Here's something for you to think about and THEN respond to ... no hair-trigger responses, please I'd really like to get a cross-section of well-considered thoughts. We've all heard about the raids on the polygamist compound in Texas. We all know there were evils being perpetrated there. As Christians, is there anything we might be doing (of course praying, that's a given) to help those women and children adjust to lives "outside"? And as Christians, what is our duty in general when we know something like that is going on? Anyone with concrete ideas?
The raid on a polygamist compound in Texas could signal the beginning of the end of a lifestyle that has flown under the radar in America, according to an expert on cults.
The Fundamentalist Church of Latter-day Saints, which operates the compound near Eldorado, Texas, along with other communities around the country -- including Colorado City, Ariz. -- fits the classic criteria of a cult, according to Rick Ross.
He says there are about 50,000 polygamists living in North America and Mexico.
``The level of harm done by polygamist groups is horrific, and, in particular, this group (FLDS) has a long history of very seriously damaging children through sexual abuse, neglect and physical abuse."
These children come from a ``world within our world," completely controlled by the church group. Without television, without newspapers, without all the things that kids grow up with these days. All information, all associations, everything around them controlled by the organization."
These people have to be deprogrammed from a lifestyle they have be reared up in for generations.
leaving a cult: Stage One:Realisation and Exit
This first stage varies in length.Awareness of the insidious nature of the cult and the decision to leave comes slowly for some and quickly for others.
This first stage varies in length.
Stage Two:Comprehension and Emotions
The second phase is full of ups and downs.It has exciting new freedoms and discoveries, and it is also full of rage and pain. It involves coming to terms with being raped, emotionally and spiritually. And for many, it involves coming to terms with being physically raped as well.
The ex-cultist must learn how to trust life again and learning to trust requires learning how to reality test. Because the cult phobias and teachings often touched on many aspects of life, such as family, government, education, religion, relationships, and economics, the ex-cultist often finds it necessary to examine and reality test most, if not all, of the teachings received in the cult for subtle, residual ideas that continue to manipulate the ex-cultist.
In addition, it is in this phase that the individual must learn
In addition, it is in this phase that the individual must learn how to trust themselves again and their ability to make decisions.
Stage Three:Reconstruction and Dreaming
To someone in the middle of the pain of stage two, the idea of having a dream again and building toward it is merely a sad, frustrating, and painful laugh.
So You see this is much more deeply involved first deprogram,then through right help deal with the abuse issues, and then the trusting christians and others along with themselves can take place. There is no easy awnser. I wish christians could just walk up to them and give them the truth in love but first some other issues must take place.
__________________
AND WE SHALL KNOW THE TRUTH, AND THE TRUTH SHALL SET YOU FREE.(JOHN 8:32)
I have talked with a few members of the Mormon church before about some of their doctrines when trying to persuade them about the message of Jesus. It was like talking to brick walls.
These women were raised in their beliefs and do not see what they did as being wrong. Not only are they deceived, but they are deceived by a religious spirit - the worst kind of spirit of all (in my opinion).
I do not think that there will be much of a chance that they get reintroduced into a true Bible believing church. Most likely, they will find some other sect of Mormonism and that will be it.
What can we do? We can try to intervene, but the one that does must not have unreasonable expectations of success. That being said, I would rather try (to intervene) and fail than to never try at all.
Here's something for you to think about and THEN respond to ... no hair-trigger responses, please I'd really like to get a cross-section of well-considered thoughts. We've all heard about the raids on the polygamist compound in Texas. We all know there were evils being perpetrated there. As Christians, is there anything we might be doing (of course praying, that's a given) to help those women and children adjust to lives "outside"? And as Christians, what is our duty in general when we know something like that is going on? Anyone with concrete ideas?
__________________
"I had been eagerly planning to write to you about the salvation we all share. But now I find that I must write about something else, urging you to defend the faith that God has entrusted once for all time to His holy people." Jude 3 Joyce