Recovery from cults
Date: December 01, 2002 08:54AM
I was in a Bible based mind control cult for about 14 years, and was a total believer! When another person was set-up and disfellowshipped, and I knew the truth about their situation, I stood up for them, and by doing so, had no choice but to quit, even though I thought it was just one person that was 'at fault'--the minister. I thought the 'church' was ok, until I began researching after my exit.
When I realized that things were really not just one person--but the whole organization, I dumped everything that they had taught me. I had no idea what the truth was, but I set out to prove to myself what was truth and what was fiction.
First I had to deal with my shock and depression and posttraumatic stress that came on due to my exit of what I'd believed in for so many years. That took some time. Once I was able to cope with the realization that I'd been duped, I began to read the Bible cover to cover, since that was what was used to prove their doctrines. From that I learned the context of the scriptures, and realized that they had excerpted only what they wanted to, to prove their point. I disproved the doctrines over a period of time, and began to read the 'secular' material that they said was forbidden. I reasoned that they must have a reason to forbid it! I studied my way right out of religion, realizing that I didn't need the dogma and doctrines and rules and regulations imposed by men and their organizations, that God was indeed in charge of the universe and that I did not need to bow down to men and their ideas.
It was a process over several years, 8 or 9 years. Now I am free of all the dogma. Some of the residual mind control is still imbedded in my psyche, and that is something I haven't been able to eradicate. I still 'trance-out' when I try to watch a weather report, and don't know what the weatherman said. But for the most part, I am free.