Do you know anyone who has joined a cult?

[stealth]

A friend of mine quit his job/got fired (depending who tells it) and moved away this summer and joined a cult.
I didn't ask too many questions about it, as he never seemed like a weak or vulnerable person, and he didn't seem to want to talk much about it, mostly for fear of having to defend his decisions/beliefs, I suppose. Nor does he have a lot of material wealth or anything that i would think would make him attractive to cults. But I was doing some reading on the group that he went to join and it sounds really sketchy. Not exactly Jonestown, but really weird.
Just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this sort of thing?

[deltone]

YIKES!! Sorry about your friend. I don't have anyone who has joined a cult but I do remember how common it was back when I was younger. The moonies and all that sort of thing. I hope your friend figures it out before he gets too far in as they say it can be real hard to unbrainwash someone.

[spike1128]

A friend of mine quit his job/got fired (depending who tells it) and moved away this summer and joined a cult.
I didn't ask too many questions about it, as he never seemed like a weak or vulnerable person, and he didn't seem to want to talk much about it, mostly for fear of having to defend his decisions/beliefs, I suppose. Nor does he have a lot of material wealth or anything that i would think would make him attractive to cults. But I was doing some reading on the group that he went to join and it sounds really sketchy. Not exactly Jonestown, but really weird.
Just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this sort of thing?

Does being brainwashed and joining a MLM branch count as joining a cult? Thinking that they can all be rich by doing it and follow brainlessly. If yes, then yes.

[Jimboski]

I thought joining cults was a joke.. :facepalm:

[rommelrommel]

Yes, I knew a girl who was in a cult for a while just out of high school. I think all you can do it try to keep them in touch with reality and make their own decision about getting out.

[hordosr]

I had 2 cousins from the same family join one almost 20 years ago...really messed them up good...not sure if the oldest gal ever got out completely

[Buggy166]

only weaklings look to join cults.

[BornRuff]

Apparently these groups are more common than you would think.

[stealth]

Does being brainwashed and joining a MLM branch count as joining a cult? Thinking that they can all be rich by doing it and follow brainlessly. If yes, then yes.

I've known a couple ppl who've gone in for that as well. :(

[stealth]

I thought joining cults was a joke.. :facepalm:

They don't seem to call themselves cults....they use words like "spiritual leader" "mentor" "new age" "spiritual teacher" "philosopher" gaze at each other and babble about "duality" and Truth (with a capital T) and have multiple wives.

[Simaahoy]

What is a cult?

[LaserEnvy]

I think it takes certain types of personalities in order join a cult. Like you mentioned, the person has to be weak or in an extremely vulnerable position to be convinced. They could also be unintelligent, very gullible, or have a lack of social intelligence.

What kind of cult did your friend join?

[stealth]

I think it takes certain types of personalities in order join a cult. Like you mentioned, the person has to be weak or in an extremely vulnerable position to be convinced. They could also be unintelligent, very gullible, or have a lack of social intelligence.

What kind of cult did your friend join?
Pretty much what I described in post #10.
A supposedly charismatic leader, Claims to communicate with J.C., with little tolerance for questioning/free thinking, a whole lot of new age psycho babble about his energy and presence which they consider to be a "gift that they receive from him"?..blah, blah, blah. Enlightenment....blah, blah, blah...

[windforcexx28]

I think it takes certain types of personalities in order join a cult. Like you mentioned, the person has to be weak or in an extremely vulnerable position to be convinced. They could also be unintelligent, very gullible, or have a lack of social intelligence.

Anyone can be taken into a cult... it's all about timing and situation.

[TheRed]

Mac cult? Apple cult? iPhone cult? iPad cult?

Then pretty much the whole worlds including Android's

[LaserEnvy]

Pretty much what I described in post #10.
A supposedly charismatic leader with little tolerance for questioning/free thinking, a whole lot of new age psycho babble about his energy and presence which they consider to be a "gift that they receive from him"?..blah, blah, blah. Enlightenment....blah, blah, blah...

That alone sounds like a hard sell. I wonder what else the cult members get from him. A sense of community/belonging?


Anyone can be taken into a cult... it's all about timing and situation.

That's absurd. Most people who possess intelligence, an education, and family education won't be suckered into a cult.

[BornRuff]

A friend of mine quit his job/got fired (depending who tells it) and moved away this summer and joined a cult.
I didn't ask too many questions about it, as he never seemed like a weak or vulnerable person, and he didn't seem to want to talk much about it, mostly for fear of having to defend his decisions/beliefs, I suppose. Nor does he have a lot of material wealth or anything that i would think would make him attractive to cults. But I was doing some reading on the group that he went to join and it sounds really sketchy. Not exactly Jonestown, but really weird.
Just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this sort of thing?

If you don't mind me asking. Which cult did your friend get involved with?

[rageking]

If you don't mind me asking. Which cult did your friend get involved with?

I hope he doesnt say Amway..

[smiloid]

That's absurd. Most people who possess intelligence, an education, and family education won't be suckered into a cult.

Over 80% of Canadians already have. Most were probably indoctrinated as a child, at least your friend presumably made his choice freely. As long as he isn't joining the next heavens gate, all you can do is warn him and let him make his own mistakes.

[yabadaba]

Not everyone is as strong as bruce wayne [Buggy166]. LOL

Joking aside, not everyone is blessed to come from a 'good' family and have a good head on their shoulder. Some people are born to be less intelligent, some had lead tougher lives, not everyone is on a level playing field and not everyone can be strong.

The main thing I think you should do to avoid them joining the cult is to listen to the person you are concerned about. Don't be argumentative with them and try to force them out of the cult, because that would only make them dig their heels in the ground and not budge on their belief (this part I found was very hard to do). Any attack on their beliefs they will feel like is an attack on themselves. Mention only a few times that you don't quite trust this organization yourself. Your encounters with this person, you want to make it as pleasant and enjoyable as possible. Go out with this person more, make them feel like good about themselves and enjoy spending time with you rather than with the cult. If time with friends or family is harsh or abrasive to them, it may drive them closer to the cult. This is advice I got from a friend who is a psychiatrist.

[Conquistador]

A friend of mine quit his job/got fired (depending who tells it) and moved away this summer and joined a cult.
I didn't ask too many questions about it, as he never seemed like a weak or vulnerable person, and he didn't seem to want to talk much about it, mostly for fear of having to defend his decisions/beliefs, I suppose. Nor does he have a lot of material wealth or anything that i would think would make him attractive to cults. But I was doing some reading on the group that he went to join and it sounds really sketchy. Not exactly Jonestown, but really weird.
Just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this sort of thing?


What is a cult?


Any organized religion is considerably a cult.




That's absurd. Most people who possess intelligence, an education, and family education won't be suckered into a cult.


All religions are cults.

To answer the OP, yes, I know lots of Catholics, arguably the largest cult on the planet.



cult
   [kuhlt]

noun
1. a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.

3. the object of such devotion.

4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.

5. Sociology . a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.

[stealth]

If you don't mind me asking. Which cult did your friend get involved with?

I don't know if it's appropriate to say here or not, nor do i want to give them any advertising, but I'll leave it to the mods to decide...John DeRuiter in Edmonton.
His followers are pretty forum savvy and defensive of him, so it wouldnt shock me to see a shill post here in the next while with their copy and paste quotes of psychobabble.

[stealth]

I hope he doesnt say Amway..

Actually I had another friend who was involved with them...but cult might be a strong word for them...although their passion for their "system" can seem kind of creepy as well.

[stealth]

Not everyone is as strong as bruce wayne [Buggy166]. LOL

Joking aside, not everyone is blessed to come from a 'good' family and have a good head on their shoulder. Some people are born to be less intelligent, some had lead tougher lives, not everyone is on a level playing field and not everyone can be strong.

The main thing I think you should do to avoid them joining the cult is to listen to the person you are concerned about. Don't be argumentative with them and try to force them out of the cult, because that would only make them dig their heels in the ground and not budge on their belief (this part I found was very hard to do). Any attack on their beliefs they will feel like is an attack on themselves. Mention only a few times that you don't quite trust this organization yourself. Your encounters with this person, you want to make it as pleasant and enjoyable as possible. Go out with this person more, make them feel like good about themselves and enjoy spending time with you rather than with the cult. If time with friends or family is harsh or abrasive to them, it may drive them closer to the cult. This is advice I got from a friend who is a psychiatrist.

Thanks for the serious information, although much of it isn't practical in this case, as the person has already joined them, and moved away. But I wasn't confrontational with them prior to that or judgmental of their decision, mostly because I didnt know much about it at the time.

[Kris81]

Yes I do, every woman in my family & most other women in my life watch the Bachelorette regularly.

[stealth]

To answer the OP, yes, I know lots of Catholics, arguably the largest cult on the planet.

I'd like to keep religion out of this, as it's going to run afoul of the mods(mods please delete any offending posts - they know the rules- and kindly leave the thread open for the rest of us).

There are many differences between religions and cults, but the main one is, that religions do not try to separate individuals from their families, friends etc I.e. anyone they perceive as a threat to their belief system.

[mbg]

To answer the OP, yes, I know lots of Catholics, arguably the largest cult on the planet.

Atheists are fast becoming the largest cult on the planet, actually.

[wilsonlam97]

Atheists are fast becoming the largest cult on the planet, actually.

Atheism is not a religion but just a word to describe one who is not religious.

[stealth]

Atheism is not a religion but just a word to describe one who is not religious.

+1
Atheism is a form of non-religion, clearly.

[dragon_drift]

My cumpare's ex was in a cult and probably still is. It's pretty dumb how they waste their time praying for materialistic goods and listening to them brainwashed lifeless vessels.

[wilsonlam97]

+1
Atheism is a form of non-religion, clearly.

If you ever read the atheism Wikipedia page it was clearly written by a religious person. Idk but a true atheist wouldn't even use the word god because its religious to our contrasting perspective. (I don't want to say belief)

[ishfish]

I'd like to keep religion out of this, as it's going to run afoul of the mods(mods please delete any offending posts - they know the rules- and kindly leave the thread open for the rest of us).

There are many differences between religions and cults, but the main one is, that religions do not try to separate individuals from their families, friends etc I.e. anyone they perceive as a threat to their belief system.

By definition a cult is a new religion. This can be new in its' development or new in its' presence geographically. Many mainstream Canadian religions will isolate the individual from family/friends if they are perceived to be a threat.

I have know a couple of people who have gone to those types of religions and both were very mentally unwell at the time (anxiety/depression) and the religion offered them the structure, hope and rules they were looking for. One was very taken advantage of for years - had a great family and a university education, but made "the encounter" during a time of severe anxiety and could not see out of it for a very long time.

But regardless of the belief structure it is very concerning when the Joining makes a persons behavior change dramatically and they appear to be isolating from friends and family. I find arguing with people when they are in that situation to be of limited value and may backfire - in whatever words the cult would use the Arguer would use as an opportunity to Prove Faith, Resist Temptation... Intelligent inquiry and respectful questioning may be of some assistance. But i think it is mostly in the being there for the friend. The group is meeting some need of theirs.
There is nothing worng with expressing your worry to them and letting them know of the changes you have observed.

[ishfish]

Agnostic - a person who believes that the existence of a god or spiritual world is unknown or unknowable.

Atheist - a person who disbelieves in the existence of (G)god.

[ishfish]

Not true.

You can't prove that God doesn't exist, so it's a belief system... and a whole lot of pretense is involved about understanding of the world, often based on statistics and social science -- things are presented as facts when they really aren't, etc.

Anyone who is serious that God doesn't exist is participating in a religion. Someone who doesn't care one way or another is likely to be less religious than an atheist, I think.

I would disagree.
But maybe we are operating form different definitions of religion - there are many with different motivations.
A reasonable one for me: "that creative activity of the human mind that satisfies our inherent spiritual needs and desires."

You use the term "belief system." Atheism - a belief, or just a stance of disbelief? Generally not a system.

[Conquistador]

I'd like to keep religion out of this, as it's going to run afoul of the mods(mods please delete any offending posts - they know the rules- and kindly leave the thread open for the rest of us).

There are many differences between religions and cults, but the main one is, that religions do not try to separate individuals from their families, friends etc I.e. anyone they perceive as a threat to their belief system.
Not by the definition that I provided which I have reproduced here again.

noun
1. a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.

3. the object of such devotion.

4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.

5. Sociology . a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.


By definition a cult is a new religion. This can be new in its' development or new in its' presence geographically. Many mainstream Canadian religions will isolate the individual from family/friends if they are perceived to be a threat.

Please provide a source for the definition where it has to be a new religion.

[Aznsilvrboy]

Not by the definition that I provided which I have reproduced here again.

noun
1. a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.

3. the object of such devotion.

4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.

5. Sociology . a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.


Please provide a source for the definition where it has to be a new religion.

He's probably referring to the Wiki definition: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult

[ishfish]

Please provide a source for the definition where it has to be a new religion.

I had to write a paper referring to cults years ago in a jr psych class. I do not recall the source. I am not saying that a cult has to be a newly developed religion it can also be geographically new - which is to say new to an area. Some very old religions can be considered cult religions if they are new to an area.

[IamToronto]

********************


athiesm is not a religion. athiest = someone who is not a thiest = someone who does not believe in god. there is no religion around it, no central figure, no teachings, no dogma.

[ishfish]

****************.


athiesm is not a religion. athiest = someone who is not a thiest = someone who does not believe in god. there is no religion around it, no central figure, no teachings, no dogma.

I before e except after c - and not in the words atheist or theist. Funny these rules that make no sense. How long does a religion have to be around to no longer be considered a cult - subjective or objective?

[stealth]

Not by the definition that I provided which I have reproduced here again.

noun
1. a particular system of religious worship, especially with reference to its rites and ceremonies.

2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, especially as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.

3. the object of such devotion.

4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.

5. Sociology . a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.


Please provide a source for the definition where it has to be a new religion.
Sometimes you just have to look at things from a common sense view to know that there is a big difference between for examples, branch davidianism, Aum shinrikyoism, Jonestown, etc and the major organized religions.
No set of definitions that you show, will convince me otherwise. At a certain point, too much intellectualism becomes BS.

[ishfish]

Sometimes you just have to look at things from a common sense view to know that there is a big difference between for examples, branch davidianism, Aum shinrikyoism, Jonestown, etc and the major organized religions.
No set of definitions that you show, will convince me otherwise. At a certain point, too much intellectualism becomes BS.

Not necessarily. The Davidians are Christian - one of those break off religions related to the jws, seventh day adventists...going back to the Miller guy who was forever making boo boos about the end of the world.

But the intellectualism is diverting from your concern for your friend and the control and isolation you are concerned about.

[stealth]

Not necessarily. The Davidians are Christian - one of those break off religions related to the jws, seventh day adventists...going back to the Miller guy who was forever making boo boos about the end of the world.

But the intellectualism is diverting from your concern for your friend and the control and isolation you are concerned about.
Yes, but it's how they break off that counts....when they take up dangerous causes/positions, and when the leaders of the spinoffs suggest their own divinity in order to establish deeper control.

And yes, i am concerned that the philosophical eggheads in this thread (not that there's anything wrong with that, in the right time and place), will get my serious thread locked due to religious attacks in sidebar debates. I would love if one of them moved that discussion into another more general thread of its own like " are cults as valid as major organized religions? "or "are all religions basically cults?" or something and take their chances with the mods there. Few of them have had anything relevant to contribute to this thread.

[ishfish]

Yes, but it's how they break off that counts....when they take up dangerous causes/positions, and when the leaders of the spinoffs suggest their own divinity in order to establish deeper control.

And yes, i am concerned that the philosophical eggheads in this thread (not that there's anything wrong with that, in the right time and place), will get my serious thread locked due to religious attacks in sidebar debates. I would love if one of them moved that discussion into another more general thread of its own like " are cults as valid as major organized religions? "or "are all religions basically cults?" or something and take their chances with the mods there. Few of them have had anything relevant to contribute to this thread.

I looked at some of his info - The Truth - attractive words to people who are depressed and feeling lost. Interesting his wife does not believe in him - I was not certain if she thought him to be a businessman or a narcissist. Maybe both. Some of it reminded me of the history of one of the world's fastest growing religions.
But it did say in one article that many of the members were becoming disillusioned with the fact that their lives were still riddled with the problems that had brought them to him. It is probably at that point that a member is most likely to leave. But that could be a long long wait - and if someone entered because they were hurting in some way then I would think they may leave with a bigger hurt.

And the leader seems to have quite the ego - why would he want to give that up to be common again?

Someone professing to know the truth is a warning sign to many - but to others it gives them hope when they feel lost. A place to belong. To have a purpose.

[hagbard]

Must people I know are part of a cult.

[mbg]

I would disagree.
But maybe we are operating form different definitions of religion - there are many with different motivations.
A reasonable one for me: "that creative activity of the human mind that satisfies our inherent spiritual needs and desires."

You use the term "belief system." Atheism - a belief, or just a stance of disbelief? Generally not a system.

I don't really know why believing in God automatically means you are following a religion, actually.

A religion is more of a way of living based on what you believe. If you believe in God, maybe you do things because you're afraid of God will or won't do to you, and that makes it a religion. But if you just see God as some guy sitting in the corner smoking a fat cigarette while you get on with your life, who has no real effect on you, then maybe you aren't following a religion.

I think, as soon as you start saying you will or won't do something because there is no God, that's when it becomes a religion. There are lots of opportunities to do that because we come from a place where God was a driving force, so being Atheist is very often reactionary, and that makes it a religion.

[hdave]

Pretty much all apple fanboys are part of a cult..

[BornRuff]

I don't know if it's appropriate to say here or not, nor do i want to give them any advertising, but I'll leave it to the mods to decide...John DeRuiter in Edmonton.
His followers are pretty forum savvy and defensive of him, so it wouldnt shock me to see a shill post here in the next while with their copy and paste quotes of psychobabble.

Wow. From googling him he seems like a real creep. What does moving away and joining him entail though? I guess I shouldn't expect them to post all that on the website, but they don't really talk about a compound or anything like that.

[ishfish]

I don't really know why believing in God automatically means you are following a religion, actually.


It is hard to define religion - it seems to incorporate a process (Eastern emphasis) and a (G)god (more of a Western emphasis).

Subjective: the attitudes and behaviors of "religious" people. Well how the heck do you narrow that down to who is and is not of a religion? It is too judgemental. It has nothing to do with ethics, as one can have those and not be of any religion. And certainly religious people can engage in unethical and immoral behavior. Rotten things can b done in the name of any religion.

Objective: the philological, sociological and psychological theories. They are weak and involve much speculation about times of prerecorded history.

So what is a commonality amongst all the religions of the world that may help to define religion? Good luck with that.:razz:

To me Atheism is not a religion - but I am more than open to the possibility I am wrong. To me a religion has to do with spiritual fulfillment (not necessarily a god) - I do not see Atheism as doing that. I am not saying atheist are not fulfilled - just that atheism is not a practice of spiritual fulfillment. It lacks something - beyond as you observed - a reaction to the presence of religion.

Sorry Stealth - my inner egg head has been a little repressed as of late.

So the OP's topic is really more to do with how to help a friend whose life seems to have become imbalanced by a "cult" and that person is overly controlled by the leader and has lost a noticable amount of self-determination.

[vero95]

if I he is your good friend, I would try to understand the circumstances and keep an eye on him. looks like you were quite passive
even the strongest guy can have some weak moments and from what you said it sounds that it may be a phase that could be avoided. joining a cult is pretty radical and may impact his future life and career

[masterhapposai]

people, focus the discussion on actual cults, you know.. the ones that take you away from your family and change your diet to enforce mind control. or as mentioned, the Mods are going to buzz in and lock plus hand out temp bans as usual

[willdacanucker]

I was born, raised, and bred a Jehovahs Witness. I am out of that cult now. I still lost 2 sisters, a brother, and 2 parents to them. Oh well, I guess, eh.

[mbg]

I was born, raised, and bred a Jehovahs Witness. I am out of that cult now. I still lost 2 sisters, a brother, and 2 parents to them. Oh well, I guess, eh.

Is this the one that come to your door and try to invite themselves in for a prayer session, or is that Mormons?

[Kunman]

Mac cult? Apple cult? iPhone cult? iPad cult?

Then pretty much the whole worlds including Android's


To answer the OP, yes, I know lots of Catholics, arguably the largest cult on the planet.


**********


athiesm is not a religion. athiest = someone who is not a thiest = someone who does not believe in god. there is no religion around it, no central figure, no teachings, no dogma.


*************


Pretty much all apple fanboys are part of a cult..


**************.

its only funny/interesting the 1st time.....

[JAC]

http://guruphiliac.blogspot.ca/2009/02/john-deruiter-update.html

[kenchau66]

atheist brah up in dis bish

[ishfish]

http://guruphiliac.blogspot.ca/2009/02/john-deruiter-update.html

Much of what I read referred to his controlling his audience by being silent and never engaging in a real back and forth dialogue. That would be a "turn off" to me, but I find some people see that style as intelligence. The shagging part juxtaposed on his wanting followers to have a period of sexual restraint is amusing and reminiscent of the leader who developed one of the world's fastest growing Christian groups. So what makes some people eventually leave? What makes the leavers different from the True Believers?

[alias_neo]

A couple people I know joined the Landmark Forum and they've become weirder ever since. One guy setup a session at his house which he pressured me to go to while witholding details everytime Id ask whats the occasion. I drop by really late after a meeting and I'm the only one there left and red flags went off as soon as I saw a lady with a whiteboard. I told them they had an hour with me and I was trolling them the whole time. I recall asking the lady if she had a leader or mentor. She said yes, and then I asked if the mentor had the mentor, and so on, which ended in "oh there's only 50 leaders in the country". Yes she used the word leaders.

Long story short, avoid Landmark Education/Forum. It's eerily similar to scientology minus the star wars story

[wilsonlam97]

Not true.

You can't prove that God doesn't exist, so it's a belief system... and a whole lot of pretense is involved about understanding of the world, often based on statistics and social science -- things are presented as facts when they really aren't, etc.

Anyone who is serious that God doesn't exist is participating in a religion. Someone who doesn't care one way or another is likely to be less religious than an atheist, I think.

Your opinion is irrelevant to what I had said. I don't like arguing to a person who is possibly religious. No thanks and have good day.

[Mark77]

Scientology is *not* a cult. Its a RELIGION.

[eldiablo]

Scientology is *not* a cult. Its a RELIGION.

hahahaha..if you say so. Maybe we should ask Katie.:lol:

[willdacanucker]

Think Watchtower and Awake. They come to the door, most often on Saturday morning and pester people.

[DiceMan]

I was born, raised, and bred a Jehovahs Witness. I am out of that cult now. I still lost 2 sisters, a brother, and 2 parents to them. Oh well, I guess, eh.

My sisters were recruited into the JW cult when they were in their teens. A very nice couple came to our door one day. I declined to talk and sent them on their way. They came back again and one of my sisters answered the door. They started them talking and thinking with their "wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a world with peace and happiness, without sorrow, and with rainbows and magical bunnies hopping around everywhere..." speil and a nice copy of the Watchtower.

Sisters got sucked in and since then, years and years ago, my family has never spent Christmas together. Nor had Thanksgiving dinner together. Nor has the whole family gathered to celebrate the birthdays of our mother and father nor the birthdays of my son. Nor have I any expectation whatosever that if I'm on death's edge, they would provide a drop of blood for me for a transfusion. All as a result of the Witnesses' teachings/brainwashing to my sisters.

Since starting my own family, I've tried hard to include my parents on things that they missed out on. Mostly it's without my sisters. This cult is a destroyer of lives and families and I'm glad you got out. It's brave considering being excommunicated (at least how I understand it) means your own parents, sisters, and brother are not allowed to talk to you, meaning you've truly lost them. I'm very, very, very careful about exposing my son to my sisters as I can't bear to lose him to their damned Kingdom Hall.

[Kunman]

My sisters were recruited into the JW cult when they were in their teens. A very nice couple came to our door one day. I declined to talk and sent them on their way. They came back again and one of my sisters answered the door. They started them talking and thinking with their "wouldn't it be wonderful to live in a world with peace and happiness, without sorrow, and with rainbows and magical bunnies hopping around everywhere..." speil and a nice copy of the Watchtower.

Sisters got sucked in and since then, years and years ago, my family has never spent Christmas together. Nor had Thanksgiving dinner together. Nor has the whole family gathered to celebrate the birthdays of our mother and father nor the birthdays of my son. Nor have I any expectation whatosever that if I'm on death's edge, they would provide a drop of blood for me for a transfusion. All as a result of the Witnesses' teachings/brainwashing to my sisters.

Since starting my own family, I've tried hard to include my parents on things that they missed out on. Mostly it's without my sisters. This cult is a destroyer of lives and families and I'm glad you got out. It's brave considering being excommunicated (at least how I understand it) means your own parents, sisters, and brother are not allowed to talk to you, meaning you've truly lost them. I'm very, very, very careful about exposing my son to my sisters as I can't bear to lose him to their damned Kingdom Hall.

I troll every single solicitor that knocks on my door, so i dont get much of a chance to concentrate on what they are saying.

Can you explain why your family was broken up by JW??

[redflag5050]

I was born, raised, and bred a Jehovahs Witness. I am out of that cult now. I still lost 2 sisters, a brother, and 2 parents to them. Oh well, I guess, eh.
I was thinking of JW's as a cult because I have a friend who has been suckered into it. He has been a practising JW for a few years now and every time we see each other he is always about "end of days, evil system, final blow etc.etc.etc", always quoting the Bible and on and on. I feel bad for him but also respect his choice. The weird thing is he also brags about his SUV, Breitling watch and how much his house has gone up in price!

[DiceMan]

I troll every single solicitor that knocks on my door, so i dont get much of a chance to concentrate on what they are saying.

Can you explain why your family was broken up by JW??

As with most cults, they work hard to separate the recruited from their families and other non-members. As I mentioned, most (religious) holidays and all birthdays can not be celebrated by them. Their justification is that every day should be a treated as a holy day. In general, the motiviations and beliefs of the JW's are so far removed from the rest of our family that it's simply next to impossible to interact and be a family without their so-called beliefs getting in the way.

[Kunman]

As with most cults, they work hard to separate the recruited from their families and other non-members. As I mentioned, most (religious) holidays and all birthdays can not be celebrated by them. There justification is that every day should be a treated as a holy day. In general, the motiviations and beliefs of the JW's are so far removed from the rest of our family that it's simply next to impossible to interact and be a family without their so-called beliefs getting in the way.

I feel terribly sorry for your family :<

[ishfish]

I feel terribly sorry for your family :<

Ditto.

If the whole family is in that belief system (and no one wants to leave/question) then is works, but it is cruel when it divides families - some groups forbid new members from speaking to non-JW family menbers. Sad. Not many do that anymore as it was not good for business. The business is to get new recruits ( to become baptised you have to talk to some number of people - that is why they are at your door). Interestingly there is only a small number (144,000) that make it into heaven and most of those spots have been taken already. There are over 6 million people who follow this belief system.

[willdacanucker]

I troll every single solicitor that knocks on my door, so i dont get much of a chance to concentrate on what they are saying.

Can you explain why your family was broken up by JW??

If you were once a JW and you leave or get kicked out, the way the cult brainwashes its members is that everyone that does not believe and once did, are EVIL scum. My sisters, my brother, and my parents all treat me like filth and ALL I did was reject the brainwashing from the cult. That is it. I did nothing to them personally and as a matter of fact I tried to treat them with the utmost respect and honour their beliefs. Long story short, I was told by my entire family to not bother trying to contact them any longer. All 5 of them told me this. The reasoning: It was determined by Jehovah, and the wtbts (watchtower corporation) that I was unclean and a bad association. .......That is the harsh reality that happens to those who reject them and their "beliefs".

[ishfish]

I had a friend who had a chronic illness and had to leave work to go on pemanent disability...during his time of vulnerability "He answered the door." He was too ill to maintain employment but the church made him stand on a corner and preach for some ridiculous number of hours every week.

[LaserEnvy]

I still don't get how people can get suckered into these stupid cults like Jehovah's Witness

EDIT: +1 Stupidity for joining JW, +2 for the Tom Cruise religion

http://tf2chan.net/inception/src/133661109846.jpg

[DiceMan]

Ditto.

If the whole family is in that belief system (and no one wants to leave/question) then is works, but it is cruel when it divides families - some groups forbid new members from speaking to non-JW family menbers. Sad. Not many do that anymore as it was not good for business. The business is to get new recruits ( to become baptised you have to talk to some number of people - that is why they are at your door). Interestingly there is only a small number (144,000) that make it into heaven and most of those spots have been taken already. There are over 6 million people who follow this belief system.

As I understand it from the teachings/rantings of my sisters, 144,000 chosen ones get to go to heaven (a la: floating on clouds with angels playing harps). On judgement day, the rest of the believers are reborn on the planet earth that is remade into a paradise. The rest of us filthy unbelievers get to enjoy eternal damnation in the fiery pits of Dante's hell.

[ishfish]

As I understand it from the teachings/rantings of my sisters, 144,000 chosen ones get to go to heaven (a la: floating on clouds with angels playing harps). On judgement day, the rest of the believers are reborn on the planet earth that is remade into a paradise. The rest of us filthy unbelievers get to enjoy eternal damnation in the fiery pits of Dante's hell.

Ah, the paradise on earth I did not know.

I always find it disturbing when anyone who rejoyces in the skewering etc of non believers on judgement day to be rather contradictory to the Loving God. A Loving God that eternally and with great ferocity damns people. Where is the love? A contradiction very basic in the Judeo-Christian belief system.

[Kunman]

I still don't get how people can get suckered into these stupid cults like Jehovah's Witness

EDIT: +1 Stupidity for joining JW, +2 for the Tom Cruise religion

http://tf2chan.net/inception/src/133661109846.jpg

1. It depends on the circumstances of your life. Joining a cult has more to do with integrity and emotions, less with education and smarts.

2. yea, i tried to read up on Wikipedia and watched a few documentaries on church of Scientology. Still don't know anything about this religion.

[willdacanucker]

As I understand it from the teachings/rantings of my sisters, 144,000 chosen ones get to go to heaven (a la: floating on clouds with angels playing harps). On judgement day, the rest of the believers are reborn on the planet earth that is remade into a paradise. The rest of us filthy unbelievers get to enjoy eternal damnation in the fiery pits of Dante's hell.
No. We all die. That is it. The saved ones enjoy paradise with all the dead peoples properties and possessions. http://freedom-beacon-ministries.webs.com/Armegeddon.JPG <--- This is what they teach will happen on judgement day. If you can believe it, they also teach the kids this gruesome rubbish. I will spare the photos of the depictions of the eye chewing vultures they have floating around now. Truly is sick.

[aplayaz2000]

lolcult and lolstupidpeople

[webdoctors]

i thought real cults were a fad that died out in the early 90s?

with the advent of the internet, shocked there's those old skule cults still around....

[lazymonkeygod]

Did he run off to join the phelps in the westboro church?


A friend of mine quit his job/got fired (depending who tells it) and moved away this summer and joined a cult.
I didn't ask too many questions about it, as he never seemed like a weak or vulnerable person, and he didn't seem to want to talk much about it, mostly for fear of having to defend his decisions/beliefs, I suppose. Nor does he have a lot of material wealth or anything that i would think would make him attractive to cults. But I was doing some reading on the group that he went to join and it sounds really sketchy. Not exactly Jonestown, but really weird.
Just wondering if anyone else has any experience with this sort of thing?