny