five minutes of culting fun

[pommy]

So, I have approximately 4.24 minutes and counting to describe one of the weirdest experiences of my life to date, well...perhaps stretching it slightly out of proportion, but very weird nevertheless.

Comments

[astonvillan89]

Wow. Nothing to say but very interesting *nods*

[pommy]

yeah, it was very strange, one of those once in a life time things when you feel yourself inside a different social world, divorced from the "real" world...

[astonvillan89]

Yeah, I can't say I've ever experienced anything quite like it -- though I wouldn't pass up the opportunity, just because it's so intriguing. I mean you hear about those type of communities, but I guess you don't really appreciate the full extent of their way of life and stuff until you actually find yourself within one, experiencing it (or them) first hand.

It's funny though that you post about this: I was just talking to my dad the other day about communities like such, that do divorce themselves from the so-called "normal" way of life that the majority of us experience, and I was wondering, to what extent they are left to function according to their own rules, and how great (or small) an intervention outside forces or influences have on them - so say what about taxes, human rights, equality for the sexes, law and order etc those kind of principles. It may be a simple question with an obvious answer, but I don't know much about places like that, so I was just really interested.

[pommy]

They still have to obey the laws of the land, but anti-discrimination human rights law is clearly violated on a regular basis. What has happened is much more psychological than legal, I mean, the people want to be there, want to be in a place where their freedom is limited, and there are huge benefits, the sense of belonging and meaning in their lives must be brilliant, next to this blank and dimly lit excuse for an existence on the outside. They do pay taxes, and respect the rule of law, but if the bible said not to pay taxes, I have a feeling they wouldn't (but if the bible had said not to pay taxes, it would have never survived). They also turn the other cheek, they refuse to ever fight anyone who screws them over, so they have had loads of times when people don't pay them, and they have just moved on rather than take them to court "if your brother sues you for your shirt, give them your cloak also".

[abarth]

Cooperites are fucked up. A 7th Day Adventist buddy who went to see them told me, which makes a whole lot more sense now, that those of the Christian faith get more offended by the cult than say myself. Of course this is because they have totally raped a religion and turned it into a form of mind-control which serves to comfort the few leaders whom all also happen to allegedly (and in Hopeful's case convicted of) sexually abuse children.

I have never personally encountered such a form of evil more cartoonish than that of the Cooperites, and I would put a lot of my own time and effort in order to shut them down.

[pommy]

Hallelujah brother. I had a few visions of the most effective ways of shutting them down, one big virus would be awesome, that would destroy their whole colony in a day. Then again, innocents will suffer. I am going to try and go back next year, this time armed to the teeth with theological arguments, and hopefully take the arguments to the kids.

Only difficulty is whether you can say Cooperites rape christianity...apart from the rather debateable moral interludes (that admittedly lie far outside their actual belief systems). I think what they have is much more closely approximating Paul's vision of christianity than anything in the outside world. Although it really is just Hopeful's vision, man he got pissed off at me when I started trying to theologically challenge him, he went on a twenty minute interlude about how his caravan had set on fire and almost burned his kids. Anyway, long comment, will stop.

[abarth]

Mind control?
From what you have said, my guess is that you wear black frame glasses?

What is done at Gloriavale is actually done on a free will basis, and that is what you cannot understand.
Anyone is free to leave and there are no deviant sexual practices or immoral interludes.
Hopeful does not drive Gloriavale.
The basic core truth of the New Testament does. If Hopeful deviated from it at all in any way shape or form, there would be a lot less people living there.

[pommy]

Sweet...I am guessing you are trying to wind me up, if not you are a believer, and that is even more awesome. But I was wearing black frame glasses on the day (usually wear contacts)...so...were you there? Ok given you aren't winding me up...did you read my last message, I pretty much said exactly that

[11_miles_down]

I remember why I stopped reading your journal! All I wanted to say at the beginning was my flatmate went and spent a night there with his parents. They were invited to go toa concert that they had and he went. Admittedly he said it was weird, wasn't for him. I doubt it would be for most of us, going from what he said about it. Then I started reading comments and now I have more to say

[pommy]

hey, how are you? haven't talked in a while. I always hoped I had grown up slightly since we knew each other better, and I was a pretty constant dickhead, but I guess change is impossible. I reckon its just a primative form of an inferiority complex, believe myself horribly inadequate, so try to talk to everyone else as if they were inferiors Anyway, apologies, I think you have picked on one bit of my rant that really was quite badly put. Perhaps I came across as quite arrogant (as usual), didn't quite intend that, just more of a rant/communication of weird experience in life. I don't actually think I will ever go back, and when I say kids, I mean more, teenagers...not little kids, I don't think you can really preach much at little kids, but your points taken, to do so would be quite evil indeed. I mean, some kids do leave, its just sad the kids that don't have those personality traits to be different, who might think differently, end up just believing. Not that I'd ever think I personally could do anything about it, as you say, I

[11_miles_down]

good god I'm so sorry. this is what happens when you're very tired, very bored and extrememly opinionated.
haha.
but I'm sure you know what thats like poms! =P
i apologise. really truly. I kind of knew you didn't mean small children. and I did kind of assume that you would never actually get round to going back.
I did kind of attack you didn't I!?
haha oops.
anyways hope all is going well for you, haven't seen/heard of you for a while now! do you have a myspace? or are you resisting the inevitable? =)

[pommy]

It was a bit of an attack, but fortunately, after crying for a while, and going through the obligatory grief counselling, I moved on. I deserve a good out and out attack once in a while, my opinions are very rarely well thought out, and I do present them in such an awfully arrogant way. Anyway, I do have a myspace, after complaining about its evil for years, only way rdoc contacts anyone from his new home Canada. My name is pommy, email magicalflyingonion@hotmail.com.

[11_miles_down]

I also wanted to say, to sir/madam anonymous (who I don't blame for posting anonymously at all, I'd do the same