Rama wrote:
Flash is the single greatest researcher I have ever known, and their prowess has impressed me to no end ever since I got re-involved almost a year ago.
Yes, Flash's invaluable work is essential to this forum. His site is always up there on Google search. I too have great respect for Flash and grateful for his tireless effort.
I remember before stumbling upon this site, I felt alone and lost, recovering from my cult experience and barely coping with shattered life. At least, now, I feel assured that those in the same situation I was in when they seriously look for an answer, they will find here. To heal is long and painstaking. Like Rama, posting here served as a therapy for depression and hurt; finding solace in the accounts of others helped a lot — like it meant the world.
That said, I still hope this forum continues to evolve to become a haven for ex-members to speak freely up and contribute safely, and for those seeking knowledge, comfort and escape from the cult. Forums that are open and free are simply impossible to police; sometimes rules and guidelines are no match for differing personalities, interests, motives and tastes. We are complex species. That maybe is one reason at one point we were attracted to cults. But I strongly believe that as long as we are sincere, the truth will rise over the troubled water and resonate with serious seekers. It just works slow, that's all.
Leaving a cult is not just physical or social; most importantly, it must be psychological. To be truly free, it's not enough to just dust off all the external influences but also the mini guru that stubbornly stick in our minds. It’s tricky, takes time and conscious effort to get rid of the baggage and trapping we have adapted and practiced while in there. Traces linger longer than we think, trauma can also be irreversible if awareness and resolve are not strong. Ex-members I’m in touch with have difficulty relating with others despite being gone from the cult for years. They find issues in just about anything, over and over.
Problems arise so we could become aware of, learn from and fine tune our conducts; if not, it is advisable to seek professional help. Henri and Rick are the experts on this.
Reading through MyKailua, there was another religious cult in Lanikai called The Source that the locals confused with Butler's, that has since died away. Ex-members posted that the leader was goofier than Siddha but definitely more influential. That means it's highly possible to decimate a cult.
Isn't that motivating enough for our collective resolve to be more cohesive?
Flash is the single greatest researcher I have ever known, and their prowess has impressed me to no end ever since I got re-involved almost a year ago.
Yes, Flash's invaluable work is essential to this forum. His site is always up there on Google search. I too have great respect for Flash and grateful for his tireless effort.
I remember before stumbling upon this site, I felt alone and lost, recovering from my cult experience and barely coping with shattered life. At least, now, I feel assured that those in the same situation I was in when they seriously look for an answer, they will find here. To heal is long and painstaking. Like Rama, posting here served as a therapy for depression and hurt; finding solace in the accounts of others helped a lot — like it meant the world.
That said, I still hope this forum continues to evolve to become a haven for ex-members to speak freely up and contribute safely, and for those seeking knowledge, comfort and escape from the cult. Forums that are open and free are simply impossible to police; sometimes rules and guidelines are no match for differing personalities, interests, motives and tastes. We are complex species. That maybe is one reason at one point we were attracted to cults. But I strongly believe that as long as we are sincere, the truth will rise over the troubled water and resonate with serious seekers. It just works slow, that's all.
Leaving a cult is not just physical or social; most importantly, it must be psychological. To be truly free, it's not enough to just dust off all the external influences but also the mini guru that stubbornly stick in our minds. It’s tricky, takes time and conscious effort to get rid of the baggage and trapping we have adapted and practiced while in there. Traces linger longer than we think, trauma can also be irreversible if awareness and resolve are not strong. Ex-members I’m in touch with have difficulty relating with others despite being gone from the cult for years. They find issues in just about anything, over and over.
Problems arise so we could become aware of, learn from and fine tune our conducts; if not, it is advisable to seek professional help. Henri and Rick are the experts on this.
Reading through MyKailua, there was another religious cult in Lanikai called The Source that the locals confused with Butler's, that has since died away. Ex-members posted that the leader was goofier than Siddha but definitely more influential. That means it's highly possible to decimate a cult.
Isn't that motivating enough for our collective resolve to be more cohesive?