New Age religions can have several meanings, I guess. So I am going to ask a “general question” about the kind of church/cult thing that happened widely in the 60’s - 90’s.
Has anyone else grown up in/been greatly affected by these kinds of religious offshoot groups?
My mom joined one of these churches, the Church Universal and Triumphant (CUT) back in 1973. I doubt you’d have heard of it unless you are/were on the west coast.
For me, this was not a great way to grow up.
Thank goodness, once I left home I had a choice.
I’ve heard of CUT. Is Elizabeth Clare Prophet still holed up in Montana waiting for the end of the world?
I’m happy you were able to escape,
aenea. I wish I could give you the names of some good support groups, but I’ve read that many of them have been co-opted by the Church of Scientology. I’d hate to steer you toward one of those.
The very fact that you’re posting here is a good indication that you’ve learned to think for yourself. I hope you are able to put it behind you. I know that the scars inflicted during childhood are the slowest to heal.
Elmer J. Fudd,
Millionaire.
I own a mansion and a yacht.
Yes, she is. Got quite a few people up there with her too. I bet that they all hid in their shelters over the recent holiday. (it would not be the first time that “the world is going to end” for them) Practise, I guess. My mom joined when they were in Colorado Springs, before Mark Propher died. Then she followed them out to CA, and later to Montana. Boy, do I have lots of thoughts about that! But, I digress…
Why thank you! I’ve recently joined here, and noticed that you seem to have some religiously well educated folk among you.
I learned a whole different slant on things at the CUT, and since I left (ran, fled, whatever) have been largely alone with my personal views.
I have an odd hesitation to join another church.
But I do have questions from time to time, to those that can answer without preaching.
I hope that there are some like that out there.
The “Operation Clambake” web site at www.xenu.net is anti-Scientology, possibly even virulently so. They don’t have much on other new age religions there (is Scientology a “new age” religion?), but they do have links to “exit counselling” type organizations, and you might be able to find out something that way; given their obvious bias, it’s unlikely they’ll steer you towards one that’s secretly run by Scientology.
I met a lapsed and regained Eastern Orthodox guy who thought that ALL new age religions were based on Buddhism/Hinduism… He had neglected the neo-pagans, etc.
Torq I appreciate the link that you provided. I did go check it out.
I’m not really looking for “exit counseling”. I left (ran, boogied, ect…)that church long ago. Rather, I was wondering if any others out there had to go through this. It’s kind of like being force-fed a religion that you did not choose.
Also they have some very whack religious beliefs. Like Moira Prophet - that is tha leader’s daughter. We had to be especially nice and polite to her - not just because she’s a bigshot’s daughter - but because she is the “reincarnation of John F. Kennedy”.
That sucked, all the more so because you KNEW they were full of crap. I mean, c’mon.
Mrs. Prophet lays claim to being Nefertiti, and Queen Guenivere (sp) among other incarnations. Even if reincarnation IS real, was everyone famous in their last life or what?
Aenea, glad you’re okay. Feel free to post any questions here. Somebody here is likely to know the answers (for answerable questions, anyway), or else point you to other sources for information. You may get a few preach at you, but you’ll get plenty other responses, and you can always ignore those people.
Regarding New Age stuff, much of it incorporates Buddhist and Hindu concepts, frequently merged with other influences. The general concept - if there is one - has to do with there being energy fields and broader realities than what science can demonstrate. There is some essence of humanity greater than traditionally accepted. This includes everything from meditation as a way to tap into your inner being, to clairvoyance, ESP, and psychic powers, to tapping into energy of crystals and other gems or “power stones”. It ends up being a take whatever you want and jumble it together kind of system. And then there are the cults.
Fortunately not Buddhism. Pushy conversion is discouraged.
Also the half baked new age take on Buddhism is more a 60’s druggy thing than a reality. The “spiritual” part of Buddhism is a lot less flaky than the new agers would have you think. Buddhists are so loathe to believe in the unprovable that God is a strictly agnostic concept at best, science is embraced and astrology rejected. (notable exception is reincarnation).
Hindus from India are really put off by the drug connections of American adherents to Krishna etc. Ravi Shankar hated to perform in front of drugged up hippies, and refused on several occassions.
I was in a cult for 7 years, along with my brother and sister. We joined voluntarily, as adults (18), but while we were members 2 nieces and 2 nephews were born. They were still young enough when we left that they don’t remember it very clearly, but I know many kids who had a very strange upbringing.
I had christianity forced down my throat as a child, and I vividly remember not being able to go to sleep at night because I was afraid I would die and go to hell over some stupid sin. I think my early experiences set me up for my later cult experience, at one time 4 of the 5 kids in my family were in cults, and the one who wasn’t is involved in cult-like beliefs to this day. I suppose it could be genetic too, it’s hard to seperate nature from nurture sometimes.
I try not to regret my decision to join the cult, I was an aimless hippy wannabe who learned to take responsibility and follow orders, so it wasn’t a total waste. I also learned more about the Bible, Swedenborg, and other religious stuff than I’ll ever be able to use. The best thing was that I met my wife there, we’re still together.
Also, I grew up in Montana and have never heard of CUT, where are they located? I want to give them a wide berth the next time I’m visiting.
Frolix8 the CUT has bought the old Forbes ranch outside of Yellowstone. The nearby towns are Gardiner, Livingston, and Bozeman MT. Another local odd religion is the Hooterites, but they are tolerated more I guess because they did not move en mass from California.
This religion I grew up in had quite a mixture of the other religions sprinkeled into it. Including but not limited to Gautama Buddah and Shivah. (We were even taught some Sanskrit) There were also ‘ascended masters’ such as Saint Germain, and the more ordinary holy trinity figures. Who all aparently “channeled” through Elizabeth Prophet.
Gives you a different outlook on religion, eh? :rolleyes:
My parents belong to a wacky cult called the Southern Baptist Church. When I was a kid, we had to go to the meeting hall every week, sometimes 2 or 3 times, give them a lot of money, and listen to men yelling about anything remotely fun being “sin”. Thankfully, I was able to escape their evil grasp, and have become a backsliden Episcopal.
If I were going to join a Real Cult, I’d hook up with the Unarians. Apparently they are a UFO cult in (where else?) California, who believe Walt Disney is going to come back to earth on a spaceship and that earth will someday join the alliance of planets in brotherly love. Their job is to be the Earth Welcoming Committee. I’d have try too hard not to laugh all the time, though, so I probably won’t do it.
I didn’t figure you needed help yourself, but some of those web sites have personal stories from people who have been in cults, which is what it sounded like you were looking for in your original post.
I knew I’d need to be more explicit. I meant on the kids. Aenea stated she was brought up in the cult as a kid, and that’s what I meant about every religion. The parents bring their kids up in that religion without giving them a choice.
Yes, I am aware that at least some buddhists are very atheist in belief. I was refering to the origin of the New Age concepts, not to how buddhists believe. Buddhists do have things like meditation, concentrating on not thinking, breathing exercises to stifle thought, the koans to help you not think, etc. And I think there is acceptance of some supernatural things, like qi or chi or ki or whatever. A mystical energy pathway through the body, etc. (I may be getting this mixed up with Hindu beliefs and chackras, but then the New Agers do too.)
from missdavis102:
You too? I escaped myself, though I gave up all those silly cults. “Hi, my name is Irishman, and I’m a religaholic.”
Yes it does. I thought the Yellowstone group might be the ones you were talking about. I remember the stink when they wanted to build a hydrothermal powerplant, people were afraid Old Faithful wouldn’t work anymore. Old faithless.
I know the Huterites well, there are 2 colonies and plenty of “drop-outs” in the area where I grew up. They supply cheap vegetables and eggs to the surrounding community. They have a problem with genetic diversity, there are only a few last names and the children all look like siblings.
The cult I belonged to also had a mixture of beliefs, basically whatever the leader wanted to incorporate. I should have known there was trouble when he started making us listen to Barry Manilow (that’s not a joke). My wife and I left when we discovered that there was a “secret” group who were into sexual stuff. The leader is dead now, he didn’t resurrect. Darn, I could have been a disciple!
In the real world I don’t discuss this.
Not to sound like a weirdo, but there is nothing mystic/supernatural about qi/chi/ki.
Everything alive has electrical energy, and it runs through you just like blood and lymph.
Perhaps you are referring to people who claim to be able to alter these “currents” for medicinal purposes, ala acupuncture or acupressure.