For anyone (Christian or not) who has come out of a cult of some kind...?

Question

Prior to your leaving the group, did you at some point have a subjective mystical experience to "confirm" the validity of the cult in your eyes?

How do you view such an experience, now that you are no longer part of the group?

If you are now a Bible - believing Christian, how would you evaluate any such experience in the light of Scripture?

Thanks in advance for all sincere, polite replies.

Blessings.

Answer 1

I was Mormon before becoming a Christian and any feelings I had that I interpreted as validation of the LDS belief was, looking back, all psychosomatic. I was told to expect certain feelings and, of course, I experienced them.

Now, however, as a Christian I don't rely on feelings of any kind. I try to be as objectionable as I can and examine everything in the light of Scripture and God-given reason.

Answer 2

I was raised Catholic. Immediately following my First Communion, I went to my room and before switching on the light, I saw a giant floating head of Jesus in the middle of the room.

Why? I was a little kid who wanted to take all this nonsense seriously, and I was keyed up by the ritual. I have no compunction whatever in ascribing this hallucination to my overactive, inflamed imagination.

I had completely abandoned Christianity by the time I was confirmed, and I've been an atheist ever since. I remained intensely interested in the religious question, though, and I continued studying various traditions. I've practiced the Buddhist and Hindu meditation techniques and obtained some of the lesser "trances" - as an atheist - and I've learned thereby what a true "mystical" experience is. Not that I believe it's something native to Buddhism or Hinduism - the Truth is never to be found in dogma. Any of the religious traditions, though false in themselves, might conceivably lead to the Truth.

And I get thumbed down for relating my own personal experience, as I knew I would. Even though I've essentially admitted the validity of every religious tradition. But that's not good enough for "religious" people - they need that feeling of exclusivity.

Answer 3

I was catholic mixed with other cultural beliefs but I'm plain christian now. Atheism usually happens due disappointment. I understand how disappointing can be other people behavior and also try to find answer to so many questions... However, I learned that it's not for us to understand everything. It's impossible because our mind is limited to completely understand why certain things happen or why other people is the way they are. I think in what I do to make the people around me happy with me and make sure that God is in my heart. I completely understand that I can't please everybody but if what I'm doing is not harming anybody then I'm OK... I think that living a positive life is the most important thing in the Christianity. Once you enjoy your life plenty enough to see it and say "Oh well... I'm doing pretty good" with honestly that is what matters.

Answer 4

I was born and raised Presbyterian. I became an atheist in my mid-teens.
This sounds kind of odd, but when I finally stepped out and away from the church, it felt like finally stepping out of a hurricane or something. When you separate yourself from something like that, you look back on it as if were an entity that was consuming you. And you take a breath...then another...then another...and feel more alive than you ever have before. A weight is lifted from your mind and heart.

I felt like this and I've herd others explain it in a similar way. You look back at the storm you were in and you just can't believe #1) that you bought into it and #2) how happy you are to be free of it.

Answer 5

I just looked up the word 'cult' on dictionary.com...

cult /kʌlt/ Pronunciation Key - Show Spelled Pronunciation[kuhlt] Pronunciation Key - Show IPA Pronunciation
–noun
1. a particular system of religious worship, esp. with reference to its rites and ceremonies.
2. an instance of great veneration of a person, ideal, or thing, esp. as manifested by a body of admirers: the physical fitness cult.
3. the object of such devotion.
4. a group or sect bound together by veneration of the same thing, person, ideal, etc.
5. Sociology. a group having a sacred ideology and a set of rites centering around their sacred symbols.
6. a religion or sect considered to be false, unorthodox, or extremist, with members often living outside of conventional society under the direction of a charismatic leader.
7. the members of such a religion or sect.
8. any system for treating human sickness that originated by a person usually claiming to have sole insight into the nature of disease, and that employs methods regarded as unorthodox or unscientific.
–adjective
9. of or pertaining to a cult.
10. of, for, or attracting a small group of devotees: a cult movie.

[Origin: 1610–20; < L cultus habitation, tilling, refinement, worship, equiv. to cul-, var. s. of colere to inhabit, till, worship + -tus suffix of v. action]

So really by these definitions, all religions are cults. Even the one you belong to (assuming you do belong to a religious group).
I presume though that you're referring to number 6 above. Reading the answers above me, I would say that almost none of those fall into the category of cult as viewed by you, but of course I don't know what's in your mind sir.

Answer 6

You mean grubbing for your money, pushing strange views on you, using repetition and peer pressure within the group to try and brainwash you, butting into your everyday life, making it hard for you to leave, bugging you to come back after you leave. You mean that type of cult?

Well I tried scientology for awhile. Took some of their courses. Didnt really have any problems with any of those things. Never did see any of the "secret" stuff that people here keep telling me about. I met alot who tried it but none that had any problems with it.

But when I married my wife she was baptist. We had all of those problems with them. I cant believe that they want 10% of your earnings just for the church and you get nothing for it. And from the news, Im sure glad I didnt go catholic.

I guess its all either viewpoint, or what you have been told. Whichever you prefer to go by.

Answer 7

Was in a cult.

Personally did not have such an experience in the group, but knew others who claimed to have such experiences.

In evaluating such experiences, one needs to realize Satan can fake quite a number of things. He can supposedly perform "miracles."

.

Answer 8

No, I had a subjective mystical experience that "confirmed" the lack of validity of the cult in my eyes.

Several years ago I had an unusual experience concerning an uncle, a distant relative who lived over a thousand miles away.

While driving my car I suddenly felt the unmistakable presence of this relative that I hardly even knew. He was more like someone I had heard about than someone I knew. It was very strange; it felt as though I was momentarily lifted right out of my physical body. I seemed to be suspended somehow beyond space and time, bathed in a love so intense It felt like I could have just disappear into it at any moment if It would have let me. It only lasted for a few seconds, but it seemed to last forever at the same time. I realize how crazy this must sound. The experience was so strong that at first I was afraid I was loosing my grip on reality. I finally managed to chalk it up to an over active imagination.

Three days later I got a call from my aunt telling me that this uncle we are talking about had gone into a coma and died the day I had the experience. It felt like ice water had been poured down my back when she told me this. I had lost any real ideas of God or faith and had become somewhat of an atheist. Needless to say this experience caused me to rethink some of the conclusions I had come to.

I feel blessed to now understand that even in our darkest confusion something loves us so much that it went out of its way to assist me and bring me back to a state of absolute certainty about Gods love for us.
During the experience it seemed like there was a vast amount of information that I was somehow allowed access to. One thing that I came away from this experience understanding beyond any shadow of a doubt was that any Idea that God is unhappy with us or would judge or allow us to be punished for any reason is simply impossible.

I can’t explain the love I felt with words. They simply don’t make words big enough or complete enough to do this. The only way I can begin to convey this love to you is to say that there was simply nothing else there. Nothing but love. No hint of judgment, no displeasure of any sort. It is as though God sees us as being as perfect as we were the day we were created. It is only in our confused idea of ourselves that we seem to have changed.

I hope this is of some help to you. Good luck. Love and blessings.

Your brother don

Answer 9

Yes I left the Protestant church(mostly fundy born again holy rollers) and led my own path for a long time until God steered me to His TRUE church, The one holy apostolic Catholic Church and never before in the protestant church did I ever feel God or that I truly belonged. Now I know Iam in God's company all the time and Iam at home with God in His true church. God Bless

Answer 10

Yes, I was once a member of a satanic cult. It's a chapter of my life I've decided to close up and rarely talk about.

I won't name names in terms of the cult, either...

I'll just say it was Satanic. And I was freed from my bondage by the blood of the Lamb. Jesus Christ freed me from the cult and turned my eyes towards Him. I am now born again.