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In Reply to: What you can do posted by Jules on January 09, 2005 at 22:47:13:
Thank you for the list. I appreciate it. I do consider that my involvement as a member, albeit in ignorance to the manipulation, had a part in the expansion of the cult. I think we, as a group of people in a somewhat disjointed community, are maturing. Some initiatives are acquiring volume and becoming real projects. You have had a great part in forming that necessary infrastruture. Your post is a good example of what needs to happen. Words are only the beginning and, sad to say, many times they convey emotions incompatible with growth and consolidation. However, the process of regaining trust in others is a necessary and slow process and it takes time for all of us who learned very well the lesson of distrust.
I am sure most ex-members are trying their best to heal and understand their place both in their previous mebership in the cult and as exmembers. There are no rules and demands but I am sure people who come to visit, read and write posts and articles, or volunteer at anything, are dealing with heavy loads of guilt or, if nothing else, the understanding that the cult was a terrible experience on many others, not just themselves and thus try to do something. I don't believe is out of guilt, some people are still incapable of feeling guilty. I believe is more of the same altruistic and idealistic spirit that took us into the cult in the first place.
Keep in mind that not everybody who joined the cult did it because they were idealistic or spiritual. Many did it as a way to get power, travel, escape, hide, survive, follow a loved one, etc. It was a hard life and so those left when their apetites were not satisfied and became exmembers.
In case of SGs, the idea that FGs were there voluntarily makes us an easy target in general, but not as individuals. Some people don't think they are guilty of anything, more power to them. Other, like me, see that we also had a part on it. Not only that, some of us are not idiots, just different. But you know that.
I think your list does a lot of good to help frame ideas and initiatives.
