- Topic
In hindsight of this article, two quotes come to mind upon refecting on weather or not I should continue what I am doing.
"I will not leave South Africa, nor will I surrender. Only through hardship, sacrifice and militant action can freedom be won. The struggle is my life. I will continue fighting for freedom until the end of my days." Nelson Mandela
and sometimes I feel like the following
"Hear me, my chiefs. I am tired. My heart is sick and sad. From where the sun now stands, I will fight no more forever" Chief Joseph
I have just as much hate for the WMS as I always have. But something recently happend in my life that makes me consider 'hanging up the gloves' so to speak.
On one hand, even though I know that some people in this forum have done more then I ever will, I feel spent. I have made videos. Through the videos current members have contacted me and left the cult as a result of our conversations. I have told my story to the media. Met wonderful people on the forum: Mountain mom, Heinrich Hochalter, Joshua, Untouchable J, I love you guys. Maybe i've done all I'm gonna do.
But then on the other hand, the monster is still out there, and it must be stopped.
In his video, Chris Herbert said that as a result of the emptiness he felt leaving the WMS, that he "does not get excited about anything anymore". I can not express how much that is my situation right now. Nothing excites me……NOTHING. I sometimes cant even think of a reason to get out of bed in the morning lol. There is no more magic left in the world.
I will say however that the only thing that makes me feel alive again, is opposing the WMSCOG. Then one might feel poised to ask "what are you whining about dummy????" To which I would respond " to what end?"
Will Zanhg ever go to jail and be publicly humiliated as she deserves? will the WMS ever be dissolved and destroyed???? Will the hurt they've cause and the evil they have spread ever be atoned for? These are just the ends that I would personally like to see come to fruition. Are they realistic? Because unitl then it is consantly checking text messages, emails, youtube comments and constantly being on the look out online and in public in vigilance against this group.
Maybe i'll hang up the gloves, maybe ill live out the rest of my life chuckling about the memory that I once believed that I was gonna fly from star to star and rule galaxies for eternity.
Or maybe I wont. Maybe it is my purpose. A question I pose to ALL: Will the WMSCOG matter after our lives are over????? this is the real question I am grappling with. Any input will be appreciated. Sorry if I sound like a downer.
Brian, this will always be a part of you. As I have told you before, you have a much stronger voice having been involved than a person like me having never been involved. Both of us have a ton of information we can share however, it has a way of taking over our lives. Over the months you and I have shared and learned quite a bit from each other. Should you choose to try and walk away from this just understand that you will always have someone to talk to. Like I have said before, "You are not alone in this." I hope you keep fighting the fight but you do have a new chapter in your life that is opening up to you.
MountainMom wrote:
Thank you David and Untouchable. I can clearly pick out who is an overseer at my son's church.
My answer was more in line with "what" is an overseer I think you were looking for "who" is and overseer.
So for clarity, I would lean more towards UntouchableJ's answer.
That said and on another note, I know a deacon who could not run a church nor in my opinion, do I believe he would be entrusted with one. This leads me to wonder what the criteria is to become a deacon or a missionay, for that matter?
I think there might be "many" different reasons why they hand out those titles
In my son's case I think it was simply that he gave a lot of money to the church and was a completely controlled member. The year before they didn't even think he was qualified to be a youth leader, from what my husband said. Then all of a sudden he is surprised by the news that he is awarded the position of deacon. He didn't even see it coming himself.
Brian, you asked,
"A question I pose to ALL: Will the WMSCOG matter after our lives are over????? this is the real question I am grappling with. Any input will be appreciated."
The answer is YES, the wmscog will, matter, after our lives are over.
Also, everything that those of us, who know the "truth about them," say and do now, will matter too!
Thanks, David, I needed to hear that. And I want everyone here to know that those of you who speak out are my heroes, and heroes to so many.
Last year I posted a quote by Martin Luther King Jr. at about this same time of year. It was something like "We begin to die when we stop talking about things that matter." Let's all keep talking about the wmscog because shining light on this destructive group matters.
I admire you completely, Brian, and that wouldn't change if you took time off from this. No need to apologize to anyone, and I can speak for all here on that, I think. Enjoy your life and your freedom from the Wms. With the recent change in your life I know that you will be busier than you ever thought you could be, so take that time and feel good (no great!) about it.
I'm glad you are not retiring yet, Brian. ๐ But please do take time off when you need to — it will refresh you and strengthen you and keep you emotionally healthy and balanced.
I may take some time off myself, Brian. I will definitely respond to any private messages, or phone calls from anyone who would like to talk. But I need to let some other people talk on here for a while. I'll be back, and I'll be checking in.
So happy that there is a lot of discussion and more people coming out.
@Brian What scares me is what you states the other day…that they are evolving and now like MM stated, now telling members to go visit family, and to even show up at Xmas parties. I have been wondering, if they become more like a mainstream church, can they survive?
UntouchableJ wrote:
@Brian What scares me is what you states the other day…that they are evolving and now like MM stated, now telling members to go visit family, and to even show up at Xmas parties. I have been wondering, if they become more like a mainstream church, can they survive?
I can answer that UntouchableJ…No way could they survive as a mainstream church!!!
IMO, they will stop saying to members soon.
In fact I hope the members take note when they stop telling them it's ok to see their families
Their desire is to be a mainstream church. Although I don’t want them to be successful, they just might get there as long as they have support from their congregations.
My overseer took personality characteristics and behaviours from about ten other members and started acting and talking like them. He changed his personality until he was a completely different personal. That sort of scared me.
This church will morph and shape shift until they can become mainstream. They are going to make the effort to get there.
Well, I hate to say this Mayor and Mike but you are right, when Mom dies and we all know she will, they could just say, she ascended into heaven and sits at the right hand of the father. Then they could just make one of the leaders Pope and he talks directly to god. They probably wouldn't have to change much else…..I just depressed myself.
Lol David. Cheer up. Their deception goes only so far. I believe members have an expiration date. I hope there will be an awakening and everyone will leave. From my experience they are having a difficult time keeping members. So many people leave. Its a revolving door.
@David -They are MASTERS at recanting. I remember the Overseer, yelled at members once, “Unh..You take time to clean your own home, but I come in on Preperation day, and only 2 sisters are here!!! Whut is this?” Now of coarse, he yelled this. Afterwards, for a few months, the church was buzzing on Friday/Preparation day…but many members started talking and expressing how frustrated they were that their personal homes were dirty and they didnt have time to clean (my wife actually brought it up to the overseer). The wives & sisters with kids especially said this amongst themselves. Out of nowhere, during “fragrance” time, the Overseer brings up; (in his conveniently broken English, when he wished to recant or change simething) “Brudder en Sister…you can clean your house, Im hearing that member don’t have time for their homes. You have to take care of houshold, right? Amen?”
Again, typical. Say something, and then either change it or say that “you misunderstood”.
@Untouchable: After my son clearly told me, his wife, and everybody who would listen that the world was going to end in 2012, he went back on that and said "some people misunderstood." Really? Apparently EVERYONE in his Zion misunderstood. Even the Pastor misunderstood, and the Pastor talks directly to Mother in her native tongue! The sacred information about the end of the world came directly from "Mother" to the Korean Pastor, so how could that be misunderstood. Lies, lies, lies. And apparently ALL the Pastors in the U.S. misunderstood because they were all telling their people the end was going to be in 2012. Oh, and they were telling the Zions in Korea that too. They are right there by "Mother" but they misunderstood? Oh please.
Bump
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