Great podcast by BBC called ‘a very British cult.’ It was equal measures horrifying and fascinating!
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I've seen posts vaguely on here about the Plymouth brethren, are they a religion or a cult or in between? Interested to know more about them if anyone knows anything (more fun to read people's opinions than to google)
I used to work for a company 
that was run by Plymouth Bretheren - very interesting experience!
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that was run by Plymouth Bretheren - very interesting experience!---
Spooooky AF!!!!!!!! @Thank(space)you !!!! (I was typing my post the same time you were posting yours!!)
I enjoy Eli Yoder on Tiktok who speaks about his experience growing up Amish
Any TV drama series about cults or leaving cults? Loads of documentaries but can’t think of any dramas.
I follow him in YouTube. His laugh at the end always cracks me up!
Wow, synchronicity or what! Can you tell us anything withoutI used to work for a company
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Spooooky AF!!!!!!!! @Thank(space)you !!!! (I was typing my post the same time you were posting yours!!)
yourself too much?
I watched a documentary programme on Amazon Prime I forget the name of, American of c. There are a group of women who help (mainly young women) escape fundie sects, I think it’s around Utah they had to get a girl over the state line to Vegas as she was 17.
It’s not a one off though, there are several series! And the fundies blend in wearing modern clothes etc pretty sure polygamy was involved. It’s just madness how widespread it is.
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Side note but re cults and MLMs, I watched something about Herbalife on Amazon. It wasn’t that great as a programme but that’s where I realised why Herbalife and similar are big in the US - poor people can’t afford healthcare 🥲 also your Church is your social services support
It’s not a one off though, there are several series! And the fundies blend in wearing modern clothes etc pretty sure polygamy was involved. It’s just madness how widespread it is.
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Side note but re cults and MLMs, I watched something about Herbalife on Amazon. It wasn’t that great as a programme but that’s where I realised why Herbalife and similar are big in the US - poor people can’t afford healthcare 🥲 also your Church is your social services support
Escaping NXIVM was one of the first podcasts about it, released in 2018 before the trial concluded. Fascinating stuff.
As said on the JM thread, a close friend of mine got tangled up with the London Church of Christ back in the '90s and ended up marrying a woman he'd never so much as kissed. The wedding guests consisted of their immediate families, me and another two friends of his plus our partners, and about 150 church members, it was a total takeover. They eventually managed to break free of it about five years later, thankfully. The church had a strict tithing policy, 10% of your gross salary, but as he was self employed they insisted on 10% of his turnover, which was a huge hit to his income. Friendships outside the church were strongly discouraged and the one thing that actually gave me hope that one day he would get out of it is that despite all the pressure from his mentor (they had what they called a discipling system where someone more senior in the church than you took charge of your spiritual growth) he kept answering my phone calls and meeting for lunch whenever I was in London. There's a guy called Graham Cluley who's quite well known in cybersecurity circles, but was also pretty active on Usenet around that time helping people who were worried about friends and family involved in cults, and he gave a lot of good advice about the LCoC.
As said on the JM thread, a close friend of mine got tangled up with the London Church of Christ back in the '90s and ended up marrying a woman he'd never so much as kissed. The wedding guests consisted of their immediate families, me and another two friends of his plus our partners, and about 150 church members, it was a total takeover. They eventually managed to break free of it about five years later, thankfully. The church had a strict tithing policy, 10% of your gross salary, but as he was self employed they insisted on 10% of his turnover, which was a huge hit to his income. Friendships outside the church were strongly discouraged and the one thing that actually gave me hope that one day he would get out of it is that despite all the pressure from his mentor (they had what they called a discipling system where someone more senior in the church than you took charge of your spiritual growth) he kept answering my phone calls and meeting for lunch whenever I was in London. There's a guy called Graham Cluley who's quite well known in cybersecurity circles, but was also pretty active on Usenet around that time helping people who were worried about friends and family involved in cults, and he gave a lot of good advice about the LCoC.
There are several Brethren groups. I think the Plymouth ones are less cult-like than the Exclusive Brethren but I'm not sure they're less cult-like by much.
"In The Days of Rain" by Rebecca Stott is about growing up in the Exclusive Brethren.
I've got a couple of terrifying historic (and gory so don't read if squeamish) cults for you to read about.
www.ranker.com
This one is all the scarier given what happened in 1990.
talkmurder.com
I don't know much about modern cults although I was promised paradise by Jehova's Witnesses which was actually pretty tempting when I was at a vulnerable stage in my life. Of course they rely on vulnerability to reel in new members.
Crime lists on Ranker
Crime lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for top 10, top 100, best of, funny, factual lists of any kind
www.ranker.com
This one is all the scarier given what happened in 1990.
Jesus Christ Orders Teen To Cut Out His Mother’s Heart And Nail It To Wall
This is the MOST DISTURBING true-crime case you’ve NEVER heard of before. Heart Throb Tenerife, a beautiful island of the Canary Archipelago, is best known for its bright yellow Canary birds, it’s unique Spanish cuisine, and its 300 sunny days per year. However, what Tenerife is not known
talkmurder.com
I don't know much about modern cults although I was promised paradise by Jehova's Witnesses which was actually pretty tempting when I was at a vulnerable stage in my life. Of course they rely on vulnerability to reel in new members.
Yes - I listened to this a little while ago - engrossing. Frightening how easy it seems to fall into a cult for some people. Not just lonely, isolated people, either - people in good relationships who have life experience - people you would think would be "protected" by life.
Very week tea this. I have a now retired family member who used to be a midwife and delivered a few Plymouth Brethren babies. She told me the women were all very polite and made really good cakes.
Can you name the cult?
Would definitely recommend 'a very British cult' podcast - I find it so fascinating how anyone would get drawn into these things. I'd like to feel there's no way on earth I ever could, but you just never know!
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.I've got a couple of terrifying historic (and gory so don't read if squeamish) cults for you to read about.
Crime lists on Ranker
Crime lists at Ranker - the ultimate source for top 10, top 100, best of, funny, factual lists of any kind
This one is all the scarier given what happened in 1990.
Jesus Christ Orders Teen To Cut Out His Mother’s Heart And Nail It To Wall
This is the MOST DISTURBING true-crime case you’ve NEVER heard of before. Heart Throb Tenerife, a beautiful island of the Canary Archipelago, is best known for its bright yellow Canary birds, it’s unique Spanish cuisine, and its 300 sunny days per year. However, what Tenerife is not known
I don't know much about modern cults although I was promised paradise by Jehova's Witnesses which was actually pretty tempting when I was at a vulnerable stage in my life. Of course they rely on vulnerability to reel in new members.
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.
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.
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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.
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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.
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Stolen Youth: Inside the Cult at Sarah Lawrence on Disney+ is really good, because it shows deprogramming in realtime. Recommended 
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 twit people with to spread your political beliefs.
Also - would love to chat to you over a cup of tea and a slice of cake.
I can’t name it as it’s far too identifiable and I don’t want to out myself! There are about 200 members in this country. It’s something I was born into so didn’t have much chance to think about it, you just assume it’s the truth. Every year that goes by I learn more and more about real life. I’m a sworn atheist now.
I listened to this podcast as well as watching it, even tho it’s very triggering for me to watch this stuff, it’s also very important as it helps me see how far I’ve come.
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The yellow café is very close to me… their commune is in Dunkerswell. I think the cult is big in states as I found an exposé on YouTube by a couple of guys.
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