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08 Jun 17
Originally posted by FMFAgreed, so the point is I was never personally directly threatened with excommunication, shunning or disownment, because my parents didn't agree with that and that is the main reason they left.
I believe the everpresent threats of excommunication, shunning and disowning of kids in order to implement a regime of deliberate deprivation amounts to psychological abuse based upon the defintion you have.
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08 Jun 17
Originally posted by Rajk999I didn't think the rules were stupid at the time because I didn't know better. I have always gotten along with my parents and I always knew they would never disown me. Once I was self sufficient I could leave and my parents followed soon after.
If you were forced to obey rules that you know to be stupid then that is psychological abuse on the part of the adults. Its interesting that you did this way into your twenties/thirties. I would say that that says something about your personality. I dont want to use the word weak but I cannot think of another. I have been through that myself. Growing up in ...[text shortened]... skills and a job fixes that problem. Maybe you were not so inclined and relied on them too much.
Originally posted by dj2beckerSo you are now changing your story? You are now asserting that the threats you claimed there were [in your 220 words] didn't apply to you?
Agreed, so the point is I was never personally directly threatened with excommunication, shunning or disownment, because my parents didn't agree with that and that is the main reason they left.
Originally posted by dj2beckerThe cult held cruel psychological threats over you from birth till you were 24. Your parents actions after those 24 years are neither here nor there.
Agreed, so the point is I was never personally directly threatened with excommunication, shunning or disownment, because my parents didn't agree with that and that is the main reason they left.
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08 Jun 17
Originally posted by FMFIt was a general description of the cult that I learnt of near the end of my stay there, I said parents would disown their children, not my parents. I knew kids left while I stayed there but I didn't know why because it was kept under raps. When some of their testimonies surfaced on line I realized what was actually going on.
So you are now changing your story? You are now asserting that the threats you claimed there were [in your 220 words] didn't apply to you?
08 Jun 17
Originally posted by dj2beckerSo you are now changing your story?
It was a general description of the cult that I learnt of near the end of my stay there, I said parents would disown their children, not my parents. I knew kids left while I stayed there but I didn't know why because it was kept under raps. When some of their testimonies surfaced on line I realized what was actually going on.
What you described was not what you experienced?
You've had a chance to sleep on it and this is your new tack?
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08 Jun 17
Originally posted by FMFRead my story again. Where did I say that I personally felt threatened? Most of the stuff that happened was under cover. It was a huge community our main church building could seat 10 000 people. They still have branches all over the world. Those that suffered abuse were in the minority most people there had bought into the philosophy and were towing the line. The abuse was well covered up.
So you are now changing your story?
What you described was not what you experienced?
You've had a chance to sleep on it and this is your new tack?
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08 Jun 17
Originally posted by FMF"I grew up in a legalistic 'Christian cult' where I was indoctrinated from a young age to believe that the teachings of my church was true and that all other churches that didn't believe exactly what we believed were lost. I was indoctrinated to follow laws that weren't even in the Bible. I was not allowed to talk to the opposite sex, watch tv, listen to non Christian music etc, and believed that I needed to confess every bad thought that I had to a counsellor in the church who would pray with me for God to forgive me. Women in our church were not allowed to wear trousers or jewelry, and you weren't allowed to be romantically involved with the person you wanted to marry. You had to marry someone from the same church. You had to 'hear from God' who the person was that you were going to marry and you weren't even allowed to talk to them before you got married. Anyone who questioned the rules of this church were excommunicated and everyone in the church believed they were going to hell and shunned them like lepers. I was born into the church and for 24 years I believed that everything they taught was the absolute truth. Parents would disown their children if they decided to leave. "
So when you claimed in your 220 words that there were certain threats hanging over you, you are now conceding that you weren't telling the truth?
Highlight the part where I said that I personally had threats hanging over me. This was a general description of what went on under cover. I learned about what was actually going on when I read the testimonies, very close to the time when I left.
08 Jun 17
Originally posted by dj2beckerThe psychological abuse being discussed was laid out in the regime you described. The regime you described presumably applied to everyone in the cult and not just a minority. Whatever "covered up" stuff that happened is irrelevant to our discussion.
Those that suffered abuse were in the minority most people there had bought into the philosophy and were towing the line. The abuse was well covered up.