So I grew up in the Way. When people ask me if I grew up in church, I don't know what to say. When I first got out, I was in my twenties and I would tell people I grew up in a cult and we'd kind of laugh about it. But now that I'm in my mid-thirties, I don't get the same reaction.
Do you tell people about your involvement in the Way? And, if so, what sort of reactions do you get?
Most importantly, you and I didn't have the opportunity to choose our parents. So, you have no cause for shame.
I didn't grow up in TWI, but as a young adult, I spent 12 years in it, including one year in residence with the 9th corpse.
Many of my peers (who got out in our 30s) have had to account for a lack of professional employment background.
I hope you don't have to deal with that.
What you tell people is your business and you certainly can make it as succinct or elaborate as you want.
In casual conversation with people, trust can be important for developing relationships. You don't have to lie but you can frame your experience however you want.
Just be your authentic self.
If you have to account for gaps in employment because of TWI, it's important to be truthful because if you're not, and an employer looks for justification to fire/layoff,
and they find out you've been less than honest, you become an early casualty.
Otherwise, work out your own salvation, as it were.
If you develop your personal story in a way that motivates you to use the word "cult" that's your choice.
There's really a wide range of options that all can be valid and reasonable.
At this stage of my life (I'm 60), when the subject of religion comes up, I am comfortable telling people I spent time involved in a group that some considered a cult.
But that also helps to explain when I make reference to scriptures in my writing. I write a blog about politics in my state and though I have little interest in any
organized (or disorganized) religious group, I sometimes find a scripture passage to be pertinent.
The most I say to most people is that I was involved for too long with an abusive church. I never name it. I sometimes say that it was a very bad time and I still have the scars. Most people don't bother to enquire any further.
Sometimes some will say they have had difficulties in other churches. These are more usually of personality clashes, or a difference with some person in leadership - but not abusive in the way TWI was.
Basically only one person (from a church I attend, but just a friend there) has really taken the time to investigate and try to understand, and to understand the long-lasting effects.
Non-believers simply take the view, well, why didn't you walk away? without seeing that it was much harder than that, to people involved.
It doesn't come up very much, but I do sometimes mention that I lived in a certain part of the country and then I say that I was in a biblical organization and it was sort of a missionary thing. I also have something of a knowledge of biblical things at work and I say I was in a bible college for a couple of years and I learned a lot there, but I was in the Corps so I can say that. It's been since 1988 that I left, so it's not much of an issue. The longer you are out, the less it comes up.
So I grew up in the Way. When people ask me if I grew up in church, I don't know what to say. When I first got out, I was in my twenties and I would tell people I grew up in a cult and we'd kind of laugh about it. But now that I'm in my mid-thirties, I don't get the same reaction.
Do you tell people about your involvement in the Way? And, if so, what sort of reactions do you get?
I was born, raised, got married, had my firstborn while in TWI. Sounds like we're the same age.
I have no answer. It comes up eventually. Enough time with people and it comes out. You can't explain yourself without explaining it. Trying to describe it and the cult word comes from other people's mouths. Then it hangs over you and you become an object of interest and caution.
I haven't an effin' clue what to say. Hide it for as long as possible. People will judge you for many other reasons anyway.
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Rocky
Most importantly, you and I didn't have the opportunity to choose our parents. So, you have no cause for shame.
I didn't grow up in TWI, but as a young adult, I spent 12 years in it, including one year in residence with the 9th corpse.
Many of my peers (who got out in our 30s) have had to account for a lack of professional employment background.
I hope you don't have to deal with that.
What you tell people is your business and you certainly can make it as succinct or elaborate as you want.
In casual conversation with people, trust can be important for developing relationships. You don't have to lie but you can frame your experience however you want.
Just be your authentic self.
If you have to account for gaps in employment because of TWI, it's important to be truthful because if you're not, and an employer looks for justification to fire/layoff,
and they find out you've been less than honest, you become an early casualty.
Otherwise, work out your own salvation, as it were.
If you develop your personal story in a way that motivates you to use the word "cult" that's your choice.
There's really a wide range of options that all can be valid and reasonable.
At this stage of my life (I'm 60), when the subject of religion comes up, I am comfortable telling people I spent time involved in a group that some considered a cult.
But that also helps to explain when I make reference to scriptures in my writing. I write a blog about politics in my state and though I have little interest in any
organized (or disorganized) religious group, I sometimes find a scripture passage to be pertinent.
Have fun and don't be afraid. :)
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Twinky
The most I say to most people is that I was involved for too long with an abusive church. I never name it. I sometimes say that it was a very bad time and I still have the scars. Most people don't bother to enquire any further.
Sometimes some will say they have had difficulties in other churches. These are more usually of personality clashes, or a difference with some person in leadership - but not abusive in the way TWI was.
Basically only one person (from a church I attend, but just a friend there) has really taken the time to investigate and try to understand, and to understand the long-lasting effects.
Non-believers simply take the view, well, why didn't you walk away? without seeing that it was much harder than that, to people involved.
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outandabout
It doesn't come up very much, but I do sometimes mention that I lived in a certain part of the country and then I say that I was in a biblical organization and it was sort of a missionary thing. I also have something of a knowledge of biblical things at work and I say I was in a bible college for a couple of years and I learned a lot there, but I was in the Corps so I can say that. It's been since 1988 that I left, so it's not much of an issue. The longer you are out, the less it comes up.
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excathedra
I tell people I was in a cult
I also agree with outie
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Bolshevik
I was born, raised, got married, had my firstborn while in TWI. Sounds like we're the same age.
I have no answer. It comes up eventually. Enough time with people and it comes out. You can't explain yourself without explaining it. Trying to describe it and the cult word comes from other people's mouths. Then it hangs over you and you become an object of interest and caution.
I haven't an effin' clue what to say. Hide it for as long as possible. People will judge you for many other reasons anyway.
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