Cult episodes

[Mental Fairy]

Hi SD

Love the profile pic. Very dashing!

I am intrigued and very interested in the process of you going back to look at this time in your life.

Shame, yes we know it well. For many reasons. Did you keep any connections at all with past attendees?
It would be very insightful to maybe look at this past person whom did the deep dive into it.

It will be hard to process I’m sure, they maybe an element of healing for you.

Would be keen to hear your updates if you decide to dig into the archives.

Meanwhile look up Tara Westover. The book Educated was fabulous. Her interviews online are great also.

[Mental Fairy]

Hi SD

I’ve been thinking about this a bit and I am curious (feel free to not answer) when you decided to go down this line of lifestyle, what sealed the decision for you? What was missing in your current that at the given point when you decided? It was it on a whim?

I am sorry if this brings anything up, just with Tara her father was the driving force of mind manipulating and it’s a different circumstance i know. Just that we are seekers are we not? We look for comfort, we look for the basics in life but anytime more than that is a bonus.

I recall my father coming out of prison and pointing to a man sitting at a bus stop saying that he was a hero. I clicked many years later why he said that.
That man was a provider, he was likely honest and obeyed the law. Dad come right and was good, well so I thought.

It’s just interesting to see the paths people take in life and the reasons for their choices.

I’ve interviewed many of my father’s comrades in the past and invested time into learning why they did things they did.

Hence why I wonder about your story.
I wonder about all our stories and what lead us here. Looking on this forum, listening to others with Paul. I would like to think we learn from one another and for those moments feel seen for who we truly are.

You have been a large influence on me in this short time and I thank you kindly for that.

[snoringdog]

Hello Mental Fairy,

Hmm.. this will take a while and it's late, so just a short reply for now.

Love the profile pic. Very dashing!

Aw shucks. I'm older now, but decided to post this to remind myself that I can still be happy. (This was taken after that whole phase in my life, and after I'd hit some real lows...)

I’ve been thinking about this a bit and I am curious….

I'll post details. Need to think how to summarize. There are so many aspects to think about, emotional & intellectual.

You have been a large influence on me in this short time and I thank you kindly for that.

I'm honored. Thank you.

You were in real turmoil, and I know about that all too well. Had to try to offer you something..

[snoringdog]

As expected, revisiting this time of my life brings up a lot of thoughts and feelings.
Need to be clear on why I'm doing this and how to proceed. Need a framework, need to set "thought boundaries", and maybe even a timer....

The last two mornings I've filled half a dozen pages of a small notebook with various thoughts. My mind usually races anyway when I first wake up, and I've always had a problem with rumination that can become excessive. Writing definitely helps to calm things)

It's interesting (now that god has created the Interwebs ) how much information and background is available on so many things. I'd like to think that having such easy-to-find and open information can help stymie the more damaging activities, but maybe that's wishful thinking.

Came across this podcast yesterday, will be listening. (It covers a broad range of groups, from the benign to the truly evil).

https://podcasts.apple.com/us/podcast/lets-start-a-cult/id1532999976

And there are even a few humorous How-To articles around...

https://www.wikihow.com/Start-a-Cult

[Mental Fairy]

Thank you for this SD, i will have a listen.

I tried doing the writing down of thoughts first thing in the morning, however many of the things that i process post sleep as we all know is bat shit crazy! I have found some days are easier than others.

Will be interesting to see how you process things and bring them back to light. Or if you prefer put them back in the memory box!

[snoringdog]

One of the reasons I quit believing -

I got tired of making excuses for God.

[manuel_moe_g]

One of the reasons I quit believing -

I got tired of making excuses for God.

Oh yeah, also, for me, it was realizing that the same kind of brains that lead people to support trump was the same kind of brains that people brought to their belief in god and how they manifested god's teachings in their behaviors

[snoringdog]

Not sure about all that Manny...

I'm not antagonistic to those who believe, and I'm not about to try to dissuade anyone of their religious beliefs, especially if they're decent people...

Religion does seem to bring on arguments though, and stunted and rigid thinking, much like politics.

(I'm sure they've done MRI scans and probably found common areas lighting up under the influences of these things.)

I remember being quite troubled trying to reconcile the many contradictions in the Bible, in Christians, and in the supposed attributes of God. It all got tiring, to no good effect....

[snoringdog]

Saw a bumper sticker the other day that made me laugh out loud -

"Jesus is Coming. Look Busy...."

Hadn't thought about that one in years.

[snoringdog]

So, this is on the radar. A movie that touches on the religious ferment of the 70s.
I'm afraid it'll be a feel-good type of thing, but I may get a few chuckles and learn a thing or two.
Maybe I'll buy a bucket of popcorn

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Jesus_Revolution

I haven't gotten around to writing up my list of thoughts from the last time I started to ruminate but watch this space.