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“This would never happen to me. I’d never be dumb enough to fall for this. I’d have figured out they were trying to trick me ages ago.” These are just some of the things that people might think when they’re hearing about someone being exploited by a cult. However, many folks don’t take into account just how manipulative and insidious cult leaders can be, eroding a person’s confidence and making them entirely reliant on others over long periods of time. Some people might be more vulnerable, but nobody’s completely immune to cultist psychological warfare.
And if you happen to be born in a cult or raised in one as a kid… getting out can be hell. But there are always signs that something’s off, that there’s brainwashing afoot. Reddit users who were raised in cults opened up about the first time that they realized that something was very wrong with the community.
Get ready for a deep dive into the dark side of humanity and scroll down for some very honest stories about growing up surrounded by cultists.
Bored Panda got in touch with Suzanne Degges-White to talk about how cult leaders target their victims and manipulate their followers, as well as how to get someone you care about out of a cult. She also detailed the character traits that cult leaders tend to have. Suzanne is a Licensed Counselor, Professor, and Chair at the Department of Counseling and Higher Education at Northern Illinois University.
"The worst thing about cult indoctrination is that people actually LOVE the feeling they get in being a part of something bigger than themselves. Folks who have the wisdom to recognize that they are being led into a cult are not the ones who are going to be totally indoctrinated and stuck inside it," she explained to us.
"They recognize that the leader is likely a charlatan and they have enough of a support system beyond the cult that they don't get totally sucked into it in the first place. The people who actually NEED to get out of it are going to have to have a support system or something better outside the cult if they are going to leave." Read on for our full interview with Suzanne.
This post may include affiliate links.
#1
When I met with my mother about difficulty coping with my arranged marriage. I explained to her the abusive aspects of the relationship and how much it was breaking me down, and her response was that it was my job to be quiet and if God wanted to change my husband, he would.
I suddenly realized, sitting across from her and looking her in the eyes, that she had let my father take my childhood innocence and had zero qualms about my mistreatment now at the hands of my husband.
I knew when I hugged her goodbye and cried all the way home that I would never see her again. It’s been four years since I ran away.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
Some people do not deserve children. That mother is either criminally negligent or insane.
HarriMissesScotland 3 years ago
I am so sorry that you had to endure this torture. I hope that you are doing well and have a support system that can help you heal.
Kantami Blossom 3 years ago
I was wondering that myself, because that wording to me means her father took her virginity which is bad enough but the idea the mother knew is disgraceful on so many levels.
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Patti Vance 3 years ago
it is so sad to hear this kind of behavior from parents in the name of faith. i don't think i will ever understand how a faith/religion can make parents and children estranged from each other, whatever the cause. it's like you love your child on a monday; they come out as gay that evening. then, they are kicked out by tuesday. while the old testament has specific punishment about men lying with men, jesus never addressed the issue. and, by the way, the punishment for men is more severe than that for women because it was considered a 'waste of seed' which doesn't happen with women.
New Everywhere 3 years ago
Tried so hard not to comment. The "waste of seed" thing is hilarious. There's wasted seed all over the place, the reason black lights aren't so popular
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Shara Kranz 3 years ago
That must have taken a lot of courage on your part. The best "revenge" is living a happy life and being being valued for who you are.
Suzanne, from Northern Illinois University, explained to Bored Panda what makes cult leaders so dangerous. "Cult leaders are master manipulators who are also excellent readers of others—and they truly sense who is a more likely 'follower' aka 'victim' and tend to invest their energy wisely. They don't waste too much time on people they don't think will easily join their ranks," she told Bored Panda that these individuals go for the most vulnerable.
"Cult leaders are narcissistic individuals who use their self-interest and charisma to prey on their followers. This, of course, requires that their followers, or marks, have certain traits that make them more likely to be preyed upon. Research suggests that some of the traits that make people vulnerable to joining a cult include suffering from anxiety or depression or addictions."
Disorders like anxiety or depression can make a person more vulnerable to a cultist who offers them solutions to their problems. "People with addictions need to have something to fill the hole left when they stop using whatever substance/behavior that they are addicted to. Addiction reflects a hunger and cult leaders have an easy time using their powers of persuasion to convince the follower that they and their cult can fill that need," Suzanne stressed that addicts are also potential prey for cult leaders.
RELATED:
#2
Former Jehovah's witness too. The first time I realized something was wrong was when a huge core belief changed in 1995. ( The end will come before the generation that saw the events of 1914 died...changed to.. well it's changed 7 times since then) I was confused and it didn't compute that my entire life's beliefs changed over night. I struggled on awhile until shortly after my then husband beat the s**t out of me and for some reason HE called the elders over to help and the elders told me " Be a better wife so he doesn't get angry" I was done then. DONE.
Caro Caro 3 years ago (edited)
This makes me sick. Be a better wife? ... Fu*k that. He should be a better husband!
Angelynn Wichman 3 years ago
I believe it. My first husband grew up in a fundamentalist Christian family and when I finally got up the nerve to divorce him, his MOM came at me to tell me that if I had been a better wife and Christian, he wouldn't have slept with prostitutes and spent our entire savings on strippers. Oh yeah, she also told my 7 year old (at the time) son the same thing. Some of these people are so brainwashed it's sad.
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June’s Very Own 3 years ago (edited)
What the actual f**k. I hope your safe OUT of there, In a good environment
B-b-bird 3 years ago (edited)
oh I "love" this logic of who is guilty in physical abuse cases, in any form. Especially harassment and r*pe. "She was wearing too provocative" "She got me angry" So "it's her fault". Hmmm I guess It's store fault for having cash in registers, otherwise robbers would not be tempted to rob. Poor guys. Bad grocery store, bad!
Dill 3 years ago
Like the use of dingleberries but have to say it sounds cute.... these people are most definitely not cute.
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Brenda 3 years ago
My SD (sperm donor) was a JW. Never bothered me until at 8 years old I was told I was going to hell because I didn't believe like them. Ran crying across town back home. Mom was PISSED! I know the police were involved and I never visited him again.
JONATHAN Perez 3 years ago
he sound like a bad person, JWs don´t believe in hell..
Load More Replies... Patti Vance 3 years ago
as a product of a jewish/catholic home, it is this kind of practice that allowed me to follow judaism easily as their "rules" have been in place for 2.5K yrs with little change. it also allows people to commit to how they worship (i.e., orthodox, reformed, etc.) without condemnation from others. and, even the rabbis don't always agree which leads to debate for greater understanding of the torah. but, the "rules" don't really change. jehovah's witnesses aren't alone with this. mormons supported polygamy until it was made clear that utah wouldn't be allowed statehood if it allowed/supported it. also changed their stand on people of color because of criticism. catholics had vatican 2 when it was clear parishes were having declining numbers because it had not evolved with society as well as diminishing clergy. personally, i feel it is an action that has one thing at the root: money. which is why i think they should not be tax free institutions.
Teresa Stabler 3 years ago
One sign of a decent religion is that they don't mind when people ask questions. Mormons still engage in polygamy. Warren Jeffs wasn't prosecuted until not that long ago. There is a show called "Escaping Polygamy". People who have already gotten out help people who want to get out. I believe Catholicism is a cult too.
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Marco Hub-Dub 3 years ago
“Shamed” is an excellent podcast telling first-hand stories of the why & how of people leaving the J-Dubs & other cults.
Britton Raymond 3 years ago
I am a devout Methodist Christian and speak for many of us when I say Jehova's Witness is not a valid sect of Christianity. Many of their beliefs are the complete opposite of Jesus's teachings. They are a sick and abusive cult whose beliefs are nothing short of heresy.
J-A Laine 3 years ago
Name a few of the beliefs that are complete opposite of Jesus' teachings.
Load More Replies... #3
After watching The Day After in the 80s, I asked my mom if we knew the nukes were coming, who would she rather spend her last moments with me or the cult leader, she choose him. I came up with my own survival plan after that. I was going to skateboard to safety.
KT 3 years ago
That is so awful. A mother is supposed to protect her children with her life. I would hands down be with my children and husband if there was going to be an end.
"Cult leaders often use the powers of seduction to convince people to follow them—they use flattery of a potential member along with promises of 'belonging' and being 'needed,' so that can be extremely enticing to someone who feels that something important is missing in their life. When someone convinces us that they care more about us than anyone else in our world, we will do whatever they want us to do just to keep their light shining on us," she drew attention to how cults exploit human psychology for their own benefit.
According to the psychology expert, people are brought into cults believing that the leader has all the answers they're seeking. "You are treated like family and you have other cult members who make you feel welcome and work hard to develop that sense of belonging. When nothing else in your life is giving you what you need or satisfying you in important ways, a cult is the perfect setting to feel valued and that you matter," she said that this entraps a person, convincing them to stay. However, that's not to say that it's impossible to get someone out.
#4
This happened to my classmate in the fifth grade. Her family were Jehovah Witnessers. She needed a blood transfusion but the family refused and she died. I don't remember the specifics of her condition but WTF. The whole class cried for weeks. Try wrapping your little 11 year old brain around that.
lenka 3 years ago
No it's not. Parents have the legal right to withold treatment of minors in thier care on religious grounds. Although it varies from country to country (and even state to state) usually what happens is that the hospital will demand an ethics hearing for the matter to be determined by a judge, but that doesnt always happen and sometimes the judge will rule in favour of the parents, particularly where the child is capable of understanding the treatment and consequences (gillick competancy)
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May 3 years ago
A class mate of mine got hit by a car when we were teens, his family were JW, but when they were forced to choose between religion and their son's life, his parents chose the blood transfusion. They were thrown out of JW for it, but my class mate survived and made a full recovery.
Tamra Stiffler 3 years ago
There is nothing decent or "godly" about watching your child needlessly suffer and die. This makes me sick to my stomach.
Jods 3 years ago
The only other female besides me on the renal ward. She was having a kidney removed and every time her mother came to visit, the mother would talk of nothing else but “don’t let them give you a blood transfusion”. Curiosity got the better me and I had to ask why her mother was so vehement about this. “She’s a Jehovah’s Witness but I’m not. 30 something and she still can’t come to terms with this. AND I WILL HAVE A TRANSFUSION IF I NEED ONE.” Much laughter from the male ward and a few cheers.
Amanda Nolting 3 years ago
Reminds me of a story I read about a little girl who was diagnosed as a type 1 diabetic. Rather than allow her the medicine she so desperately needed, they chose "faith healing". That little girl died a slow, horrible, painful death. As a type 1, it made my very heart hurt. So treatable. I'm sure her parents have taken aspirin or Tylenol at some point. Probably had a course of antibiotics or two in their time. But because it was a disease, they chose ignorance rather than treatment. It's cruel and nothing short of murder.
Brandie Bryant 3 years ago
This is the same thing that happened to my grandma. She got sick and she was in the hospital. It took several days before family and doctors talked her into a blood transfusion to save her life. And then a posse of JW lady “friends” came by to see her and they started in about the blood transfusion and my grandma got so stressed out that the alarms went off and nurses came in and made the JWs leave. After that only family was allowed in to see her. But the damage was done. She refused the blood transfusion. Family finally talked her back into it, she didn’t want to die, but by then it was too late. Her levels (i don’t remember what levels they were) were too far gone. She slipped into a coma and never woke again. Died a few days later. I will never forgive this “religion” for that. She got to hold my son, her first great grandchild, when he was six weeks old, before she died. She laid his little self in the crook of her arm and shooed me away. I miss her so much.
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
This happened to a close acquaintance in secondary school. Her family were Jehovah's witnesses and refused medical attention. This poor young woman suffered from a number of medical issues and needed expert care, which her family refused to her. She was going to run away to Mexico to get treatment, however, she tragically took her own life before she could go as she was in so much pain. Jehovah's witnesses are absolute monsters.
Amy Taylor 3 years ago (edited)
Oh my god!! This happened in my neighborhood as a child. I was maybe 5 and the family across the street from us were JWs. Their son and a neighbor were playing with his dad's gun (this was the early 70's) and the JW kid was shot. The parents refused a blood transfusion and he died. He was 8 years old. My mother was in a RAGE over this. It still scars me to this day, I knew himreally well and my brother was his friend. Horrible.
Vetus Vespertilio 3 years ago
Decades ago my mother was a senior nurse in charge of an ER and came home one night just sobbing. They had a small child come in with a foot nearly amputated by a lawn mower. The child desperately needed a transfusion. The parent, who were JW, said no.The hospital tried to get an injunction to allow it but it was late, paperwork takes time, and you had to find a judge who would be sympathetic. My mother stood watching while the child died. After that she transferred to a surgical position where the patients were unconscious before she saw them.
Load More Replies... You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
who would want to join a cult of millions of people, knowing full well that only 144k of them are going to heaven?
Loki’s Lil Butter Knife 3 years ago
Sadly people who are often uneducated or at their wit's end. Cults and fanatical religious organizations prey on people who are going through difficult times in their lives and offer them a chance at hope and "redemption." It's truly horrible.
Load More Replies... #5
Jehovahs witnesses. When my sister got pregnant out of wedlock, went to the elders (group of old men residing over congregation) to confess and repent. They decided to disfellowship her, meaning all other Jehovahs witnesses had to shun her, even immediate family. When asked why this was the decision, they reinforced to us how they basically communicated with god by spirit and this is what god intended. I knew it was bs. Left very soon after and never had anything else to do with them. All of my immediate family eventually did, one by one and last year I celebrated Christmas with all of them together for the first time since 1999.
Moxxidude 3 years ago
I had to do a project on JW’s in high school. Seriously. It was a group project. Of course, I was the only one who spoke during the interviews, so guess who they thought was interested? The head JW, Gordon, (of the Kingdom Hall I went to for the interview), started showing up at my house with an older woman & a kid (never dressed properly for the weather). I was polite the first few times and he always came just before my band practiced and would leave when the band members showed up. But one day there was no practice scheduled and he wasn’t getting his usual cue to leave. After about 45 minutes, he asked me to read something, so like a good sheep, I started reading it to myself. He said sternly, “Out loud.” I read a bit and then trailed off and read silently again. He grabbed my shoulder, hard, and said sternly again, “I said OUT LOUD.” That was it. Picture mild mannered Bruce Banner being triggered into the Hulk. I lost it. They couldn’t leave fast enough & never returned.
M 3 years ago
Not that understand any of Jehovahns but how do they shun someone for 'the sin' but then go out knocking at the doors of strangers trying to "save" sinners. If one of your members is already looking to be saved, why not to help them.?
María Hermida 3 years ago
All these fundamentalist idiots have the same kind of strange concoction of beliefs, just to keep control of people. They don't want to help anybody, they want power, obedience and submission. It's the same story with these "evangelical" pastors that are against abortion because life is sacred, but they support capital punishment, and weapons and wars.
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Omiyaru 3 years ago (edited)
As a former believer I know for a fact that God never says " shun thy neighbor" the fact that there are people who believe that is gross
J-A Laine 3 years ago
That's true. God never said that but still it's in the bible, God's word, since God decided what to put in the bible through his representatives, it is in a way what God says because he approved of it. Paul (selected by Jesus to continue the preaching work) wrote to the congregation in Corinth, and this goes for sisters too, although it says "brother" and "men": "But now I am writing you to stop keeping company with anyone called a brother who is sexually immoral or a greedy personn or an idolater or a reviler or a drunkard or an extortioner, not even eating with such a man." (1 Cor 5:11)
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Kay blue 3 years ago
I'm guessing the biological father of the child didn't receive ant consequences.
#6
I got punished for my own sexual assault. I was victim blamed. The abuser was twice my age (I was mid-teens). I was forced to repent. For what, I am not sure as they wouldn’t answer that question.
As I got older and looked back, I realized that everything they’d told me was a lie. If you do everything you’re supposed to, you’re supposed to be blessed. If you break the rules, you have challenges/obstacles/lessons and must repent.
But if Jesus dies for my sins why do I have to repent? And what am I repenting for? I didn’t consent I any of that. Nor could I from a legal standpoint.
The only obvious answer was that it was all bulls**t. Then years later, a widely publicized case with similar circumstances became international news. And the victim’s clergy person stood up on CNN and said she was forgiven. Forgiven. For being raped.
I had noped out years before but when I saw that particular press conference I had to get therapy to deal with all that rage. Guh
Strawberry Moofin 3 years ago
If someone is assaulted it is NEVER their fault. They can wear whatever they want or do whatever they want to do but the person who assaulted chose to do so and the victim should never be blamed.
Load More Replies... Tuna Fish 3 years ago
I was 8, f*****g 8, when I realized it was not normal for a grown man (preacher) to spank you without your panties on. And that he really wasn't "sorry" for spanking too hard when he was soothing me by rubbing my bottom after. You want to know who's going to hell pastor animals who take children's innocence away, you pedo bastard. No offense to animals.
Dill 3 years ago
I am so, so sorry that happened to you. People like that are utterly disgusting. I hope you are doing okay now, I really do.
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Carol Emory 3 years ago
You had a right to be angry. Women who have been raped have no need to ask for forgiveness or need to repent. That lies solely on the rapist and anyone that blames the victim.
Tamra Stiffler 3 years ago
Every one of these cults or organizations need to be named outright. To shame them, yes, of course, but also as a warning to others. Why should any organization like this enjoy the safety of anonymity?
webster 3 years ago
This is stupidly common. Blaming rape victims for the assault. Even in courts of law, victims are asked idiotic questions like, "What were you wearing?" as if it justifies the attack. School dress codes punish girls for "distracting" boys, instead of teaching the boys to know better. It's sickening.
Moxxidude 3 years ago
If they forgave her being raped, and they forgave the rapist, certainly they’d forgive her for murdering her rapist. If they ask for a reason, just say, “I forgave him and realized he wasn’t happy here, so I sent him to live in heaven where it’s great, as you’ve mentioned, repeatedly.”
Aisling Raye 3 years ago
This makes me so angry. There are so many girls and women who have dealt with this that it's frightening. I'd tell my own story here but it's so similar to so many others that there really isn't a reason to. That's how disturbingly often this sort of thing happens. If you're one of them, know that my heart is with you.
TKFitzy 3 years ago
This people are liars and nowhere near real Christians. I’m so sorry you had to go through this.
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
This verges on the "no true Scotsman" fallacy. Yes, they ARE real Christians. If you believe in Jesus as Savior, you are a Christian. You can rape, murder, molest, abuse, and eschew everything Jesus taught, but if you accept Jesus as Lord, you are still a "real Christian." Every single Republican pig cheating on their wives, lying under oath, and taking away rights from others are real Christians. Every single one of us who was raped or abused at church were abused or raped by real Christians. Sorry, but Christians need to come to terms with the fact that their religion has a massive PR problem, and do something.
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Nathaniel 3 years ago
Forgiven? For being raped? The clergy need to be raped, see if they think they need forgiveness then.
Hex Gurls 3 years ago
maybe we could steal all of their kneecaps and see how they feel, it’s their fault they had those knees just out and about /s
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Jacqueline Pie Francis 3 years ago (edited)
I’ve been raped twice. In both instances, after I told a few people I trusted, they said, “Well, what did you wear? What did you do? You shouldn’t have kissed him/worn that dress/whatever.” A few people claimed it “wasn’t that bad” (in both cases I spent the next few days throwing up), and a few people actually claimed I was lying. For attention. Religious people.
HarriMissesScotland 3 years ago
I am so sorry. There are so many people, not just women, who are treated this way, and feel that going to the authorities is useless, and unfortunately sometimes it is. I hope that you have been able to get support, and know that you did nothing wrong!
Load More Replies..."To get someone you care about out of the cult, you have to work hard and be available to help them see reason. You have to encourage them to stay involved in activities beyond the cult, to engage in connections with people who are 'outsiders,'" Suzanne explained.
"For some people, the sense of belonging within a cult is worth more than autonomy, wealth, or connections to family or those beyond the cult. That's when interventions by caring others are needed to help that person recognize the truth of their situation."
#7
When we were told that we couldn't go to college. I was about 15 when I realized that we weren't allowed to. The elders said it was because of the end time coming and wasting time, and worry about fellowship in the world. It is because they want to keep us stupid. That was the year I left. That was compounded because the same year my cousin tried to kill herself, and they told us not to visit. I hadn't been baptized yet (you wait until you are old enough to study and consent) so I told the elders that if we weren't allowed to talk to her in her greatest time of need, they could shove it.
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
Posted a year ago on Reddit. Completely wasted sentiment.
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Nadja Lambacher 3 years ago
Those were JW too. Damn I always thought they were just annoying. But at least that baptizing thing is reasonable.
Rosie Cat 3 years ago
@Nadja Lambacher, I have to push back on that. True they don't baptize you until you are "old enough to understand" but these children have been going to church from birth. They are not allowed to know certain things about the outside world. Plus, if a child does decide not to be baptized, they can and are sent away from their family. That means living with other non-JW family members or even foster care. I know this personally because an excellent friend used to be one, and I watched all this happening to her and others. There's not much choice if you are choosing baptism out of fear.
Load More Replies... Teresa Stabler 3 years ago
Some cults have had to back track on their predictions of when the world was going to end. Some have said that in a certain year it would happen, and here we are still here. They lost a lot of membership after that.
#8
When the 'Elders' told me that I could no longer speak to my younger sister anymore because she was in 'bad standing' with the organization. She's the only family I have left. They made her out to be this monster just because she wasn't actively going to church. That's when the glass shattered for me
I was one of Jehovah's Witnesses and my sister and I are still close. She's doing great things for herself and I do not regret my decision at all. Dont let someone else make decisions for your life, you'll be much happier!
Brandy Grote 3 years ago
"The Organization" sounds like a mafia. They certainly act criminally.
Curry on... 3 years ago
A family I know dis-fellowshipped one of the daughters (that's what they called it think) from the JW because she had stopped going to the hall. The daughter had a baby that died, and no one from her family attended the funeral.
Rick Hoppenbrouwer 3 years ago
Especially a church. They only care about your money and nothing else.
KT 3 years ago
That is just evil. In the bible it says to love one another, hate the sin not the sinner
Signe Manat Hansen 3 years ago
Jesus was very clear about what to do with hate. I believe it was something with cramming it up an appropriate orifice.
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Shortstuff 3 years ago
People...stop letting religion control your life and money. Get out! It's all a fairy tale.
#9
When my parents told me they'd let me die rather than allow me to get certain medical procedures.
Michelle M 3 years ago (edited)
Something like this happened about three years ago in Lagos, Nigeria. A family gave birth to a weak baby, that needed quick blood transfusion. Because the family were Jehovah Witnesses, they refused, saying that the baby would be healed and blah blah. The government had to forcefully take the baby from them. If not for the quick intervention, it would have lost its life and the family would have said it was the will of God. That would have been plain homicide. When I asked a mate of mine who was also JW, she said that they believed that blood transfusion transfers sins from a body to another. It was funny, till I realised that many lives would have been lost to that belief. And more would be
Tomasz Jackowski 3 years ago
I'm a pediatrician, and we do have situations like this. The problem is, while you can indeed use the government to susped parental decisions and use blood transfusions as a life saving procedure, the parents may then refuse to take the child back home after that. It has happened several times in my work already.
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Hedgeh og 3 years ago
Christian Science has a ban on certain procedures too. I know someone who went through a plate glass window as a child and has a huge scar the length of his forearm. Parents put bandaids on it. It should have been stitched but - no hospital for you!!!
Nicole Weymann 3 years ago (edited)
"Christian science" is a contradiction in terms
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Nathaniel 3 years ago
JW's? Surely if you have a child you would want to do everything to help them?
Dill 3 years ago
All too many people don't though. Harmful beliefs get in the way and there are those who neglect or actively harm their children. In the news there are cases of neglect and abuse all the time - young children dying. The idea that parents will always do their best is not one that serves society and our children well. There were around 227,500 child abuse offences recorded by the police in the year ending March 2019. That's the ones they know about. Most parents are good and care but there are far too many who don't.
Load More Replies... HarriMissesScotland 3 years ago
I live in an apartment complex of mainly disabled, elderly low income people. There is a family section, but on the other side of the road. I would venture to guess that at least 1/3 of the residents are JW's, and while we disagree religiously and medically, we don't really discuss it. We do talk about our families, how we are doing, can we help, etc. My neighbor actually jokes when he knows I am going to give blood. He just says, as long as you don't give any to me and we both laugh. Weird, I know, but I am!
According to the BBC, there are as many as 2k suspected cults operating in the United Kingdom at this point in time. Some of them target students to swell their ranks. “Just absolute mind control,” is how Jess, a former student, described her time at the Shincheonji Church of Jesus.
She was recruited on the campus of the University of Salford and said she couldn’t recognize herself anymore while she was with the cult.
Meanwhile, CBS states that there are up to 10k cults in the United States. International cult expert Steve Eichel stressed that most cults are small and deliberately try to stay under the radar.
#10
When I was the one who got shunned for defending a child from a pedophile.
BorPand8 3 years ago (edited)
This is really common, even in non-religious circles. I was reading the other day about Ian Watkins, former rock star and convicted pedophile, and the cops had known for years about the stuff he'd been doing but they didn't do anything because it was just his "crazy" ex-girlfriends (yes more than one) trying to blacken his name or something. PS. Don't look up the case unless you want to feel really depressed.
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#11
When my mom said that I was so bad at housekeeping that if I got abused by my future husband, "he would be within his rights as head of the household".
Fundie cults are the worst
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
It's shocking to me how many women will willingly give up any autonomy to be "taken care of" by a man.
Load More Replies... HarriMissesScotland 3 years ago
My name, Harriett, literally means, Head of the Household. So there!
Nadja Lambacher 3 years ago
short for fundamentalist. Basically very strict old fashioned christians.
Load More Replies... M 3 years ago
Something must have happened to all these parents in their past that allows them (in their heads) to be so out of touch with reality. At some point they were kids.. and who knows what have they been dragged to. I am definitely not defending them or giving an excuse for their decision. I just can't wrap my head around it, and I just really want to know at what point you became this senseless person.
Amy Taylor 3 years ago
This makes me physically ill. I'm ever so grateful that I was raised by a product of the oppressive 1950's turned hardcore feminist mother. She saw that side and wanted far better for her daughter.
Display Name 3 years ago
OP said she's married to a really nice sweet guy.
Load More Replies... #12
It's hard to pick a first time but I knew I needed to run when I was taken shopping for a wedding dress at 12 years old.
Celesta 3 years ago (edited)
There are at least 40 states in the United States that have NO minimum age limit with parental concent. Last year alone there were multiple marriages of children under 10. But obviously its the LGTBQ community that is "destroying the moral fabric" of the country.
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Mushroomlover 3 years ago
Glad I’m from one of the 6 states that have completely banned underage marriage
HarriMissesScotland 3 years ago
There are many African countries and a few Asian countries that allow it. What is so interesting is that World Vision is working to stop child marriages in these countries, with good reason, but none of our right-leaning not really God fearing, but money loving, politicians have no issue with it here in the US of A.
You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
we still have this here in an apartheid-era law from 1961 but they are planning to repeal it so that no-one who is under-age may be married regardless of parental consent.
Don't Look 3 years ago
That’s so weird considering catholic girls wear dresses very similar to bridal gowns when they go for their first communion at about 12.
The Scout 3 years ago
That was indeed the concept... same as the veil nuns wear to symbolise their "marriage to Jesus".
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Claudia Fruehling 3 years ago
When you are catholic, you get a bride dress for your wedding day with Jesus at 8. For me religion is nothing else than a cult.
Shortstuff 3 years ago (edited)
Some Islamic countries, Africa Asia, the girls are sold into "marriage" at 8 or 9 years of age...to pedophiles.
Shortstuff 3 years ago
...and then there is still female genital mutilation of young girls...with rusty blades.
Load More Replies..."Unless they commit a crime, unless they do something that draws attention to them—negative attention and criticism to them—we generally don't know about them,” the expert suggested that these groups could be living right under our very noses without anyone realizing that something’s very wrong.
Eichel listed some of the things that make a cult, well, a cult. From deception to being overly secretive, here are the ways to recognize one of these groups.
"Beware of any kind of pressure. That's probably the single most important advice I can give anyone. Any kind of pressure to make a quick decision about becoming involved in any intensive kind of activity or organization,” the cult expert stressed that being rushed to make decisions can be an indication that you’ve been approached by cultists.
#13
When I was pulled out of Sunday school and scolded for asking legit questions about our so called prophet. I was 8 years old and couldn’t wrap my head around how some guy could translate a lost language using a hat and a stone. I used to be a Mormon lmao.
sanityisnotproven 3 years ago
Yes, but no Mormon is taught that. Nor are you allowed to question the beliefs or read or listen to anything that contradicts those beliefs. Joseph Smith is revered much more than God and, oh btw, God is actually from another planet and was sooooo good they got to be a God after they died and you can too! Yeah, it's mind bending but when you are raised with that in your head it's hard to get it out.
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sanityisnotproven 3 years ago
As another former Mormon I feel you. Not being able to question anything the church elders said was my wake up call as well.
LivingTheDream 3 years ago
I have a friend who's son just married a mormon. He converted. She raised him mostly by herself, sacrificed so much for him to be successful, went to all of his games, etc... and he ended up playing in the NFL and just signed a $30 million contract. NOTHING for his mom. no car, no house, no jewelry... nothing. She has struggled financially for a very long time. All of his millions are 'going to the church'. My friend, of course, is just happy he is successful and puts on a smiley face. Personally I think it is a d**k move and the church is predatory.
Louisa Bissette 3 years ago
Why are so many people in denial that Mormonism is a cult. The best thing I did was leave.
sanityisnotproven 3 years ago
From experience I would say it's the forest for the trees kind of thing. You can't really see it until you are out. For at least a year after I left I still denied it was a cult until I did extensive research to find a new church and read up on many religions and only then was I like "damn, it IS a cult".
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Grace Noyes 3 years ago
Read Under the Banner of Heaven, by Jon Krakauer for a fascinating look at Fundamentalist Mormons and history of the Mormon Church. Some crazy s**t.
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
There are at least 4 dead people in my family because of Mormonism. My cousin tried to leave her drug addicted, abusive husband, and begged her church for help. They told her if she divorced, she would be excommunicated from the church (as was their practice for decades). She went back to him. Four years later, the 7 year old and 5 year old found their father's dead body hanging in the living room. Definitely the "godly" choice and better than divorce, oh yeah. My grandfather's ex-bishop used to follow him home from school yelling abuse at him because his parents had divorced. If every Mormon temple burned to the ground, I'd have a party.
Madelyn Moydell 3 years ago
Raised Mormon. Refused baptism because I figured out at a young age it is all about the men. I wasn’t feeling it…
#14
Scientology. When they took our second house.
Lola 3 years ago
They’re headquartered in Clearwater, Florida. They basically own all of downtown and then some. Driving through there is such an eerie experience. Some of their high-rise buildings have bars on all windows. Im sure a lot of malicious stuff goes on in there. I don’t understand how in this day and age these things are allowed.
Tonya Wallace 3 years ago
And they all walk around there looking like low rent security guards.
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Mad Dragon 3 years ago
Don’t forget Michele Diane Miscavige, wife of Church of Scientology leader David Miscavige, who was last seen in public in August 2007. Then there was her mother, who left the church and was later found dead. Her death was ruled a suicide despite the fact that she had been shot twice in the chest and once in the head.
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
Came here to say this. Where is Shelly, you effing criminals?
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Patti Vance 3 years ago
omg! i often wonder if those in scientology really know about l. ron hubbard. i did some research and came across taped conversations from years ago. he had been discussing how frustrated he was as a failed science fiction writer but, if he really wanted to be successful and make money the way to do it was to establish a religion or faith based organization. kind of explains it all
Kitten Fenerty 3 years ago
L Ron Hubbard was friends with Alister Crowley and Jack Parsons who also created cults. https://online.ucpress.edu/nr/article-abstract/15/3/91/70582/The-Occult-Roots-of-Scientology-L-Ron-Hubbard?redirectedFrom=PDF
Load More Replies... Kay blue 3 years ago
Leah Remini(?) Did a great documentary series about Scientology and what happens when you try to leave, it's really scary. Tom Cruise chose the church over his own daughter, which should tell you everything.
SomeDude 3 years ago
I love her series, another one to watch is Going a clear on HBO: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Going_Clear_(film)
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Bonnie Sinclair 3 years ago
I remember as a kid in the 70s I would see the book Dianetics on supermarket shelves and in bookstores. At the time a lot of self-help books were becoming popular. I picked up a copy and started skimming through it and put it back down. It just seemed like a bunch of crap to me. Youtube has some short cartoon-style videos explaining Scientology. If you are into aliens and spaceships you will find it interesting. But you may lose respect for some of your fav. celebrities for buying into that.
Clan Leader 3 years ago
There is no such thing as being a child or children in Scientology. They basically believe that kids are born as adults and therefore are to be treated as adults from birth
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
That's why Will and Jada Smith's kids are so creepy.
Load More Replies... Grace Noyes 3 years ago
Read Going Clear, by Lawrence Wright. Tells you everything you need to know about this cult.
#15
Every women needed to bear a child with the cult leader. We were given drugged sweets, such as cookies, for food.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
I know it is easy to say this, not being in that situation, but how does it get this far? This stuff makes Charles Manson seem positively normal.
Jon Steensen 3 years ago
The world is a mess and determining wrong from right can be a really hard thing to do, which can cause a lot of insecurity and anxiety, which can be a rather hard thing to tackle. Hence when someone suddently remove all that pressure, by inviting you into a simple world with clear rules, it can give someone a major "kick". Furthermore when you are unsure, it is way to easy to believe it, when someone tells you how things are, when you see no doubt in their mind. As humans we have a lot of build in mechanisms and biases, that normally help us survive, but which can be hacked by a psykopath with the right skills. To a way larger degree than most people would like to admit, we drive on autopilot and let the emotions rule our behaviour, and hence it can be really easy to steer someone in a direction that benefits you, if you are cynical enought to do so, by making them feel certain emotions at well timed instances. Isolate them from anyone trying to help them out, and you are in control.
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buttonpusher 3 years ago
What about when those kids grow up and you still have the same cult leader? Hmm actually I don't think I want to know. It's warped.
Sharron Lindsay 3 years ago
Where in hell does that exist in any religion? Religion is the root of all hatred and evil that mankind metes out to fellow humans
Jon Steensen 3 years ago
though religion has a lot on its conscience, even atheist can do a lot of evil things, so saying that religion is the root of all hatred is exagerating. Lies, exploitation, misunderstanding and mistreatment is what cause a lot of hatred, regardless of whether it is linked to a religion or not.
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Soleil SanMao 3 years ago
One thing about these bible-thumpin-holier-than-thou-god-fearing-believers, they can always manage to put their criminal sexual behavior in the mix. That is one behavior that never stalls.
“Be wary of any leader who proclaims him or herself as having special powers or special insight. And, of course, divinity,” he said. “The group is closed, so in other words, although there may be outside followers, there's usually an inner circle that follows the leader without question, and that maintains a tremendous amount of secrecy."
According to Eichel, cults use deceptive means to recruit new members. Then, they use an “organized program of through reform” (aka brainwashing) to change how these fresh recruits think and operate.
#16
When my youth group leader said that telling poor people about Jesus was more important than feeding them or housing them.
kathryn stretton 3 years ago
These are the Sunday people who leave bible tracts in lieu of tips in restaurants after attending church in USA.
Jo Rhodes 3 years ago
Yes, you're right, but this cult need that money to build multiple multi million dollar temples.
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2022emmam trent 3 years ago
Really? Wasn't Jesus the one who fed thousands of people? Dude, that's messed up.
Red 3 years ago
I have a neighbor and classmate that believes that. A man asked us for changed and she said very angrily "jesus still loves you, you know?" And I thought it sounded like a threat. I'd be terrified to be loved with that much anger.
Jace 3 years ago
There’s actually a frightening amount of that kind of “love” out there. Some of the most impactful abuse I’ve experienced came from “friends” and family, claiming to “love” me.
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Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
Huge part of why I left. No practical solutions, and when suggested, they were shot down. In high school, we tried raising money for food for homeless people, but were told that it was more important to teach them that Jesus was their Savior, because then they'd be moved to get jobs and feed themselves. I now recognize it as Republican rhetoric.
Libstak 3 years ago
Jesus is alive in the hearts of those who feed the hungry and provide warmth and shelter to those who need it. How else can it be?
Brobro McDuderson 3 years ago
In reality, the Bible says do both. And take care of the needy first.
#17
When they kept telling me that only men could be leaders, and women were supposed to be silent, demure, secondary, and subservient. I looked around and saw so many dumb asses I wouldn't trust to lead me out of a burning building without copping a feel and claiming it was something I did that caused them to stumble, such as wear a tank top or pants.
Procrastinating Panda 3 years ago
"silent, demure, secondary, and subservient." Like that would ever happen.
Magpie 3 years ago
Yeah it is not such a big leap. I my sister and my friends in "normal" churches were supposed to be " quiet, dress nicely, obey the church without asking questions" to clarify we and the girls we went to school with were in some different mainstream Christian churches.
Load More Replies... My O My 3 years ago
Why do so many cults and religions diminish the rights and capabilities of girls an women
LivingTheDream 3 years ago
Typical asshats that choose to use partial scripture to justify their BS. That entire verse is about love. It's not about being submissive. They casually disregard the part that says 'Husbands, love your wives, as Christ loved the church.'
Kandi Heiple 3 years ago
This sounds like The Church Of Christ. Women arent allowed any position of authority and they're supposed to "ask their husbands" if they have questions instead of speaking up in church
I'm Kid A 3 years ago
I had a joke that almost no one at my old church (nearly a decade ago) found funny. A few of us with a dark sense of humor did, particularly certain girls... I find it hilarious, in a morbid sense. "You could have a group of teenagers all doing the same things, all volunteering the same amount and in the same areas, all wanting to go into ministry, all thinking and feeling the same, essentially identical in every way... but I can already tell you what each of them will end up being - the boys will become assistant pastors and the girls will become pastors' assistants." When a few people had the gall to tell me they disagreed with my cutting remark (again, this was just before I left that toxic environment), I just asked if they could prove me wrong. They couldn't. Not once. Not one single example in that goddamn (intentional wording) church.
#18
When the leader kept my mom up for 2 days straight. He was making her cook, clean, be on him hand and foot all while berating her. yelled at her she was an evil woman going to hell, he was too godly for her, etc. 3 am and I hear him screaming at her, all biblical bs, and she’s crying. she broke down and he drove my mom, my sister and I to the ER and said she had to check herself into mental health because she’s psychotic. We are there for 3 hours. They turn her away and she comes out with abuse pamphlets.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
Wait, she was the psychotic one? Not the abusive monster religious leader?
Monday 3 years ago
After not sleeping for 48 hours she might actually have been psychotic. The abusive monster religious leader would be the cause of that though.
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Magpie 3 years ago
They did what they could with the abuser right there standing between the mom and the staff. It can be really hard to help in this situation, they were doing everything they could - without making him even worse to her later. She was so sleep deprived she could not tell them what was really going on. And they knew they would have to let her go away with him again. * Key point they were able to get some written info about abuse into her hands.
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"Typically, cults also exploit their members… mostly financially. Within the group, they'll exploit members financially, psychologically, emotionally and, all too often, sexually,” the expert warned.
"A very important aspect of cult is the idea that if you leave the cult, horrible things will happen to you. This is important, and it's important to realize. That people outside of a cult are potential members, so they're not looked upon as negatively as people inside the cult who then leave the cult."
#19
When my brother started asking (politely) how our religion was founded and how our family got involved and generally just questions about life: they don't believe in evolution or kissing before marriage.
And they would bite his head off about it at age 11. It made me realise they were being defensive because they had no answers. If you can't explain why you're in a religion, you get the f**k out.
Patti Vance 3 years ago
yup, i know this tactic. when i would ask priests or nuns a question i would get the "it's a mystery" and shouldn't question. when i asked the rabbis a question and they would search the torah for some answer. sometimes it was found. other times they would just say they didn't know and perhaps in time we may get an answer. i am way more comfortable with 'i don't know' than i am with blind faith.
Br6 11 months ago
I’m an atheist but I agree a Christian who says I don’t know when asked theological questions will be held higher than one that says “god works in mysterious ways”, or “don’t questions”
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Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
I was told I'd find out the answers to all my questions in heaven. I planned to ask God first why, if he didn't want Adam and Eve to eat of the tree, why he put it there in the first place to trap them, because that's really unfair. The older I got, the more I understood all of this as an abuse technique.
Mary Rotman 3 years ago
M this photo is inflammatory and inaccurate. The rosary pictured is a Catholic symbol. Catholics believe in evolution and Catholics believe in kissing before marriage.
Magpie 3 years ago
Sadly there are some cults that are " based" on Catholic believes, but are " correct" aka more intensively controlling of members. Also far too many Catholic priests have sexually abused children. And blamed women for being victims of abuse by their husbands and told the women to be "better" wives.
Load More Replies... Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
I don't know that the picture relates, but this "no evolution" and "no kissing" is taught in all sorts of Christian/Fundie, Mormon, and JW religions.
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#20
When I realized that the doors to the 13 story former hotel building we were all living in was locked and you had to sign out to leave.
No one (from children to adults) could leave without an explanation to where they were going and when they'd be back.
You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
OP must say which cult and which building. Sounds like scientologists to me? Aren't they the only ones who own tall buildings?
Nadja Lambacher 3 years ago (edited)
According to OP it was this one: https://www.chicagomag.com/Chicago-Magazine/July-2016/Institute-in-Basic-Life-Principles-Hinsdale/ Also lots of child abuse. And the Duggars again.
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Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
This is why they prey on poor, abused, and/or stupid people: they don't have the resources to fight back and sue.
Load More Replies... Sharron Lindsay 3 years ago
Basically prisoners under house arrest - surely that's not a religion
Jace 3 years ago
Scientology used an endless barrage of lawsuits to literally bully the government into giving it tax-free status as a religion, so, the difference between “a religion” and “a cult” is minimal… and that’s without me getting into how all religions are basically cults but with different numbers of members and societal/government approval.
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KT 3 years ago
That is against the law to do that, it is a massive hazard, what if there was a fire/earthquake??
Laura Mende (Human) 3 years ago
Never mind. This is "Gods Will". Same as sirious ilnesses and other preventable stuff...
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Anjelika 3 years ago
This reminds me, the other day I was approached, my two members of something in the streetgot the whole "we want to bless you..etc" there are two kingdoms one of good and one of evil I just stood there speechless before literally running out of there saying not a believer 😨 got chills
#21
Ex-Jehovah’s Witness here.
My first hint that something was wrong was the amount of control exerted in our day to day lives. No beards, no long hair for men, no tattoos or piercings, no shirts with “edgy” artwork like band shirts or shirts with skulls, no entertainment they don’t approve of, etc. Other witnesses are trained to report you to the elders if you’re not following their guidelines, such as if you have a position of respect in the congregation but someone sees that you have a rated R movie, they’ll report you to the elders and you could lose your position and good standing, which will change the way the congregation treats you.
What really tipped it over the edge for me though was their doctrine that all non-witnesses deserve to die at Armageddon by gods hand, simply for not being witnesses. Armageddon is supposed to be urgently imminent, and over 99.9% of the world will die just because they’re not witnesses. That didn’t sit right with me. I had been working in retail for some time, and the people I worked with were every bit as intelligent, compassionate and loving as any witness I knew.
Eventually, these issues became too great for me to bear, and I committed the ultimate sin, researching information that criticizes the religion. We were taught to be terrified of anything that remotely criticizes the religion and it’s leaders. I finally pushed against that fear and did the research. Woke up instantly. Realized why they taught us to fear “apostate” information so much, it’s because they know it’s all true and they don’t want us to see it
Black Pearl 3 years ago
That's horrible that they think everyone who isn't a witness just goes to hell. I didn't really know much about Jehovah's Witnesses before, but I really don't like them. They seem like crappy people being the worst kind of Christian possible.
Ololade Olaomo 3 years ago
This is the basics of religion. Join Us or be condemned to Hell fire when Jesus comes back.
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nooneimportant 3 years ago
they said Christ was going to come back in 1912, 1912 came and went and no Christ... So then they said he did come back but that he was invisible and just had to take their word for it. TMYK
Sharron Lindsay 3 years ago
A religion must be very fragile if it cannot stand up to criticism
Magpie 3 years ago
Do you think ? How about the umm "upper" Catholic priests that moved the pedoVile priests around to different places? to protect the Church. * that is how I spell that word.
Load More Replies... Clan Leader 3 years ago
My family sent 8 JWs to jail for fraud and elder abuse of my grandmother when she first got dementia and a few more for harassment and trespass at her nursing home. Weren’t they miffed when they didn’t end up getting her money when she died. She didn’t have that in her will and it was probably one of the many hair brained promises she made and never acted on. The worst was having to have the police kick them out of her funeral. Her money went to the RSPCA and into trust the way she wanted it. They are money grubbing scum
Jods 3 years ago
On the day of Armageddon: fighting breaks out among the JW followers over who will form the little flock of 144,000 and who will be the other sheep. Ergo JW sect wipes itself out.
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
It's also why they fear education. One of my first college classes was a mythology course. I was fresh out of Christian high school, and was blown away that almost all of the basic stories in the bible have existed for centuries before. Flood myths, virgin births, saviors, lowly born kings... it's all been done millions of times. There is no way Christianity is somehow the "right" version of all of these.
Stoopham McFernybabes 3 years ago
Just want to point out that the picture for this one is a bad choice - Jehovah’s Witnesses don’t use the crucifix/cross symbol.
pusheen buttercup 3 years ago
I didn't know Jehovah's witness was a cult. I thought it was just a religion?
LynzCatastrophe 3 years ago
My father-in-law, love torturing the man. He can't seem to NOT bring up his religion in any conversation, it always ends up back at JW, except with my dad, FIL learned early on not to mention anything like that to my scary bear of a dad. I have an entire shelf on my bookcase dedicated to paganism just because it annoys my FIL, and showing off my tattoos gets a neat reaction.
Wang Zhuang 3 years ago
I grew up as JW, and what OP says about the Armageddon belief is largely true. Basically, we were taught that people who rejected the teachings of JWs would not survive it, but there would be allowances for people who were never exposed to the teachings :-P
#22
When I realized that God does not use flaming swords to force little girls to shag old dudes. When I realized that any of those old dudes could still technically ask for me or my daughter as a “spiritual wife” and we’d have no choice. When a devout member very seriously told her son that she’d rather have him graduate from the Church’s education program than from high school. (Seminary gives neither credit, nor real world experience—It’s just brainwashing.) When the same member told me that—though it might be hard—she’d offer her children up like Abraham did with Isaac, in a heartbeat, if the Prophet commanded it.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
Why do so many of these cults turn out to be paedophile rings? Is it a paedophile that starts a cult? Or is it the power trip the develops from being a cult leader that makes them think they can do what they want?
Lou Lopez 3 years ago (edited)
The whole thing is about power, the same way rape is always about power. These people crave power to control others, not to use power to change the world or improve things, just absolute authoritarian power over people. They rape children and the wives of their followers just to prove they can. They like children because the trauma they inflict is life-long and that means they will ALWAYS have some power over their victims. They like to show that your parents/family/friends WON'T save you because they control everything around you, and ultimately YOU. There's a reason Rethuglicans are why they are; if you don't have the personality or the looks to start a cult, just become a "conservative" politician. You have your own pre-made cult to start abusing!
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Enlee Jones 3 years ago
“She’d offer her children up like Abraham did with Isaac” This is one of the biggest problems I have with religion, in which seriously twisted examples of abuse, torture and murder i.e. Abraham willing to kill Isaac because gawd told him to, the crucifixion of Jesus, gawd allowing Job’s life to be destroyed, is all presented as the highest forms of love. These are examples of a “loving” gawd, these are examples of a sadistic monster who gets off on seeing other people suffer for the lulz. It’s disgusting.
jonathan bobathan 3 years ago
ysee, i agree with you. to hell with anyone who tries to explain "well, god did it because he has the utmost love for everyone." if thats the case, why do so many shitty thibgs happen every day? why are so many ppl depressed (incluidng me)?
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Carolyn Stokes 3 years ago
Unfortunately there is a religion thats 1400+years old that also believes in paedophilia
greenbean 3 years ago
I woudn't need any more reason than the 1st one. Is this even legal for such a cult to exist??
Adrienne Doyle 3 years ago
Unfortunately it is, as they control the state of Utah for one.
Load More Replies... #23
When I realised that medication and painkillers existed, that other people gave them to their children when they were sick, and that my parents could have helped me when I was suffering but chose not to. And that watching television doesn't make someone a bad person haha.
#24
When I found out I was gay and because of that, I would forever burn in hell, regardless the fact I didn't choose to be gay.
Glasia van Duivels 3 years ago
You're off better in hell because there no one harrasses you for being gay.
M Rob 3 years ago
I would rather be in hell with the gays, then heaven with the"christians".
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Amy Taylor 3 years ago
I really love when they say that people choose to be gay... as my gay cousin put it..."Why would I choose to be bullied, discriminated against, and marginalized for the crime of being exactly who I am?" God...I hate people.
Random person 3 years ago (edited)
In the words of a random 8 year old in my neighborhood: People are poopoo (For context, he was being bullied and was mad)
Load More Replies... Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
The same people who tell you that God created you in his image claim that you're going to hell for being what God created you to be.
Kantami Blossom 3 years ago
I once told a religious homophobe that Jesus was gay and their reaction was hilarious, I told them to look at the facts he was a nice guy, immaculately dressed, hung around with sailors, and when he met a prostitute all he did was clean her feet and they went berserk telling me God was going to strike me down(I told them that would just make me more powerful than they could possibly imagine, but sadly the didn't get the reference😂)
Braineating Spleen 3 years ago
Society is better off with you in it, being your true uncloseted self. Shine brightly. You do you boo.
Al Padilla 3 years ago
And George Bernard Shaw said that Hell was where the interesting people were.
#25
When they told members to park behind the church to hide their cars so they wouldn’t get reported for gathering during the height of the pandemic. Then they made the choir sign NDA’s over hymns. Then got really control-y during online services. They made you angle your camera a specific ways, wear certain clothes, not sit so close to your spouse etc In a prayer, said they loved the leader of the church more than anyone else. The pandemic really helped my family and I to step back and really examine the organization we dedicated our lives to
Mistralok 3 years ago (edited)
This is going to sound awful, but I have wished from the start that the new variations of covid are far more fatal than they are now. (Leaving out of course those that have already been vaccinated) If so, than the sociopathic nutjobs such as this that refuse the vaccines would be placed far closer to extinction and humanity in general would evolve into a far more amazing species.
Rylosalex 3 years ago
Yep, also the people that MADE the virus in the first place
Load More Replies... Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
Check out the Herman Cain Awards and see all of the thousands of people who insisted Jesus was their vaccine who the got COVID and died.
Suzi Q 3 years ago
Why was the camera on them? Our church had online services but the cameras only showed the pastor and music leader.
Adrienne Doyle 3 years ago
I'm assuming the cult required their members to watch services on Zoom or other online meeting program.
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High Mamii Melo 3 years ago
Non-disclosure Agreement. It's basically a document stating you won't divulge information about a, b, and c.
Load More Replies... Glasia van Duivels 3 years ago
I'd say in the video meetings Krrrrggghghghhghhhhhh and then turn the pc off
#26
I realized it when I was told in order for me to reach the highest level of heaven I would have to participate in "The Blood Atonement" inside of The Mormon temple and that my husband would be required to have multiple wives to reach that same heaven. I YEETED THE F**KITY F**K OUT!
Nathaniel 3 years ago
From Wikipedia "Blood atonement is a disputed doctrine in the history of Mormonism, under which the atonement of Jesus does not redeem an eternal sin. To atone for an eternal sin, the sinner should be killed in a way that allows his blood to be shed upon the ground as a sacrificial offering,..." What the actual f**k?
Enlee Jones 3 years ago
Go read “Under The Banner of Heaven”, about two murders committed by fundamentalist Mormons because gawd told them to. It’s some freaky stuff.
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Brandy Grote 3 years ago
I never understood the whole "have a lot of kids so they can serve you in heaven". When they grow up and have a lot of kids, they won't be serving you.
Thomas Es Thomas 3 years ago
That's the doctrine of the Apostolic Brethren Fundamental Church of Jesus Christ. The real Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints did away with polygamy over 100 years ago. It was only begun after mobs of other faiths killed most of the men. At one time in the 1840s there were up to five women for every man. The numbers evened out by the 1880s, so the practice was abandoned.
Napoleon dynamite 3 years ago
Does anyone else listen to the podcast Full Body Chills? They have one podcast about this girl stuck in a cult and this reminded me of it. I think it called Family Matters not sure
Adrienne Mcginley 3 years ago
Blood atonement isn't reserved for LDS either. Several religions practice it, albeit in deep secrecy these days.
Clan Leader 3 years ago
That and the skeezy smelly magic underwear that doesn’t get washed. Had a long time exmormon friend clue me in on that
#27
When my step bro only had to pray for forgiveness after molesting me, no other actions were taken.
Susie Elle 3 years ago
You, on the other hand, supposedly had it coming and will burn in a hell for tempting him, right?
Nathaniel 3 years ago
How can people defend these religious cults when sh!t like this happens?
Jace 3 years ago
Because they’re part of them, or because their insecurity in their own religious acculturation makes them defensive of what they see as “other people’s sincerely held beliefs” being attacked. There’s intense cultural pressure to walk on eggshells for religion. It’s got to stop.
Load More Replies... Madelyn Moydell 3 years ago
So, pretty much like that fundamentalist family that had a tv show and it turned out the brother had committed incest but wasn’t punished for it. Makes me so angry my head hurts
#28
Raised in a cult in ireland knows as dippers ( cooneyites) It was absolutely crazy and my family are all members and had to disown me and shone me when i came out as gay. The other members within the family discussed it and decided it was necessary to strip me of any inheritance and any relationship with my family and other members of our religion.
Napoleon dynamite 3 years ago
God will always accept you no matter what it's people twisted conceptions of him
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Vicki Thill 3 years ago
I'll be your mom: "I don't care if you're gay; I'll accept a son in law, just as I would a daughter in law and nothing, and I mean nothing, brings me more joy than your happiness. I want you to feel content, I want you to be curious and wonder about the world, look forward to life, find joy in being you, and most of all, find love, search for it, grab it, and love it back." Love, mom.
Kylie Leanne 3 years ago
Same! I wish you happiness, health, and success, and will always be here for you
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Reading-under-Sequoias🫶🇺🇦 3 years ago (edited)
Queer party in hell! If all the people like me are down there why would I want to go to heaven?
Joanne Lawrence 3 years ago
Interestingly, I found out recently that here in Canada a disinheritance can be overturned or a will ruled invalid if it contains provisions that are considered contrary to public policy, including but not limited to discrimination based on gender, religion, and sexuality. So in the example I came across, a woman and her sister were excluded from an inheritance and their brothers got everything. The father was pretty explicit when he was alive that the girls got dowries and that's all they got. The case is still ongoing, I think, but I expect that a judge will rule that the daughters should inherit - or I hope so, anyway.
Theo Blackwood 3 years ago
Ohhh. I’ve never heard of this one. The only active cults I know in Ireland are the Scientologists and JW.
Iggy 3 years ago
I'd never heard of them either. Wikipedia describes then as a Protestant sect. They're apparently predominantly in Ulster and Co. Cork.
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Kahna Wanna 3 years ago
I dearly hope you've found your "Tribe" and surrounded by wonderful people that support who you truly are! Stay Brave! Enjoy your life Free of their BS!
Braineating Spleen 3 years ago
You get to create your own family now. Find people who appreciate you for who you are and who support you when you need it. Those people are your real family.
#29
When I realized I had been running two versions of "truth" in my head my whole life. One was the empirical, fact-based reality we actually live in - the other was my church's version of that reality. One day, it clicked that both can't be true and I was living a lie. I left and had to reevaluate how I wanted to live my life, and I found my genuine life. I was fortunate to have a spouse who was not a member of my church to support me. My family, not so much.
Wandaluzt 3 years ago
It's not good however that you don't realise you're not replying to them. It was posted on Reddit a year ago. They can't see your reply on a different website. Read where they get the content from.
Load More Replies... #30
My mom being like “we are NOT a cult! I mean sure ex members got hitmen sent after them a couple times but that does NOT define us!” Yeahhh Also the fact that even though me and my siblings repeatedly asked what our religion was, our parents refused to tell us until we were all 16-19 because they didn’t trust us to not look it up or tell other people.
Sharron Lindsay 3 years ago
If members need to deny being a cult then of course it's not a cult
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Magpie 3 years ago
:... refused to tell us..." that sounds like me. I always thought it was just my dad was a raging and controlling, hitting pedoVile.... I ran away when I was 18. Because it was the age when the cops would not bring me back. oh and my mother was a submissive alcoholic. not even gonna talk about the damage from neglect.
Robert Thompson 3 years ago
Jesus had hitmen sent after him and his peeps. There has got to be more to this story.
#31
Nothing is wrong. Our Supreme leader knows all and loves us all equally. Sure, he only has sex with the cute teenage girls, but that is his right and responsibility as the one true representative of God. May his seed be strong and plentiful.
Egg 3 years ago
It's about how people left their cults, this person is talking about why they left theirs
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#32
I wasn’t supposed to make friends with any other kids unless they went to our church.
Jon Steensen 3 years ago
ah yeah, isolation is an important tool when you want to brainwash a person, e.i. decide what thoughts are installed in their mind. If you "compete" with someone else on that task, the child may get a more nuanced world view, and realise that better alternatives exists, learn how to think critically and see that they have options, so they might choose not to go with you. All of that is really dangerous when you try to keep them in the herd and make them go in the direction you want them to go in, in order to exploit them.
Kurtis Wethington 3 years ago
Domestic abusers use the exact same tactic (and notice the overlap with cult leaders).
Load More Replies... HarriMissesScotland 3 years ago
I'm so sorry. I hope you found your group of good supportive friends.
Wang Zhuang 3 years ago
JW's also encouraged this, befriending only people who are in the faith. But my parents weren't overly strict with that. We were allowed to have friends who were in other religions, it wasn't a big deal. Thank God my parents were open minded enough to allow that
Aave 3 years ago
My friend was (is?) a member of the Pentecostal Church and he told me this was practically his childhood... everything was a sin, every friend who had different faith was a sinner who was to be converted, and so on. He never learned how to get friends. He's 36 now and has his own views and knows how abusive his childhood was (and is a proud dad whose children luckily have many friends), but he is extremely anxious about everything. I'm glad I'm one of the few friends he has made but damn that poor man is just so broken...
Morgan 3 years ago
9 years ago I was disfellowshipped (excommunicated) (former JW). In hindsight I can say that I was filled with emotional pain, for a molestation I hadn’t really dealt with (as a child), not fitting in with my family (was constantly told it seemed like I was born to the wrong family), my twin sister leaving at 16 (she couldn’t take it anymore), no social life, no friends, chronic depression. I used to cut myself to cope but got in trouble. When I turned 18 I started exploring S&M (NEVER anything sexual because rules) just pain because I promised not to hurt myself, didn’t promise not to let other people hurt me. Well one of those people raped me and I was subsequently disfellowshipped. I literally lost my family overnight. I no longer existed. I was thrust into a world vastly different and omg did I learn what a bubble I grew up in. I tried to go back after 6-8 months and was told I was no where near ready to return so I said f it and started living life. No regrets.
#33
I was raised in a very strict manner by Church of Christ parents in an extremely legalistic Southern Baptist church. I was extremely sheltered, allowed only one movie (maybe) and one hour of TV a week, ONLY Christian movies, books, TV shows, radio, etc. I never interacted with kids outside of the church bubble, as my parents started a Christian school so that I "wouldn't have to go to the evil public school and be brainwashed." For me it was when my pastor and my youth pastor took me aside during a church camp and said they were worried about my salvation as I hadn't led anyone in the sinners prayer and didn't go on "visitation," which was door knocking on Sunday afternoons to talk about Jesus. Instead, I played harp as part of the instrumental group every Sunday and Wednesday and sang in the choir when I wasn't playing, which practiced during the same time as visitation. They basically told me that since I showed most of the other fruits of the spirit like love, joy, peace, patience, kindness, etc., they thought I was Christian but since I openly boycotted visitation and hadn't borne any of the "bringing new sheep into the flock" fruit by leading anyone in the sinners prayer, I couldn't possibly be a full Christian and they wanted me to work on that. I was 15! I never interacted with non-christians and was part of the instrumental group and choir which practiced during visitation! How could I do that if everyone I knew was already Christian?? It led to some serious questions, but I couldn't really do anything until I escaped to college 3 years later.
Kathryn Baylis 3 years ago (edited)
In the US, once you’re 18, you’re legally an adult. Not every 18 year old is still a child, btw. I have seen plenty of very composed and levelheaded 18 year olds with good entry level jobs in good-paying trades—-like plumbing, etc—-and apartments, bills, car payments and all the other trappings of adulthood—-whose futures were set. But I digress. Once you hit 18, your parents can’t make decisions for you, or make you follow their faith, etc, anymore. That’s why you see so many anti-vaxxers’ kids get all their vaccinations, and cultists’ kids run as far from the cult as they can, once they hit 18.
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Ricardo Ferreira 3 years ago
Am I the only one that find this conversation... dangerous? Like, s e x u a l harassment dangerous?
Mrs. Jan Glass 3 years ago
There is nothing in the world grosser or worse for a girl than an interaction with a Christian man.
LangiStudios 3 years ago
How was OP supposed to find "sinners" to recruit if they were only forced to associate with those of their faith from early childhood? Wishful thinking?
Jon Steensen 3 years ago (edited)
Oh yeah the preaching is a part of the brainwashing. Most people hate it when it, when a visit at the door comes out the blue, taking away time that was otherwise planed on chores or leisure activities, and hence they can react rather harsely on this unwelcommed aproach. Therefore the expiriences gathered when going from door to door helps conveying an image that people outside the Church are rather unwelcomming, and hence spending time with them would often cause some unpleasant interactions. Combine that with a bit of love bombing and empathy from your peers when you share your experience, and you have perfect uportunity to keep people inside the flock... and should it go the other way, that you are welcommed, you have found the perfect victime to brainwash into the cult. Pure win-win.
Kandi Heiple 3 years ago
Former Church of Christ kid here! My brother wasnt allowed to go on a mission trip with them because he had long hair.
#34
Not in a cult per say, but was in one of those evangelical megachurches. Started as a nice corner church; the piety was genuine.
I dont think that the pastor planned the whole thing - he seemed a genuine preacher until the church grew exponentially. Like went from a few hundred members to 15,000 in less than 2 years. Then his main focus was maintaining (entertaining) the masses, which drove him to do stupid things.
Many weird things started happening. Especially, one day he "had a revelation" that the congregation needs to expand further and members have to, I am serious, give out all the GOLD they were wearing. I know a lady that got into serious trouble with her husband because she gave away her gold wedding band.
My last straw was when he promoted himself to Apostle and renamed himself "Paul". Apostle Paul. Okay.
Hex Gurls 3 years ago
i hâte megachurches ☹️ they just feel so cold and like they’re just trying to make money
Red 3 years ago
The Universal Church of the Kingdom of God, a Brazilian Evangelical mega church/corporation, teaches their leaders and pastors on how to extort people to the max. An audio was leaked where the man teaches how to ask for someone's house or car in order to get blessings. It's absolutely disgusting.
Clan Leader 3 years ago
Lookin at you Hillsong. I lived not far from where they were founded in Western Sydney. Our Anglican minister wouldn’t let our youth group accept invitations from them due to the fact the males couldn’t keep their hands of underage kids. He was right
Nadja Lambacher 3 years ago
Lol when John Oliver did his segment about corrupt church leaders the amount of private jets paid for by the congregations was baffling to me. "If I want to buy a 50 million dollar jet, you can not stop me from dreaming!"
Marlowe Fitzpatrik 3 years ago
"Won't find me practicing what I'm preaching - won't find me making your sacrifices. But I can get you a pocketful of miracles, if you promise to be good just try to be nice. God will take good care of you. Just do as I say don't do as I do" (Genesis, "Jesus he knows me")
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Miguel justino C 3 years ago
I picture this pastor as Mr. Burns from the Simpsons. “My plan is coming to fruition, excellent” while rubbing his hands together greedily.
Janice Bontrager 3 years ago
Sounds familiar. Start out with good intentions but as the congregation grows so does the personal power. Need more members for more money for bigger and better church buildings. Then its less about the teachings and spreading the gospel and more about power.
You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
this reminds me of cartman. PUTA DALLA IN THE BAXA! https://www.southparkstudios.com/video-clips/upwnax/south-park-a-dollar-for-god
#35
My church made me throw away all of my first edition hard cover Harry Potter books because they were “evil” I wasn’t even allowed to sell them, so that I wouldn’t cause others to “stumble” I think about it probably once a week...
Fraxinus excelsior 3 years ago
I bet the church would've welcomed the profits if you could've sold them?
Suzi Q 3 years ago
They had movie nights at my church for the teens and showed every Harry Potter movies. I don't get the fear.
Rylee Evergreen 3 years ago
Aaaaaaah AND they were first edition (I'm sorry I'm a book nerd and that is the most painful part about this one)
J F 3 years ago
Trust me, parents like that find out everything. You can't hide anything from them.
Load More Replies... Rabbit-Of-ill-Portent🇺🇦️ 3 years ago
Ohh my god, okay this. So I was raised in a very closed minded baptist church. When HP came out when I was in the seventh (or eighth) grade, my mom FORBADE me to read with my class. Sent a note to the teacher. I was humiliated. FAST F*****G FORWARD to a few years ago. Mom: oh I watched one of those Harry Potter movies today, it's so good! Y'all If looks could kill. I said "see what happens when you THINK for YOURSELF!!!!???? I was deprived of this because of that goddamn f*****g church!" She actually had the grace to apologize. Thanks, mom, for doing better.
#36
Raised in a very culty Church of Christ congregation. At 13 I realized how judgmental everybody was and that nothing anybody did ever seemed like enough. I began suffering from depression because I realized nothing I do will ever be enough. I tried to be perfect but it was never good enough for the church or for "God." I noticed the gossip and negative attitudes toward one another when backs were turned, but when speaking to each other everybody pretended they weren't just talking s**t about them. I noticed it was unusual that we were not allowed to hang out with anyone other than people who were in our church. Was weirded out when people from church starting arriving at my house unannounced and inviting themselves in to talk about my church attendance recently. Noticing the s**tty attitude and weird social rules of the church was eventually followed by realized none of it made logical sense, either, as I slowly became a lover of science.
Kandi Heiple 3 years ago
Former Church of Christ here too! I despise that church with everything I have
I'm Kid A 3 years ago
You can love science and spirituality - they're not necessarily mutually exclusive - but that specific type of spirituality almost certainly won't line up with any "mainline" religions. And it shouldn't. Each and every person is an individual and each and every person experiences the world and the intertwined spirituality a little bit different.
Clan Leader 3 years ago
The biggest reason for loss of members for cults seems to be when people realise what arseholes they are
#37
When my other friends came to my church for the first time. Most of my friendships were isolated to church members until middle school. I started going with my other christian friends to their churches which were all similar to each other. When they came to mine they were uncomfortable and they all started telling me my church was weird. Around 13 years old a friend's mother asked me a few questions about my church and I had recently gotten the internet so I started asking questions at my church, and the questions were not welcome. My church was an offshoot, home based, from what is known as "The Way" ministries. Recently a coworker told me a long story about almost getting indoctrinated to a cult while he was in college. I mentioned how it sounded like "The Way" and his eyes lit up.
Joyce C 3 years ago
Former member here. Yes they are definitely a cult! This was back in the early 80's when I was a member. My mother was murdered in 1982, and just a few months before that I had decided against going on a year long Word Across the World which entailed going with 2-3 members and living in whatever city they picked for us. After my mothers death, I spoke with my former leader on the phone and he had the audacity to say that had I gone on my year long trip and not shunned the church, my mother would still be alive. I cut off all communications after that horrible insensitive comment!
Tamra Stiffler 3 years ago
What a terrible, terrible thing for them to say. Just awful. These people are no more godly than my left shoe. I'm very sorry for the loss of your mom.
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Janice Bontrager 3 years ago
Back in the 70's, "The Way" was the big bad cult going up in my area. Did not realize it was still out there.
greenbean 3 years ago (edited)
The story or the 1st coment don't show any specific cultist characteristics, apart from the church being weird or single individuals mean. I am really curious and couldn't find any specific controversies on this organisation (googled it briefly), can anyone elaborate? I'm genuinely interested. Edit: This church also operates in my country and I have friends involved in some sketchy organisations, that's why I'm looking for information.
#38
When I learned that, if a women was going to be raped, it would be better for her to kill herself than risk having her “blood lineage” tainted.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
What freaky bullsh!t cult teaches this? And what the eff happens to the rapist? Repent and be forgiven?
Justme 3 years ago
It’s her fault - she wore something provocative and then she didn’t fight hard enough
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#39
When I started attending a school run by my cult after years in public school and it wasn't just the rules that were different, but the social norms. Example: only allowed to sleep 5 hours a night. Intense bullying for talking to boys after breaking up with my boyfriend. Odd forms of physical/psychological punishment when students broke rules. Being taught that masturbation is unhealthy, that getting piercings put holes in your aura (that can only be filled with diamonds lol), and that sleeping with men puts holes in a woman's arc line (which impacts her ability to bond with her infant). Most of the things were relatively benign at the beginning. Rumours floating around over the years were always dismissed as people trying to disparage the image of our teacher, or profit financially, or they were 'crazy'. It wasn't until the beginning of last year when the truth about the abuse and corruption in the community started to surface!
Sharron Lindsay 3 years ago
Sorry I'm confused - sleeping with a man affects the mothers ability to bond with the child? How are mothers meant to conceive a child and bond with it?
BAWK BAWK BAKAW 3 years ago
like i think they mean doing it pre-marriage and/or not to concieve
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#40
When I heard myself saying, "I'm so lucky I was born into the right religion."
Rodney Bowie 2 years ago
I actually heard myself saying, to a fellow student in high school, "YOU aren't living your life right, I AM!!" Complete with pointed finger. It wasn't the turning point, but it was certainly one of the pebbles that eventually tipped the scales. And to which cult am I referring? Good ol fashioned Southern Baptist.
#41
The lawsuit-after-lawsuit and Australian Royal Commission into Child Sex Abuse and seeing one of the 'leaders' lying on camera. Made me squirm in my seat watching. Not to mention the 'no blood transfusions' policy + shunning former members. (ExJW here~)
Nathaniel 3 years ago
The more I hear about the JW's the more I am concerned for people trapped in that belief.
Concept-Peter Roosdorp 3 years ago
Why? All in all, they're not that bad. There are others alot worse. You are just hearing some of the worst cases. But there are so very many different christian cults out there. Yes, I consider them to be a cult, as they do fit in with the description of one. And it has gone much worse, if you are interested, check out "the family" and "Jonestown". I present to you.. The power of religion.
Load More Replies... RedCorvette 3 years ago
That was the day I left many years ago when I learned that the Governing Body would rather protect the JW image than the abused children. I also learned that some JWs were selling and promoting Ivermectin during the height of pandemic.
Suzi Q 3 years ago
Right? God provided people with wisdom and knowledge so doctors can heal with medication, transfusions and vaccines. Trust God's provision of medical knowledge. Geez!
Jace 3 years ago
No, “god” didn’t provide anything. Human beings worked very hard for a very long time, often risking condemnation by religious orders, to develop a body of scientific knowledge that we continue to refine and expand on to this day (with continued interference by religions).
Load More Replies... Tamara Arden 3 years ago
I have a friend who was raised in the JW's and he got all upset when I told him they were a cult. He's the one who says they are not supposed to hang out with worldly people (unless to visit them at home) and yet he hangs out with us. Hypocritical much?
Magpie 3 years ago
Please be kind with this person, They are trying to reach out, They will be inconsistent as they struggle with what is brainwashed into them very young, and logic. Don't argue about the jw stuff, just try and show them a fun good and healthy time outside.
Load More Replies... #42
When I was told doing independent research on the doctrine would lead to being shunned by my friends and family. i.e. fall in line bitch. Jehovah's Witness.
Martha B. Higgins 3 years ago
Why do you think JW's are not still getting "away with this garbage"?
Load More Replies... Concept-Peter Roosdorp 3 years ago
The irony is that is called theology, and something priests usually are required to study.
#43
Recently. I'm 41 years old and kind of had the blindfold pulled that a lot of the "evangelical" organizations I've worked with in my life have been cults. In my teens we went to a church that told you who you could hang out with, what you could watch on TV, what movies you could see, and picked who within the church you could be friends with. 99% of the leaders told you how to run your family but had kids who were either teenage pregnancies or a baby daddy, illiterate homeschoolers, high school drop-outs or drug addicts. There were stretches where we went to church two times a day - even during the week. They encouraged people to get their kids out of school for revival meetings, home schoolers postponed their classes - it was consuming. They started arranged marriages, with several families petitioning my parents for me to marry their daughters - they almost went for it but stopped because it seemed "weird". As I moved off to college they recommended a mega-church they got a lot of their messages and such from. This church did more of the same. They encouraged high school seniors to put off college a year and PAY THE CHURCH $3,000 for an opportunity to work there for year for an internship program that guaranteed ministry work experience. This program micro-managed your life to the hour, included intense hazing for new members that routinely sent students to the hospital and stacked them all into student housing so that you could focus more on the program.
Glasia van Duivels 3 years ago
In Germany when parents block off their 6-18 yo child from school the child can be taken away by authorities.
#44
I was raised with the belief that if I followed all the rules and was a good person, I'd feel a confirmation of everything. 7 year old me was well aware that I had yet to feel it, and that was one of the many things that led to becoming depressed at the age of 12. I kept having questions that I had no answer for other than "God works in mysterious ways." Eventually, I found a YouTube channel where the person told about how they left the religion and I realized my whole life was a lie and that I no longer had to try and believe in something that never worked for me.
Carol Emory 3 years ago
The "God works in mysterious ways" is the equivalent of "because I said so." If you can't answer the question, just admit that. If it's a legitimate question with an answer you don't like, admit that too. I'm not sure why so many supposedly Christian groups think it's their business to tell someone what they have to do or how they will be saved. It's between each individual and God. You have no one else to answer to.
greenbean 3 years ago
Ok but this seems to be a different story, not being trapped in a cult, but chosing to leave religion which the person was brought up in. You could do it freely, apparently, as well as you can probably go away from many other family traditions and beliefs on whatever if you decide so.
Magpie 3 years ago
We don't know how much they are Not saying. Early in the struggle to leave and sort out thinking a lot of "gentling" of the info happens. That they were able to respond to the original question means they felt over controlled where they were. And that the escaped, rather than just left.
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#45
My mum was a Jehovah's Witness. She raised me alone, without my father. I was just a kid (around 6-9 yo) and I was not comfortable with everything and everyone. I felt something was wrong, the way they talked, the way they smiled. When she got cancer, at the very beginning she refused some treatments, she even went to a "brother" doctor who claimed he could treat cancer with herbs. When she became very ill, they begin to "let her go" and focus on me. At that time she was at home, with my aunt and my nana with her. When my aunt and my grandma gone crazy about them and forbidden to came at home for me, they just disappeared. The sad side of the story was that she lived in the community for years, so she didn't have other friends than them. Who just dissolved, leaving her alone. She died in 1992. To answer the question, I think the first time I realized something was wrong was when THEY realized that I realized (sorry for the game of words), the whole community start acting strange, too many attentions, too many smiles, very creepy.
Celesta 3 years ago
How so? They were JW, mom got cancer and the church wouldn't let her get real treatment. When she started going down hill the church left her to die alone (or with her mom and sister) and the church members turned their (creepy) attention to the child in hopes of keeping them "in the fold". The Grandmother and aunt put a stop to it and kicked them out of the childs life.
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Craig Reynolds 3 years ago
I was baptized Roman Catholic but do not follow any religion. I cannot accept that if there is only one God, why is there not also only ONE religion instead of dozens! I do not for one second believe that religion is needed to believe in God. I think all religions are just a scam dominated by power-hungry men.
Luthor 3 years ago (edited)
"...the first time I realized something was wrong was when THEY realized that I realized." That sentence is very profound and I wouldn't be surprised if it resonates with many ex-cult members. Once you start questioning, EVERYTHING changes. The illusion can only hold as long as no-one looks behind the curtain.
#46
I was raised as one of Jehovah's witnesses. One of my earlier memories was probably around the age of 6 7-8. I remember thinking that the things I'm learning might not be true, but it's still a better life then outside of the religion. The biggest thing I found that woke me up was how kind people outside the cult were. I was always raised to believe that they were being influenced by the devil and that you couldn't really trust anyone else. But here I was in high school, and being around the most fantastic and accepting people I had ever known. Completely against what I had been told they were.
#47
After my parents announced their pending divorce, I was suddenly taboo to virtually all my church friends. It occurred to me then that every one of my secular friends were of higher quality than my religious ones. This struck me as strange, considering those of my friends who had "the holy spirit in their hearts" were also all pretty much douchebags. That was when I started re-examining my religious beliefs.
Debbie Nicholson 3 years ago
I’m so sorry. I was raised in a very strict cultish church and can feel your pain, but I would have never have disowned a friend whose parents were divorcing even in the church. Not your fault. I went through a lot of my own pain for other reasons but I’m still sorry for yours.
#48
When I was 12 years old, my classmate from school died in a car accident. We were as close of friends as I was allowed to be with someone who wasn’t in the cult. I asked my mom if I would see my friend in paradise (afterlife) and she said no because her parents weren’t Jehovah’s Witnesses. Then and now, I couldn’t believe that an innocent 12-year-old wouldn’t get a shot at everlasting life because of her parents. It was definitely the biggest crack in my ideology that only grew as I got into my teen years.
#49
Well, where to start. There were always so many things I couldn't grasp about what I was taught growing up. How was the world supposed to be so young? How did they fit so many animals on such a small boat? How come this "faith" stuff never seemed to really work? Why didn't I have autonomy over my own decisions? How come my parent's and the head minister didn't appear to have to follow some of the rules that I did? How was everyone so sure that THIS was the correct theology to be so invested into? I think the exact moments that really did it for me was when my abusive father-in-law to be as well as my abusive grandfather were both using their book to justify their abusive and manipulative behavior. And then the time my grandfather "prophesied" that I used my brain to much and needed to shut it off. Those were the catalysts I needed to abandon ship completely and seek actual truth rather than just "believe" and "trust" whatever their book said without answers or proper, convincing evidence and proof. I could not be more happy to finally be out of that terrible time and place.
You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
Granpapa prophesied?? EPA! EPA! https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Plr7_SAuB6g
Carol Emory 3 years ago (edited)
To answer the "How was the world supposed to be so young..." Time is a man made concept. We use it to tell our past from our future. Time means nothing to God. He can be anywhere at any time He chooses. A minute to us could be a million years to God and visa versa. So even though we perceive the world as only being a few thousand years old, it may have taken billions of years to create, we just didn't realize it. As far as the Ark is concerned, if you go to a Zoo that spans a City Block, you can fit a lot of animals in a small space. Now also consider the Arc was probably several stories high...like todays cruise liners. Those ships have massive amounts of stores, restaurants, entertainment venues, etc. They're like little floating cities. Also consider that the Ark saved the animals from the flood in the area that existed at the time. It doesn't mean the whole world was flooded...just that neck of the woods. Also consider that not all animals need land to survive. Reptiles would be able to survive in flood waters along with certain mammals. But the cult leader and parents not following the same rules and the abusive in-laws...yeah..they got some explaining to do!
Nicole Weymann 3 years ago (edited)
If there was a "Noah" he likely saved a pair of all the animals that were important to him (i.e. livestock). There wouldn't be nearly as many species of insects around if their survival (in pairs!) at any point had involved hundreds of beasties and humans not stepping on or smashing them. I could do without ticks and mosquitos, though. Wooden boats the size of a cruise liner or a seven story house are not feasible, especially not with the tools and materials at hand at the time.
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#50
My first time going through an endowment session at the local Mormon temple, and there are parts of the ceremony where you add basically add robes and an apron to what your already wearing. During the second time of everyone in the room standing and adjust robes according to the part of the ritual we were at (aka doing what we're told to an extreme degree) I paused, looked around, and thought, "O! This us why people think we are a cult". I brushed the thought off because I saw the ceremony as an individual spiritual event, ignoring the fact that we were all dressing and sharing secret hand shakes as a group. It's been 19 years since then, I've had to examine and break down a lot of my life, but I've finally written my resignation letter so as to finally leave the church.
sanityisnotproven 3 years ago
Ex-Mormon here. Leaving was the best thing in my life. My peace has increased a thousand fold. It took awhile to shake off the mind warp that I was raised in but worth it. YOU are worth it. If you need to talk please message. Support is sooo important!
Jods 3 years ago
Had to ring Brigham Young university from work. Amazed that I was talking to an old school friend and close neighbour. Couldn’t help myself and asked if he was a Mormon. He laughed and said he wasn’t, he was living in a very, very nice neighbourhood but still found it hard to cope with when his neighbours continually pressured him into joining the Mormons.
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#51
When my mother ignored my molestation by a member because they were a member, and they would never do anything like that, and even if they did it, they were a member.
Micah 3 years ago
They can come up with whatever excuse they like but molestation and sexual violence can never be justified.
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sanityisnotproven 3 years ago
When my grandfather molested me, my sister and brother and raped my other sister at the age of 7 the Mormon church told us he wouldn't have done that because he was such a good member of the church and faithfully went to the temple. The leaders claimed to be in communication with God and led by the spirit but somehow they didn't get the message that my grandfather was a pedophile.
My O My 3 years ago
I hope you and your siblings found the help you needed and are now living a happy "normal" life
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#52
Fifth grade when i saw them cutting of camel heads in the street. The were “blessing” their bodies with the blood. They also hit themselves on the head with a sword and i was asking my father about it and the answer of “this is gods orders” didn’t convince me. That’s when I started looking for answers. I lived many years in fear and confusion but it’s all good now, I’m no longer part of that group, I’ve never been.
Candia Lee 3 years ago
Sounds like a mideast offshoot. Sacrifice of animals is in the Old Testament.
Load More Replies... #53
So many red flags. Speaking in tongues, hellfire nonsense. I felt like the only sane person in the room. Saying Pokemon came from Satan-this is when I stopped believing. No non Christian media, which became a big fight with my parents. Caused a lot of resentment. The church did regular book burnings. This was traumatizing, as a nerdy kid who loves to read. This made me hate them. Saying it was bad to research other religions or what they teach (6k year old earth etc). I realized they had something to hide. Thank f**k my mom is a hypocrite and had 2 other kids out of wedlock and was excommunicated.
#54
I joined in my early 20’s but I was a recovering drug addict and emotionally a child. I essentially grew up in a Japanese Buddhist cult, the Soka Gakkai (SGI). I realised something was up when i couldn’t trace the money. It seemed like every centre was marble floored and worth millions. I couldn’t understand where the money came from and begun asking questions. I found out that I was in a financial cult that had its own political party. Then while travelling I encountered Buddhist ideas as they were taught outside of SGI. These made sense and helped me so much that I left immediately upon returning home. I’m not in any group now and have a spiritual connection to nature alone.
Zedrapazia 3 years ago
I'm glad here's also non-christian stories, I've never heard of Buddhist cults and it's highly interesting. I'll look up more about that.
Display Name 3 years ago
Every religion has some cult offshoot that takes on ideas from it, some pretending to be Gods/messengers. Easiest way to make money.
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Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
Wasn't it some wacko quasi-Buddhist cult that was responsible for the gas attack on Japanese commuter trains in the 1990s?
#55
I approached an Elder about wanting to be baptized. In short, my "eternal life on Paradise Earth" was thrown into jeopardy and I was denied the opportunity to "progress" toward having a saving relationship with God because my hair was too long. This group preaches imminent Armageddon, like any day now, for context. A cosmetic divergence was enough to condemn 14 year old me to destruction until I conformed to their arbitrary grooming standard. Something kind of broke in me right there. I left the Kingdom Hall and never returned.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
The running theme of this thread seems to be the dress code to get into Heaven is more important than religious leaders molesting children.
Virgil Blue 3 years ago
Well, you can see the dress code in public while molesting is invisible after the fact and can be ignored.
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Ross Warren 3 years ago
Meanwhile they surround themselves with images of a long-haired, bearded Jesus.
Victor Botha 3 years ago
Who looks very white and European, not Middle Eastern at all.
Load More Replies... #56
My aunt and uncle joined a radical sect of the 7th Day Adventists. Seventh Day Adventists don't allow dancing, cards, chess, checkers and most board games. They can't go to plays, or partake in anything that isn't "harmless" but it isn't clear what is holy and what is profane. That means that sports and even watching TV are really unacceptable unless somehow religiously-aligned. My cousins were fascinating. Their parents joined the Global Mission arm and became Missionaries (professional) and lived in Argentina, Thailand and Africa. My cousins would come to North America every so often to see family but were so bizarre because they had no cultural references. They were raised in a cloistered community with little-to-no outside influence, so they didn't know music, arts, or pop-culture. They had never heard most music or even seen a Gilbert & Sullivan play. They would come to us and talk about the Church but there was no way me or my other cousins would give up our lives to live in some quasi-monastic world. Their parents abandoned the Church after a number of years and became Mainliners, but for a good 7 years, my cousins were like people who had been unfrozen from a glacier and trying to navigate life as interlopers.
Candy 3 years ago
I was raised 7th Day Adventist. No drinking/dancing/piercings/tattoos, even kissing someone who isn't your wife/husband/partner/whatever before saying "I Do" was a sin. My parents (who should never have gotten married in the first place) didn't get divorced (another sin unless it is under one or two specific circumstances) until 30 years later and wreaked havoc on me and my sister's mental and emotional health. Mother refuses to go to therapy because "God is enough"... Noped outta that a few years back!
Susan 3 years ago
All religions haven radical members. Your second sentence makes it seems like most or even all adventists do not play games, sports, or watch tv; which is, categorically untrue. Each individual in the church must decide what they think honors God. None of those things are forbidden by the church.
WoodenLion 3 years ago
i have been in some pretty weird churches - really weird
Load More Replies... #57
When they declared that CHILDREN of gay people couldn’t be baptized. Not just gay people themselves, but their children too. The cult is Mormonism.
Charles seen manythings 3 years ago
Really? I don’t think that’s correct anymore, as I have had a friend who is the child of two gay people, and they aren’t restricted that I’ve heard of… maybe it’s just my area
Emi Johnson 3 years ago
Yeah, no they got rid of that policy churchwide a few years ago.
Load More Replies... #58
When I was five and the leader, who claimed to receive messages directly from God, accused me of doing something I knew I had not done.
Tamra Stiffler 3 years ago
Incredible, how an adult needs to shame a child in order to feel powerful.
#59
When I read the Bible for myself .
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
"Properly read, the Bible is the most potent force for atheism ever conceived." - Isaac Asimov
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Raven DeathShade 3 years ago
My brother and I did that to get out of schoolwork XD. We loved it.
Jon Steensen 3 years ago
There is so much nonsense and contradictions in there, which is part of what makes it so powerful; since no matter what your opinion is, you can find some passage that you can use as an argument, as it pretty much says everything possible. Furthermore it can be hard to say exactly what is means as the texts in general are not very concise, which add another layer for intepretation that can be used to twist things. Furthermore a lot of people preaching has not read the entire thing, but only knows of the passages that someone with an agenda cherrypicked in order to manipulate them to act in a certain way. Educating yourself about some of the cruelties that God does (the big flood where he pretty much kills every human on the planet, the killing of infant and hence innocent boys in Egypt, or giving Job a terrible life just because of a bet with the devil etc.) and hopefully you'll see what a mess that book you use as a guide on how to live your life is.
#60
When a congregation member pointed to a young girl after a service and said "it's dangerous for girls that age to think for themselves"
Virgil Blue 3 years ago
He is probably invited in and declared forgiven and put on the fast track to a high position in the church.
Load More Replies... #61
When I realized my cult/religion does not treat women with respect. A man can live in heaven with up to 7 wives (or i forget the specific number), does not allow abortion even if it is rape or will endanger the life of the wife, no premarital sex, no coffee (because of caffeine) but chocolate and soda is ok, does not accept homosexual, forced you to serve the church for two years and prioritize marriage over career and lastly, does not consider black guys as people (this changed tho)
#62
When I read a bedtime story about a little boy who was hit by a car and in the hospital. The boy in the room with him asked if he was Christian. The injured boy says no. The other boy tells him he won't go to heaven unless he's a Christian. So he advises the injured boy to keep his right hand raised to show Jesus that he wanted to be a Christian. The injured boy died during the night but his right arm was propped up by a pillow and 'Jesus understood' and let him into heaven.
Hopefulhippo 3 years ago
I read that all the time when I was little from a book of Bible stories at the dentist, it freaked me out. Didn’t like it.
Pretty Pangolin 3 years ago
OMG! That story messed me up as a little kid, and I'm in my 50s now. I've never heard anyone mention it. This was at my dentist's too. It was horrifying, made me think of Jesus as a monster who comes and kills little kids in the night. That upraised hand stayed with me (it was a picture book). Got to wonder WTF some adults are thinking.
Load More Replies... #63
Every year at baptism in my Mennonite church, it's always a bunch of 14-year-olds getting baptized and they each have to give their testimony. 90 percent of them list fear of going to hell as a major reason for their decision to convert. They talk about how wonderful God is for "saving them" from their fear, but they don't realize that their indoctrination into the belief in God is the entire reason they ever had that fear to begin with. When I was 13 and at a Mennonite-run boys camp for "troubled boys" I was openly not a Christian, and one of the only people in my group to be that way. A guy claims he saw the angel of death look at me at night. The dumbass that I was, I almost converted because of that after breaking down crying. Thankfully, I didn't. TL;DR Christianity's method of keeping itself alive is indoctrinating young people into believing that they will go to hell if they don't follow the church's beliefs, and without the use of emotional manipulation to gain converts, it would cease to function.
sanityisnotproven 3 years ago
As a Christian this fear mongering disturbs me. I am in a church where the minister says this is NOT the way. LOVE people! Jesus spoke of LOVE! We need to remember that and take it to heart.
#64
When they said people would try to convince us the cult was wrong. But to not even listen because we would end up believing them. Which...is really quite an admission when you think about it. But the consequences would be shunning by everyone you knew and death at Armageddon. So you shove questions like that aside for as long as you can.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
If your faith was based on a position of reason and rationality then surely you could withstand questions.
Nicole Weymann 3 years ago
Yup. If. But reason and rationality are not an ideal soil for faith. More the reverse, I find.
Load More Replies... #65
In high school, I had some school friends that I would debate religion with. One day they said we should take turns and go to each other’s church. I told them I wasn’t allowed to do that. It felt odd that I would ask something of them that I wouldn’t do myself. Anyway, one of them did come and I was so excited. Afterward she said it was nice but that the “Watchtower study” (a group read of a magazine produced by the religion where the congregation volunteers to answer questions about what was read) was very basic where everyone answered the questions by just repeating the words from the magazine. I had never noticed how rote and mechanical it all was. There was no critical thinking. It was literally like asking a 3rd grader about a book he read. This led me to realize something wasn’t right. I left the Jehovahs Witnesses shortly after. It’s a cult, a very very boring cult.
#66
When I realized that the real reason why they don’t let us do outside research on the church(basically a quick Google search) is to hide the church’s shady history and that beginning at a young age, girls are trained to be submissive and quiet, with the expectation that they’ll get married and have many kids that will repeat the cycle. Also, a lot of hypocrisy going on.
#67
I went to the front of my church for help drinking water because as a kid, I hated water but loved soda. Cue pastor putting his hand on my head and pushed me backwards. Out of shock and not wanting to make a scene, I laid still on the ground, fully aware, and still not wanting to drink water. I realized at that point everyone was faking it and no one dared challenge the pastor on his bulls**t. I'm an atheist now, go figure.
nooneimportant 3 years ago
Same, At week long overnight church "camp" i stood at the front of the "church house" with hands raised "to the one and only" and waited 20 mins for God to "fix" my wicked F****t ways I decided that if there is something "up there" this aint it.
#68
When it dawned on me that I wont be going to hell for playing on Saturday (the sabbath)or celebrating xmas, painting my nails or loving my gay uncle. I heard it all my life but primarily after my parents divorced (which is a whole other story) and my father side of the family continued with the teachings with a heavy load of guilt. I felt so guilty and cried a lot out of confusion as to why my family made me feel so unsafe now that I didnt follow exactly what the leader of the church said. I was 8 and it continued on for way to long before I said "yall nuts". F**k the world wide church of God.
#69
When it came time for me to leave for my own mental health. I became the villain and when confiding in my college tutor she was horrified to learn even a fraction of what I had grown up with. She was the main encouragement I needed to gtfo when I did
#70
I was born and raised into a not so known buddhist cult (although whether its a cult or not is contested by a lot of people, still) called "SGI". My mum was practicing it when she was still preggos with me. Thus I was considered to be a "fortune baby" as they say lmao. I didnt think too much about it as a kid. We went to our meetings every week and met people but at some point I learnt the religion had a whole political thing going on in Japan and I was so confused. Also, ive had extensive mental health issues and over the last couple of years I realised my mum who has been practicing this religion for 20+ years is still a narcissist who has never shown an inch of wisdom or any kind of forgiveness as our religious text said. Ive slowly moved myself away but its hard because anywhere I move to my mum will always try to "get me connected" to a local member and its a lot
Magpie 3 years ago
Escaping any cult is hard. When it is so large it makes it harder too. A good therapist should be able to help. There are some therapists who will just not be the right fit for you. There are some that will just not have the right experience to help you. When I have found a good one, I call them my teacher, and at different times I have " graduated" from the help one can give. Some time later I might need different help. I'm a survivor of a small cult I never learnt the name of, Alcoholic parents and a pedoVile father. Wishing the very best for you.
WoodenLion 3 years ago
and i thought i had been through some tough stuff - glad you are you maggie
Load More Replies... #71
It started when I was a kid when I asked my mother why the important people in the church have such so many big houses. All she told me was people donate them... As I grew up and understood real estate value they had like $500k houses in almost all major cities in the US. Most churches solely on tithing and donations but they were doing what the catholic church was doing way back when. Asking for thousands upon thousands of dollars for "spiritual revolutions" and "ancestor liberations". But I will never tell my parents especially my mother what they are doing is wrong because it has revolved around their lives for so long. I do not want to take that away from them. I think they probably know that I do not want to do anything with the "church" at this point but won't outright call me out.
René Studer 3 years ago
As the late great George Carlin once said: „Religion takes in billions of dollars, they pay no taxes and they always need a little more. Talk about a good bulls**t story...Holy Sh**t!“
#72
My entire childhood was spent in a holiness separatist cult. My dad inadvertently became the whistleblower and the cult imploded as I was going into 7th grade. I knew we were different, as I wasn’t allowed to participate in holiday plays or crafts in the classroom, and I wasn’t really allowed to have toys per se, but once we emerged out of it into the real world, I saw what I’d been missing out on. As a kid, I didn’t really know how to self regulate without the heavy handed structure, so once I got into middle school I really floundered academically and otherwise. It takes a long time to learn the life skills that get thwarted or interrupted in childhood.
#73
When they told me to doubt my doubts before doubting my faith.
You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
That's like, indoubtion man. You have to go into the doubt, to reach another level of doubt.
#74
When our religion teacher was out sick and the substitute teacher told us the same Bible story from the week before, but with a completely different ending.
#75
When I was passing the mic down the isle at the watchtower study and the elder at the row seat started rubbing my thigh and trying to go higher. When I moved away he held my leg there and gave me a stare like " Dont you move boy".
#76
When I asked them how they all can speak in tongues. And one guy was like "Well, you just babble like this..." From then on I hid in the woods every time they came to pick up my family.
Candia Lee 3 years ago (edited)
Speaking in tongues got me out. We each went to the back of the hall with two members to find Spirit and speak in tongues. My SO had experience, babbled away, and was led back to the flock. The voice in my head was not for their ears, so I uttered nothing, and they wandered off without me. I felt abandoned. (Evangelical Christian)
#77
sitting in shelter at 16 years old, couldn't stay at the shelter because I wasn't an adult, no youth shelter in the county, called the youth pastor at my church trying to find some sort of help. found out that they had all known and encouraged my mother to make me homeless because I was a "blight on her house" because I didn't attend church regularly because of work and cadets obligations.
#78
When I went to college and finally explored my faith personally, and discovered how blatantly, clearly false it was. I didn't realize it was cult even then. That came later, with the social and family ostracism and other inappropriate interference and pressure from the faith, all in the name of truth and righteousness.
#79
Exactly 1 year after I was "Disfellowshipped" as a Jehovah Witness. Having friends outside the cult really helped me out, and my brother also left with me too. We both do not speak to my parents anymore. Its been approx 5 years now.
#80
Ex-jw here Besides the obvious doctrinal problems of my former religion, the other thing that woke me up was constantly reading about how happy Jehovah’s people are and feeling that I didn’t empathise with the feelings they were basically ordering me to feel. I was sad and depressed.
#81
I was already out and living on my own when one of my brothers told me to look up my dad’s organization on wikipedia. The moment I saw the word cult it was like, “of course it is! How could I not have put it together sooner??!” It just never occurred to me that it could be a cult, even though all the reasons I hated growing up in that environment were basically a high-control group checklist.
Magpie 3 years ago
It can be very scary to even talk about this stuff - even to total strangers. They have made huge steps to post this. This is the best they can do just now. I wish them good health, and great teachers.
Load More Replies... #82
Probably when I was fairly young, maybe 6-8 years old. We'd wake up early on Sundays and bow to a picture of the founder. I was pretty sure my "outside" friends never had to do that, but since most of my friends were inside the "church" and did it too, I didn't think too much on it.
#83
When my mom told me about her childhood with it. We split off from it when I was 8 and my parents got divorced, but my grandparents are apart of it. My mom couldn't have friends who weren't apart of it. She couldn't have sleepovers at all, period. No holidays at all. Her life was helicoptered. Jehovah's Witnesses. Scary group of people. I will never go back to that again.
#84
When I saw the adults "speaking in tongues" while waiving their hands to the sky and falling to the floor when the pastor touched them I knew something was wrong, even as a child. It also felt weird when they would march all the kids in front of the congregation to one by one say we accept the teaching of Christ while eating his body and drinking his blood for communion. I still have the damn pledge to the "Christian flag" memorized 30 years later.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
The whole "tongues" thing is nonsense. Gabbling noises is not a language.
You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
yep the biblical usage it is pretty clear they mean able to speak many different languages. Which most americans can't.
Load More Replies... What do you think ?
Nathaniel 3 years ago
What have we all learned? Rape is the victims fault, paedophilia is fine when it is a church leader committing it. But no watching unapproved films, that is just plain evil.
Susie Elle 3 years ago
Idk to me religion is a tool to keep anyone who can be brainwashed in check and a tool to keep anyone who can't painted off as 'the enemy'. It's a plague on this earth, I'm sad to feel that way as I know it can also be helpful for lots of people.
User# 6 3 years ago
Yup. Also, I find it also hilarious to see christians point and laugh at the 'cults' and their weird beliefs and rituals without realising they're in the same, albeit slightly milder, clubs. The only difference between a religion and a cult is the size.
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Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
The difference between a cult and a religion is how many people are in it ----- my gramps.
Troux 3 years ago
Yes, but once they go out of style for a while, both can be finely aged into a 'mythology' for that retro appeal, and they become respectable again.
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Nick 3 years ago
At my first communion at about 10. They make you sit up in front of the entire congregation with the priest and repent for your sins. I was like a deer in headlights as he pressed me to confess something. It felt like an excruciatingly long time while everyone was staring at me and the priest was getting visibly annoyed. What the hell does a 10 year old have to repent for? I eventually came up with calling my siblings names so that they would let me go back to my pew. That moment clicked for me that organized religion was terrible. For the next 10 years I still believed in god but was pretty adamant that belief should be personal within everyone and any attempts to gather or organize was a slippery slope back to shaming others. I waffled back and forth for another 10 years about whether I believed in god at all. Finally in my 30's I decided that concepts like Faith, Charity, Forgiveness, and Love were possible without a god.
Magpie 3 years ago
Congrats on getting out. Big religions have some really weird stuff going on. Not just small cults.
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Rose the Cook 3 years ago
Okay, so the law in most places allows freedom of religion meaning you can join any nutcase cult if you are silly enough. Why are children automatically considered members? The law should protect them until they are old enough to make an informed decision about whether they want to be part of it. Specially since so many of these organisations seem to be run by pedophiles.
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
If people were taught critical thinking at an early age, and not exposed to religion until they were legally adults, religion would soon fade away.
Load More Replies... Barbara Forshee 3 years ago
I went to the Church of God of Prophecy. They wouldn't let you wear jewelry even a wedding ring. When my husband cheated on me and divorced me I was thrown out of the church because you couldn't be a member and divorced. I knew then I was better off out of that church.
You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
Cults, religions and fake news all spread the same way: people have a basic lack of critical thinking skills and always believe something said with a confident tone of voice. It's the same for hitler, trump, jim jones, david icke, and anyone else who fools large amounts of people.
Wistiti 3 years ago
When I was very young, around maybe 7 or 8, I asked my dad about religion (I went to him because he never went to any type of church and my mom was out of the country). He said he doesn't like any religion but I could make up my own mind, go to any as long as I never ask him for money to give away. I thought at the time "what religion would ask a child money?" Going to so many, I realised that none of them was for me. Their stories were nice at the beginning but since question is frowned upon once you pass a certain barrier, it got boring very quickly. Other books had so much more interesting things to share than religions.
Tuxedo the Chicken 3 years ago
As a Christian I can say with certainty that Jahova's Witnesses are messed up.
Nathaniel 3 years ago
What have we all learned? Rape is the victims fault, paedophilia is fine when it is a church leader committing it. But no watching unapproved films, that is just plain evil.
Susie Elle 3 years ago
Idk to me religion is a tool to keep anyone who can be brainwashed in check and a tool to keep anyone who can't painted off as 'the enemy'. It's a plague on this earth, I'm sad to feel that way as I know it can also be helpful for lots of people.
User# 6 3 years ago
Yup. Also, I find it also hilarious to see christians point and laugh at the 'cults' and their weird beliefs and rituals without realising they're in the same, albeit slightly milder, clubs. The only difference between a religion and a cult is the size.
Load More Replies... Leo Domitrix 3 years ago
The difference between a cult and a religion is how many people are in it ----- my gramps.
Troux 3 years ago
Yes, but once they go out of style for a while, both can be finely aged into a 'mythology' for that retro appeal, and they become respectable again.
Load More Replies... Nick 3 years ago
At my first communion at about 10. They make you sit up in front of the entire congregation with the priest and repent for your sins. I was like a deer in headlights as he pressed me to confess something. It felt like an excruciatingly long time while everyone was staring at me and the priest was getting visibly annoyed. What the hell does a 10 year old have to repent for? I eventually came up with calling my siblings names so that they would let me go back to my pew. That moment clicked for me that organized religion was terrible. For the next 10 years I still believed in god but was pretty adamant that belief should be personal within everyone and any attempts to gather or organize was a slippery slope back to shaming others. I waffled back and forth for another 10 years about whether I believed in god at all. Finally in my 30's I decided that concepts like Faith, Charity, Forgiveness, and Love were possible without a god.
Magpie 3 years ago
Congrats on getting out. Big religions have some really weird stuff going on. Not just small cults.
Load More Replies... Rose the Cook 3 years ago
Okay, so the law in most places allows freedom of religion meaning you can join any nutcase cult if you are silly enough. Why are children automatically considered members? The law should protect them until they are old enough to make an informed decision about whether they want to be part of it. Specially since so many of these organisations seem to be run by pedophiles.
Freya the Wanderer 3 years ago
If people were taught critical thinking at an early age, and not exposed to religion until they were legally adults, religion would soon fade away.
Load More Replies... Barbara Forshee 3 years ago
I went to the Church of God of Prophecy. They wouldn't let you wear jewelry even a wedding ring. When my husband cheated on me and divorced me I was thrown out of the church because you couldn't be a member and divorced. I knew then I was better off out of that church.
You cant stop the truth 3 years ago
Cults, religions and fake news all spread the same way: people have a basic lack of critical thinking skills and always believe something said with a confident tone of voice. It's the same for hitler, trump, jim jones, david icke, and anyone else who fools large amounts of people.
Wistiti 3 years ago
When I was very young, around maybe 7 or 8, I asked my dad about religion (I went to him because he never went to any type of church and my mom was out of the country). He said he doesn't like any religion but I could make up my own mind, go to any as long as I never ask him for money to give away. I thought at the time "what religion would ask a child money?" Going to so many, I realised that none of them was for me. Their stories were nice at the beginning but since question is frowned upon once you pass a certain barrier, it got boring very quickly. Other books had so much more interesting things to share than religions.
Tuxedo the Chicken 3 years ago
As a Christian I can say with certainty that Jahova's Witnesses are messed up.
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