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In Reply to: Intimidation posted by Ethics police on September 24, 2006 at 09:41:54:
"Intimidation was/is rampant but fear came from giving Berg the authority over one's soul. Other leaders followed his example."
When I was very young and met the COG, I wasn't intimidated by them. The intimidation came later with lots of tactics used to break a person down. Had I been aware of what was going on or operating with mature judgement, I might have "given" Berg authority over my soul. I really believed at the time that I gave Jesus the authority over my soul and the leaders were there to look out for us. Looking back I don't but at the time that is what I believed.
First I prayed to accept Jesus into my life where there had been no god. Then I strongly believed God existed and was very aware of what we were doing, thinking, etc. Berg did not set himself up as the mouthpiece of God until about three or four yrs later, but to obey leadership without question was a major teaching from the very beginning "for they keep watch for your soul". There were tests of obedience and here is one example. When out witnessing in a park I was in this little valley sort of area when from up on a hillside a leader was calling us to leave the person we were witnessing to who was about to get "saved". Of course we hesitated and then got a firm rebuke and the leader came down and told us RIGHT NOW, GET UP. Well at that point I felt intimidated and jumped up. Once out of danger he pointed out that rival biker gangs were advancing from both sides and indeed a major fight had broken out right where we had been sitting.
Things like this reinforced that idea to obey without question. It was a very reinforced doctrine supposedly for our good.
"So-called shepherds and leaders would lead their flock through intimidation. Their flocks fear them and followed them in fear, for fear of retaliation. The intimidation came from their leaders but fear came from a complex mix of elements: their situation, their status in the cult, their internal support, their external support, their past, etc."
I agree with this and think a lot more than intimidation was used to establish control.
"Maybe many followed Berg for fear that he would retaliate, but maybe many did also for other reasons, including greed."
I never followed the leaders in the family for fear of retaliation but fear that what I did if I didn't follow was wrong and would somehow result in something bad happening to me or to others. But not from the leader. I feared the leaders mostly when they had "purging sessions" or if called into an office or room to be drilled by them on a more personal basis. I feared both them and who I thought they represented. I don't understand how greed could be a motivating factor though. Can you talk about that more? Living was so spartan for so long and there was such a lack of privacy and comfort, I don't understand the greed factor.
"Fear results from giving power to the intimidation but not everybody bought into it."
I don't believe that I gave power over to intimidation and received fear. I simply believed in what I was taught and instructed and stepping out of bounds, and there were lots of "bounds" was scary. If I had not believed it I would have been able to weigh it out and then left.
"Some form of greed, an innordinate desire to obtain something, can overcome intimidation - but so many other personal factors. For example, what about an outlaw who is risking going to jail if he/she steps out of the protective annonimity
of the cult?"
Some churches these days teach that if you are under the "covering" of the church, following it's doctrines etc. then you are safe but going outside of it you are open to the "attacks of the enemy". When you talke about an outlaw going to jail if they step out of the anonymity of the cult, do you mean for latter doctrines where child abuse occurred? Or other forms of abuse that a person was involved in while in the cult?
"In my case, I was intimidated, a lot, by some or even most or all of my "leaders" but I did not fear them. If anything, that intimidation turn into perplexity, confusion and pity. Under those conditions, how could I trust these people to be godly leaders? I read too much of the Bible and compared my readings with the letters, and the bible won every time. I guess oplexicon was not too bad after all."
I sure didn't have that insight. In fact, I didn't even know the story of Noah's Ark. I was absolutely confused when given a "set card" because I had never heard of "scriptures" and "verses" before. I didn't even know the bible was written or printed like that. Sounds like you were quite mature when you encountered the cog. As far as leaders went, I feared them but I already had a background of fear of authority.
"My respect for leaders was minimal and my respect for Berg as a person was never too high, and was totally nothing as a man of God. My payoff for being in the cult came from the people around me, whom I considered my brothers and sisters. They were my family. The people in the chain were an obstacle and most of all a necessary evil."
I was very gullible. I really believed at the time that my leaders were God's handpicked chosen. I liked being around others that were young and motivated but did not care for the lack of privacy and oftentimes cramped and uncomfortable living quarters. Not to mention the lack of privacy in the bathroom. My payoff for being in the cult was I really believed there was something more to life than day to day existence and I had a "born again" experience that I physically felt. Everything seemed very real to me. I operated more out of guilt and fear but not greed. Greed for what?
"These thought explorations are helpful to me. I hope they are to others also."
It's interesting reading what others experiences were and helps me understand more how they view the past, according to their beliefs at the time they got into the cult and while in it.
