Growing Up In A Cult 

Watch the rest of this conversation with Flor on the mental health of growing up in a cult: *bit.ly/3BGSLGM*

Thank you, this is such a validating story from Flor. To anybody who grew up in an extremely "religious" household where it felt like your parents/guardians were being very extreme and hyper-focused on religion all the time - please don't gaslight yourself into thinking that was normal just because your family used a traditional label. I had a "Christian" upbringing and went to a non-denominational church. Even though it had a traditional label, it was very extreme and I always felt suffocated (heavily controlled regarding music, sex - even sex education, types of friends, etc.). Beyond that, my parents believed the world was going to crumble in Y2K and held neighborhood Y2K-preparedness meetings. They were completely obsessed with the "Left Behind" series. They had MREs, barrels of water, and tons of supplies in our house. They shamed neighbors who doubted what they were saying. Very embarrassing for me being an adolescent at the time. My parents always remained extreme in their views, though they kept moving their apocalyptic goalpost each time the world didn't end. Thankfully, I eventually extracted myself from the madness entirely. As an adult I now fully recognize that my evangelical, "Christian" parents were absolutely cultists.

Flor is obviously a person with resilient character. How she presents herself in this interview had me thinking more about that than her specific experience in this cult. I would love to hear more about her and her perspectives on many things, not just her cult experience. She has such a comfortable and calm demeanor that I wasn't expecting, I found her so intriguing. I really look forward to what she might write about going forward.

This cult is still alive and well. They rebranded themselves and are now known as “The Family International.”

Wanting to tell it her own way … “I had memories and I had language” and they were free gifts… what wonderful insights.

I grew up with my mom being a Jehovah Witness...I wasn't allowed to have outside friends from the religion, couldn't watch certain things on the Tv and absolutely NO HOLIDAY celebrations...It was psychologically abusive, very forced to believe a certain way with no real life, except with the other Jehovah Witnesses...It is no doubt a Cult...Sadly my mom is still in it and she has never evolved in her thinking and still believes the end is coming and all us "Non believers" are going to be destroyed and they will live in a "paradise world"

Think it’s imperative we listen to cult escapees so we can fix our current society

seriously hate narcissism

As an exmormon, I cannot express how real things like this still are. For the longest time I was indoctrinated into mormonism. So many of my friends and even my own family are still in mormonism. I was lucky to have come to my senses; I had received too much abuse and damage from those that I trusted. As a person who isn’t straight, this religion caters mainly to straight white couples. As being born gay, I tried to force myself to be ‘straight’ as much as possible. After I had served a mission for this church I realized that I could not pretend anymore, let’s just say that my life was on the line. I came away out of their spell and I’ve never ever been happier. I tried my hardest to do the best that I could. Once I learned that a loving god created a ‘plan’ that didn’t include someone like me, I felt like all was lost. I wish I hadn’t existed, I wanted god to erase me because my desires as a cis gay man to simply be happy was apparently unreasonable to both my friends and family. If you know about Mormonism-they teach that you can only get to the ‘highest heaven’ through being married in the temple. It was so damaging to hear. I was and still consider myself a good person. But when I had come to terms with my ideals and realized that no god like this would create a life like mine if I wasn’t meant to feel happiness from my own existence. It was this huge contradiction that I had lived with. I am atheist and agnostic. I treat people kindly and do my very best to be a good person, but learning as a child and as a young adult that who I am is inherently ‘wrong’ or a ‘mistake’ was not only heartbreaking, it was completely and utterly devastating. Nothing I could do would ‘fix’ me-and I had tried everything to the point of wanting to forfeit my own life because of how much my cultish religion taught me to hate myself. There is so much more I could unpack with all of this church-I literally want to write a book someday that might be able to help those like me find comfort and support-as an INFP (half and half with INFJ), that’s something I highly value; love, compassion, empathy, feeling emotions, doing the right thing, being gentle and kind. People categorize me as an exmormon and think that I’m some crazy person who “leaves the church but can’t leave it alone”. They think this because they think that their religion and their god are the only true ones-anyone else is a sinner, misled, or are bad people. I have a gift that allows me to advocate and mediate for others. I loved this video as it is so important to understand and think with an open mind literally in order to survive-not only that but to put aside and actually consider ideals that are different to those that a cult/church like mormonism forces on you. The patterns are clear. If you are able to take a look at this all completely objectively without bias-I don’t care how religious someone might be-you would come to the conclusion that many religions like mormonism are cultish by the dictionary definition. The members of mormonism are actually so completely unaware of this and refuse to accept this. Thanks again for sharing this. I hope my comment helps someone realize that they are not alone.

Saving this to finish watching later. I was one of those young adults in the very early 70's looking for something more meaningful. We knew C.o.G. was a cult, just not that we had ourselves joined a different "better" one. Cults are very compelling; no one in one knows they are or they wouldn't be. I applaud anyone who can get out when they can, by any means they may find.

Born to be a fighter. What a strong comforting way to be. Thank you for a uplifting, affirmative, future oriented talk. I hope you keep writing and speaking. Be aware of cults, wink wink, see the trajectories of those "beliefs" play out. The "cult traits" are dangerous for a n y o n e. As children we didn't have a chance or speak up, ever. I felt, push thru education then leave. I endured beatings over the religious delusions by adults that refused meds, we so called working with the public. Her brother was a officer of the court as was grandad. All three powerless?? More like didn't want to fight mom for the safety of one child. Trauma Bonded to faiths and cultures that aren't mine aren't aligned with my art. I was told by neighbors guard against being like their delusions, leave asap. Pple didn't "like" me studying in my car with books and a gallon of water. Yeah, too much education huh? I confess my pain & anger at their hinderance. When I was moving out they "grieved" me. I reparent or some how cope here, at home with others, at minds in unison, vortex success, Jessica Heslop. I'm sad at my outcomes. I wish Dr Grace or Grace uploads are helpful. I began meditating on how the trauma or pain can be released by letting it be known in my body, ok, I identify it, I send the aspect to travel down my arm out my index finger to leave me, was a take away in notes from a upload. Thank you Medcircle 🌼🌺🌸🌻🏵️🧠📚👂⚕️⛑️🗂️🗃️ My parents told me il be hated wherever I go. Who says that to children? No one I need to grieve. I apply reparenting. And apply minds in unison. I fear authoritarian rule I fear authoritarian rule in general. I'm saying this with caution but I'm actively seeking to leave America to it's Religion and politics. Both topics are simply not part of my mind but a 100% big deal to others. Topics are not trauma bonds but are just topics to place down. I'm not interested in pple with those drives near me. Both topics aren't self development, self care, caring for others as pple. Nope, both topics contain dizzying regulations to " join." Join what a white gang? I research today it's me coping skill. I told myself place that coping skill down for more art less words. Seek different coping skills. Insert neuroplasticity. Why I don't know. I'm a failure to thrive diagnosis case from those environments. On SSI and endure that stigma. The family mocked me hard because any family would say why is she leaving? She's not allowed. To leave? Endured beatings. And still attended Janet's funeral still called Janet and Dan loser daughter. A distant cult member looked into my life for gossip. And never stopped. The never ending demand for proving myself to awful pple. Trauma bonded to honoring the abusers. Whom loved me. During moms illness she rightfully let me go. It didn't occur to me for a while. Then Dr Ramani is here. With her work, calcified thinking and pain is reduced. Dr Judys memes help. Dr Sportnelli on geriatric psych care. Dad hitting himself, five years in Ohio, eight in WV was slow torture. I left. Dad died in a date that mystical magical thinking trauma bonded family towards dad. It's not that dislikinf Faith, it's fearing God. That's a crisis. I hold dichotomous realities as all gods care, all gods matter it's just faith of my father's belong to men. Those beliefs apply at death. God dislikes me, it doesn't matter I care about Faith. I am hoping my 43-60 isn't as awful or them on repeat but instead Im them as in I accepted that it's just a life as a experiment. That helps me cope because it's data. I've learned whatever is NOT part of my care plan must be placed down or aside as not for me. Meaning I'm a cult as a person. How? Art. I've failed one hundred percent and feel worse about life. Less hope. More stress. So my cycling their toxicity ruined me. I'm sorry I was met as a troubled person but it's ok. The acceptance here, it's impossible to stay dsyrelgated nearby good caring environments. Thank you for recentering me. I do enjoy mystical magical thinking but it's a balance and often shy away from those aspects because of heartache. Faith is good and speaks to me. I recall listening to Dr Judy play piano. Mother used to. In inner child work I saw my parents as children unable to decide better given their environments. That reduced my nerves. That helped me embrace how fearful and hurt they are to enter into places that were net negative for family life but it's part of anthropology (?) It that even applicable to say? self doubting. I'm afraid of mom and dads sibling's and my parents outcomes. Im researching going from fear to certainty in myself. The best I can attain is content here. I wanted and have a good life and a care plan. Meds to share about: tegeretol for trigeminal vagus nerve care, for mood. SSRI. Stomach meds. CNS meds as needed. Being here made meds work better. It was impossible to have mental health care and be near family too dsyrelgating for my illnesses. I tried to endure them often in a family system and chose to work on other things. They used too many mean acts. As far as I'm concerned I'm a cluster of problems, little else.

I think almost any denomination can be a cult experience, including “cult families” led by “cult fathers.” I was Southern Baptist and it was definitely a sick, destructive and CULT life that I had to heal from. Thank you for this!

Thank you for these videos! I love that the dog is there too. ❤️

I also escaped the Jehovah's Witness cult!

I know this is supposed to be about the interview, but i can't get over how relaxed that dog is while being filmed. I want to rub that tummy.

I love that sweet puppy dog lounging on the floor 😊😘

16.49 BREAK THE FAMILY UNIT -cult ure today 😞

Thankyou Medcircle for this Topic/ Subject. I don't know why some of the Society or Communities Hate Western Thinking. Even I have Experienced this Pull in the Western and Eastern Thinking after I returned Home Country after my Short Duration Stay at Abroad during my Professional Life. I mean I have Experienced that at times a Person who has Returned back to the Home Country after a Short Duration of Stay from Abroad, is Generally "Assumed" as a "Abroad/Foreign returned Person" who must have been "Converted or Embraced a Thinking which is Open, Bold".. something like "Now that you have Returned from Abroad after Staying Alone Independently away from your Home Country & your Family, you must have Gained some Confidence, ("Confidence" which I refer as "Over Confidence") and that you (you as in "An Abroad/Foreign Returned Person") must have become "Very Very Open Minded and Bold to have "Illicit Physical Relationship", when Compared to your "Original Thought Process and Upbringing"...... This Thinking about an "Abroad/Foreign Returned Person" is Not True. I still Respect Few of my Good Old Cultural Values which does not Encourage some thing like "Illicit Physical Relationship" It's difficult to Forget or Erase the Upbringing specifically the "Good Cultural Beliefs" through "Brainwashing".... The outcome of "Forced Brainwashing" is Either the "Brainwashed Person" will "Rebel, Escape, Behave Insane Completely" or in the Worst Worst Scenario of Brainwashing the Person at time prefer to Commit a Suicide. "I Was and am Still Assumed a Lot" because of "My ACE(Adverse Childhood Experiences), My Outfit, My Attitude towards Life, My Behaviour, My Language, My Body Language, My Preferences & most Importantly because of My Mental Disorders which I got Diagnosed with" after I returned "Home" from My Short Term Duration Stay at Abroad/Foreign Land during my Professional Life." Also I am a Believer of Democratic Independence where People decide at their Free Will whom they want as a Leader and not in "Brainwashing" or "Manipulating" the thoughts by a "Political Person" for His or Her Political Motives. I think "Brainwashing or Manipulating a Person is Politics" which I Dislike.

I was also born into this cult and still struggling to live on the outside world

Where do you draw the line between being idealisticly hopefully for something to happen verses being delusional?

24:13 My nephew has had death related anxiety since he was 4, and we wasn't raised in a cult...

Thank you for sharing your story. Defining the term “cult” when tied to the dogma of Christianity is challenging. Our 32 year old son, diagnosed with social anxiety and fully immersed in extreme evangelical beliefs since the age of 15, has been fighting demons (spiritual warfare) and most recently separated from his immediate family on a secret cross-country quest. His supposed religious guidance/direction is from a religious charlatan/pastor in Louisiana who professes greed and money as the only ticket to heaven (What?). As parents, we are at a loss on what to do other than to just let him find himself and purpose in his God-only world vision. Is he in a cult? We honestly don’t know, but it has severely changed his life and has the appearance of serious mental health challenges that may be more so at play. Parental concern and helplessness are understatements. Looking for understanding. Thanks.

She’s incredibly articulate

I grew up Mormon and my experiences are extremely similar to her.

Every one is in a cult now, sheltered from the truth

I think gluttony is the worst cult its hard to get out we dont even know

You are such a great interviewer! Cult = culture. We're all (or most?) in a cult(s) of one sort or another. It's the human experience. Learn what you can and move on. people seem to be so interested in what other people's cults are so they don't have to address their own issues. Good for her parents not having her grow up attending government schools... she doesn't realize what a blessing that is... hope she does one day! There's a difference between schooling and educating.

This is Mormonism . . .

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People who joined cults are missing something from their lives and look at a cult to fulfill it. It's not that they're "positive" people wanting to change the world. They are people who don't know themselves; lost. They are dependent people.

It's great until you grow up and find you have an unbreakable capacity for critical analysis, actually follow the scripture they spout during club meetings, and care about how you feel about your own responsibilities as a human being. Then it sucks, you're branded the enemy and even their children, seemingly especially their children will make you pay for your labelled slights against the community any way they know how. Winnipeg, Manitoba, Canada.

More or less we all are grewing in to cult, don't we? The diffrence is what is ligitimic or normal and in which people presprctive? Every social life, if we see it in prespectivaly way, is cult.

What did she think of the book Jesus Freaks?

this is messed up how people abuse GOD's power. So.......messed up

You’re preaching to the choir - I was raised catholic!

The Phoenixes were indoctrinated into The Children of God, weren't they?

Lmao that dog 😂

👍❤️

19:24 "It can happen to anybody." Look at all the people wearing masks.

"thousands of people from around the world are taking orders from an angry alcoholic" haha 😃

Religion is about respecting yourself & your body, not shaming. Too many people allow themselves to be used or rely on sex to get attention. She still sounds like she is a part of the cult.

"And I saw the dead, small and great, standing before God, and books were opened. And another book was opened, which is the Book of Life. And the dead were judged according to their works, by the things which were written in the books. The sea gave up the dead who were in it, and Death and Hades delivered up the dead who were in them. And they were judged, each one according to his works. Then Death and Hades were cast into the lake of fire. This is the second death. And anyone NOT FOUND written in the Book of Life was cast into the lake of fire." (REVELATION 20:12-15 NKJV) Today, while you are still alive and able, may you repent from your sins, believe in your heart and confess with your mouth that JESUS CHRIST is your Lord and Savior, so that through Him, your name will be written in the Book of Life. "For God so loved the world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever BELIEVES in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. For God did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved." (JOHN 3:16-17 NKJV) By God's GRACE, the gift of Salvation and Eternal Life is available to all. You can RECEIVE it. You can REJECT it. May you choose wisely.

I think they need to change the description of "cult" because in the time of Jesus, he was considered cultic and his followers, therefore, were in a cult. Think about his words "“If anyone comes to Me and does not hate his father and mother, wife and children, brothers and sisters, yes, and his own life also, he cannot be My disciple" Luke 14:26. The foot washing ceremony, the Passover, etc. The Romans thought of him as a cult leader who might overthrow their government. The Jews disowned him because he was teaching things they were not and gaining a following. He wasn't teaching what the leaders of the Jews taught in those days. He was a threat to both the Romans and Jews. They all crucified him because he had a following...a cult. He basically told his disciples to follow him around right? They were told that their mothers, fathers, sisters, and brothers were followers of him, not the families they were born into NOT following him. If you want to follow Christ, you need to read how he said to go about it. It isn't following another man to follow him. It comes through Christ's spirit in you leading you down the right path. NO MAN should insist you follow him to follow Christ. Christ said he was going to put his spirit in the ones he calls, YOU do not choose. He chooses you in His time frame. "And I will put my spirit within you, and cause you to walk in my statutes, and ye shall keep my judgments, and do them."Ezek. 36:27 KJV. People that start a following...and that word "cult" is used for them all, even Jesus' teachings (a cult) in his time I believe need to be distinct from one another. I was in the Worldwide Church of God from 1988-1993/4 when the church split. Then another man raised up a following and I followed him following Christ allegedly which I found out he was just following the money from his followers having him and his family and those that were with him in the beginning of HIS CHURCH getting it all going. I started to noticed all the members were treated like slaves and had to dish out more and more money so he and his could live at headquarters in luxurious homes and have their own private schools on the campus for their children and I a single mother had to do it all on my own with no help from the ministers. I had one always disfellowshipping me, (abuse). When they become abusive you know they are not following Christ, and YOU are following a man not following Christ. When you see them and theirs reaping all the rewards, living in utopia NOW and having family fun at headquarters while you and your son have no one to get together with, and you are having to give every little bit of part-time income and raise your son without any help FROM ANY OF THEM in your congregation (ministers) etc. and members are told NOT to help others moneywise much less anything else, you know you are following MEN not Christ. When they tell you not to talk to the family you were born into, and sometimes leave behind your son, or daughter, whatever you have to do to follow THEM at headquarters even though it is similar to Jesus's teaching of the one I stated above, you know you are following men. Be led by Christ's spirit which will lead you to do GOOD for others. Read what he says to do, feed the poor, visit those in prison, etc. Now I'm talking religious cults I suppose. It seems people want someone to follow and worship. Just make sure it's the right person in the first place if that's what it is about.

Over-pronunciation of the t is driving me nuTs

Kyle is disingenuous, I don't trust him.

Again! The term alcoholic is being thrown about! There's a HUGE difference between an alcoholic and a DRUNK! DO YOUR RESEARCH.

☕️ 1980’s Children of God