Unregistered

At this point it’s difficult for me to believe that these men are honest, with themselves and others. I was in the dark for a long time because I was literally in the dark regarding the truth not having heard it because the leaders lied for Lee to “cover him.” And it did take me a few attempts to fully accept the truth for what it is, and that we’ve all been massively lied to. I gotta give them credit for being so good at keeping us all believing in “the wizard”

However once you have the truth laid out before you then it’s on you, the burden of coming to reality is on you at that point. I can understand some level of trepidation for ones who committed decades of their lives, but at some point you have to say that they’re either in a kind of denial or they’re ok with the lie because they don’t want to leave the bubble they’re in. Possibly there’s a great amount of peer pressure- like “how dare you question this thing we’ve all been in.” I suppose that’s cult programming for you. You’re so used to the bubble you’re in, so used to the imaginary chains that you begin to love them and you’ll even attack others who try to free you

Reminds me of this movie called Pappilon with Steve McQueen and Dustin Hoffman. At the end of the film Steve McQueen’s character has been trying to break free of prison the entire time and finally finds a way out, but Dustin Hoffman’s character decides to stay because 1. He’s too afraid and 2. He has grown comfortable in captivity. At that point their captivity wasn’t horrible, it was just away from real life. He just didn’t want to go through the trouble of getting to the other side and wanted to keep the comfort of his not-so-bad captivity. They enjoy the comfort of the bubble but they aren’t actually free

I believe Steve’s books were meant to do just that- burst the bubble and release the mental hold Lee had over so many members. So after you read them if you’re still supporting the system to the point Sherman did then I feel it’s just dishonesty at that point. Like someone who just has invested so much in a lie they can’t come to grips with having been lied to. Or they just like their positions and they like the phoney honor they get. They like the lie better than the truth. They’re comfortable in their bubble. I believe many members are like this. They’ve become accustomed to their imaginary chains

I suppose at that point it’s a matter of character. In a sense I suppose it takes a bold person to break free from mental programming. But also we have to consider that this a system of abuse. A kind of Stockholm syndrome effect that is actually harming people and in worst cases fostering crimes and hiding the perpetrators

I guess ultimately I can excuse the member’s in this sense more than the leaders. Because the leaders have most of the responsibility. And the leaders are the ones who know what is actually going on whereas I believe the ill things that happen mostly do not reach the ears of the nominal members, because it’s how the local churches operate. They hide and bury the bad things that happen. But that puts more blame on the leaders. As a leader you have a responsibility to look out for the best interest of those you care for. And bottom line to excuse and cover the egregious things that happened is just so wrong. Which I view covering and lying for these things as bottom line dishonest, and at worst it’s a kind of aiding and abetting

I suppose at a certain point possibly they lost their sense of right and wrong. Which could be possible with enough brainwashing idk. Certainly Ingalls, and Myer, and other leaders saw the truth and saw what was the right thing to do and they did it. How many now are still living dishonestly? How many leaders are in the dark versus how many are just kind of dishonest? Or maybe afraid to let go of the thing they’ve been desperately clutching for so long. How many care more about their positions than the truth? You have to wonder did they even consider that covering certain things is unrighteous and doing so could hurt other members

Common sense would tell you that if “whistleblowers” are saying crimes and wrong things are happening you should look into it. But are they kept in the mental prison because of the fear of losing their reward? Idk but it’s all very messed up. They’re in a kind of prison and are being kept there with either fear or self denial because they don’t want their bubble burst, don’t want to lose their position, or they’re just too comfortable

Idk but I think they’re gonna have to give an account either way to God for allowing certain things to happen. Some more than others I’m sure