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Greetings all, its been a while since i've posted on this forum, made any videos or done any counter-cult ativities. However, there has been a question on my mind which I feel is worthy of being torn apart here. For the purose of context: A few days ago I met with a person who's loved one is a former member of the WMSCOG. This was the first time we had met in over a month or so, and in many of our previous meetings we spent the majority of the time rehashing our stories and venting about the absurdities and hypocrisies of the cult, but not this time. This time, it seemed to me that we focused less on the WMSCOG and spent more time just talking about life and convictions which shape many of our proclivities today.
So, blah blah blah i'm rambling, let me get to the point. I really want to hear, whether you are a former member, a friend or a relative some one who is in the cult, What have you learned from your experience? How has it changed the way you view the world? ( if at all) how has it shaped your character? how has it changed you? I would really love to hear from anyone and everyone on this.
I am a former member who was in this cult the WMSCOG for above 8 years.Basicly through my experience i feel cheated,lied,robbered of my money and belongings.Lied i would say is that when i was baptized i was not even told that there is a father and mother,i would have to pay thites and give them my belongings.They did not tell me that i would be forced to keep all sabbath day worship and third day worship (building fear in me that father is comming soon ,the world is going to end,mother can hear father foot steps etc).Cheated because we were forced to bear 10 talents to build the jerusalem temple,if a member had no talent the leader was forced to go with him preaching and get any Tom Tic and Harry from the street and you all know the drama that is created when one is baptised.There were pretty old members before me who are decons missionary, leaders etc but have not given their money offerings gold etc but the pastor tricked me a emotional fool which i would call myself to give everything i had,and after i gave everything i had to stay there looking at these members growing there and being praised there being sent to korea to vist the so called mother.When i left the pastor came to vist me,and i told him that i would not like to return,but to do me a favour, that please return my money which i have given in huge amount and belongings.His reply was who told you to give all this you were not forced, you gave all this out of your fee will.(The fact is i was forced reminding me of all the false blessing i would recive in heaven).Also showing me the verses that the woman who had her last two copper coins gave it to jesus and jesus praised her and she was blessed.After leaving this place i am happy and i see this world is surely a better place then the wmscog the people out are so good and nice that the wmscog created hate in us saying that these people are satans children and will go to hell .Staying there i relalised that they dont practise what they preach the wise ones have a good time in the name of father and mother as long as they give money in huge amounts they want be corrected.WMSCOG are the first ones who cheat the goverment by not paying taxes,illegal registration converting innocent people,.The majority people you see are all hindus poor people in all the zions in India,illegal burials done with the name of different church and many more things to say .But bacicly i guess by now you all can understand how i feel about this church which only claims to be the place safety in the last days.(which i am very much aware of their false prediction 2012 which i was there at that time).Now that i have reached 2015 which is nearly getting over and i see the way they change their teaching and their attitude towards former members i have no regrets to say it is a CULT.
Hi Brian. I am happy to chime in on this one!
A few things that I've learned and how I've changed:
–I have seen how someone can be spiritually manipulated. I've learned how to be angry at those who knowingly (or carelessly) manipulate others, and how to have a measure of compassion to those who unknowingly continue the cycle.
–I am more aware of what mainstream churches might do accidentally that could put them at risk of being thought of as manipulative or cult-like.
–I've learned how important it is to know sound principles of studying the Bible and how to be balanced in discerning what are non-negotiable foundations of the Christian faith and what debateable points do not need quarrelling over (Romans 14).
–After experiencing the feeling of total disgust at the idea of worshipping an ordinary man and woman as Gods, I can now have a better perspective and compassion at what a Jew must feel when told to worship Jesus as God. (I believe Jesus has the Biblical and historical support that Ahn and Zahng do not have, but even though the conclusion is different the initial feeling would be the same.)
We have learned that in spite of the incredible strength of the love of family, a cult can overcome the family's influence with a loved one.
Both of our child's parents were raised with loving parents, siblings, and close relatives. Our child was raised exactly the same way.
Because of this, we were both amazed and horrified at WMSCOG's ability to take our child away from us. We never in our lives imagined that the pull of a crazy cult would be stronger than the love of family.
Since that time, we have become more aware of the power and influence of cults in our country and other countries. No one in either of our immediate families has ever been sucked into a cult like WMSCOG. So this was a huge learning experience. Until this, we though of cults in terms of "Manson" or "Jim Jones". Now we realize cults are everywhere, and can overcome even the strongest of family bonds in influencing their "believers".
Heinrich said a lot of what I have also been thinking. Plus, after being an educator my whole life, I believe that we need to get some kind of information out to the schools and make it mandatory that they teach it. Honestly, I know of a kid who got one hour of insight in a seminar at a retreat in high school. Twelve years later, he still remembered it and he instantly recognized the WMS as a cult when he was told just a few characteristics. He also knew to google "church of god" and then put "cult" behind it. All the info on it came up immediately. Proof that we can teach preventative measures at an early age that will help our kids once they are out of our influence.
As Heinrich said, "Cults are everywhere." My son's involvement with the wms really shook what I thought was a rock solid foundation in my family and what I believed to be true about loyalty and trust earned over a lifetime. It's also been an eye opener about how little people know about cults, and even worse, how little they care as long as it is not their child who is involved. They don't know it could happen to anybody.
On the positive side, I have found a lot of great people who I can talk to and whose opinions and experience with the cult have been very helpful. I count them as friends, and they keep me from losing hope, even after six years of dealing with this. I can also be a resource for others, and I want to help. Helping others makes me feel less hopeless and helpless about the situation.
For me the toughest thing I had to overcome or realise was that I was not a bad person. I had walked around with this inherent belief and self-loathing all my life even before I came into the cult that's why it was so easy for me to fall prey to these people. And through the law and preaching they had provided a way for me to "earn" my self-worth so that's why I stayed for as long as I did.
Little did I know that I was subjecting myself to psychological torment of the worst kind. But the Koreans didn't do anything that I didn't allow them to simply because of what I believed to be my core truth; that I was inherently worthless, inherently flawed as a human being and did not deserve to be loved because I was a bad person.
That's why all those new songs we sang about how useless we are and videos we watched about how God had basically done us a favor by saving mankind and sermons about how we needed to repay God struck a chord because they served to reinforce that negative self-image and low self-worth I had held up until then.
It took this experience and eight years of my life to realise that I deserved better and that I am not a worthless person.
Bryan, I think this is a great thread, however, a difficult one.
I have many of the same feelings as others posted thus far…I’ll try to respond with my own thoughts soon…
My sisters are in this cult. I have to say the good thing that came from this is that it made me read my bible more than ever and search for understanding. I think I speak for everyone when I say that. I feel like I need to give my sister who is more heavily involved more love. I have to admit because she has joined this church I have been less willing to speak with her about her day or even care to know. (only because it's about that cult) I now feel like I can move pass that and try to shower her with as much love I can give. However, that is difficult when you barely see the person.
Brian Taylor wrote:
So, blah blah blah i'm rambling, let me get to the point. I really want to hear, whether you are a former member, a friend or a relative some one who is in the cult, What have you learned from your experience? How has it changed the way you view the world? ( if at all) how has it shaped your character? how has it changed you? I would really love to hear from anyone and everyone on this.
friend
and I want my friend back
changed my world because I realized spiritual manipulation I was under more than one time in my past. maybe wasnt on the far cult end of the spectrum but got taken advantage of and ripped off more times than I'm still willing to admit. so I lost money, time, and -stress-idk how a price tag gets put on that.
This experience has brought me closer to God, which mainly was a result of this person's membership – I got curious and investigated about my 'wrong' church and it took a long time to see the contradictions in my situation but it seemed like we switched roles with my friend getting it on steriods so-to-speak.
We still talk but if you want the possibility of future interaction then you dont go challenging things you just take the time you're given and it makes you appreciate what you took for granted previously. so there is good and bad that goes with membership in these groups. I would say that, in general, there is an issue with separating friends & family, yes. but I don't go saying that categorically the group does this because all they need is to point at so-and-so and ask if they cut off from their F&F because – if F&F were given the chance to speak – the F&F would say that time has certainly diminished (if not strictly cut off) but the definition on the other side can go 'see, John Doe says he just visited his family' and my friend doesnt get it and I cant challenge that presentation if I want to see him again. (reduction in time spent and how its spent and what the topic of conversation will be and how you get treated if you challenge these groups) just like who gets the laws written in this country (the lobbyist has the ear of the politician) and who gets awarded job bids (the salesperson needs to have the ear of the buyer to have that influence). The circle of influence is just too strong to have any effect because they have the ear. this phenomenon is nothing new.
but man did I take things for granted before, so in a way this is a good experience – assuming he sees it and exits one day.
They swooped up and got my one and only daughter, and to make matters worse at the time they lure her in she was pregnant with my first grandchild. I am trying to get her out, this is not an easy task, as they have her brainwashed, mind-controlled, sleep deprived, and isolate her from family and friends. I do not want my grandson to be raised in this dangerous, abusive cult. especially since the frown down on children, some of the stories i have read reguarding childen are horrific. i really need some support and advise. My phone number is 307274-2869 my name is Kelli feel free to call me anytime. Thank-you
KM,
ive done a lot of research on behalf of my friend and my views..sometimes people see me as a cult sympathizer.
first, I've been there – wanting my friend out.
its not the best approach. the members are going to view us as being manipulative is the first problem. moreover, what right do we have to others choices. it is the thinking that we have a right over others choices that leads us astray from the important point which is the respect for the individual's choice. it is the education / information so that the individual can decide for themselves.
the way these groups work is to prevent access to the information – to always point the members inward/to the group.
i doubt you are using your real name? nonetheless, the research supports that no one thinks that they are brainwashed so my advice is to not use that terminology. same goes for the terms mind-controlled, abusive cult, and cult imho. I have been able to see things better through my friends way of seeing the world, which I hope in the long run helps for him to see that I was always there for him and looking to do what was truly best in his interests.
additionally, all the group leadership has to do is a small bit emphasizing about this site wanting people out of God's chosen group, which is real to the member that they are part of the chosen few. fear would likely keep them away from this site but people in general have a tendency to search out evidence for a conclusion they already have made. I know I did that (other groups, other situations). So then coming here and finding evidence for a foregone conclusion is circular reasoning but they never will understand the subtleness of that. just ideas. gl.
I am a former member and my life now has taken shape. I didnt think that I will ever have my life back and put together after going through this. I believed in everything the church teaches up to a year after leaving. I never went to the Internet to research it but other sircunstances lead me to test them and the process was very painful but suprisingly I was able to let go after about two years. I was able to see who I was for them and who they were by testing them. Unfortunately a close friend still in there and I lost all contact and communication from her after leaving. I did not recruit many and now I have no regrets about it. If some are happy and fills them to be there I respect that too. I never tried to take someone out of the church because I know this is a personal decision.
When I found out a year after all of what happened with Michelle and about this forum I was able to put together in my mind the whole story. I met Michelle Colon at the church and I remember her very well.
I left the State where I originally attended and moved with my family. I left the church, my job and all the great ladies behind. It was not easy but with your real family and true love anything can be possible. My family never opposed to the fact I attended to this church neither saw me as I was crazy or anything like that. I went back to college and finished my career. I have my own place, car and got my job back and was promoted during this year. I had to start my life from zero but impossible is nothing. All my fears are gone about something happening to me because of the Passover.
I don’t believe in churches because of this experience so me going to a church again permanently still very difficult because is not God that I don’t trust, I don’t trust people. If you decided or found you spiritual way don’t forget is about you and God not you and People. If something doesn’t feel right you must dig because if you dig you will find the truth. Don’t think there is something wrong with you because guilt is the first reaction of a victim. Spiritual abuse is real and will never be gone.
Hey guys….
Had to give my story. First off, As Yesterday was Thanksgiving, I had to drive past our old Church to get home. It was thr afternoin, and I had to work thr morning shift. Of course..the “zion” parking lot was packed. I remembered another hypocritical mind control tactic. We would have a huge “heavenly family” dinner on Thanksgiving and Xmas. Like all things, we were guilt tripped to be there, and only informed when it was a day or so away(I always hated that particular tactic…gettinf a text on a weekday evening, that the next morning we were having an event and that everyone “need[ed] to make grrat efforts to come). So, I remember we were always told that “true family” will meet on Thanksgiving, and that while “babylon is eating together”, the true family will have family time. Seems so stupid now. WMSCOG would only do this, to keep members from communing with their real families. I hated sitting there, hearing the Elder bable on, and listen to himself talk (when we left, we had a rude Korean Elder who often yelled and made leading statements). I alwayd found it, interesting that to combat “babylon”, WMSCOG emulates it, basically having a thanksgiving dinner but not calling it that. Same with xmas. This is only a trick to keep members from being with their families. I recall the brainwashing comments of the Elder….”We who are here, we true family, AREN’T WE!??!!?” and the congregation would of course shout, “Amen!!!”. I remember these tactics and feel sorry for the 4 years I wasted. I feel sorry for the people stuck. Happy thanksgiving!!
UntouchableJ wrote:
(when we left, we had a rude Korean Elder who often yelled and made leading statements). I alwayd found it, interesting that to combat "babylon", WMSCOG emulates it, basically having a thanksgiving dinner but not calling it that. Same with xmas. This is only a trick to keep members from being with their families. I recall the brainwashing comments of the Elder…."We who are here, we true family, AREN'T WE!??!!?" and the congregation would of course shout, "Amen!!!". I remember these tactics and feel sorry for the 4 years I wasted. I feel sorry for the people stuck. Happy thanksgiving!!
Haha. I bet everyone has a funny story about these Korean leaders. I remember finding it VERY hard to take them seriously, yet I would watch all these Americans look petrified of them whenever they were in the building. There was one who liked to hear himself give authority out and he kept yelling at a deacon about moving his van. "Movey ya cawww!" It was hilarious.
I feel sorry that there's so many who think they have to listen to these guys because they "know" heavenly mother. They would be put on a pedestal whenever heavenly mother sent one of them to the USA.
@Brian We got a Korean overseer right before we left, about a year or so. He was also very rude, and made racial jokes. He would always justify the rude behaviors by saying, “We family, family can’t be so sensitive, right?”
I remember at my zion it was quite funny because everytime when the koreans try to say "source of eternal life" or "water of life", with their accent it always sounded like "source of eternal LIE" and "water of LIE" =)
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