Aftereffects of Coming Out of a Cult
29 June, 2007 at 9:26 am (Evangelism, Growth)
Here is a great article by Janis Hutchinson that helps us to understand the difficulties associated with coming out of a cult.
“If I had known about the aftereffects of coming out of the Mormon Church, I never would have left!”
This was how I felt during the first few years of my difficult transition. Unaware that professional help was available, I found myself faced with the frustrating task of restoring my life. After coming out of three Mormon cults (Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints (Utah Mormon Church), and radical offshoots, The Bryanites , and Mormon Fundamentalism ), it took approximately eight turbulent years to sort things out, rid myself of Mormon baggage, and reach the point of feeling I was on a par with the rest of the human race.
In the early stages, discouraged at my slow progress, I was tempted to return to the first cult I belonged to for thirty-four years, the Utah based, Mormon Church.
The years spent in that church weren’t as bad as the Bryanites or Mormon Fundamentalism—that is, there was no physical abuse. But cult-like, the Mormon Church repressed independent thinking, forbid questioning, taught bizarre doctrines, required blind obedience, and deceived members regarding its history. Because I had burned the last bridge behind me by requesting my excommunication, I knew I couldn’t return. I certainly had no inclination to return to the other two.
