Great video, great list of points about destructive cults and great dicussion.
#10. If you question something about the group, are you told it is your reactive mind, Satan, etc. and the problem is you – not the group?
If I ever questioned anything, it was because I needed a revelation. It was sometinnes attributed to my carnal mind, a critical spirit, transference or a Jezebel spirit. If I ever brought up something that bothered me from the past, I was told that we only talk about the present and that I should break my bonds with the past. Or that I should break my bonds with a family member who was transferring their rebellion and doubts to me. There were many other excuses, but there was never an honest and open discussion about problems with leaders or the belief system.
When I could no longer reconcile it all, my root of bitterness and I finally left. And ten years later, I'm realizing that none of those things were my problem. I was just using thinking skills and the common sense that God gave me to remove myself from a very destructive situation. But it still hurts sometimes.
The more that I learn about destructive and controlling groups, the more I realize that my critical thinking skills are a part of me that I should value and be thankful for. "Critical" was a very bad word in TLWF. Here is a definition of critical thinking from Dictionary.com: Critical thinking is disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence.
#10. If you question something about the group, are you told it is your reactive mind, Satan, etc. and the problem is you – not the group?
If I ever questioned anything, it was because I needed a revelation. It was sometinnes attributed to my carnal mind, a critical spirit, transference or a Jezebel spirit. If I ever brought up something that bothered me from the past, I was told that we only talk about the present and that I should break my bonds with the past. Or that I should break my bonds with a family member who was transferring their rebellion and doubts to me. There were many other excuses, but there was never an honest and open discussion about problems with leaders or the belief system.
When I could no longer reconcile it all, my root of bitterness and I finally left. And ten years later, I'm realizing that none of those things were my problem. I was just using thinking skills and the common sense that God gave me to remove myself from a very destructive situation. But it still hurts sometimes.
The more that I learn about destructive and controlling groups, the more I realize that my critical thinking skills are a part of me that I should value and be thankful for. "Critical" was a very bad word in TLWF. Here is a definition of critical thinking from Dictionary.com: Critical thinking is disciplined thinking that is clear, rational, open-minded, and informed by evidence.