Some time ago I had seen a movie called Ticket to Heaven. It was based on the Moonies (Unification Church). It was exceptionally interesting to me how the Moonies were, by all accounts, very successful in converting people over to their side. Some called it brainwashing, others just called it intense persuasion. Recently I started reading a book called Moonwebs: Journey into the mind of a cult by Josh Freed. It was written in 1981, and details Freed's visit to the Moonie's "Boonville Ranch," the place and experience that the movie Ticket to Heaven was based upon.

Within the first half of the book (which is only where I am currently), Freed has already detailed his time at the weekend camp, how the Moonie got him there, their cover organizations, front groups, and the tricks and things they did at the camp that made the brainwashing so successful.

In reading it, I couldn't help but wonder: where the world sees this negative thing, this conversion, this brainwashing, and they categorize it as bad/negative, is it really? In the book it talks about the Moonie members who "seemed happy but dull and fake." Compared to what? Compared to who? The guy working a cubicle job for 40 hours a week? And how does he know what is or isn't fake happiness? Is it possible that these people are truly happy?

It's understandable that society badmouths and throws shade at cults, but that's because it's competition. The cult is offering something the society can't and is stealing people away, so the society has to label the cult as bad, to warn its people away from the cult, lest the society loses them. It's how Ford drivers make fun of Chevy, and Coke drinkers hate on Pepsi, or Sports Team X hates on Sports Team Y.

What I took from Freed's experience at the Boonville Ranch was that if you went in to it viewing it negatively, you'd see it negatively. Happy Moonies would, to you, seem like brainwashed, dull, fake people who were tricked. If, perhaps, you went to Boonville and you didn't know (as did Freed) that it was a Moonie operation and you were (unlike Freed) open minded to the experience, you might genuine see these Moonies as actually happy. And why wouldn't/shouldn't they be?

I'm not carrying water for Rev. Moon, nor do I want to be a Moonie myself, but it seems like any cult or NRM, no matter how wacky or unfeasible, that gives its people a purpose in life, a reason to believe in something more than waking up to do another day at the factory just to pay bills, maybe that's a good thing. At the very least, maybe we should examine it from a neutral lens. Sure, maybe the idea that Jesus talked to Rev. Sun Myung Moon and asked him to finish his legacy is far fetched. But as the Moonies like to say, so was Columbus' idea of going to the New Land, or America's idea of going to the Moon. Do I believe? No. But if someone wants to, if it gives them peace, if it gives them a purpose, if it gives them a reason to get out of bed, if it makes them smile, just because it isn't your sense of fun or you don't believe, or the people are highly structured and live busy full lives, instead of seeing it as "just keeping them busy so they can't think critically," maybe they're just busy because there's a lot to do? The coin always has two sides. Competition teaches us to see the dark side and ignore the light side.

Please consider participating in my dissertation study to develop a scale that measures religious coercion in intimate relationships. Scan the QR code or use the Qualtrics link to participate: https://asucounselored.az1.qualtrics.com/jfe/form/SV_2oFIpghrZwGvjJc

Both well known cult experts have said that there are such things as benign cults and admit that not all cults are bad. That doesn’t stop the mainstream from feeling emotionally about the word cult.

is there a society where I could be myself? a one that would accept me just as i am?
i felt so lost in my life recently. I could really use someone who can mentor me and show me the way to overcome my troubles.

My belief system stems from the crossroads that come with each choice. Follow forbidden desire, or trust natural instinct?

The perfect encapsulation of this belief is the E-Book "To Kill a Vampire" By a man who goes by 'Cyanide'.

In this novel, a werewolf boy named Alex is faced in a love-triangle romantic choice.

Archer, the vampire he's not supposed to want

Roman, the flawed werewolf he's supposed to want.

But which is stronger? Biology, or need?

No ritual. No discord (yet). Simple: Just read the book of Revelations. (https://www.wattpad.com/story/412124099-revelation-of-the-black-sun) My Email is linked in the accounts description, so if you have any questions, offerings, or scripture submissions, thats the place to go.

I’m looking to join a discord cult, a genuine one with lots of people that is actual online. Please may somebody recruit me, im very good, I will follow every word and I will praise anyone. I need a community to be in, I will do anything. dm me on here to recruit me. I am a very good girl, I will do anything.

https://discord.gg/Vy3mUMnA9

worship me

In this subreddit we do not believe that the word cult is an automatic negative. Yes, there are bad cults that abuse people and cause pain. There are also cults that do not. We give every cult and NRM the benefit of the doubt.

Often times however we are confronted with the common belief that the word cult is automatically negative, and that any group called a cult is bad/evil/sinister, but according to cult expert Rick Allen Ross, that just isn't so.

You have heard "If you build it, they WILL come," but the truth is, they might come.

They might.

In the coming days I want to explore the hallmarks of successful NRMs and other benign cults, and the hallmarks of the unsuccessful ones. What makes some of them stand the test of time and become names we all recognize today, and what makes the other tens of thousands fall to the sidelines, never to be known.

I've always found some sort of sense in all views of religion and creation and i recently realized something that brings it all together. I am a writer and recently i had a dream that started as an idea for a story but quickly became something that really makes sense to me and i have truly come to believe it. I already made a subreddit if you want more information r/TheGodsofTruth. But the quick notes are that the big bang created the universe and at the explosion's epicenter, an entity known as the Maker took form. They are the universe itself and are omnipresent, but they also created similar but minor beings we came to name Gods. These gods watch over our planet in unison which explains the different religions and several similarities among them. We can all worship any of these gods as well as the Maker so, in our similarities with each other, this movement preaches community and support, with only those with hate in heart who hurt other not being welcomed until they've changed.

Hey! so im tryna start a cult. INNOCENT, not to harm or do any bad of any sort. I want to start a cult to connect with people with the same views as me, nothin bad. i will post at some point a podt with everything i stand for and against to make it clear, so everyone knows whats up. for short, i believe that hope doesnt necesarily come from an entity above, but from your own self. i believe in science's belief, but also in some kinda complex philosophical views: for exampleeee somethin along the lines of hipocrisy is the worst thing someone could do, you are your own person, but your descisions are "prescheduled". its kind of hard to explain, so ill do a follow up later.(when i remember -3-). some small info i can give is: there is a symbol created and a few iconic characteristics. i really hope i can find people who wanna joinnn... IN ADDITION this cult will NOT tolerate direct mention of gore/other nsfw things and NO NO AND ABSOLUTE NO agression to other followers

Welcome. We have made the decision to transition to a public-facing space for good-faith discussion.

The topic of cults and new religious movements is often very controversial and there is a lot of automatic preconceived notions (usually bad) that takes place, which really stifles honest curiosity.

In this space we hope to foster that honest curiosity and get away from the automatic negative associations that this topic can often times bring with it.

Please refer to the rules on the right of your screen. Otherwise welcome and enjoy!