Been Away: Back with News of Online Support Group

[Twinky]

John: that's a pretty intense posting. Thank you for sharing. There are unfortunately so many of us here who can relate to it at similar levels.

Had you posted that about your time in TWI you would have immediately got much sympathy. You are right that cult survivors have more in common than not.

You have also put a lot of stuff on your website that is self-disclosing and helpful to others. Sometimes I look at your web pages and think, "Oh, yeah, I know that one!" - something that's not quite been covered at the Cafe, or something that wouldn't quite fit into words.

John, you said cman was cryptic in his postings. He always has been and simply alludes to his difficult story. His posts have ever been such. There must be issues there that he is struggling with.

We all have the same story and yet it is so intensely personal that it can be very difficult to talk about.

Perhaps your lengthy post will encourage him to open up a little more, at least to himself.

Anyone who has not looked at John's website will find helpful material. Free.

John offers a service to those who might be in need.

If any of the people John has helped still visit at the Cfe, perhaps they might care to post and let us know if he's genuine.

Other posters here make - products - or write books - and offer them (selling them, sometimes) to others at the Cafe. Wow, are they advertising, then? Kahler, Skedgell, others with their "cult experience" books? What about other books mentioned in the Reading Room ("Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse"? "Toxic Faith"?) Have others found their books helpful?

I only know John through his posts at GSC but I have PMd him occasionally (as I might with any poster here) and my PMs have been responded to promptly and politely and not pushing anything. He's not a "drive by" like JAL. Other non-TWI people like Brushstroke are welcome and have a perspective to offer, too. So pack up the food fight and play nicely with the froth on the cappuccino.

[cman]

I never offered to tell my story twinky.

And why would you guess at me opening up or not.

Perhaps you missed it.

[JeffSjo]

Wow John,

From your first post that I read it seemed to me that you had a pretty good handle on these relationship issues that you discuss.

Now I know why.

Thank you for sharing.

JEFF

(edited for grammar)

Edited December 9, 2008 by JeffSjo

[John M Knapp LMSW]

Wow John,

From your first post that I read it seemed to me that you had a pretty good handle on these relationship issues that you discuss.

Now I know why.

Thank you for sharing.

JEFF

(edited for grammar)

Thanks Jeff and everybody for the kind words.

It took me screwing up my courage to post this. I'm presenting myself as a professional. Admitting to these kinds of problems could lead some to say, "He's crazy as a coot. What could I possibly learn from him?"

It's my hope, however, that people will read this stuff and say, "He was pretty crazy. But he's doing alright now. Maybe I could learn THAT from him."

I'm living proof that recovery can happen -- even for bad cases like me.

Change can happen at any moment. There's always hope!

J.

[excathedra]

dear john k., i liked you so much before

now i like you even more

(((((((( many hugs )))))))

you're a good soul

[JeffSjo]

Thanks Jeff and everybody for the kind words.

It took me screwing up my courage to post this. I'm presenting myself as a professional. Admitting to these kinds of problems could lead some to say, "He's crazy as a coot. What could I possibly learn from him?"

It's my hope, however, that people will read this stuff and say, "He was pretty crazy. But he's doing alright now. Maybe I could learn THAT from him."

I'm living proof that recovery can happen -- even for bad cases like me.

Change can happen at any moment. There's always hope!

J.

Hi John and you are welcome,

For me it just makes it plain that you've practiced what you preach.

I think you getting your gumption up for that post was a very good thing.

JEFF

[John M Knapp LMSW]

dear john k., i liked you so much before

now i like you even more

(((((((( many hugs )))))))

you're a good soul

Back at ya! (((((excathedra)))))

J.

Hi John and you are welcome,

For me it just makes it plain that you've practiced what you preach.

I think you getting your gumption up for that post was a very good thing.

JEFF

Thanks, Jeff, you honor me!

J.

[JeffSjo]

No big deal John,

I'm just glad that you seem to have the right tools to help folks here.

I hope that as things progress, they go well.

JEFF

[OperaBuff]

You post on DailyKos? Mon Dieu!

:(

[John M Knapp LMSW]

You post on DailyKos? Mon Dieu!

:(

Mais oui! I'll post where they'll have me. And dKos is about the largest blog audience out there.

There's a strong libertarian streak on dKos. Talking about psychological freedoms fits in. I don't know other political blogs where my message would fit in.

I'm concerned about faith-based initiatives, too. I may post on dKos about that. Faith-based initiatives may support the corner church. But Scientology wants some of that money, too. I have a problem with that.

OperaBuff, if you know of conservative or other blogs that might be open to a message about recovery from cults, I'd love to hear about them!

J.

[OperaBuff]

Mais oui! I'll post where they'll have me. And dKos is about the largest blog audience out there.

There's a strong libertarian streak on dKos. Talking about psychological freedoms fits in. I don't know other political blogs where my message would fit in.

I'm concerned about faith-based initiatives, too. I may post on dKos about that. Faith-based initiatives may support the corner church. But Scientology wants some of that money, too. I have a problem with that.

OperaBuff, if you know of conservative or other blogs that might be open to a message about recovery from cults, I'd love to hear about them!

J.

I'm a blog fanatic, such a healthy and effective way for people to contribute our two cents to the public discussion. dKos isn't my cup of tea (even his vaguely Soviet masthead artwork irks me) but as you say it is a high-traffic site. The Huffington Post might give you a forum, not sure since I don't go there often enough to know its policies. I recall reading they are planning to expand into local news coverage. (Plus, Arianna effortlessly morphed from being a conservative to a liberal, so she's certainly familiar with changing one's thinking!) There's also Salon.com and Slate.com

Faith-based initiatives is such a gooey glob of a phrase. Everyone gets to invent a definition for it.

Good luck to you!

[Lifted Up]

"Is it a cult? That's something for each individual to decide."

I like that approach. Or should I say your overall approach. Give your account...what you experienced; what happened to you. IMO That is much better and more effective than lecturing on the evils of cults and mind control.

More effective, at least, with those who have not made up their minds or who don't know. With those who have already been in, and/or someone seeking help, the approach can certainly be different.

[Twinky]

Read your blogs and the comments afterwards. Some neat comments.

You have a lot to give, John. Whatever made you effective in TM will make you effective now. Only much more so.

(I echo my post 76.)

[WordWolf]

"TM, THC, ESP, LSD

they stand for some awful long words.

My head was still plumb full of nothing-

but it made a nice home for the birds.

I sat under teachers

who sat under gurus

who sat home a'watching TV.

And if you know what those guys all do for a living

then you know what they did for me."

[John M Knapp LMSW]

Read your blogs and the comments afterwards. Some neat comments.

You have a lot to give, John. Whatever made you effective in TM will make you effective now. Only much more so.

(I echo my post 76.)

Thanks, Twinky! What neat way to look at it.

J.

[John M Knapp LMSW]

Just a last, quick note about the upcoming group: It starts next Wednesday night, 01/07/09 at 8 pm EST. I need to hear from you quickly if you've been thinking about taking part.

I have a post ready to go for GSC on "Missing the Cult." Will post later tonight.

J.