This is not 'anti-Christianity' at all, it's a cult disguised as Christianity, just watch it and if you're religious I think you'd agree with me.

I'm the daughter of a Pentecostal preacher. I taught Sunday School, played piano, performed singing groups, went to church several times every week, plus occasional "revivals" and women had a very strict dress code, and I'm over it. Since leaving church, I'm more loving and accepting. I'm not defensive and it's so much better. Fear is no way to live.

Brilliant. I'm a psychologist; have worked with cult survivors for years. You have a wonderful way of laying it out. This video will help more people than you know. Thank you!

I’m so proud of you for not becoming brainwashed as a child. These stories show how intelligent you were even as a young child, and that you’re pure in heart by remaining authentic and also assuming the other kids were being as authentic as you were.

I grew up Pentecostal too. At summer camp, they told me the proof I wasn't “baptized in the spirit” (aka speaking in tongues) was because I had the demon of rebellion against God. Left their denomination in college and by that point I had been brainwashed into believing there was something deeply wrong with me. It was incredible to join a non-cult Christian fellowship.

There’s nothing Christian about making children suffer for sins that we are told Jesus has suffered for already.

As unbelievable as the camp was, what really boils my pot is that your family said that they were disappointed with you. I would be livid if someone did that to my child. I am so sorry that happened to you.

I didn’t realize I grew up in a Pentecostal cult until I did a sociology presentation in college. When I went up there, I assumed everybody would be familiar with the experiences I was sharing. They were in total shock. I still remember the look on their faces. The exorcisms, people screaming and rolling around on the floor and vomiting because they're full of demons. The hypocrisy, the pastor somehow buying a new car with no job while the church was struggling, my mom calling the Ninja Turtles demons and throwing away all our stuff. My Uncle trashed my cousins t.v. in front of the building while praying out loud because the cartoons were putting demons in his eyes. Years later my uncle got a reputation for exposing himself in front of women including my mom, he was still preaching on the street corner while still doing this. I have countless stories including the youth pastor getting arrested for sex abuse in the church basement, me getting banned from the front because somebody said I was using profanity, meanwhile all the teenagers that were allowed to participate in church activities were all having sex in the church basement and one got pregnant.

Well no one can say you've had a boring life...

bro you are a netflix show

Pentecostalism is truly of the devil. This explains so much about how they treated you. I'm sorry they put you through all that. I've known adults who were sucked into that muck, but it must've been a real trip as a kid...I'll pray for your healing. 🙏 May God protect you and everyone else who escapes that trap. Thank you for sharing your story, hopefully it helps others recovering.

That “just have faith” is so triggering for me because after a while I was like “have faith in what?!” And I hate when you ask for an explanation about something and they’ll be like “because god says so” or “because god wants it that way” like, what?

“I wanted to fit in, but I wanted to do it authentically. I never thought other people would be faking it. So I thought something was wrong with me” This resonates so much with me

It makes sense why you're so anti-corporte; the innate distrust of top-down organizations starts early. Don't blame you, man

This is so absolutely heart breaking. I grew up in a “Pentecostal based” church and so thankful to have not experienced any of this. I’m so sorry for your experience and anyone else who has experienced this. Absolutely horrible

Dude, I just want to give that little kid version of you a big, comforting hug. Cannot believe the abuse you went through! Man you are strong. I hope you remember to have a ton of compassion for yourself when things get rough. That's a really difficult basis to start from.

I was the black sheep of my youth group because I asked to many questions. Cults are freaking hell.

I attended a " church" like this for years...the doctrine was supposed to be that you are saved by grace but they were always trying to earn their salvation...thank God I finally understood that my faith is not a religion but rather my relationship with my Lord.

This makes me SOOO angry and heartbroken for you!!! I grew up going to all sorts of Christian camps with the very opposite experience. It was amazing and nothing like this at all. Man. I’m disgusted with everything that happened to you here. These adults in your life as a kid are going to have to answer to God on this. 💔💔💔

Crazy to think that out of all those people you were the only one who seems to have had an actual “gift.” The gift of honesty and critical thinking. To be a child and not totally break under all that manipulation and pressure is truly a miracle. I’m sure you had many emotional break downs but your spirit never broke. You stayed true to your self and didn’t lie to yourself just to fit in. That’s amazing. Thank you for sharing.

The reason why you don't hear about it is because most people didn't end up okay. And are increbily traumatized and embarrassed by it. I'm so proud you were able to stand up and say it. I'm horrified this exist.

That haircut is looking clean AF.

wow. as a christian, i have only stumbled into a pentecostal church once before, and i can’t describe to you how disturbed i felt in my gut. My whole family got up and left immediately after everyone started falling over and screaming. I’m so sorry that you had to go through that, especially at such a young age. I never really realized how cult-like pentecostalism was, and how harmful it is to those who are raised in it. definitely praying for you, thank you for sharing your story ❤️❤️

I feel this so hard. I grew up in a mega religious community and family. The church I grew up in was extreme cult vibes. Deacons ruled over the church. "Have faith, do not ask questions. If you do, you question GOD." Speaking in tongues and falling out was a big fucking deal. I remember being terrified seeing it as a kid. I'd cry and hide under the pews. Id hide in the bathrooms but the pastor was a creeper and one deacon had a "spiritual interest" (his words) in me...I'm so glad I'm out of that fucking town 1500 miles away.

2019 Josh: Top 10 languages to learn to get a job in the industry 2020 Josh: I was in a cult. This is the content I subscribe for. Keep doing what you doing, josh 👍

My coworker is Pentecostal and invited me to her church, and me, being agnostic just wanted to see what it was all about. It was probably the most traumatic thing I've experienced. Everyone screaming in tongues and crying and falling over and I'm just standing there freaking out. After all the pastor people circled around me and all put their hands on me... I don't like being touched but now i was trapped in a circle of strangers. Very scary experience and i never went back again. My mom raised me Baptist and i didn't enjoy that either. I was no longer forced to go at age 16.

"Video game demons" 😂 I laugh cus I'd rather not cry. Thanks for sharing your experience. I've gone through something so similar and for the longest time I felt it was just me, stuck in some unfortunate real-life hell, once I decided I needed to get away. Hearing you tell your tale gives me peace.

I remember going to a church one it was my sisters boyfriend at the time. And the pastor was running around poking people and they would drop. He gets to me i look him dead in the eye and shook my head. Thankfully he didnt even try. After a few minutes the whole chuch was on the ground and it was just me and my sister standing. Sooooo awkward i had to get outta there

I didn't even know you did career/coding videos, I'm just here for the dumpster fire. Thank you for the quarantine content

Your special gift was that you were blessed with reason. All the others were doomed.

When I was 5 my parents got divorced and my dad got remarried to a Pentecostal woman. I was forced to go to church every other Sunday when I was with him from 5-9 years old. It traumatized me. I had never been to church before. I felt so detached there, like I was in another universe. It was such a weird experience. I have so many negative emotions associated with religion after that experience.

I didn’t grow up Pentecostal, but when I was a teenager I also attended a charismatic youth group. I always felt so out of place because I could never do the tongues or anything else. I did end up faking it and trying to justify it that it was happening for real. I’m no longer a Christian and I feel bad for my younger self to have been subjected to that. It really makes you feel othered like no other.

What's really sad is how many people honestly think this is normal.

I’m so sorry this happened to you, as it happens to so many others. My husband and I just left a toxic culty Pentecostal church. He was in it for about his entire life. We did it for our son. We still love Jesus and we know this is false and toxic doctrine

I grew up in this. Son of a female preacher as well. People slain in the spirit, speaking in tounges, constant fear of hell because they didn’t believe in “once saved always saved”. People laughing hysterically all service. Speakers pushing peoples foreheads til they fell over. As an adult I still feel very confused about how I grew up and I as well feel as tho I was in a cult.

I enjoyed the video Josh. I laughed so hard!! That IS the "South". I had only seen it on TV before moving there, then I saw it myself. I see why they have such uniform behavior and manners, they force compliance. Brilliant! I understand you a whole lot more now. I also left the "South".

My ex boyfriend was pentecostal when we dated as teenagers. His family HATED me. And like I don't mean just didn't tolerate me, they wouldn't always me in their house and we could only see each other at school and at church. He lived in literal fear of the lord and his family. He was so stressed out that at 17 he had acquired a huge grey patch in his hair. His family member tricked me into thinking we were going to fix things and she kicked everyone out of the house and cornered me and told me I was going to hell and my boyfriend wasn't going to be dragged down by a whore. They told me I wasn't allowed to go to their church anymore because I wore pants. They also threatened bodily harm on my ex because they found out we were "sneaking around" (we were getting ice cream together and walking around the park.) They made our lives hell. My boyfriend at the time was a genuinely wonderful human being, but the stress and fear drove a HUGE wedge between us until I finally had to break it off. He's out of that situation now and has an adorable little family and even though we aren't together anymore, it's such a relief to know that he ran FAR away from that lifestyle.

I lost one of my best friends to a Pentecostal cult and it hurts my heart to this very day. I watched it quickly unfold. I was maid of honor in her wedding to this Pentecostal man and then she just sort of dropped me.

This just breaks my heart :(. It’s very upsetting too! So sorry for all you went through. You were a brave young man and still are. God bless you always!

Josh its interesting how you notice the similarities between that cult and corporate workplaces and corporate websites which also attempt to be cults. Both are abusive and need to be fought.

That is frigging scary man. It’s amazing you turned out so “normal”. I’m glad I grew up in Mass lol we don’t have that stuff here as far as I know.

I was diagnosed with asperger's syndrome several years too late. I remember the terror I felt when everyone was being embraced and filled with the spirit. I didn't know the spirit. I associated spirits with possessions. I didn't want to be possessed. I didn't want to be embraced or touched at all. The music and screaming where difficult to handle but being surrounded by so many people felt unbearable. I saw them around me smiling and crying and singing and "speaking in tongues" which appeared to be a confusing set of repetative syllables unique to each person. I couldn't understand the smiling or the crying. The emotional expressions made no sense. I couldn't understand what purpose was served with singing. I pushed passed my confusion and made a smile. I clapped my hands. I did what they were doing until it was time for the camp pastor to lay on hands. When he came to my row, my whole body froze until he was a few feet away. He reaches his hand to touch my shoulder and I panicked and started screaming l. I tried to get away down the isle but one of the leaders put her arms around me when I was close enough to her. I look back and understand and that she was hugging me, but I was just trying to get away. I threw my arms up to escape, but I ended up tripping on something and I took her down with me. My head smacked her nose at some point and it started pouring blood. My scream turned into a wail when I saw her nose. I peed myself when they held me down to "comfort and calm" me down. I can't remember anything after that. How I got up. Leaving camp. I am glad to have learned that supernatural possession is NOT a real thing and I was NOT the weird one for finding it odd that people were talking and singing to an invisible parent.

I am a Christian and I am so sorry you went through this. I am a Southern Baptist and my relationship with Christ is a personal one with Him. I was never forced to do anything like you experienced and I was always encouraged to ask questions in Sunday School. I don't care what pastor or person tells you something, always look for it in the Bible to make sure that it is in there and that it's not taken out of context . Always remember that the greatest gift is LOVE. The fear tactic that caused confusion in you is so wrong because God is not of confusion. Don't give up on God, He does love you.

Oh my heart! I grew up in a Black Baptist 'shouting' church and had the exact same experience. Getting thrown out of Sunday School for asking questions like - where did Abel get his wife? Who are those other people - did God make them too....where's their story...lol. Don't even get me started on the Ark. I'd watch kids my age shouting and just couldn't even......fake, fake, fake falling out nonsense. You are true to your own mind and heart and one of the millions on millions freeing themselves of the damaging shackles of groupthink religions!

I grew up as a Jehovah's Witness, so I understand this. It was a different variety of extreme religion/cult, but it still definitely fucked me up, and it's not a healthy way for a kid to grow up. Thank you for speaking about this, and helping other people get past their childhoods.

This reminded of the time my parents first told me, "WE don't talk about things like THAT in front of others". It was at the dinner table and I was in third grade. I don't recall what it was I said that provoked the comment. I do, however, remember that for the first time, I felt that I definitely was not part of the "WE". And so began my emotional exodus from the family..... Great great great video. Thank you.

I feel you man, I grew up in church and when I was fresh out of collage somehow landed in a cult. I was young a naive and a "pastor" attempted to use me for his agenda. It was a really bad version of a Shepherding Movement. We lived with the pastors and lots of shady stuff happened.. Many people left the faith after that experience-- but we thankfully left and I'm now a pastor. I learned a lot from that experience but I won't sugar coat it... it was horrible. I'm sorry you went through that. Bless you in your faith journey. Not all churches are like this. 🙏

I don’t know why I was recommended this video but I’m glad I was - very impressive introduction. Incredibly brave to come out and speak the way you have here. I can’t imagine any of this was easy for a kid to go through. Glad he’s ok and able to be this humble and honest when sharing his story.

Content I didn't subscribe for is slowly becoming my favorite thing wtf

Josh u just keep getting weirder and I keep getting more interested

WHEW, that opening intro was powerful. I was a Religious Cult Victim Counselor for 14 years. You were a strong amazing person to be able to transit those years growing up in such an atmosphere. Be proud of yourself, and what you've come to understand. Proud of not keeping any of this "private", and coming out into public with your life story and the incidents over the last 2 years. You are doing a GODD thing, for yourself and others. Never let anyone tell you different.

Practically everyone I know that has fallen away from their faith has a story like this. And yet these “camps” still exist. It’s so incredibly frustrating. My church camp was and is still my favorite place on earth. It blows my mind how different other people’s experiences are. I’m so sorry. That’s all I can say.

As a Christian that just believes in The Bible, I can confirm that what you went through was a cult.

Super relatable. I remember trying to be so genuine and not understanding why I wasn’t speaking in tongues or getting slain in the spirit if I wanted it so badly? Crazy stuff

I am a grandchild of a deceased Baptist pastor who died before I was born. My mother was the Youth Advisor of our Youth Group, my dad was a Deacon. I have numerous clergy in my family from various religions. I write all that to say: This saddens me. Thank you for bravely sharing this. I think it shows you cannot force someone to get any kind of spiritual awakening, Holy Spirit experience etc. I am still quite spiritual but stopped attending church a few years ago because of things just like this.

This resonated with me so much. I grew up in both an Assemblies of God church and non denominational Pentecostal church, and went to a private AG Christian school from preschool to senior year. I played piano, sang in the worship team, and taught. I was fully indoctrinated but was also a very inquisitive and thoughtful child. Unfortunately I was also apart of the LGBT community and because of how HORRIBLY I was treated, and because I was taught that I was evil for being that way, I learned to hate myself and hide it. I’d notice when things didn’t add up or inconsistent and would immediately be shut down. The speaking in tongues, crying, screaming, chanting, rolling around on the floor, all of that was normalized. I was so judgemental and had such a god complex, but I was traumatized and lonely. It wasn’t until a couple years ago at 19 that I made the decision to leave. Now that I’m 25 and I’ve been out, I can see just how fucked up my childhood and teenage years really were.

Ex Jehovah’s Witness here (raised as one). Just one of the things that made me a messed up moron. Glad you are standing up for yourself. Sometimes we start out with more burdens than others, but we still have to take ownership. No one has it all figured out.

At my friends church once I asked the Sunday school teacher “what’s a soul? Isn’t it the thing on your foot” and she was infuriated, and kicked me out. I was 8, and genuinely didn’t know at the time. Crazy.

I'm sorry this happened to you. You are a brave young man and there is nothing wrong with you.

So glad you were smarter than all that! I'm sorry you had to go through that. My heart hurts for 14 year old you.

"He threw some holy spirit in my direction" lmao

Guy tries to be authentically religious and filled with spirit. Discovers he's actually just in a cult.

I was raised Penticostal as well, My Dad was a Deacon!!!! Seriously i grew up around so many sweet people. But i feel like the followers just needed connection. We had many pastors,I as a child thought these people were grifters and some of them were just evil! Weird how many really good people and how many bad people came together i believe i have Complex Post Tramatic Stress Disorder. As an adult i realize that even in utero i was being programed that i was bad and undeserving! Not true! I love my parents , i do believe they were loving kind and good, not perfect but they did instill love in our lives and I do look forward to seeing the kind loving people i loved from then again . But i just at this point don`t want to belong to a " church" religion but i do beieve in Christianity and other faiths. Brother where art thou! LOL! man there were some evil narcs and i could see them very clearly! That youth pastor was asking sexual questions to yo to use them as guilty leverage and his own pervy vibe to use against others later. Jerk what a jerk. I got kicked out of my youth group as well,after i told him he was full of shit during our class.Asshole tried to tell us if a baby died and its parents were sinners it would be sent to hell ! Idiot! that is just wrong! I told him show me in the Bible that it says that and he couldn`t.If i even use the word cult my family members get so angry with me. Sorry for the book , just feel ya! Thank you for this vid! I don`t feel so alone in my self work ! and yes God does help me!

Josh,I've watched all your videos. You are a cool, level headed, respectful guy. I can relate to your entire life. If you ever come to Brisbane Australia you are always welcome to come and relax with myself and my family.

Came here first for resume tips. Then got the girlfriend cheated story Then the loosing my family story Now born into a cult WHAT IS HAPPENING??? None of us could have predicted this trajectory 😳

I'm so sorry that this happened to you. We should have more laws to protect our children against cult culture. Live your best life now love.

I am so sorry! Thank you for sharing! I’m a “Christian” -although I’m not into labels, but yikes this is scary that people still treat others like you were treated and this stuff is still out there! You probably handled this camp wayyyyyyy better than I ever would! Ain’t nobody get to play God like that

I was raised Pentecostal and when I couldn't speak in tongues I was told I didn't have enough faith. I can relate to a lot of what you've said so far.

I just wanted to say that this video made me come to a realization. I never knew that I was in a cult and I never realized just how much influence they had over me even after I left. Looking back, the signs were super clear. I don't know what I am going to do with this newfound sight, but I wanted you to know that this video is helping me push past my traumatic childhood and realize just what was really going on. Thank you

This cult “goals” are strangely similar to corporate culture. Now I see why so many people fake fun and do stupid things in corporate cringe activities, they just want to fit in. I clearly see it now, I guess I have received my spiritual gift! Joshua, I guess this is also your spiritual gift: unmask these kind of things!

This actually helped me a lot. I grew up going to church camp too. I also attended pentecostal churches as well as Catholic and baptist church. My parents were divorced and went to different churches and my sister and I both went to a private Catholic academy until high school. I always felt like there was something wrong with me because I was the only one that couldn’t speak in tongues. Everyone I knew could even my best friend. I remember being so jealous when she received her “gift”. I’m now a 38 year old lesbian who lost my faith in college or what I prefer to say which is I woke up to the non-sense. My mother and sister are in the same camp as me but both my sister and I just refuse to discuss religion with our father and step-mother. Anyways thank you so much for this video I haven’t thought about these things in a long time and it brought forth so many memories.

I grew up catholic. They make kids go and confess their sins to a preist. You are told that you are bad but if you confess ur badness and say prayer, you will be forgiven. You can do this multiple times. That fucks you up. It fucked me up. I used to make things up because I thought i had to confess my sins .

as a non-relgious person, not brought up in a religious family, this sounds like the plot of a medieval JRPG

Josh's life is just the plot to an anime

This definitely holds up to the bite model(behavior control, information control, thought control, and environment control)

NOO I LOST IT AT THE VIDEO OF PEOPLE JUST FALLING DOWN OMG

I'm from Nigeria, and it seems pentecostal rituals are sooooo consistent all over the world. This cracked me up. I always wondered how people around me were chanting, and I couldn't get hold of the spirit. I know you're not making this up for sure. Too familiar. None of it made sense to me. I remember everyone falling under the spirit, people screaming at the top of their voices and crying. Felt really weird being the only one standing, but I never fell.

This sounded less religious and more like child abuse.

Fortunately I was never sent to a camp, but I too was raised in the Pentecostal church and I’m still trying to heal from it every single day. This is an accurate depiction.

I was part of one of these type churches in my adolescence and I was actually instructed to marry an abusive person. Yep that sucked!

I'm catholic and im not offended man, just so you know..my heart goes out to you with everything you've gone through. I can tell youre a good dude & i can only hope things go better for you. you cant choose your family...and best of luck for you brother. keep your head up!

As a former pentecostal myself. This is giving me such flashbacks. Not the good kind.

Man...when you're talking about trying to find out the sin you committed...too relatable. I didn't grow up Pentecostal, but I felt like there was a lot of condemnation. I felt guilty almost always even if I wasn't sure what I did wrong or I felt guilty about something that happened ages ago.

I love how this is in my recommendations the day after I went to my family’s church’s mother day banquet where they, once again, tried to convince everyone “the rapture is upon us right now and if you don’t do xyandz and donate all your money to the church TODAY you will get left behind and die” and just pulling out any and every fear tactics possible. The faithful are FAITHful of their god not fearful of their god. You cannot truly love and trust someone you also fear will bring you harm for not being “good enough” I’m not liking this new age “don’t read the Bible just trust what I’m saying as 100% truth” Christianity happening

“I’m pretty relaxed, they don’t seem that relaxed” that killed me 😂

The first red flag here is there was no talk about a relationship with Jesus and God. It was all about “spiritual gifts” which shouldn’t be the first thing they teach. The second red flag is when you were made to recall your sins which Jesus already paid for and isn’t necessary to remember them. I’ve been through some church crap too. Thanks for making this video, keep it up man!

Thats so terrible. Glad you made it through. Its kind of mind-boggling that anyone would send their own child there

A lot of this hit home with me. I was raised in a hard right evangelical type church. I also got kicked out of Sunday school for asking to many questions. I was not even trying to be an issue it just did not make sense to me, turns out I was right but I was only 10 at the time so I did not have the confidence to know that. Well the pastors wife who was teaching the class got mad because she could not answer my really astute questions so took me out of the class gave me a lecture and told my parents. I did not really get in too much trouble from my parents because my mom did not really like the pastors wife. But that memory still sticks with me because it shows that I started to figure it out at an young age. Also the bit about not 'feeling' it, I never faked it, I did not feel anything and that made me start to wonder what was up with this whole religion thing. Great video, I think this will resonate with more people than you think, thanks for sharing.

I grew up Pentecostal and this is spot on. And I wouldn’t wish this on anyone.

Child abuse. That's child abuse.

Thank you for sharing your story. I wasn't raised like this, but as a new parent, I decided to choose a private preschool and then school for my children, which was affiliated with a church that sounds a lot like what you are describing. We did this with the best of intentions for our kids and later learned it was a huge mistake. I remember driving my son home from school one day and for weeks every day he would tell me EVERYTHING possible about all the things he did wrong. Some of it was such silly little ridiculous things like he forgot to throw away some garbage or something else that was super insignificant. I was admittedly irritated after day 30 of all his daily confessions and I told him these things weren't a big deal and he didn't have to tell me all of these little things. He said, "but if I don't tell you all my sins, I won't be allowed in heaven". I was like, WHAT???!!! At the time, I thought he just misunderstood what was taught... He was in first grade. I now look back and think, "wow! I should've asked him more questions". We really had no idea. He later went through years of counseling to heal from the years we had him in this "good Christian School". I am sorry, you had to go through this.

I am so sorry this happened to you. I had no idea what it was like. I have heard of stories but no experience. I nearly got sucked in a couple of times but managed to avoid such things. You sound like a really nice young man. I hope your life is full of the love and companionship of healthy people.

I hate when parents drag their kids into this brainwashing.

Ohhh this hits home and is honestly a bit... ***triggering*** . I grew up in an ultra religious home, dad was, and is, a pastor. I was asked to speak in tongues, I couldn’t and basically got the same treatment as you, I got grounded for a month when I was 12. I remember being made to attend a revival with my parents, they made me “lay hands” on people to pray for them. I remember being so stressed out before this event that I broke down in the middle of the service and started crying uncontrollably. My parents took that as a sign from god that I was Having a spiritual breakthrough, and they took me out for ice cream after. That’s just one memory that I haven’t managed to squash down and repress. I know I have many more stories like this, I just have a really tough time recalling a lot of stuff from my childhood.

Commented yesterday on your "Divorce" video. That you've come so far, attest's to your talents, your intelligence, the strength of your inner psyche. The issue that arises is duplicity or complicity on your part. Psychological mumbo jumbo aside, it all boils down to the capacity to grow & change towards a positive outcome. Some psyche's don't want to work towards a positive end only force the dialogue to fulfill their primal needs, which every human has to have. Other's are blindly optimistic, pulled by their emotions. Nobody responsible is laughing at the picture you are painting. How real it was, we have to depend on your YT presentation.

I can tell this was hard for ya to talk about. So sorry you went through this. 🙏🏻

Very useful Model to tell if you're in a cult The BITE Model I. Behavior Control II. Information Control III. Thought Control IV. Emotional Control Behavior Control 1. Regulate individual’s physical reality 2. Dictate where, how, and with whom the member lives and associates or isolates 3. When, how and with whom the member has sex 4. Control types of clothing and hairstyles 5. Regulate diet - food and drink, hunger and/or fasting 6. Manipulation and deprivation of sleep 7. Financial exploitation, manipulation or dependence 8. Restrict leisure, entertainment, vacation time 9. Major time spent with group indoctrination and rituals and/or self indoctrination including the Internet 10. Permission required for major decisions 11. Thoughts, feelings, and activities (of self and others) reported to superiors 12. Rewards and punishments used to modify behaviors, both positive and negative 13. Discourage individualism, encourage group-think 14. Impose rigid rules and regulations 15. Instill dependency and obedience 16. Threaten harm to family and friends 17. Force individual to rape or be raped 18. Instill dependency and obedience 19. Encourage and engage in corporal punishment Information Control 1. Deception: a. Deliberately withhold information b. Distort information to make it more acceptable c. Systematically lie to the cult member 2. Minimize or discourage access to non-cult sources of information, including: a. Internet, TV, radio, books, articles, newspapers, magazines, other media b.Critical information c. Former members d. Keep members busy so they don’t have time to think and investigate e. Control through cell phone with texting, calls, internet tracking 3. Compartmentalize information into Outsider vs. Insider doctrines a. Ensure that information is not freely accessible b.Control information at different levels and missions within group c. Allow only leadership to decide who needs to know what and when 4. Encourage spying on other members a. Impose a buddy system to monitor and control member b.Report deviant thoughts, feelings and actions to leadership c. Ensure that individual behavior is monitored by group 5. Extensive use of cult-generated information and propaganda, including: a. Newsletters, magazines, journals, audiotapes, videotapes, KZfaq, movies and other media b.Misquoting statements or using them out of context from non-cult sources 6. Unethical use of confession a. Information about sins used to disrupt and/or dissolve identity boundaries b. Withholding forgiveness or absolution c. Manipulation of memory, possible false memories Thought Control 1. Require members to internalize the group’s doctrine as truth a. Adopting the group's ‘map of reality’ as reality b. Instill black and white thinking c. Decide between good vs. evil d. Organize people into us vs. them (insiders vs. outsiders) 2.Change person’s name and identity 3. Use of loaded language and clichés which constrict knowledge, stop critical thoughts and reduce complexities into platitudinous buzz words 4. Encourage only ‘good and proper’ thoughts 5. Hypnotic techniques are used to alter mental states, undermine critical thinking and even to age regress the member 6. Memories are manipulated and false memories are created 7. Teaching thought-stopping techniques which shut down reality testing by stopping negative thoughts and allowing only positive thoughts, including: a. Denial, rationalization, justification, wishful thinking b. Chanting c. Meditating d. Praying e. Speaking in tongues f. Singing or humming 8. Rejection of rational analysis, critical thinking, constructive criticism 9. Forbid critical questions about leader, doctrine, or policy allowed 10. Labeling alternative belief systems as illegitimate, evil, or not useful Emotional Control 1. Manipulate and narrow the range of feelings - some emotions and/or needs are deemed as evil, wrong or selfish 2. Teach emotion-stopping techniques to block feelings of homesickness, anger, doubt 3. Make the person feel that problems are always their own fault, never the leader’s or the group’s fault 4. Promote feelings of guilt or unworthiness, such as a. Identity guilt b. You are not living up to your potential c. Your family is deficient d. Your past is suspect e. Your affiliations are unwise f. Your thoughts, feelings, actions are irrelevant or selfish g. Social guilt h. Historical guilt 5. Instill fear, such as fear of: a. Thinking independently b. The outside world c. Enemies d. Losing one’s salvation e. Leaving or being shunned by the group f. Other’s disapproval 6. Extremes of emotional highs and lows - love bombing and praise one moment and then declaring you are horrible sinner 7. Ritualistic and sometimes public confession of sins 8. Phobia indoctrination: inculcating irrational fears about leaving the group or questioning the leader’s authority a. No happiness or fulfillment possible outside of the group b. Terrible consequences if you leave: hell, demon possession, incurable diseases, accidents, suicide, insanity, 10,000 reincarnations, etc. c. Shunning of those who leave; fear of being rejected by friends, peers, and family d. Never a legitimate reason to leave; those who leave are weak, undisciplined, unspiritual, worldly, brainwashed by family or counselor, or seduced by money, sex, or rock and roll e. Threats of harm to ex-member and family

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You funny as hell josh 😂 from pointing at the camera with those holy spirit gun shots and kamehameha to narrating this entire experience. This is comedy gold.

I am truly sorry that you went through that. Thank you for having the courage to share. i truly appreciate it, I do