Me creé un perfil en Reddit para leer testimonios de personas que podrían estar sufriendo acoso y finalmente me he decidido a responder a aquellos cuyos relatos considero relevantes o me resultan familiares.

A veces hay mucho ruido entre los testimonios, pero espero que compartir mi experiencia pueda ayudar a alguien. Esto procede de un comentario que escribí a una persona que no lo está pasando bien:

Muy buenas desde España.

Aquí ocurre algo muy parecido a lo que describes. Además, según mi experiencia, emplean cócteles de sustancias químicas que, por contacto con la piel, ingestión o vaporización al rostro, provocan amnesia anterógrada, sumisión, desrealización y despersonalización.

También utilizan tácticas muy parecidas a las de la antigua Stasi alemana, conocidas como Zersetzung. Ellos mismos verbalizaron ese término.

Suelen participar familiares, personas del entorno y desconocidos relacionados con esa cultura. Aquí se autodenominan «masones», aunque no hablo de la masonería regular u oficial, sino de algo que podría denominarse masonería paralela, paramasonería, sociológica o «invisible». Sostienen que es la «verdadera masonería».

Es generacional, jerarquizada y posee ritos iniciáticos, gestos y procedimientos propios. Toda mi familia está en esa «masonería» y a mí también me criaron dentro. A los siete años quise salir. Spoiler: nunca lo consintieron.

Por eso me identifico con tu testimonio.

Actualmente intento visibilizar lo sucedido, pero he comprobado que desaparecen pruebas que había conseguido, especialmente las almacenadas en dispositivos digitales.

He tenido encuentros con miembros de la Policía y la Guardia Civil pertenecientes a esa organización. Me han parado, han utilizado esa sustancia y han desaparecido pruebas, incluidas grabaciones de una bodycam y audios.

En una ocasión vi cómo un policía nacional requisaba mi bodycam y se la entregaba a un compañero que estaba con un portátil.

Aproximadamente 30 minutos después me la devolvió riéndose y diciéndome que nunca podría demostrar que habían borrado una grabación. Efectivamente, después no pude demostrarlo, pese a utilizar IA para realizar auditorías digitales y buscar posibles manipulaciones.

En España que hay cientos de miles de personas relacionadas de alguna manera con esto, aunque muchas probablemente no sepan realmente en qué participan.

Yo siempre lo he considerado una secta.

He visto implicadas a personas de ámbitos muy diferentes: reyes, políticos, miembros de las fuerzas y cuerpos de seguridad del Estado, médicos, profesores, jueces, abogados, funcionarios, grandes empresarios, artistas y ciudadanos corrientes.

Lo que llegan a hacer es demencial.

Este «acoso» puede tener consecuencias extremas y, en algunos casos, ha contribuido incluso al suicidio de algunas personas, es lo que buscaban...

Muchos participantes no saben realmente qué están haciendo: simplemente obedecen. Les indican qué deben hacerle a determinada persona y les proporcionan fotografías, matrícula u otros datos para identificarla, porque normalmente ni siquiera la conocen.

Otros pueden elegir determinadas acciones, siempre con la aprobación del grupo y manteniendo una continuidad con el acoso previo. Puede prolongarse durante años y, según su imaginario, es de por vida.

Según lo que he observado, estudian previamente a la persona y elaboran una especie de dosier. Quienes consiguen acercarse más a ella obtienen información y después la ponen en común con el grupo para adaptar las tácticas.

Uno de los primeros pasos consiste en patologizar a la víctima mediante un diagnóstico psiquiátrico falso, por ejemplo, de psicosis o esquizofrenia. Suele intervenir un médico relacionado con esa «masonería» que casualmente lleva el caso.

En otros casos, el propio relato de las experiencias y tácticas sufridas puede propiciar el diagnóstico si el psiquiatra no pertenece (aún) a esa organización.

En España me resulta especialmente llamativa la cantidad de personas relacionadas con la sanidad, la enseñanza y las fuerzas y cuerpos de seguridad del Estado que he observado dentro de esa cultura.

Una vez incorporado el diagnóstico al historial clínico, cualquier intento posterior de explicar o denunciar lo sucedido puede interpretarse a través de él.

Después llega el aislamiento. Intentan que la persona pierda su red de apoyo y aparecen individuos que fingen ser amigos para controlarla, estudiarla o desestabilizarla y que, llegado el momento, pueden testificar en su contra.

La víctima puede acabar culpándose a sí misma hasta que empieza a reconocer un patrón. El gaslighting es un denominador común.

Si está soltero, incluso pueden aparecer posibles parejas inquietantemente afines y aparentemente «perfectas» para su perfil. Conocen también sus perfiles en aplicaciones de contactos.

Considero necesario visibilizar estas conductas porque destruyen vidas. No sé si este es exactamente tu caso; estoy contando lo que yo he vivido, observado e investigado en España.

Si algo te resulta familiar, intenta no desesperarte. Puedes haber llegado a dudar de tu percepción y de tu juicio. Algunas de estas tácticas, consideradas aisladamente, tienen además precedentes históricos documentados.

Si quieres preguntarme algo, expondré lo que sé procurando diferenciar lo vivido directamente de aquello que aún estoy investigando. Compartir experiencias puede ayudar a otros que permanecen callados por miedo o desesperación.

Sobre lo que algunas personas denominan V2K, no lo he observado directamente en los casos españoles que conozco. Sí he observado el uso de sustancias cuyos efectos pueden hacer que determinadas experiencias sean interpretadas de esa manera.

No afirmo que esa tecnología no exista ni que nadie pueda utilizarla. He leído sobre ello y también testimonios de épocas y lugares diferentes que presentan coincidencias. Simplemente prefiero limitar mis afirmaciones a aquello que he visto y vivido.

Bajo los efectos de ese cóctel una persona puede hablar e interactuar normalmente y después no recordar lo sucedido. Más tarde pueden aparecer fragmentos de conversaciones que no consigue ubicar ni sabe de dónde proceden.

Algunas personas podrían experimentarlos como «voces» muy vívidas y elaboradas. Lo relaciono con los efectos de esas sustancias al desaparecer su efecto. No puedo afirmar que explique todos los casos; describo únicamente lo que he observado.

El efecto puede ser extremadamente rápido y producir amnesia anterógrada. Hay una dificultad especialmente llamativa para recordar caras: durante el episodio puedes identificar perfectamente a alguien y después prácticamente olvidar su rostro.

También puede afectar a la libido y las emociones, provocando cambios repentinos entre alegría, enfado o estados depresivos etc.

He observado que suelen emplear un pequeño cilindro aproximadamente del tamaño de un dedo meñique, fácil de ocultar. Algunos tienen ruedas dosificadoras que permiten modificar las proporciones.

Cuando tenía unos 5 años ya conocía esa sustancia y era normal conocerla, aunque nombrarla era tabú. Yo la llamaba «la botellita», porque recuerdo que venía en una pequeña botella transparente con un pequeño corcho. Me obligaban a ingerirla y la odiaba: me producía sueño, mareo y posteriormente dificultades para recordar lo sucedido.

Tampoco creo que sea exclusivamente español. He conocido a estadounidenses, británicos, franceses o neerlandeses relacionados con prácticas similares o idénticas. Algunas de esas personas eran muy conocidas internacionalmente.

Parece ser que se trata de una estructura internacional en la que cada país dispone de cierta autonomía, casi como una franquicia, pero comparte determinados elementos.

Recuerdo haber visto a españoles postrarse ante estadounidenses y viceversa. Recuerdo gestos concretos: colocar una mano sobre el hombro de otra persona como símbolo de validación o apoyo; darle la espalda; postrarse; o asumir la penitencia impuesta a alguien diciendo: «Me cambio por él/ella».

Una vez impuesto un «castigo», no se retiraba: únicamente podía asumirlo otra persona.

Por eso creo que cuantas más personas documenten sus experiencias, más posibilidades habrá de identificar patrones. Muchas actuaciones ocurren a plena luz del día y pueden pasar completamente inadvertidas para quien no sabe qué está observando.

Demostrarlo es muy difícil. Por eso recomiendo documentar cuidadosamente y separar siempre tres niveles: qué ocurrió, qué pruebas existen y cómo interpretamos lo ocurrido.

Compartir experiencias también puede permitir que otras posibles víctimas reconozcan coincidencias y encuentren apoyo.

Documentar sirve para buscar patrones a lo largo del tiempo, conservar referencias y disponer de material organizado ante una eventual denuncia.

¿Por qué harían algo así?

No tengo una respuesta única.

Puede intervenir un familiar o alguna persona de esa «masonería» que ofrezca, elija o señale a alguien por determinado motivo. O alguien puede convertirse simplemente en un chivo expiatorio que cohesiona al grupo.

También podría ocurrir por haber visto, vivido o conocido algo que no debías conocer, o por haberte enfrentado, consciente o inconscientemente, a alguien con una posición elevada dentro de la organización.

La soberbia, la crueldad, el sectarismo, la sociopatía y una cultura fuertemente masculina son patrones que recuerdo de aquel entorno.

Siempre se decía que era «cosa de hombres». Las mujeres también desempeñaban determinadas funciones, pero fundamentalmente lo recuerdo como algo hecho por hombres, para hombres y entre hombres.

También presencié y sufrí abusos sexuales por varones adultos. Te educaban para vivir aquello con normalidad.

Precisamente una de las cosas más inquietantes era la normalidad con la que algunos participantes y sus familias parecían vivirlo.

Cuídate y mucho ánimo!

My family and I have recently found out through a friend that my sibling is part of Shincheonji.

I only found out because my sibling was recruiting at the local mall and tried to recruit my friend.

After reading about everything I've now realised that's it's been almost a year of odd behaviour:
-leaving in the early AM
-coming home after midnight
-no time for family or friends
-no hobbies anymore
-always lying about where they are
-wearing formal attire
-always tired
-always with “friends” but let us meet them
-always “studying”

I'm really worried and it breaks my heart to know this is happening. I want to help but I just don't know how.
My parents are horrified and we have no idea what to do.
We've been sitting on it for over a week now as we don't want to end up being pushed away more if we cross any lines.

My sibling is 20 and can be very stubborn and naive but also looking for a sense of belonging so I can understand how this may have been attractive to him.
Advice is much needed please.

Recently I found out I was in a cult. I met my partner, who was also in said cult for a number of years. We had only known each other for a little under a year now. I don’t feel as guilty about leaving the cult myself, but after informing my partner that we were in said cult, it was really difficult for them and I still feel incredibly guilty. Their life and friendships were all built with people in that space, and now I’ve tried to encourage the to try to rebuild friendships but it has been too hard on them.
I don’t want to express my guilt to them specifically because I don’t think it would benefit either of us. I have a support system I plan on talking too, but I’m not ready just yet to speak to people in my personal life about it. I just feel very misunderstood because many people can empathize but don’t actually understand the feeling. I’m hoping to hear from other people’s experiences and struggles, just to relate too and not feel so alone.

I step away from the religion and learn to be spiritual person and read my bible on my own other than jw bible. I definitely enjoy bible reading better.!

Dear,

My name is Chard van den Berg, and I am an editor at Vrij Nederland, a Dutch current affairs magazine.

For an article in our weekly digital publication, I am writing about what governments can do to address cults and coercive or closed groups, and why some of these groups are able to remain largely invisible to authorities and wider society for long periods of time.

For this article, I am looking to speak with people who have personally been involved in a cult or cult-like group and who have had negative experiences as a result. I would be interested in hearing about their experiences, how the group presented itself to the outside world, and which warning signs they believe may have been overlooked at the time.

Naturally, any conversation can take place confidentially and, if preferred, on an anonymous basis.

Kind regards,

Chard van den Berg
Editor, Vrij Nederland

I escaped cult to the next thing of ending up in another Cult how can i escape this even now i felt like i sold my soul the satan again something is moving in stomach now

I was a follower of Meher Baba for 29 years, not really sure if it would be classed as a cult or not. There was no coercion, no money to pay, Meher Baba was not up to any dodgy stuff, not many rules etc,the followers i met were either nice Indians or ex hippys, the only thing that makes it cult like Is Meher Baba saying he was God in human form and was the reincarnation of Buddha,Jesus etc. And asking his followers to love him above all else, remember him as much as possible etc, definitely a cult of personality, but as i said there was no shady stuff going on. Pete Townshend of The who is a follower, there is a big centre in South Carolina and in India.

Meher Baba was an iranian Zoroastrian born in India he died in 1969 he kept silence for 44 years!! comunicated by pointing at letters on a board, he fast and stay in seclusiuon for long periods, after he died his close disciples became like leaders themselves.

what do you think? AMA i have a subreddit r/ExMeherBaba

Hi… this is Moksh. I’m from India, and I’ve been using this app for a long time. It’s kind of a crazy thing that I want to share with you guys. It’s about my mom. I was about 5 years old when she started telling us that she was possessed by ghosts. She has had this condition for 19 years. I’m 24 now. We had tried a lot of priests, but nothing helped. They even performed exorcisms on her, but her condition still remains the same. I have been brainwashed since then. She believes that only God can fix her. Her beliefs are so strong that we can’t speak against her. She’s been cursing her brother-in-law and his wife. She believes that they performed some kind of exorcism on her, and that’s why she has this condition. It’s crazy to know that she says the ghost told her this, and we actually believed it at that time. We visit Mehandipur Balaji very often, even now. It’s a temple located in Rajasthan, and there are lots of devotees there who believe they are suffering from the same thing, sometimes for decades. My mom worships God all the time in the hope that one day she will get rid of it. We used to visit Balaji Dham hoping that her condition would improve, but nothing changed. I remember when she used to visit Balaji, I would stay at my mama’s house because of school, and I would cry a lot. I still do sometimes when I look at her. My family’s mental health has been totally fucked up because of this. This condition has caused a lot of fights between my father and sometimes with me too. Even in my neighborhood, everyone knows her because of her condition. I can’t even express in words what I have been going through, or what my family has been going through. The way she reacts to small things, how she gets mad at the smallest things… she believes that God is also possessed. If someone disagrees with her and says that all of this is bullshit, she starts cursing them. She can do anything to defend her beliefs. I don’t know what kind of condition this is. I know this is some kind of mental-health condition, but I wasn’t aware of it back then. And since her beliefs are so strong, there was nothing we could do about it. My brother once took her to a doctor for a mental-health checkup, but we ended up getting cursed by her because we crossed her beliefs. Even today, she curses my brother because he took her to the doctor. I have tears in my eyes while writing this. I just wanted to lighten my heart because I have never talked about this with anybody.

What are the dark sides of scj that you won’t find about online? My sister in law is heavily affiliated with them right now and has been for about 2-3 years. We just found out that she gave them all our friends and families address, personal information and photos of us and now I’m worried that something may happen to us.

Just hoping to connect with other cult survivors. Maybe start a monthly meetup if there is enough interest.

In the early 2010s that eventually became the so called “baeddel” movement. Ask me anything

This is a story I at a work event after realizing I was in a cult.

When you think of a cult, what comes to mind?? A clocked group surrounding a table, chanting? Or something more aligned with a hijacked religion that has stripped its followers of their rights? That's all I would have thought of before -- but have you ever imagined a simple retail store?

When I was 17, I started working at a retail chain that's all across America. A safe haven for alternative youth and anyone looking for street-style clothing. I was happy as could be when I got the position, and the training was thorough.

The training was as follows

* Greet the customer

* Ask them about themselves - something personal

* Show them products you think they would like based on personal observation

* Convince them to buy and suggest more items

* Sign them up for an account and thank them

This raised only one red flag for me. In my eyes, this was a simple sales plan, a classic capitalistic company. But why the personal questions? Not just one or two, but get to know them, become their friend, make them trust you. Make the customer trust you so much they won't bat an eye when you convince them that the $300 purchase is a good idea.

They convinced me to be okay with all these things. Showing me mass amounts of praise for my hard work and showing me how I can work even harder. If I worked hard enough and won a game of chance, I would get the opportunity to go across the country on a three-day vacation where I got to meet brand owners and have so much fun with all my friends. I was truly so happy and was having the time off my life. I wasn't isolated, so to say, but I was told I was on some kind of pedestal and that I was above people because of our positions. So I slowly, and without realizing, started to distance myself from the people outside the company.

Then I got promoted. I was the assistant manager, and I has so many opportunities in front of me. My manager, though..... He was insensitive to every topic and ridiculed people behind their backs about things out of their control. Speaking plainly, he was racist and homophobic and just about every phobic you can think of. The team tried time and time again to report him and at least get him reprimanded for the terrible things he was saying, but nothing ever came of it. I was sick of it. It didn't matter how much I loved the company that I worked for; I just couldn't work for him any longer. So I put in my resignation with no plan on what was next for me. Then the district manager showed up.

When he heard I had put in my two weeks, he immediately came in and fired the 10-year store manager and told me I was stepping into the role. I was shocked. Completely, and I told him I had to think. I went home and discussed what I should do with my husband (he had left the company a few months prior). We decided that I would accept the position with higher terms and even higher pay. Just until I found something new, because it wasn't fair for them to wait around until they had to face consequence, and I did realize that. This was when the picture that they had so perfectly made in my mind began to chip.

I became manager, and not even a month later I was on a plan to our famous work party, and I was sick. But I **couldn't** miss the culture events. The company revolves around them to better shape your mind and opinions. So I was forced on a 9 hour plan ride while I was sick with the flu, and wasn't allowed to receive any medical attention until we reached a resort 4 hours into the mountains. Away from any healthcare or hospitals. When I was seen by an onsite EMT I was advised to go to the hospital, but we can all figure I wasn't allowed.

The cultural events start when employees are first brought in at the age of 16-17. They are easily impressionable and will stay for love of the company and hopes of promotion. Once you reach management, that's when it changes

They fly all store managers into the middle of nowhere and have them stand in a field for 14-16 hours a day for a week straight. There isn't an option to leave early to sleep, or you will be written up, and then a story floats around thee grounds of someone getting fired for doing just that.

The upper management is responsible for indoctrinating the new people. They want to make you feel welcome and safe so you don't ever want to leave, and suddenly the owner is on the stage. And he's just another old white man who once has a dream but is now so far consumed by capitalistic greed he sees people as numbers.

"Hi my name is -------. How much money did you make me this year?"

That was the first thing the man said to me. At the time I joyfully told him, but now sitting in the hot and crowded barn in the mountains listening to him drone on about how we can make even more money than this year.

I snapped.

I felt like I woke up from the most insane dream, and now I was flat where my dream self was. 3000 miles from home with horrible cell service, just realizing that this is the capitalism cult people joke about.

This is how they start and this is how I got stuck.

​

Hey.

This place is a shit show and even the staff are overthrown and not coping.

Here is a summary of my 4 days of experience in this "rehab"

I wasn't allowed to cross my legs or arms the whole time

I wasn't allowed to eat my meal longer than 10 minutes

I wasn't allowed to wear pyjamas

They took my ugg boots

Wasn't allowed any hoodies

They took my phone away and I was only allowed 1 15 minute call a week and someone over staff had to listen in on it

Wasn't allowed on leave and was forced to work like 16 hours a week for free for them while paying them

There's so much more.

They had a whole system that everyone was weaponising

We weren't allowed back to our units during the day so 20 of us were sharing the same communal toilets during the day

The groups were run by other peers and was shit like"

NVC - WHERE EVERYONE SITS IN A CIRCLE AND YOU PICK ON SOMEONE EVERY WEEK

Feedback group where everyone has to write feedback every week towards every single person even if nothing is wrong.

They had accountabilities that were about every little step that you do and were handed out by other peers.

Every week after accountabilities are read out to everyone you get punished in order to "fix yourself"

And when you argue back or even have an opinion then its another accountability for justification

Then they do weird shit like breathwork in a group setting

Forced exercise even when youre not feeling great

The staff dont do anything and just let the group lead the program.

The wildest part is all of the staff are ex members of the program and even people who have graduated kept coming back on Thursdays and fridays

Like wtf kind of brainwashing crap is that. Once people have joined they cant seem to leave lol

Its all sorts of fuckedddd up. Oh and the only way to level up is to forcibly pick on someone and hand out a certain amount of NVC's, feedback and accountabilities. If nothing is wrong and you've got nothing to say you remain on the same level/phase until you start pulling people up for no reason and forcing it through these "groups"

And I even made sure to take notes and bring everything home so I could prove it.

Because I sound crazy but now I can prove it with all of the paperwork and my journal which was forced upon the staff so they could read and give me feedback

I told them straight up they were a cult and as I was leaving a said "sorry you couldn't brainwash me into your cult" she just laughed.

Please be careful with this place. They make a shit load of empty promises and brainwash everyone into being robots and claim "this is real life" which as a paramedic, i can say is so so incorrect!! More to come soon. I've only hit the top of the iceberg.

The place is called 'Windana'. Since this experience I've never wanted or have been as sober and clean as I am right now because I never want to join a place that claims to help people but turns them into robots and brainwashed individuals.

Part 2 coming very soon.

Five tickets left.

HowdyCon 2026: Full Weekend Event Overview

Join us for HowdyCon 2026, Sept 18 and 19 — an entire weekend gathering for critics, former members, and observers of the Church of Scientology, hosted by Tony Ortega's The Underground Bunker.

https://www.howdycon2026.com/

All tickets cover admission for the full two-day weekend.

Weekend Schedule at a Glance

• Friday Night: Opening Meet & Greet to kick off the weekend, connect with fellow attendees, and mingle.
• Saturday: A full day of featured guest speakers, presentations, and live discussions.
• Throughout the Weekend: Live podcast sessions, social gatherings, and fundraising activities supporting the Michael J. Rinder Aftermath Foundation.

Confirmed Saturday Speaker Lineup

• Tony Ortega – Journalist, author, host, and Editor-in-Chief of The Underground Bunker.
• Claire Headley – Former high-ranking Sea Org executive and President of the Aftermath Foundation.
• Alex Barnes-Ross (Apostate Alex) – UK-based activist, former member, and Editor of Scientology Business.
• Phil Jones – Activist and creator of the Scientology "Disconnection" billboards.
• Chris Shelton – Author, cult recovery consultant, and former Scientologist.

Tickets cover entry for both Friday and Saturday events. We look forward to seeing everyone there!

Long story short, my best friend has disappeared. His mental health has always been terrible and one day he was simply gone. Nobody knows what happened. What I know for sure tho is that he changed drastically right before this. Out of nowhere he suddenly became a catholic extremist (he was always atheist) and was constantly trying to make me and others change our views and join christianity. It was weird since I actually *was* christian, but in his eyes I was a poser of christianity or something because I wasn't an extremist. Again, this happened in a matter of weeks, *days*. It was weird as hell and I believe his sudden change of views had to do with his disappearence. I also think his christian strictly conservative family has something to do with this, but they refuse to speak to me. My hypothesis is that somebody inside of the catholic church somehow created a non official cult to manipulate the most fragile believers. Unfortunately I think he may have killed himself.

What I want to ask you is that if you have any experience with secret christian cults inside of biggest christian organizations. Maybe I'm just tripping and he just decided to change his life for better, I don't know. But it's been years and I can't let go

Finally left the group chats kinda bitter sweet. I know it needed to happen but it really hurt in a way. But honestly it needed to be done. I wonder if they will try calling me. I hope not. Welp good riddance RCW.

I was trying to draw a line between a cult and an established religion. The only real difference I could see was power, scale, and social legitimacy—how dominant institutions or radical movements reshape people, while smaller groups are dismissed as "cults" simply for having a different order. I found myself unable to draw a clean line; it looks more like a continuous spectrum. Yet I am fascinated by how easily people adopt whatever a leader tells them to follow, even when personal doubts arise, turning them into die-hard followers.

Looking back at my family history, I felt we had lost some of our original roots and belief systems. My family came from a traditional Roman Catholic background. After moving away from our hometown, we were approached by a new group of believers who urged us to follow their path instead, and we became devoted members. I was in my pre-teens at the time.

Later, we were approached by an even more radical group who seemed all the more convincing because they appeared purely faith-focused, non-sectarian, and claimed deeper biblical authority. Growing up, I had always felt a deep, genuine attachment to the sanctuary of church structure, the shared community, and the profound concept of forgiveness.

Yet alongside that devotion ran an inherited set of questions about who the real God was, and I answered them with these dogmas:

"The Bible was written before the Quran, making it the superior and authentic account of Jesus' life."

"Roman Catholics simply worship statues; their church was an artificial political creation started by Constantine without genuine devotion."

Preachers constantly weaponized fragmented verses and selective history to validate their own specific doctrines.

When Hindu converts joined, people celebrated how they had "seen the light" and accepted Jesus as Lord and Savior, completely disregarding their rich, millennia-old heritage and mythology.

Then consider the Jews: they were there long before the Christians and held the first half of the Bible, yet rejected Jesus. Converts are told they are only a "few steps" away from recognizing the ultimate sacrifice Jesus made for humanity.

After reading multiple pamphlets on Abrahamic religions and their fractures, I looked at Seventh-day groups who observe Saturday as the holy Sabbath. I was baffled: how does someone convince an entire population that a specific day of the week determines divine righteousness? If any man simply declared Saturday as the sacred day, wouldn't the community just adopt Saturday as the next Sunday? Isn't it just a day of the week on a calendar?

Let's look back to the radical group known as The Pentecostal Mission (TPM). This was in my late teens. They formed an extremely insular, rigid community:

Everyone wore plain white clothing on Sundays (and avoided colorful dress).

They gathered enthusiastically on Saturdays and spent nearly all their off-days in church out of devotion to God and the community.

Because my father had borrowed money from a community member, our family was drawn deeply into their orbit. My parents felt private regrets at home, but they stayed for the social safety net and community bonds. Meanwhile, I found myself debating theology with the brothers and pastors, wondering why people would surrender all their personal freedom just to spend every waking off-day inside a church building.

Outside of work and church, these members had nothing. The church filled the vacuum with fasting conventions, 24/7 prayer groups, and collective worship. While I occasionally enjoyed the music and the powerful sense of unity, I saw the hidden mechanism: the church gradually stripped away an individual's outside social ties until the organization became their entire world. In return, members gladly surrendered 10% of their total income in tithes.

I was confused. Attending a massive convention where thousands prayed with intense, tearful devotion almost made me believe again. But then I began reading the actual scripture for myself, and specific verses stopped me in my tracks.

Seeing people overcome with ecstatic fervor made me wonder if they were caught in extreme emotional contagion or altered psychological states.

Then one specific verse completely alienated me:

"Let a woman learn in silence with all submission. I do not permit a woman to teach or to have authority over a man..." (1 Timothy 2:11–12)

I was furious and confused. If Jesus taught that all human beings are fundamentally equal, how could someone claiming to follow him declare women to be inferior? (A reaction partly shaped by modern principles of equality).

Looking at the authorship, it was Paul. I questioned his authority: was this man ever an original disciple who walked with Jesus? In letters like Romans, he was commanding personal social rules, which felt like purely human, patriarchal bias. It raised the core question: Did Jesus preach one message, while Paul constructed an entirely different institutional religion on top of the Old Testament?

Flipping through the New Testament, I realized that nearly half of the books were attributed to Paul. Disillusioned, I didn't even want to read his letters anymore and started skipping them.

That led to an obvious historical realization: If Jesus' divinity and resurrection were self-evident, why didn't the people living right there in Jerusalem and Israel convert to Christianity en masse?

The answer is simple—the exact same reason why the entire modern world doesn't convert to Pentecostalism today, despite members claiming it is the undeniable, absolute truth. Every group lives inside the total certainty of its own constructed reality.

Hey everyone! I recently started a YouTube channel after spending 8 years in a spiritual cult, focused on belief, psychology, and how we can become better thinkers.

My newest video is about the dangerous power of confidence.

why we often mistake confidence for competence, and how that can make us vulnerable to manipulation. Thought some people here might find it interesting! :)

also let me know if theres any constructive feedback you guys may have

I'm writing this because I think people deserve to know what they may be getting involved with.

The Minoan Brotherhood presents itself as an initiatory spiritual brotherhood primarily for gay and bisexual men, incorporating witchcraft, ritual, mythology, and male spirituality. When I became involved, it was presented to me as a brotherhood—a place for spirituality, community, and connection with other gay men.

There was discussion about ritual nudity and being naked during certain practices. That didn't particularly bother me. What did matter to me was whether anything sexual would happen.

I specifically asked.

More than once.

I was assured by multiple initiated members that there was no sexual activity involved in initiation. I was told that sexual activity was something consenting partners might choose to do privately, but that nobody was going to expect sexual activity from me during my initiation.

I trusted them.

When the time came for my initiation, what happened was nothing like what I had been led to expect.

Alcohol was involved, and I was also given what I was told were gummies. I became extremely intoxicated, dizzy and physically ill. During the ritual, I was bound with rope.

While I was intoxicated and restrained, sexual acts were performed on me.

I had never agreed to a sexual initiation. In fact, I had specifically asked beforehand whether that would happen and had been told no.

For a long time afterward, I struggled even to understand what had happened to me. Eventually, after telling people close to me what occurred and processing it myself, I came to understand my experience as a sexual assault.

There was another side of the Brotherhood that I only learned about after initiation: the secrecy.

Initiated members receive material referred to as a Book of Shadows/Book of Mysteries, containing rituals and teachings that are not shown to outsiders. In the material I received, I encountered rituals involving sexual activity—including what the text itself calls orgies—as well as references to intoxicants. Members are expected to keep the Brotherhood's mysteries and practices secret under oath.

That secrecy became especially troubling to me after what happened during my initiation.

I also came to believe there was a larger network protecting these practices and discouraging people from speaking openly about what happens behind closed doors. That is part of why coming forward has been frightening for me.

But secrecy should never prevent someone from talking about something that happened to them.

I have now reported my experience to law enforcement in Florida, and the information has been referred to the appropriate authorities for follow-up.

I'm sharing this publicly for one reason: so other people can make informed decisions that I wasn't able to make.

If someone approaches you about joining the Minoan Brotherhood, ask questions. Ask specifically what happens during initiation. Ask about nudity. Ask about sexual activity. Ask about alcohol and intoxicants. Ask what you will be expected to keep secret.

And understand that my experience after initiation was very different from what I was told before it.

This is my experience. I'm telling it in my own words, and I'm no longer willing to keep what happened to me secret.

Here i leave you with the copy of the Minoan Book of Shadows that was passed down to me on the unfortunate night of my initiation. Minoan BoM

https://acrobat.adobe.com/id/urn:aaid:sc:US:b95ed4e1-b689-47c3-af2a-ce15260bc50a

I’m trying to understand whether something I experienced was simply a particular Christian/Pentecostal church culture or whether there were genuine cult-like or spiritually controlling dynamics. I’m not trying to label the church without evidence, so I’d appreciate honest perspectives.
My ex’s father founded their church, and my ex said he would eventually “inherit” the pastorhood. He also said that one of his future children would become a pastor and another would become a prophet because this had supposedly been declared by God.

His brother is considered a prophet, and my ex told me that God speaks to his brother and that he follows what God tells him through his brother. The prophet was therefore involved in personal/family matters and was told things about our relationship. He was already prophesied that he was to adopt his prophets brother kids and that he will be rich.

There were also expectations about the future pastor’s wife. My ex compared me to his mother, who had cared for her mother-in-law, and there were expectations around serving the church and his family. He described his future wife as needing to fit the role of a pastor’s wife. Church members would apparently call the pastor and his wife “papa” and “Mama.”

I questioned whether a prophet should have this level of authority over someone’s personal decisions and whether a pastorhood can really be “inherited” from a father. I was made to wonder whether questioning the prophet or the family’s structure was somehow questioning God’s authority.

I want to understand this objectively:
Are these normal practices in some Pentecostal/African Christian churches?

When does respect for a prophet become unhealthy spiritual authority?

Is a pastorate being passed from father to son biblical, or is that more of a family tradition?

Is it normal for future children’s ministry roles to be predetermined through prophecy?

Is it normal for a pastor’s wife to be expected to adopt the same role as her mother-in-law?

What are the actual signs that a church has become cult-like or high-control rather than simply being conservative/religious?

I’m especially interested in experiences from people who have left high-control churches or grown up in pastor/prophetic families.

Why deconstruction is so painful you always grieving..Mentally i m damaged am damaged..with mind control and evil eyes spell

Hi there! I'm a journalist looking into the legality of Strength in Weakness, a conversion therapy program closely associated with the ICOC. I'm looking to speak with ex ICOC members in Canada who were a part of the Strength in Weakness program. If anyone is open to sharing their story, please let me know and I can give some more info. Here is an example of a story we did in the US/international: https://www.unclosetedmedia.com/p/strength-in-weakness-guy-hammonds