STORIES FROM THOSE INVOLVED IN CULTS

Thousands of people responded to a blog post asking this question: Have you ever been involved with a cult? What was your experience?

"I was given to men by request. I was once held down by 4 men, while a group of maybe a dozen other men exorcised me. They believed I was possessed by a demon because of my inability to be like them, to "get with the program". I was spanked, beaten, and whipped most my life. Simply put, I was terrified my entire childhood. I lived every second of my life in fear."

"I was born and raised in a cult, and considered myself a member up until I left my parents' home at the age of 18. The group I was associated with is not well known, but the effects on the members are tragic and undeniable. We were literally brainwashed."

"I have been locked in rooms for 3 days and night to "fast and pray". I've been denied contact with other humans for weeks, or even months, to get closer to God."

"I was born and raised in a small communal Bible-based cult in the US. I was a part of the cult until I was 27. Daily life revolved around a church and the pastor's wife, who ran the cult. The children were raised to be workers in the church and to give their lives for what the leader wanted... We were not allowed to have friends outside the church, to live anywhere except a church-owned house, or leave the church without escort or express permission. As kids grew up and went to college, they were discouraged from getting jobs to pay for school, but instead heavily encouraged (coerced) to max out student loans and give the money to the church. Student's class schedules were denied or approved, as the leadership saw fit. The single family unit was destroyed and everyone was pressured into viewing the group as one big family."

http://ow.ly/qiKx303tmWn

HOW DANGEROUS CAN DESTRUCTIVE GROUPS GET?

Learn about seven of the most notorious #cults of all time:

WHAT COMPRISES A CULT?

10 WARNING SIGNS OF A POTENTIALLY UNSAFE GROUP OR LEADER:

• Absolute authoritarianism without meaningful accountability.

• No tolerance for questions or critical inquiry.

• No meaningful financial disclosure regarding budget or expenses, such as an independently audited financial statement.

• Unreasonable fear about the outside world, such as impending catastrophe, evil conspiracies and persecutions.

• There is no legitimate reason to leave, former followers are always wrong in leaving, negative or even evil.

• Former members often relate the same stories of abuse and reflect a similar pattern of grievances.

• There are records, books, news articles, or broadcast reports that document the abuses of the group/leader.

• Followers feel they can never be "good enough".

• The group/leader is always right.

• The group/leader is the exclusive means of knowing "truth" or receiving validation, no other process of discovery is really acceptable or credible.

GODS OF THE NEW AGE

This film explores the eerie world of ego-maniacal gurus and their Western counterparts, known as "New Agers". In a series of exclusive, candid interviews, you will share the thoughts of the Hindu "Master", and witness the blind devotion and unquestioning obedience of his disciples.

COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST Grace Communion International

COMPLAINT FILED AGAINST ‘World Wide Church of God / Grace Communion'
LOCATION: Hickory, NC
WEBSITE: https://www.gci.org

We are looking into a complaint that alleges this church is being run like a cult. The victim claims that as a child she was brought into the cult by her parents, then physically and emotionally abused while in the group, isolated, punished cruelly and more. Now as an adult she suffers from PTSD and other mental health ailments from her trauma, and is estranged from her family.

If you would like to file a formal complaint against this group or have any relevant information to share, please contact us.