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Sunday, June 2, 2013

Exiting a Cult

Being in a cult is a lot like being in the Twilight Zone.  Most of the Twilight Zone episodes seem to depict people that are living in an alternate universe.  More often than not the person is trapped and trying to find his or her way back to the real world, but everyone else in this alternate universe seems to be going along with the charade.  Often times in the Twilight Zone people find themselves in a prison that their own mind has built to accommodate their bewilderment involved in the absurd situations in which they find themselves.  Being a cult member is the same; and escaping from the cult is never an easy thing to do.

"Logic is an enemy ... truth is a menace."

Identify The Problem:  You ARE in a CULT
The first thing you need to do is identify that you are in a cult.  The first step to recovery for a drug addict is to identify the problem.  The first step to recovery from a physical ailment or sickness is to identify the ailment so that it can be properly treated.  In the military soldiers are trained to identify the enemy.   There are many ways in which this is accomplished.  They identify the enemy's equipment such as tanks, aircraft and ships.  They identify the enemy's methods and analyze their philosophy.  When a soldier enters a NBC (Nuclear, Biological, Chemical) area he must quickly identify it so he or she can take the appropriate steps to prepare for it.  The same holds true for a cult member.  When a cult member realizes that they are in a harmful and abusive situation, they need to identify that as a serious problem so that it can be dealt with.

Exit Stage Right!


How do you identify a cult?   A cult is not your garden variety church.  In a cult everything is taken to the extreme.  Rules are extreme as well as consequences for not obeying those rules.   Here are a few things to look for:

1.  Is your cult hell bent on getting your money?  Do they preach and teach that you are going to die and go to hell if you don't pay tithe?  Do they single folks out for not paying tithe and humiliate them in front of others?

2.  Are they transparent with their finances or is everything a big secret?  Are you aware of where all your money goes, or are you expected to trust the preacher?

3.  How are women treated in your cult?  Do they have rights?  Are they told they have to submit to their husbands to the point of going along with things that are not right?  Are they told they can't have jobs or are they ignored when they seek help from their cult leaders?

4.  Are you isolated from society?  Is it frowned upon for you to spend time with relatives or go on vacations or do anything that takes you away from your cult?  Are they scared that you might not come back from your vacation?  Does your cult keep you so busy going to church functions that you have little time for anything else including sleep?

5.  Are their rules double standards or rules that keep changing to accommodate the sins of the cult leaders?  For example:  Extreme rule # 1 - 20 years ago TV is a sin, it is called the devil vision and people who watch it are doing so because they are worldly and they are on their way to hell.  Now - TV is okay if you watch certain programs.  Extreme rule # 2 - Women are not to work on the job because they are to be keepers of their homes, (scrubbing toilets, and washing dishes).  Women can work if it involves cleaning their cult leader's personal houses, or if they are in an overseas church and the cult leaders do not want to spend money that they could be using to improve their own lavish lifestyles.  Double standards are nothing but lies that are told by cult leaders to keep their cult members oppressed and giving, while they enjoy living in excess.   Cult leaders seldom hold themselves to the same rules that they require their struggling members to adhere to.

6.  Are relationships manipulated?  Are single cult members allowed to talk to members of the opposite sex without permission from their cult leader or hireling?  Are wedges driven between spouses and their families because the husband or the wife does not go along with all of the cult leaders controlling demands?  Is divorce and remarriage encouraged in your cult?

7.  Does your cult have really stupid and absurd rules that usually involve asking the cult leader for permission to do things that most grown adults should not have to ask anyone to do?  For instance, if you live on the cult compound in Graham Washington, do you have to ask for permission to allow anyone to come visit you? Do you have to ask permission to ride in someone else's car?   Do you have to ask permission to miss a church service or a bible study?  Are you considered less of a Christian if you miss a church service or bible study?

8.  If there is any question if you are in a cult, look up cults on Wikipedia and see what they all have in common.  The ntcc will warn you of other cults, but many of them teach the same things that the ntcc teaches and they use the same cult tactics and same cult jargon.  Look up some of the cults that the ntcc warns you about like the Oneness, the Mormons, Jehovah Witness and the Seventh Day Adventists.  See what they all have in common with the ntcc and then open your bibles and see if the rules are actually required in the bible or have the scriptures been twisted.

Those are just a few identifiers that should alert a cult member that things are just not right.  Once you have identified that you are in a cult, there are a few options that you have to chose from.  The next phase involves doing what is best for you.  You must live with the choices you make.  The cult leaders are not going to take any responsibility for any damages you may suffer in your personal life.  A very good question to ask yourself is, "Does your Christianity hinge on your cult".  Can you survive as a Christian in this world without your cult?  Whether the answer is yes or no does not necessarily matter but what is best for you matters.  If you can not live as a Christian outside of your cult then your salvation is not rooted and grounded in Christ, but in your cult.  If you feel that your relationship is with God and does not depend on the ntcc, then if you leave, God will keep you.

Unfortunately their is no simple answer.  If there is a family involved it gets even more complicated.  My personal opinion is that the sooner you can escape, the better off you'll be.  If you are a woman in the ntcc, it makes things more difficult because you have very little resources at your disposal and absolutely no support. But God can keep you.  Be sure your family knows you want to serve God; and you want to do so outside the ntcc.  Let them know you love them.  If they don't want to leave, and you feel you must, let them know you will wait for them.  And Pray, Pray, Pray.

One important thing that a lot of people struggle with when they leave is fear.  They blame themselves for all of the things that went wrong.  It's not your fault.  You were taken advantage of for your money; and the cult leaders couldn't care less about you after you leave.  We have always advocated that you keep your relationship with God and ditch the cult.  Your faith and God's love for you is stronger than a cheating, swindling organization will ever be.  Don't be afraid of the ntcc cult leaders or any other cult leaders; because they are not living the same gospel that they are preaching to you.  They are hypocrites and phony con artists that are after your money.

I am going to share what I would do; and this is just my opinion; and it may be right or wrong; because I don't claim to be an expert or to have all the answers. Exiting a cult is a difficult dilemma.  If I were in the ministry and my wife wanted to continue serving the cult, but I knew it was wrong, and that they were liars and cheats, I would stop attending cult church services and participating in cult  functions.  I would tell my wife that I still love her; and that I am not abandoning her.  I would explain why I was leaving and do everything I could to open her eyes to the truth.  I would try to prepare her by telling her that once I stop attending services that her cult leaders would try to split us up and convince her that I have left God; and that they would try to get her to divorce me.  During this whole process of exiting the cult I would try as hard as I could to show her the love of God and to show her my own love for her is deeper than the cult.  If She chose to leave me after all that, I would be heart broken; but I also would know that I did everything I could to help her.  It would have to be a conscious decision that she made to leave me and continue with the cult.  If she were to abandon me, and remarry, she would be the one committing adultery; and not to be calloused or cold hearted, but if it came down to a ultimatum between God and spouse, I would hope that God would win.  Knowing my wife, if we would have been married 23 years ago, she would have been the first to figure out we were in a cult; and I would be the one with the tough decision to make.  


That is my solution; but like I said, it may be right or wrong.  I think that it is important for the exiting cult member to start doing normal things and begin the decontamination process as quickly as possible.  See our blog posts entitled "Return To Normalcy Toolbox" and "You Just Might Be In A Cult".   I have heard of couples that are in the ntcc, even in higher positions, that have done this.  I've heard of women that are still married to their husbands, but they are not attending ntcc.  I would like to open this up to others who might have suggestions.  I think it is healthy to discuss this; and it's definitely a topic that many folks in the ntcc are and have struggled with.  Please feel free to leave a comment anonymously if you'd like.

There is a support network for people who leave.  There are X-ers in a lot of areas, and there are a great many in Washington that get together regularly.  GS/DS have been very helpful to folks that have left; and there are many others who will love you with no strings attached.  Kat has a good heart and is willing to help folks along in the healing process.  If we can help you, please drop us a line and we will answer as soon as possible.  There are a few people that we owe emails to, and we will try to answer those soon.  We appreciate all those who have stood up to the ntcc cult leaders and have taken a stand for what is right and honorable.  You are not alone and we are praying for you.

Above all remember, leaving ntcc does not mean you are leaving God. There are plenty of healthy churches out there with real Christians.  Find one and start enjoying the services and the unconditional love that they live out on a daily basis.  Look for churches where the highest leaders especially remember that the word "minister" means servant.  Also, look for a church that believes in working with other churches and the community.  Watch their lives.  Be a fruit inspector.  If doubt nags at you, study cults in general, from sources that have nothing to do with us or the ntcc.  Educate yourself.  The truth shall make you free.  People don't like the word "cult" because they associate it with the occult and blood drinking-devil worshippers.  But the word "cult" also describes groups that are Christian in name only while being full of abuse; they may teach bible principles while the top leaders abuse and use the people.  That hypocrisy makes them a cult.  Remember that God is love, so godly people will love you in deeds and actions.  The leaders will be servants of all, not the other way around as it is in the top levels of the ntcc.


7 comments:

  1. DnA said: The first thing you need to do is identify that you are in a cult. The first step to recovery for a drug addict is to identify the problem.

    Kat says: And like a lot of drug addicts, denial is first. They face that brick wall and keep running into it saying no, I'm not running into that wall. I pray for those who made it here that are still in this cult called ntcc that they will quit the denial game. Realize God lead you to explore to find the truth! Once the drug addict admits it and they go to rehab, their life is forever changed! Well once you accept you just might be in a cult and allow yourself to at least step back, take some time away and allow God to show you and others to help rehabilitate you, you'll see and you too will have a life forever changed!

    It's sad some leave and never want anything more to do with God. Don't leave without support leave knowing we are here to support and help as this article said! I am always willing as DnA have been so awesome to help. My email is mommakat01@yahoo.com.

    DnA you guys are real rock stars! You just keep going and I'm in awe at how awesome you all are. Others before you are awesome too. That blog is still there to help others to see the truth and bring freedom to all who come looking.

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  2. Kat said:

    And like a lot of drug addicts, denial is first.

    DnA said:

    Denial is a huge problem in the ntcc. Your average ntcc cult member will deny even that which takes place before their very eyes. Because the average ntcc cult leader can duplicate preaching in power and demonstration minus the Holy Ghost, the members all stand in awe just as we once did before we tripped that switch that turns on the brain.

    The ntcc plays off of it's member's emotions, by dangling the carrot of God's eventual assured (sic) blessings in front of them while striking fear in their hearts by warning them that hell awaits them if they don't obey them. Their obedience is required not as would be expected in a biblical sense, but most of the demands are whimsical pet peeves used as control measures that can not be supported by scripture.

    Because the average ntcc cult member sits in rapt amazement and fascination at the parroted preaching of their ntcc cult minister of light, they dare not question anything regardless of the lack of validity or absurdity of the duplicated preaching. When you sit an any ntcc church across the USA and listen to the regurgitated jargon, it's all the same and it all comes from the same source. Much of the bloviating that originates from Davis and trickles down throughout the local churches, is plagiarized material that Davis got from Brother Dake or some radio preacher from eons past.

    Just remember this all of you ntcc church goers. You are being systematically brainwashed for the soul purpose of draining you of your financial, physical and spiritual resources. You are being played like a fiddle, not for the purpose of you going to heaven, but you are nothing more than a disposable battery that keeps the machine moving and growing. What do you do with a battery that is drained of energy and no longer has any use? You throw it in the garbage, and this is what they will do to you when they are done with you, and you can write it down and take it to the bank. It will happen eventually.

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  3. I attented a ntcc service at one of there local churches in my state, And as one of there long time ministers was preaching he said "Women became rebellious durning World War Two." When i thought about that later, it dawned on me. WHAT A BIG FAT LIE. The way that he twisted Gods word in order to beat the women of that church down. First: That minister and myself is in the same age group which means he was not around or born at that time, so he must have gotten that from davis, or olson. Second: When women began to enter the work force in mass, it was becauae of a shortage of men in the workforce because husband, fathers, uncles, brothers, had to go fight hitler and the women had to become bread winners in order to support the family. Third: Men and women became rebellious when Adam and Eve rebeled against God in the garden of eden not durning WWII.

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  4. DISAPPOINTED, That is an awesome comment!

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  5. Don and Ange, Thanks again to the both of you for this site where exmembers and current members can come and express there experiences in ntcc, this site is worth its weight in gold. DnA i truly belive that davis, olson, and others are really living in a American era that has long since gone, and era where women did stayed home and men went out to work, an era or time where women wore knee length dresses and white gloves to church, and most did go to church durnig that era, a time when everthing seemed to be so clean and innocent, folks could leave there doors open and good neighborhoods all around. However, for some durning that era it was not that innocent of a time or even a good time because of the Jim Crow Laws and other factors. Davis and Olson for years have seem to be trying to push converts towards a past gone era. But the bible is progressive from the innocents of the Garden of Eden to the Dispensation of Law to the now Dispensation of Grace for which Christ died and rose for. Forgive me if i sometime seem to be all over the place.

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  6. Dissapointed - I agree, that is an awesome comment AND I can attest to hearing it said on several occasions too!

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  7. DISAPPOINTED said...

    Don and Ange, Thanks again to the both of you for this site where exmembers and current members can come and express there experiences in ntcc, this site is worth its weight in gold.

    DnA said:

    We are glad that this site has been helpful to you and others. We hope that people will awaken to the reality of what the ntcc is really all about. Our objective is to expose the ntcc so that others may not fall into the same trap that we fell into. For those that have already been ensnared in ntcc cult doctrine, it is our earnest desire that the facts that we share will break through the layers of brainwashing that current members have been subjected to. We hope that at the very least people will begin to question the character of the ones they blindly follow.

    You touched on a topic that is really interesting. Davis and Olsen trying to force people to live in an era that is long gone. The Jim Crow laws created a class of people that were completely ignored and forgotten. Greedy politicians made it impossible for black folks and poor white people to have a voice or make a difference in society. So what seemed like an age of innocence really only pertained to a small percentage of the population.

    The political structure in the ntcc is very similar. If you are a butt kisser and you are willing to climb over other people to get a seat at their table, you will succeed. To be a member of the inner circle of Davis or Kekel, you are required to exhibit unwavering loyalty to them.

    To fit in at the ntcc, you have to shut off your brain and ignore the suffering of those around you. You have to except the rules and play their games. You are spiritually forced into contributing to their lavish lifestyles and there is no questioning their motives. They are modern day Pharisees and they always will be.

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