From member of destructive cult to atheism

[Strato]

I read a Christopher Hitchens article online where he refutes the general maxim "what doesn't kill me, makes me stronger." He painfully describes what the massive radiation and chemo treatment has done to disempower him and the loss of that awesome instrument, his sonorous voice.

In your case, as in mine, there is experience and inside knowledge, disgust at how cults exploit, the predation, the intellectual, emotional and autonomy- restricting straightjacket, the disapproval, repression. That engenders resolve to be self-determining, informed and free thinking. That's what's behind the raised fist salute (except the Taliban etc).

Now I could help others if they are ready.

[thinkngal]

Hi yrt, I'm also an ex jdub...Ray Franz's book was the final turning point in my exit. A lot happened that led up to that point. I was in most of my life...brought up a jdub, left for approx 6 years, then back in with renewed energy and healty guilt complex to keep me there. Good to meet you.

[yrtemmyscirtemmysa]

Originally Posted by thinkngal

Hi yrt, I'm also an ex jdub...Ray Franz's book was the final turning point in my exit. A lot happened that led up to that point. I was in most of my life...brought up a jdub, left for approx 6 years, then back in with renewed energy and healty guilt complex to keep me there. Good to meet you.

Hi thinkngal, yeah its good to be out and see others breaking free

[yrtemmyscirtemmysa]

There is a lot that have not mentioned, I wonder if those who have not been in this type of cult, a cult like scientology, unification church, latter day saints etc fully understands the mind control placed on us, not only was all the tools necessary to rationalise taken away but cognitive traps triggered by certain things said or proven wrong turns on irrationality at full swing.
According to social psychology our personalities change depending on the environment we are in, like one does not behave in the same manner when at work to a funeral or at the confort of your home. The same with cult like mentalities, they have their-selves side that only family and friends will know but if their cognitive traps are triggered its going to be very difficult to get your point across. Steven Hassan explains thivetin his books that being direct can be a pointless and even a counter productive exercise but rather discussing these matters through their-selves personality is the key, nobody is fully programmed or deprogrammed.
This was something that i didn't do when i left the cult but if I knew i would had done things a lot differently when it came to family, I had said truthfull things that cause them to completely stop discussions about religion, and even became more hardcore jw's.

Even when I left but still believed in god the world did not seem the same but I knew that nothing had changed, life is indeed a state a mind and psychology was the last jigsaw to fully understand mind control, cults, hypocrisy, very smart people doing very stupid things and disagreements.

What allowed me to disbelieve in god was the experience learned when I found out Jehovah's witnesses to be a false religion, at the time while I still believed in god I became and still am self critical, it took me around another year to completely leave theism. During this year I own a huge thanks to literature written by Bart Eharman, the late Raymond Franz and Christopher Hitchens, Don Cameron, Steven Hassan and Noam Chomsky.

The End

[rayne]

Thanks for that Yrt. For myself, having never been a theist, I'm not knowledgable or experienced in the brainwashing techniques of religions/cults. It's been enlightening listening to you.

[yrtemmyscirtemmysa]

Originally Posted by rayne

Thanks for that Yrt. For myself, having never been a theist, I'm not knowledgable or experienced in the brainwashing techniques of religions/cults. It's been enlightening listening to you.

Thanks.

[thinkngal]

I agree totally Yrt....I've also found it as frustrating to try to explain this to a non-cult member as it is to try to talk to a jw. Direct counter arguments with a jw send them deeper into their beliefs. Being emotionally involved with family its a trap I also fell into and alienates them even further. I've read Steven Hassan, Chomsky, Hitchens and Franz but not the other two you mentioned. Also I felt so ashamed of having been brainwashed that it was impossible to open up to anyone as I was very emotionally fragile and to know other people thought I was stupid kept me silent. It was a horrible place to be. I'm a lot stronger now!

[workmx]

Dan,

Welcome to the forums.

[yrtemmyscirtemmysa]

thinkngal - I had a short silent phase to, it was like "should I tell them?" "what will be their reaction?" But don't give up.

Workmx - Thanks.

[thinkngal]

My "short silent phase" lasted quite a while I was quite terrified of anyone finding out in case they thought I was stupid, I felt so ashamed of once belonging to such a religion but I'm on the other side now and don't care who knows. I speak openly about it as a mind controlling cult.