Cults

[threeSMEGfridges]

I haven’t read the whole thread but my fave books/podcasts

Unfollowed - Megan Phelps-Roper
Counting the Cost - Jill Duggar
Cults to Consciousness on YouTube - her videos with Amanda Rae (the order/Kingston Clan) are brilliant

 

[50sGirl]

I grew up in a cult and now I’m a full blown atheist!
Leaving the cult and learning they had lied to me about pretty much everything, made me very wary of anything people say, so I do a lot of research and digging on most claims. Probably why I love tattle so much!!

This may be too personal so ignore my questions if it is.
When you left did you have to “escape” as such and are your family still members? If they are, did they have to disown you? Apologies for my ignorance, it’s just how former members describe it on the documentaries I’ve watched.
It must have been a monumental and scary and extremely brave decision to leave.

 

[iLoveNectarines]

I enjoy Eli Yoder on Tiktok who speaks about his experience growing up Amish

 

[whatisityoucan'tface]

I suppose if TF guy is closeted that might explain his homophobia. But whether gay or straight, he utterly HATES women. The malicious glee in his eyes when he was abusing them was something else. Dangerous man.

I hope a former member or family finally catches up with him and knocks him out - and his thick, football-headed wife

 

[Pambono5]

I've seen it. Mad.

Netflix are the best for cult docuseries. I recently watched Waco American Apocalypse and Keep Sweet Pray & Obey. Both excellent.

What always amazes me is that they speak to ex members or 'survivors' and you know they would rejoin in a heartbeat.

If you can find them anywhere as they are quite old programmes "escaping the prophet " and "breaking polygamy" were good TV shows about getting people out of the Flds and another cult called the order
A bit dramatised but Good viewing

 

[Web30]

The 2 cults I'm have always followed and happy to learn more about are, children of God /the family. And iblp (duggar family)
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What's everyone's opinion on Jehovahs witnesses?

I have family that were JW, they used to out door knocking which my cousins hated. They used to have a present day once a year in place of birthdays and Christmas, which I now think shouldn't have even been allowed.

My mum also had to specify that any invite to our house in December wasn't for Christmas reasons.

They are all out of it now and my cousins very much a Catholic now adays.

 

[Warpaint]

Just finished reading 'Unfollow' by Megan Phelps-Roper. From the docs, she always seemed to be one of the most hardline so was surprised she left. She went with her Sister so I think that helped give her the push. I can imagine even years after leaving she's still 'de-programming' as it were. The Church and family itself seems to be pretty much shattered now anyway.

 

[House of Carbonara]

I made the mistake of remembering the name of one of the Jehovahs that came round, and the bigger mistake of admitting it ("Oh hello again, Bruce - no I don't want to join, thank you - I am actually an Anglican minister. As I have told you. Several times.") and now when they come round I end up in a quote-by-qoute argument with him, with Bible texts whizzing past our ears like bullets on the Somme.

If you suddenly get felled by a heavy chunk of Leviticus or a sharp fragment of Paul's Epistle to the Romans, it's probably a ricochet - sorry about that. I don't mind a theological argument (quite enjoy it, TBH) but I just HAVEN'T GOT THE TIME!

I don't find their arguments remotely convincing (as I know many people won't find mine) and just wish they would bugger off. I would just not answer the door but I swear to God they wait until I am on my hands and knees in the garden and up to my elbows in creeping-bliddy-buttercups.

Love how you put it, Mouse!
Husband talks to JW, my answer ha always been no thanks, I am RC.
Talking of which - just read that the Vatican is investigating a Texan bishop. Anti vax, pro Trump, anti Pope. You really, really shouldn't use religion as a mallet to twat people with to spread your political beliefs.
Also - would love to chat to you over a cup of tea and a slice of cake.

 

[HotesTilaire]

Thanks for correcting me on that . Thought I heard them say ( on the Waco series ) he was part of WACO but have obviously misheard .
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Netflix

There was a crazy camp of people who turned up during or just after Waco who were protesting, all individuals who weren’t happy. McVeigh was one and I think he was selling or handing out stickers and leaflets about government interference in people’s rights

 

[Zulkraa]

Thanks for creating this thread. I watch true crime and follow a channel on YouTube she has made a few videos on different cults. She did one I’ve never heard of in Australia called The Family. It’s a long video and can be triggering in places

 

[Hold my beans]

Do you know what platform it is on? I've never seen it!
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She posts a lot on twitter and links to her podcast on there, I need to find the time to listen to it. She's currently investigating links between the LA police dept and scientology. Brave lady

 

[ButtonDownTheHutches]

just bought "Hey, Hun : Sales, Sisterhood, Supremacy, and the Other Lies Behind Multilevel Marketing" by Emily Lynn Paulson. Not, strictly speaking, about cults, it's about MLM schemes like HerbalLife, Mary Kay, Amway, etc, but there's a lot of crossover between the two.

https://www.hive.co.uk/Product/Emily-Lynn-Paulson/Hey-Hun--Sales-Sisterhood-Supremacy-and-the-Other-Lies-Be/28951298

There’s a good podcast about this too - definitely ‘cultish’ vibes around MLMs

https://podcasts.musixmatch.com/pod...hood-supremacy-and-01j90zbr9gm9za5rq12v444wba

 

[Crumpet41]

There’s a new mini series on BBC iPlayer called Eye investigations. Disciples: The cult of TB joshua.
Have just started watching

I used to work in a hotel in south yorkshire and a couple of years back the leader of TB Joshua held his annual conference at the arena .
The hotel was full (it is an international chain, 90+ rooms ) and we had multiples of people trying to stay in rooms ,as we are told to be careful about who goes into rooms names are taken on check in and key cards are limited) . All the people at the hotel had basically spent all their savings on flights and accommodation to come and see TB Joshua . The people who came to stay were all from various African countries ( and well known to be very poor). it was quite sad to see that so many people had spent hundreds of pounds coming to see a con artist.

There are loads of cult documentaries on netflix which i have watched, most recently the WACO documentary which was sat on my to watch list for ages as i am familiar with David Koresh/ WACO siege however the documentary focused on the actual siege and interviewed people on both sides ( members of the cult and ATF/FBI agents). I found it interesting to watch . I also learned that the Oklahoma City bombings happened because the bloke in charge of the WACO siege was head of the FBI in Oklahoma City at the time, and the bomber wanted to get his revenge on the FBI guy. The bomber was also a part of the WACO cult. I have heard of the bombing however i did not know it was in relation to WACO.

I have watched Twin Flames, Wild Wild Country, Bikram Yoga, Guru Predator, Murder Among the Mormons, Bad Vegan, One of Us ( this is about the Hasidic Jewish Community and the sexual abuse that is alleged to take place).

 

[MooBelle]

Leah remini did a good series on scientology

Do you know what platform it is on? I've never seen it!
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There were a couple of PBs at my school - they weren’t allowed to be seen eating which is a bit weird.

There was a PB in our year who had to go home for lunch every day because of this. She also was forbidden to watch TV so if we ever watched anything in class she had to leave.
Strangest thing she told us was that PB usually live in detached houses because they couldn't use water/sewage systems that outsiders used. If someone lived in a semi detached or terrace it would be because their neighbours were family.

 

[50sGirl]

Was she even really pregnant that time when they said it was ectopic.

That’s what I wondered. She contradicted his version twice and he was not happy about it.
The bit at the end said that baby Grace was born in April this year.

 

[HotesTilaire]

Having been raised RC I have had the debates with the JW or whichever was around, and Leviticus is always handy! as I’ve got older I realised I don’t want to engage so I just tell them I’m Jewish.

The Very British Cult was interesting because it was a pseudo Self improvement/business/The Secret type of thing, but it later pivoted to religion.It just shows that someone has to offer something you want, then draw you in, isolate you and…you’re in a cult

 

[FenellaTheWitch]

Have any of you watched Wild, wild country on Netflix?? If you can get over the intrusive backing music it's fascinating, and bat shit crazy

I've seen it. Mad.

Netflix are the best for cult docuseries. I recently watched Waco American Apocalypse and Keep Sweet Pray & Obey. Both excellent.

What always amazes me is that they speak to ex members or 'survivors' and you know they would rejoin in a heartbeat.

 

[TheMiceInTheShed]

Love how you put it, Mouse!
Husband talks to JW, my answer ha always been no thanks, I am RC.
Talking of which - just read that the Vatican is investigating a Texan bishop. Anti vax, pro Trump, anti Pope. You really, really shouldn't use religion as a mallet to twat people with to spread your political beliefs.
Also - would love to chat to you over a cup of tea and a slice of cake.
[/QUOTE]
Oh - that would be lovely.

I really enjoy a civilised exchange of views with people of any faith, or of none. And the words "tea" and "cake" are to me like a tennis ball and a squirrel to a cocker spaniel.

(And it doesn't have to be a religious chat! Anything you like!) And now I'm going to look into that bishop . . .

There's a cafe in Honiton called the Yellow Deli which is a front for the Twelve Tribes cult. A lot of these organisations fly under the radar and you may not even realise what you're dealing with.

I know of a community of religious Sisters who, when the JW's or Mormons come knocking, invite them into the parlour to have a chat. They see it as doing God's work, because if they're in the community's parlour, they're not bothering anyone else and they may save someone who's a bit insecure in their existing faith from being sucked in.

To be honest, if you're a JW and you see a sign saying "Dominican Priory" and your immediate thought is "yes, I shall go and try and convert these Sisters" rather than "maybe there's an easier target out there?" then you deserve a two-hour theological discussion with tea and biscuits.

Hadn't thought of that - it seems that the Almighty may be working through me, too, without my conscious knowledge. God does this all the time with people - She's clever!

(And of course, after a gallon of clerical tea, Nature will ensure that further excessive door-knocking is curtailed . . .

 

[houseofhoop]

I'm fascinated by cults and we've gotten really into watching all the documentaries on Netfix/ Prime etc. Just settling down to watch the new Raëlism one on Netflix, looks suitably bonkers!
I'd never heard of this one before until someone on the Scientology thread mentioned it a while back so I'm looking forward to finding out more.
Has anyone watched it yet?

Ooo have you watched Shiney Happy People on Prime

 

[Veronicaaa]

I’ve just watchedKeep Sweet Pray & Obey and Under the Banner of Heaven, and am on the lookout for any other LDS-themed stuff as I’m absolutely fascinated by the weirdness, so any tv/book recommendations are welcomed.

I also recently watched a NCXIM (probably spelled it wrong) docudrama and a Sarah Lawrence documentary series on Disney+, which were both pretty good.

I had to check whether the Duggars were LDS - It's both amazing and not amazing that all these cults are essentially the same. Anyway, Shiny Happy People on Amazon is good. I was thinking this thread might pop up wrt the whole That 70s Show and Scientology .... mad to think about the money, power and influence they have.