#Cult of Scientology Network

[msclaritea]

More proof. Pissy is as pissy does. The thread is full of childish insults, the usual tool of high tech trolls. The #NFL and #siliconvalley really fucked up, trying to use A list actor, Benedict Cumberbatch, in their attempts to gaslight the American public. Using Christ, using religion, as a joke and a prop, is the epitome of being anti-Christian.

[mahayanapilgrim]

Cultic Groups, Narcissistic Leaders, and Avoiding the Trap

Wake up sheeple

Cultic groups, often led by charismatic individuals with narcissistic traits, can ensnare vulnerable individuals seeking meaning and belonging. This essay delves into the stages of cult development and offers advice on how to protect oneself from spiritual narcissism and the dangers of cultic influence.

I. The Stages of Cult Development

Cults tend to follow a consistent progression, beginning with the emergence of a charismatic leader:

1. Emergence of a Charismatic Leader:

- Cults start with a charismatic individual who claims special knowledge or a unique mission.

- Leaders often display narcissistic traits, such as superiority and entitlement.

2. Initial Followers:

- The leader attracts a small group of followers who believe in their message and charisma.

- These early followers often become the inner circle of the group, aiding its growth.

3. Marketing the Group:

- Leaders and initial followers market the group as the solution to various problems or sources of suffering.

- They present themselves as the answer to followers' needs and vulnerabilities.

4. Recruitment of Vulnerable Individuals:

- Cults target individuals experiencing suffering or trauma who have heightened emotional needs.

- Vulnerabilities are exploited to draw them into the group's fold.

5. Psychological and Financial Investment:

- Cults encourage members to invest both psychologically and financially in the group.

- This investment deepens their commitment and sense of belonging.

6. Suppression of Dissent:

- To maintain control, cults employ tactics to silence doubters and critics.

- Examples include "Fair Game" policy in Scientology, aimed at discrediting and intimidating dissenters.

II. Avoiding Spiritual Narcissism and Cultic Groups: Key Points and Advice

Understanding the stages of cult development is crucial, but it's equally important to know how to protect yourself from falling into the trap of spiritual narcissism. Here are key points and advice:

1. Critical Thinking:

- Maintain a critical and discerning mindset when evaluating leaders and organizations.

- Question claims, especially if they promise unrealistic solutions or demand blind loyalty.

2. Seek Independent Information:

- Look for information from diverse sources, including former members and objective observers.

- Gain a balanced perspective on the group or leader before committing.

3. Emotional Self-Awareness:

- Cultivate emotional self-awareness and resilience.

- Understand your vulnerabilities and emotional needs, and be cautious of those who exploit them.

4. Healthy Boundaries:

- Maintain healthy personal boundaries and resist pressure to conform to the group's demands.

- Protect your autonomy and well-being.

5. Community and Support:

- Stay connected to a support network outside of the group.

- Isolation is often a tactic used by cults to control members; maintain outside relationships.

6. Education:

- Educate yourself about manipulative tactics and the psychology of cults.

- Awareness is a powerful tool against manipulation; knowledge is your armor.

7. Exit Strategy:

- If you suspect you're involved in a cultic group, develop a safe exit strategy.

- Seek assistance from professionals or support groups that specialize in cult recovery.

Conclusion:

Not all spiritual or religious groups are harmful, and many provide positive and meaningful experiences. However, understanding the progression of cult development and adopting a vigilant, discerning approach can help individuals avoid the pitfalls of spiritual narcissism and harmful cults. By following the advice presented in this essay, one can navigate the complex landscape of belief systems while safeguarding their well-being and autonomy.

[r1ddly]

Why did you make the riddler a Christian?

I HAVE HAD THIS IN MY INBOX FOR AWHILE IM SO SORRY FOR NOT ANSWERING JDBDHDGSH

So that's a valid question! Why Is my riddler a Christian/morman? Well he's not, he's a cult leader.

So basically, my au has a LOT of changes to the characters, some more obvious than others! A great example is my poison ivy (who I'll make an in-depth analysis on another day). Who's a fungus monster. It just so happens that my riddler is a cult leader! I don't want to go too in depth on his backstory as I wanna draw those in comics or write it in a separate post but I'll talk about his cult and some parts of it and how it works, but first a little bit of contest for certain things and relationships he has with characters.

So in my au, there's a hierarchy of power in Gotham. It's a bit complicated, but riddlers cult, called Quandarism, is at the top of this hypothetical triangle of Gotham hierarchy. One could compare it to scientology or Alamo Christian Ministries as the cult of Quandarism is highly tied to the upper class, media, and companies in Gotham. Having his own networks on television and the internet riddler and his upper subordinates have control over a lot of things, almost all of the rich is apart of Quandarism because of that controll, the Wayne's are fortunately not apart of it but since many are they're ridiculed by other companies and such and are left out often from specific charities that riddler runs. (The people in Gotham, though, are thankful and happy the Wayne's aren't a part of it).

Certain rogues are actually apart of Quandarism, prominent figures would be penguin, two face, and music meister; music meister actually being head of the music for Quandarism and is riddlers main choir boy, penguin is smart enough to see the bullshit of the cult and hates being apart of it but is forced to by Falcone (their relationship is complicated but will be explained in a penguin centered post.) Two Face is only really apart of it for penguin (they have an odd mutual friendship/rival dynamic). Certain others affiliate themselves to Quandarism but aren't apart of it, scarecrow being a big one- only showing up at specific moments but isn't apart of it and had no interest or belief in it (scarecrow will also get his own centered post).

But what does this say for riddler? Does he believe what he preaches? NO! Of course he doesn't he's literally pulling shit out of his ass most of the time! And some people know he's bullshitting like batman and penguin! But they can't do anything about it because the cult keeps growing and growing. Riddler prays on the gullible and insecure people who are confused with what their doing with their life, people who's lost control, and people who are lonely. He craves for the attention, the worship, and the love that people have that he hasn't gotten in years. He makes people pay for their memberships, pay for 'God's' love, and pay for his love and forgiveness. He's easily reaching up to be one of the richest men in Gotham because of it.

Of course, my riddler is more complicated then that, one of these days I'll make a proper character centered one for him where it goes more in-depth in his backstory, his character, relationships and goals- hopefully I make that post soon.

So welcome! To what I call the eddieverse! Or also the eddieAU, your pick! From now on, when it comes to my au, I'll tag it so I can keep track of what I post about them here, LMAO

Hope that answered your question HSVDHSVS

[whatisonthemoon]

Dan Fefferman attends an anti-cult conference

Stranger in an Even Stranger Land: Report on an Anti-Cult Conference

Dan Fefferman April, 2000 Washington, DC

In my capacity as director of the International Coalition for Religious Freedom, I decided to attend the annual conference of the Leo J. Ryan Foundation in Stamford Connecticut. Headquartered in Bridgeport, the LJRF makes no bones about its ties to the now-defunct Cult Awareness Network, which was put out of business by a lawsuit that tied it to an illegal deprogramming conspiracy. LJRF even bills itself as the renewed "Cult Awareness Community." Its current president is Priscilla Cole, who formerly ran the Cult Awareness Network, and several other CAN stalwarts can be found on its rolls.

Of course, it’s no coincidence that the group—named for the Congressman who was gunned down in the Jonestown massacre in 1978—has its headquarters in the town where the Unification Church is well known for its role in bailing out the financially troubled University of Bridgeport. LJRF’s executive director is Julia Bronder, an embittered former UB employee and UC critic.

Human Rights, but for Whom?

The title of the LJRF conference was "Human Rights and the New Millennium." This too may be no coincidence. Our own International Coalition for Religious Freedom (ICRF) sponsored a series of international conferences in 1988 entitled, "Religious Freedom and the New Millennium." Indeed a common thread running through the LJRF presentations was that "freedom of thought" is an even more fundamental human right than freedom of speech or religion. And since cultists can’t—by definition—have freedom of thought… Well, more on that later.

I have to admit that the conference was well run and well conceived to support its organizers’ purposes. I did feel a little out of place at times, especially with people who assumed I was an anti-cultist like themselves. One former UC member was so happy to see me, until I informed her that I was "still in." Another guy angrily accused me of being a private investigator hired by Scientology to harass participants and spy on them. Talk about bad vibes! But the majority of the organizers and participants I met were courteous, if cool, once they learned who I was. Below are some highlights. While many other groups other than the UC were dealt with, I’ve concentrated on what relates specifically to our work.

Accolades from the Adversary

Not to brag, but several speakers made reference to ICRF. They mentioned our four conferences and the cities in which they were held—Washington, Tokyo, Berlin, and Sao Paulo. They grudgingly praised our web site (www.religiousfreedom.com), and the "impressive array" of speakers whose papers we have posted there. A featured luncheon speaker, Prof. Stephen Kent of the University of Calgary, used the ICRF as a primary example of the way in which American new religious movements (NRM’s) are able to influence the American government and academic community. He admitted that ICRF has become an influential participant in the international human rights debate. Another speaker bemoaned the fact that ICRF had been able to get current and former congressmen, government officials, leading academics, and prestigious human rights leaders to join with us.

A special breakout session was devoted to the Maryland Task Force on Cult Activities which we’ve reported on previously in Unification News. The panelists—anti-cultists Ron Loomis, Denny Gulick, and Franz Wilson—declared the Task Force’s Final Report as a victory for their side. These men and other anti-cult activists on the Task Force were later given a special award for their efforts to create and influence the Task Force. The speakers acknowledged ICRF’s opposition to the Task Force, but naturally downplayed our effectiveness in blocking the anti-cultists’ aims. For example, they did not mention the fact that the state’s official task force on "Cult Activities" decided not even to use the word "cult" in its final report. Nor did they mention that one of its members, panelist Franz Wilson, interrupted UC member Alex Colvin’s testimony during a formal task force meeting and threatened him with violence.

Panelist Ron Loomis of the American Family Foundation avowed that the panel’s "agenda" was that "you should go back and attempt a similar effort in your state." But he warned about getting too much press in the beginning. "The best way to do it is locally," said Loomis, because national campaigns attract too much attention from NRMs and civil liberties groups. "Politicians are chicken," he complained. (In Maryland the legislation creating the Task Force was pushed through with almost no opposition voices raised, because our side did not find out about it until it had already passed the lower house and was on a fast track to pass the Maryland Senate. Four previous efforts by anti-cultists to pass similar legislation had failed when both sides were heard.)

Washington Times Targeted

The Washington Times and the WT Foundation were also major targets of LJRF speakers. One session was devoted exclusively to "Following the Money Trail in the Moon Movement." Led by Rev. Fred Miller, the session complained about the continued success of the Washington Times and its influence in conservative political circles. Miller seemed particularly upset by the success of the WTF’s American Century Awards. He named several high level political leaders who honored True Father Moon on that occasion. Miller was visibly disappointed by Jerry Falwell’s presence.

Another focus was George W. Bush. Several speakers mentioned him, believing that Rev. Moon must be a major financial supporter of Gov. Bush, if not directly then through his father. They are hoping to find evidence that UC money is ending up in Bush’s campaign treasury. They also bemoaned the fact that New Yorker seems to be a highly successful financial enterprise and that it has become a Ramada franchisee. Miller even reported on a meeting between himself and Ramada officials in which he sought unsuccessfully to influence them to end the relationship.

The anti-cult movement had been seriously discredited in the 1980s because of its association with deprogramming. It lost several major court cases, and also lost credibility among its mainstream funding sources. Now, however, it appears to have found a new "Sugar Daddy." Bob Minton is a reputed multimillionaire whose primary hobby in life is fighting against "cults." His main passion is attacking Scientology. However, he is also rumored to be a major funding source for the LJRF. Minton was a keynote speaker at this year’s conference, although he seems to have few credentials other than the green kind. He publicly announced that he had purchased 2,000 copies of former deprogrammer (now exit counselor) Steve Hassan’s new book, "Breaking the Bonds," which retails for 24.95. If you do the math, that’s a nice little contribution, and it doesn’t count any other donations to Steve’s new "Freedom of Mind Foundation" non-profit group.

No Hassle with Hassan

Speaking of Steve Hassan, I had several conversations with Steve during the conference. I’ve also been corresponding with him through e-mail. Notice the distinction I made in the above paragraph between "deprogramming" and "exit counseling?" Steve is adamant about making this distinction because deprogramming involves force and exit counseling does not. I think he has a point. I asked if he would be willing to put his opposition to forced deprogramming in writing to the Japanese Christian churches who—sometimes using his earlier books on "mind control" as their justification—are reportedly involved in forced kidnapping of hundreds our UC members. He agreed to do so. The letter says, in part:

"[An anti-cultist minister in Japan] told me this morning that sometimes, albeit infrequently, a family might hold their adult child against his/her will, and then a minister might be invited to speak with them. In my opinion, no minister should get involved in something like this as a matter of policy--even if the cult member requests a meeting in writing…

"I want this letter to stand as a public record that I think that any approach to help cult members should be one of love, compassion, and positive communication, not force. Otherwise, kidnapping or involuntary detention will invariably be traumatic… In fact, there was always another way that would have been less traumatic."

In return for his writing the above-mentioned letter, Steve asked me to clarify to the world community of Unificationists that he is not involved in holding people against their will. I think Steve is sincere in this, although he is certainly wrong in many of the things he says about the UC, Rev. Moon, "mind control," and NRM’s in general. Steve is a former deprogrammer, not a current one. What he does now is called "exit counseling," or in his current parlance "strategic interaction" to "break the bonds of mind control."

Now some of you will ask, "But isn’t what Steve does still really faith-breaking based on religious intolerance?" And I’d have to say yes. He gets paid by people who disapprove of other people’s religion (usually family members) to talk them out of it. And he also writes books and speaks out wherever he can trying to convince people of the need for the service he provides. But technically speaking it shouldn’t be called deprogramming unless force is involved. I’m hoping that since Steve wants UC members to avoid speaking in the present tense about things he did in the past (namely deprogramming), he’ll do the same and stop speaking about things we did in the past as if they were going on today. Watch this space.

Perhaps the most disturbing presentation of the LJRF conference was made by Jim Seigelman and Flo Conway, authors of the book "Snapping," which was instrumental in forming the anti-cult movement’s ideological basis in the late 1970s. Their presentation was entitled "Church vs. State," and it called for a new interpretation of the First Amendment that recognizes "freedom of thought" as the most basic human right, even more basic than freedom of speech or freedom of religion. (Another featured speaker, Stephen Kent of the University of Calgary eerily entitled his presentation "Human Rights vs. Religious Freedom.") Keep in mind that Conway and Seigleman and their cohorts, including exit counselor Steve Hassan, clearly argue that members of the minority religions they call "cults" do NOT have freedom of thought, because the cults have robbed them of it.

Seigelman actually called religion "the Achilles heel of American democracy." And Conway stated that "freedom of thought must be added to the first amendment." The both supported what they call a "judicial initiative" that will establish a "right to freedom of thought" in the same way that a "right to privacy" or a "right to have an abortion" has been established.

But if you unpack the Owellian newspeak, this type of "freedom of thought" simply stands the First Amendment on its head. Instead of "Congress shall make no law respecting an establishment of religion or abridging the free exercise thereof," Conway and Seigleman appear to say that "The Courts shall interpret the law so that anyone who joins an unpopular religion shall be declared incapable of exercising freedom of thought." The legal and political implications of such a doctrine are staggering.

At its closing banquet, the LJRF gave Conway and Seigelman its highest honor, the Leo J. Ryan Award. The first person they thanked and credited as a pioneer in "this work" was not other than the father of deprogramming himself, Ted Patrick.

[warningsine]

Τhe Duggar Family, best known for a series of reality TV shows based around their lives, are at the center of Amazon Prime’s latest docuseries, Shiny Happy People: Duggar Family Secrets, out June 2. The series digs into the headline-making scandals that have surrounded the family and the cult-like religious group they promoted, the Institute in Basic Life Principles (IBLP).

The Duggars’ most notable show was TLC’s 19 Kids and Counting, which followed the daily lives of married couple Jim Bob and Michelle Duggar and their 19 children for ten seasons between 2008 and 2015. The series presented a seemingly cohesive family unit, but Shiny Happy People, which includes testimonies from daughter Jill (Duggar) Dillard, her husband Derick Dillard, niece Amy (Duggar) King, as well as several former IBLP members, reveals that the family and larger religious group was dealing with allegations of sex abuse, child abuse and financial mistreatment.

“They believe that they’re populating the army that will help us,” says Tia Levings, a former congregant of the IBLP interviewed in the series. “The Duggars’ TV show was the engine for letting this thrive. The shiny happy images is the sugar and we’re all high on it.”

Here are the major takeaways from the docuseries.

Behind the scenes of 19 Kids and Counting

Jim Bob Duggar’s reality stardom stemmed from his political career. In 2002, after four years serving as Republican Arkansas state representative, he ran for a seat in the U.S. Senate. Though he didn’t win, he did grab the attention of Discovery Network, whose executives took notice of media images of his large family attending campaign events.

“Jim Bob and his family are at the right place at the right time,” says Kristin Kobes DuMez, a professor of history and gender studies at Michigan’s Calvin University, in the documentary. “Jim Bob is presented with a new opportunity which will give him the power to present his values to the entire country and an opportunity to make a lot of money.”

The television network, which included channels like TLC, started programming with the Duggars in 2004, eventually releasing 14 Children and Pregnant Again!, 17 Kids and Counting, and 19 Kids and Counting. The shows were all hits, with millions of viewers tuning in to see how the large family managed to do everyday tasks like laundry, chores, grocery shopping, and commuting while somehow appearing organized and peaceful.

The show was a boon for the network. “Reality TV can take a network that is not exactly a juggernaut in terms of performances and really give it new life,” says Danielle Lindemann, author of True Story: What Reality TV Says about Us, in the documentary. The Duggars’ shows, she explains, gave the network a new life, with inexpensive production yielding high viewership and return.

The Institute of Basic Life Principles and its founder, Bill Gothard

The Duggars followed the teachings of IBLP, a Christian organization that has been described by former members as cult-like. IBLP has shared estimates that over 2 million people have attended their seminars. While its founder was fundamentalist Bill Gothard, it would be The Duggars who became their most notable congregants. “For scientology, the gateway for most people was Tom Cruise. In a lot of ways that’s exactly what the Duggars were for Bill Gothard,” says pastor and journalist Josh Pease in the documentary.

The organization, which Gothard founded in 1961, was strict in its teachings and consistently reinforced gender norms. Rules included wearing modest clothing like “pantaloons,” homeschooling children with Gothard’s “Advanced Training Institute” curriculum, disciplining children with spanking, and as The Duggars’ embodied, having as many children as possible. It also forbade watching television, somewhat ironic given the Duggars’ eventual livelihood. Gothard often referenced a bible verse from Psalm 127:5: “Happy is the man that hath his quiver full of them.” As the documentary points out, Gothard himself, in another ironic twist, had no wife, nor children.

The documentary underlines the ways in which several of the congregants felt undereducated, abused, and mistreated from IBLP teachings. “It’s patriarchal, it’s authoritarian, women don’t have rights, children break,” says former member Levings of the group. “That’s the society that they’re building.”

In 2014, Gothard would step down from his position due to several sexual harassment allegations from former female congregants. “It almost feels like whatever was repressed inside of Gothard was spilling out into him testing boundaries on how far he could go with someone before they’d freak out,” says Pease.

Gothard declined to comment for the series and has previously denied the allegations made against him.

Daughter Jill Duggar on Abuse From Brother Josh Duggar

As the eldest child of the bunch, Josh Duggar became a public figure apart from his family. He got married, had seven children, and became involved in politics, working for a conservative lobbying group.

In 2015, In Touch Magazine published a story based on a decade-old police report that stated that Josh had forcibly touched at least five girls including his sisters Jill and Jessa Duggar. The sisters sat for an interview with then Fox-anchor Megyn Kelly to discuss the incident, where they primarily came to their brother’s defense. “In our case it’s very mild compared to what happens to some,” Jill Duggar said on Kelly’s program. In 2003, over a decade before the police report was made public, Josh Duggar privately admitted to the allegations to his parents and was sent to a Christian program for disciplining. Duggar was never charged with any crimes stemming from those allegations.

Eight years after the Kelly interview, Jill Duggar sets the record straight in the documentary: “In hindsight I wouldn’t have done the Megyn Kelly stuff. I felt like I was in a place of like burying the burden and the weight,” she said in the documentary. “Even though you volunteer you feel obligated to help.” Her husband Derick Dillard rebuts, “It was not voluntary,” explaining that Jill had felt that the continuation of the show rested on her and her sister’s shoulders.

19 Kids and Counting was canceled following the scandal, but TLC carried on with multiple spin-offs with a focus on the young women, including Jill and Jessa Counting On and Jill’s Wedding, which at the time was the highest-rated show in TLC history. Jill reveals in the doc that neither she nor any of her siblings received any compensation for appearing in these shows. Jim Bob Duggar reportedly got paid millions, according to the documentary. “Yes, we were taken advantage of,” says Jill . “For seven and half years of my adult life I never got paid.”

In May 2021, Josh Duggar was convicted on child pornography charges. He is currently serving 12 years in federal prison in Texas.

The Future of the Duggars, IBLP, and the Joshua Generation

Amid the federal child porn investigation into his son, Jim Bob Duggar ran for State Senate in Arkansas and lost. Although IBLP founder Gothard has stepped down, Jim Bob Duggar has continued to lead the group. He remains married to his wife. They sent a brief statement via their representative to the filmmakers stating they “love each of their children tremendously and always desire each live their god-designed lives to the fullest.”

The enrollment option for IBLP’s homeschooling program “Advanced Training Institute” concluded in 2021, although booklets for the teachings are still available online.

Alex Harris, a lawyer who grew up in the Christian homeschooling movement and had IBLP peers, says the teachings of Gothard and the IBLP have led to the newer iteration of the Joshua Generation, a political Christian youth group that emulates its fundamentalist teachings. “The whole purpose was really to position the best and the brightest of the Christian homeschool movement to assume positions of power and influence in the government and the law,” he says in the documentary. Former Congressman Madison Cawthorn, who served one term representing North Carolina, has been linked to the group.

With the emergence of social media and content creation platforms like YouTube and TikTok that don’t require an intermediary or network like TLC, Duggar family members like Jill Duggar and former members of the fundamentalist movement are increasingly choosing to share their stories online.

“We had this power the entire time over the people who were hurting us,” says ex-IBLP member Chad Harris. “It turns out as much as they try to control us we were ultimately what they most feared and all we had to do was talk.”

[brightgnosis]

Man, finding out that the Cult Awareness Network (who helped hundreds, if not thousands, of people become aware of, leave, and decondition from Cults from the 70's through 90's) was not only intentionally bankrupted by, but was then purchased by Scientology after they bankrupted them, just makes my skin crawl.

As a side note, the history of Cryogenics and its attachment to a (still existing !!!) Cult called The Immortals is absolutely insane.

[howwelldoyouknowyourmoon]

Podcast: Episode of “It's Not Just In Your Head” Featuring a 2nd Generation Survivor of the UC

It’s Not Just In Your Head: Two mental health professionals explore how our capitalist economic system impacts our emotional lives. From precarious housing and employment, to unaffordable healthcare, to endless debt – it's not just in your head!

Episode link: https://anchor.fm/itsnotjustinyourhead/episodes/103-Life-after-a-Cult-ft--Alisa-Mahjoub-e1n88qm

Born into the Unification Church (aka The Moonies), Alisa talks with Psychotherapist Harriet Fraad and Substance Abuse Councillor Ikoi Hiroe, about their experiences living in the cult, how they got out, and their reflections on how they have navigated life since.

Part 2 of this conversation is a patron only episode. Become a patron at patreon.com/itsnotjustinyourhead to gain early access  to episodes, our discord server, and monthly reading/discussion groups.

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

Notes:

The current name of the Moon org is the Family Federation for World Peace and Unification. The Universal Peace Federation and CARP are two other front groups.

“Deprogramming” of UC and other cult members mainly happened mid 1970s-mid 1980s. Since that time, NO professionals advocate kidnapping or confinement. The UC of Japan has claimed that over 4,000 members have been dragged of the street and confined. The evidence for this scale of abuse does not exist. It was an orchestrated UC PR stunt (by Dan Fefferman and others) to deflect attention from the criminal “spiritual sales” that the Japanese branch of the cult was doing. There have been a few cases of members being confined by desperate relatives in some countries where the UC is active.

CAN, the Cult Awareness Network, was a genuine organization in the US. It was made bankrupt by a Scientology member, Kendrick Moxon, who had filed 50 lawsuits against CAN. "In November 1996, the CAN name, logo and telephone number were bought in Bankruptcy Court by another Scientologist attorney, Steven Hayes.” LINK

Two excellent organizations that have helped thousands of victims of coercive control are Info-secte/Info-cult in Montreal, and ICSA (International Cultic Studies Association) in the US. Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCS_hc5LO1HtMvoa8kRcLcig

There is an association of 300 lawyers who have been working against the UC/FFWPU in Japan for around 40 years. A transcript of a recent press conference is here: How Sun Myung Moon bought protection in Japan

–––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––––

References:

Alisa's Twitter: https://twitter.com/alisa_mahjoub Deprogramming Imperialism on Social Media: https://www.instagram.com/deprogrammingimperialism/ https://twitter.com/no_more_cults

Gifts of Deceit: Sun Myung Moon, Tongsun Park, and the Korean Scandal:

https://tragedyofthesixmarys.com/gifts-of-deceit-robert-boettcher/

https://www.goodreads.com/book/show/958117.Gifts_of_Deceit

What is Dialectical Behavior Therapy?: https://positivepsychology.com/dbt-dialectical-behavior-therapy/

QAnon, conspiracy theories and social media warfare: An ethical and anticipatory ethical analysis: https://ieeexplore.ieee.org/document/9629154

Robert Parry’s reporting on Consortium News: https://consortiumnews.com/tag/robert-parry/

Bad Moon Rising: How Reverend Moon Created the Washington Times, Seduced the Religious Right and Built an American Kingdom:  https://www.gorenfeld.net/badmoonrising/ (free full book)

Nansook Hong – In The Shadow Of The Moons

[papirouge]

What’s your take on those pentecostal evangelical mega churches? I’ve noticed celebrities like to go to them like Justin Bieber.

Are those churches just a front like pizza gate? If you sold your soul and are trying to go to church to repent for it, why a mega church?

I've always said you were spiritually safer praying at home. I'm not against churches per se, but time and time again I observe how damaging they can be. If it's not spiritual or sexual abuse, then that's money smuggling, ecumenism or straight up apostasy. Nah... I'll stay home chilling with the Holy Spirit.

That being said, I totally believe God can use unperfect churches to save sinners. There are plentiful of testimonies of Christians who went through Mormonism or scientology before turning to authentic relationship with Jesus. Sometimes it's atheist becoming Buddhist or Muslim and eventually becoming Christian. Starting to believing in a god will always get you closer to THE God, than not believing in any.

And the front of pizza gate was a pizza restaurant and Washington democrats socialites networks. Most of sexual abuses cases happen within secular spaces but obviously media focus on the church system to dunk on Christianism. It's well documented that the Vatican hosts black masses invoking demons and sacrificing children though (lookup up the testimony of -former satanic cult worshipper- whistleblower Svali)

Child abuse/sacrifice can have many shapes of form. Isaac Kappy talked about Seth Green and his wife inviting him to their home to enjoy "chicken" (which is a code word for children) in a weird pushy persuasive fashion. I have absolutely no proof for this but the whole adult swim channel (that Green has a show on (Robot chicken)) gives me the creep. Their shows have so many creepy subliminals and straight up creepy perverted childish symbolism ; I wouldn't be surprised it was a front for a whole child abuse network.

Right now there's a whole scandal exploding about the FFF/FIFA (soccer organization). Maybe USAmericans are obvious to it but soccer is HUGE in Europe and there's a multiBILLION industry behind it. Young boys comes from very poor country in Europe for training hoping to get hired by the best European clubs (aka the best in the world). But a french whistleblower called Romain Molina exposed how there was a whole child abuse network behind that. Trainers blackmailing trainees to give them blow job or masturbate in front of them (mind you, these boys are like 12-16 years old TOP). They also drag them into having sex with escorts ... Oh and the same happened with girls team ; their female trainer was forcing them to have sexual relationship with her to be selected in the national team.... This is a whole cesspool of predators who are protecting each other. The msm are pretty silent about it, bc soccer is a giganormous industry and they don't want to ruin they cashcow - especially since the worldcup is coming soon.

Anyway I wish all of these demons to be burn in a stadium sized torch fire.

[thecultproblem]

Bibliography

Destigmatizing Cults 

Goodwin, Megan. “Raising the Jonestown Dead: Misogynoir, Minority Religions, and How we Misremember People’s Temple.” Raising the Jonestown Dead, 2 Nov. 2022, University of Vermont. Lecture.

Smith, Jonathan Z. “The Devil in Mr. Jones.” Imagining Religion: From Babylon to Jonestown, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Ill, 2013, pp. 102–121.

Heavens Gate

Lewis, J. R. (2003). Heaven’s Gate and New Age Ideology. UFO religions, 103.

Robinson, W. G. (1997). Heaven's Gate: The End. Journal of Computer-Mediated Communication, 3(3), JCMC334.Scientology

Scientology

davidmiscavige.com. “David Miscavige .” David Miscavige, https://www.davidmiscavige.org/.

Gilgoff, Dan, and Tricia Escobedo. “Scientology: What Exactly Is It?” CNN, Cable News Network, 19 Apr. 2017, https://www.cnn.com/2017/03/22/us/believer-what-is-scientology/index.html.

Hazlett, Courtney. “Scientologists Clear up Travolta Misconceptions.” TODAY.com, TODAY, 6 Jan. 2009, https://www.today.com/popculture/scientologists-clear-travolta-misconceptions-wbna28511424.

History.com Editors. “L. Ron Hubbard Publishes ‘Dianetics.’” History, A&E Television Networks, 24 Nov. 2009, https://www.history.com/this-day-in-history/l-ron-hubbard-publishes-dianetics. 

History.com Editors. “Scientology-History.” History.com, A&E Television Networks, May 2017, https://www.history.com/topics/religion/history-of-scientology. 

Official Church of Scientology, Scientology, 1AD, https://www.scientology.org/.

“Scientology Beliefs.” Scientology Beliefs,         https://www.scientologynews.org/faq/scientology-beliefs.html. 

Vinaire. “The Statement of Theta-Mest Theory.” Vinaire, 30 July 2022, https://vinaire.me/2022/03/29/the-definition-of-theta-mest-theory/. 

Wright, Lawrence. “What Happens When You Try to Leave the Church of Scientology?” The Guardian, Guardian News and Media, 22 Apr. 2011, https://www.theguardian.com/world/2011/apr/23/try-to-leave-church-scientology-lawrence-wright.

MOVE

Evans, Richard Kent. MOVE: An American Religion. Oxford University Press, 2020.

Goodwin, Megan. “Raising the Jonestown Dead: Misogynoir, Minority Religions, and How we Misremember People’s Temple.” Raising the Jonestown Dead, 2 Nov. 2022, University of Vermont. Lecture.

Harry, Margot. “‘Attention MOVE! This Is America!".” Race & Class, vol. 28, no. 4, 1987, pp. 5–28. 

Jackson, Reggie. “A Racial Tragedy in Philadelphia: Part 1 - the MOVE 9 versus American Jurisprudence.” The Milwaukee Independent, 30 May 2021, http://www.milwaukeeindependent.com/column/racial-tragedy-philadelphia-part-1-move-9-versus-american-jurisprudence/. 

Puckett, John L., and Devin DeSilvis. “MOVE in Powelton Village.” West Philadelphia Collaborative History - MOVE in Powelton Village, https://collaborativehistory.gse.upenn.edu/stories/move-powelton-village#:~:text=In%20August%201978%2C%20after%20almost,sentences%20of%20nine%20MOVE%20members

Roane, J.T. “Perspective | The Shocking MOVE Bombing Was Part of a Broader Pattern of Anti-Black Racism.” The Washington Post, 13 May 2021, https://www.washingtonpost.com/outlook/2021/05/13/shocking-move-bombing-was-part-broader-pattern-anti-black-racism/. 

Smith, Jonathan Z. “The Devil in Mr. Jones.” Imagining Religion: From Babylon to Jonestown, The University of Chicago Press, Chicago, Ill, 2013, pp. 102–121.

Terry, Don. “Philadelphia Held Liable For Firebomb Fatal to 11.” New York Times, 25 June 1996, p. 10. 

Tomek, Beverly C. “MOVE.” Encyclopedia of Greater Philadelphia, 13 June 2022, https://philadelphiaencyclopedia.org/essays/move/. 

Trippett, Frank. “‘It Looks Just Like a War Zone.’” TIME Magazine, 27 May 1985. 

Wahrhaftig, Paul, and Hizkias Assefa. “MOVE/Philadelphia Bombing: A Conflict Resolution History.” Sociological Practice, vol. 10, no. 1, 1992, pp. 164–176.

The Family International

Bromley, David G. and Shupe Jr., Anson D. Strange Gods: The Great American Cult Scare. Massachusetts: Beacon Press, 1981.

The Family International. 2022. November 28, 2022. https://www.thefamilyinternational.org/en/

Wikipedia contributors. “The Family International”. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. Wikipedia, the Free Encyclopedia. November 28, 2022. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Family_International

Website Images

“A Dark Colored Background Covered in Small Glowing Multicolored Stars.” Heavens Gate, https://www.heavensgate.com/. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.

“A Flashing Gif That States ‘Red Alert - " in a Bright Neon Red.” Heavens Gate, https://www.heavensgate.com. Accessed 12 Dec. 2022.

[grantcardonescientology]

Is Scientology Banned in the United Kingdom?

The Scientology religion is practiced by thousands of individuals worldwide. It purports to be religion free of material constraints and pain. Despite this, it is outlawed in the United Kingdom and has hundreds of congregations in over 160 nations. Despite the restriction, the Church maintains that it is a religion devoid of material constraints and pain.

Scientology is a religion that believes that everyone possesses an immortal spirit, or thetan, that dwells inside them and is forever. As a result, the religion claims that through mastering Scientology procedures, one might become liberated from life's material constraints and reach a higher spiritual status.

Scientologists come from a wide range of backgrounds and are interested in societal concerns. They sponsor various social projects that attempt to enhance many people's lives. These include drug rehabilitation, education, and initiatives to reduce crime and moral deterioration. The group also supports a worldwide foundation dedicated to moral restoration.

L. Ron Hubbard started Scientology in the 1950s, and it has grown to approximately 10,000 Churches, Missions, and affiliated organizations in 167 countries. Hubbard has declared in interviews that Christ is a "fake" and that Hinduism and yoga are "booby-trapped." Furthermore, Scientology opposes both reincarnation and reincarnation.

For many years, Scientology has been accused of being a cult. The Church of Scientology is categorized as a religion in the United States, although its doctrines are far from hidden, and L Ron Hubbard's literature is publicly accessible. Even the Guardian has carried religious adverts. This is even though Hubbard, who founded Scientology in the early 1970s, has passed away. Although Scientology has a large following, the term "cult" does not adequately describe the Church of Scientology.

According to Scientology's origin story, the Earth was formed 75 million years ago by an evil galactic warlord called Xenu. During this period, Xenu conquered 76 worlds and sent 13.5 trillion humans to Earth. These entities, known as thetans, were bombed, and others were trapped in electronic traps and instilled with false religious ideas. These "thetans" gradually connected to humans and caused them mental distress.

Scientology has long waged legal problems in the United Kingdom, where it has a significant presence. Even though the United Kingdom is not a member of the European Union, the European Court of Human Rights has recognized Scientology as a religion. The United Kingdom government ultimately agreed to lift the prohibition and allow Scientologists to enter the nation in the late 1980s.

Scientology has twelve locations in the United Kingdom, including London, Brighton, Birmingham, and Poole. Its main office is in East Grinstead, in a grade II listed house that was originally home to L. Ron Hubbard, the founder of Scientology. The structure has a statue of a man clutching a shield with the Scientology logo.

The Church of Scientology is a multinational organization with hundreds of congregations and missions. Its management structure guarantees that everyone has access to its ideology and services. Each Church is self-contained, with its board of directors and executive officials. The church network of the organization spans 160 nations.

The Church of Scientology's membership is growing. The organization has over a million members as of 2012. L. Ron Hubbard, the organization's founder, was born in 1911 and died in 1986. According to a recent survey of over 3,000 Scientologists, the vast majority are Christians. Seventy percent of Scientologists with a Christian background claimed they practiced their religion. Almost half of all people identify as Christian.

Following Hubbard's study and research, the core concepts of Scientology were formed. Eastern and Western ideas impacted him, especially the Vedas and early Greek civilization. According to the Church of Scientology, the man was formed in God's image but is prone to sin and self-centeredness.

The Church of Scientology is a religious group with a reputation for persecuting those who attempt to quit. If you are considering leaving, you should know that you have the legal right to do so. If you are being harassed and shunned in Scientology, you should be free to leave without having to endure the abuse. The Church of Scientology has a systematic procedure for severed connections. This is a prevalent practice among religious groups and has been recognized as a basic right by courts of law.

Scientology constantly seeks celebrity endorsements to promote its faith. Leah Remini, for example, quit Scientology and subsequently appeared in her documentary television series about former members. As a result, the Church of Scientology has launched an aggressive campaign against Leah Remini, creating webpages criticizing her for quitting Scientology.

[msclaritea]

Benedict Cumberbatch, Olivia Colman to Lead 'War of the Roses' Remake

"The Roses’ is a wildly funny, bigger than life, and yet deeply human story,” said Searchlight president Matthew Greenfield announcing the project. “With Jay at the helm, and Benedict and Olivia and Tony, we have a dream team bringing it to life.”

So Matthew Greenfield at Searchlight is dirty...BEYOND dirty. No comment on Olivia Colman as of yet, but we all know now that actors and actresses usually have NO SAY I'm the projects they're currently put in. This film should not be made. It's another horrible, cruel joke to play on the fans of Benedict Cumberbatch and the people pushing it are on the same level as that jackal Jay Z and the NFL This is pure, sick, Freemason, ancient bullshit. Also, how is it this project is STILL in development, when it's BEEN in development since 2017?

And Benedict, if you go along with this project, it will be revealed to the public that you are going along with your own public humiliation, in order to enrich human traffickers.

Was Clarence really not enough for you?

Or Eric?

How about pissing on yourself in Louis Wain?

AND HEY, DISNEY...BIG FUCKING MISTAKE!

[ear-worthy]

“A Little Bit Culty” Podcast Launches Season 5 With Evan Rachel Wood Interview

People have always been fascinated by cults. Questions abound. Why join a cult? What happened in your life that you are so disconnected from family and community that you would surrender your freedom? Why do people not learn from the disastrous finales of so many cults, from the Branch Davidians to Heaven’s Gate?

Consider the interest level from media and the audience. There is the highly successful Cults podcast by Max Cutler from Parcast and now an accompanying bestselling book. There is also the Leah Remini Scientology And the Aftermath documentary that ran on TV for three seasons. Even the popular Unbreakable Kimmy Schmidt ran for four seasons on Netflix was about a young woman trying to build a life after 15 years in a cult.

Now, we have more important news on the coverage of cults. Talkhouse welcomes critically-acclaimed A Little Bit Culty to its podcast network.

Hosted by Married Ex-NXIVM cult members featured in HBO’s The Vow, the podcast just launched season five ahead of the docuseries’ highly-anticipated Return.

A Little Bit Culty married co-hosts Sarah Edmondson and Anthony ‘Nippy’ Ames have explored all things culty, cultish, and cult-like through a series of uniquely survivor-centric conversations with fellow former cult members, clinicians, and experts. As former NXIVM cult members featured in the hit HBO docuseries The Vow, their guest list has included Scientology nemesis Leah Remini, theologian Nadia Bolz-Weber, LuLaRich docuseries fan favorite Roberta Blevins, and former prosecutor Moira Penza.

Edmondson and Ames also notably landed the podcast exclusive with chef-turned-fugitive Sarma MeIngailis: an interview that detailed her fall from grace with the nuance that Bad Vegan may have left on the cutting-room floor.

Available now, the first episode in A Little Bit Culty’s fifth season features Westworld actor Evan Rachel Wood, in a follow-up to the Amy Berg documentary Phoenix Rising (HBO), chronicling Wood’s journey as a survivor of domestic violence and the numerous sinister allegations against rocker Marilyn Manson.

Also, on-deck for the season’s first month: Spiritual teacher Eckhart Tolle, narcissism expert and YouTube sensation Dr. Ramani Durvasula, and Faith Jones — whose memoir Sex Cult Nun details her coming of age and escape from The Children of God, one of the most notorious cults of all time. New deep dive interviews will be released on Mondays, with additional Weekly Cultiverse recaps on Thursdays featuring the co-hosts weighing in on the latest in cult news.

Listen to First Episode Out Today, Featuring an Interview with Evan Rachel Wood: HERE

Listen and subscribe to A Little Bit Culty Here:

And if considering joining a cult, remember that the membership fee is sky-high: your life.

[jackalgirl]

https://tonyortega.org/2021/09/28/scientologys-personality-test-a-hit-on-tiktok-can-david-miscavige-capitalize-on-it/

There’s a Tik Tok video going around, apparently, about the Scientology “Personality Test”, which they call the “Oxford Capacity Analysis”, or OCA (but of course it has nothing whatsoever to do with Oxford University).

It may seem like a cute online quiz - I mean, what’s the harm? But tread carefully. It is a form of cold-reading, and is specifically designed to allow someone to “find your ruin” — that is, find something negative about you or your situation that might actually be minor, which the “church” will inflate into something that will utterly devastate you…unless you take a Scientology class.

The class will be inexpensive at first and is designed to manipulate you into feeling euphoric, so you’ll want come back for more. “Church” salespeople (“registrars”, or “reges”) are trained in the Hard Sell, and they will do their damndest to sell you that “more”…and more. It will be nothing less than an introduction into undue influence.

If you are interested in high control groups (“mind control cults”) and more analysis about how the OCA works, the linked article over on the Underground Bunker is well worth the read. I also highly recommend Steve Hassan’s website, https://www.freedomofmind.com.

[samwisethewitch]

You know, at this point I think it may be useful to talk about the difference between highly structured religions and high-demand religions, because I realize the terms sound very similar but have very different meanings, which may be confusing for newcomers.

Highly structured religions are exactly that -- religions with a lot of internal structure. That structure may take the form of othrodoxy (authorized theory or practice) and/or orthopraxy (correct conduct or action). It may take the form of very formal, highly structured rituals -- the Catholic mass is a good example of this type of formal ritual. It may even take the form of a system of authority, such as clergy. None of this is inherently good or bad, and many people find highly structured religions have a deep, positive effect on their lives.

There are several pagan religions that are highly structured, including Traditional Wicca/British Traditional Witchcraft, Thelema, and many forms of Hellenic, Roman, and Kemetic reconstruction. These are all beautiful and meaningful faiths that enrich the lives of their followers. High structure is simply one of many approaches to spirituality, and if that’s how you best connect to the divine, more power to you.

High-demand religions are a subset of high-demand groups, a.k.a. cults. These groups are about control, not structure. Members are asked to give unhealthy amounts of time, energy, and emotion to the group, until they lose touch with their individual identity and become lost in the group identity. The Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (Mormons) is a modern example of a high-demand religion. So are Jehovah’s Witnesses. So is the Church of Scientology. These groups destroy lives, eat people up, and destroy their senses of individuality and self-sovereignty. 

High-demand groups are not always religious, and the actual beliefs of the group are less important than the means used to control members. Some of the most dangerous cults in history have been non-religious -- just ask anyone who lives in the United States and has experienced the Cult of Trump. High-demand groups usually do have some sort of shared beliefs, but those beliefs may be religious, political, social, or even fandom-based. 

High-demand religions may or may not employ some of the highly structured elements I mentioned earlier, but any belief system can be used as a cult recruitment tool, whether that system is highly-structured or not. Again, the markers of a high-demand group have less to do with belief and more to do with the way they treat members.

Here are some of the warning signs of high-demand groups. If a group checks off all or most of these, stay far away:

The group has a living leader whose authority is beyond question, and whom members are expected to give unquestioning commitment

The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members, often through recruitment or missionary work

The group is preoccupied with making money, or demands money beyond the basic cost of running the group (tithing is a good example of this)

Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or punished

Mind-numbing techniques such as meditation, trance, chanting, speaking in tongues, debilitating work routines, or lack of sleep are used to suppress doubts about the group and its leaders 

The leadership dictates how members should think, act, and feel, including controlling dress, behavior, language, and interactions with those outside the group.

The group is elitist, claiming a special, exalted status for itself, its leaders, and/or its members that makes them “above” others

The group has a black and white, us vs. them mentality

The group’s leaders are not accountable to any human authority

The group induces feelings of guilt or shame in members in order to better control them

Members are expected to limit contact with those outside the group, possibly even cutting ties with family and friends

Members are expected to give up personal goals such as education and career goals

Members are expected to devote an inordinate amount of time to the group

This is by no means an exhaustive list, but hopefully you get the idea of what these groups are like. Stay safe out there, y’all. 

Resources:

“Checklist of HDG Characteristics” from the Cult Awareness Network 

Steven Hassan’s BITE model at freedomofmind.com

“The Bite Model: QAnon Analysis” on freedomofmind.com

“1442: Was I Raised in a Cult or High-Demand Religion? A Self-Assement” on mormonstories.org

Recovering Agency by Luna Lindsey

[whatisonthemoon]

Was the Cult Awareness Network a.... Psyop?

Many people believe that the Cult Awareness Network (CAN) had ties to the CIA and/or the US government because of its strong anti-cult stance and its association with individuals who had backgrounds in intelligence and anti-communist activities. Some of these individuals, such as Ted Patrick, had a history of working with government agencies and were known for their aggressive tactics in "deprogramming" people who had joined cults. CAN also received funding from the US government and that its activities were coordinated with law enforcement and intelligence agencies.

The exact nature of the relationship between the CAN and the US government is unclear and has been the subject of much speculation though researchers have pointed to the anti-cult movement's ties to intelligence agencies as evidence of a broader effort to counter the perceived threat of cults and New Age groups, which were seen as a potential breeding ground for dissent and a potential source of support for communist and other subversive causes.

Despite these allegations, the CAN continued to be a significant player in the counter-cult movement and remained active until the 1990s, when it was forced to shut down after losing a lawsuit and being bought out by the Church of Scientology.

While the full extent of the CAN's connections to intelligence agencies and anti-communist counterinsurgency efforts may never be fully known, the organization remains a controversial and fascinating chapter in the history of the counter-cult movement and its efforts to combat what it saw as a growing threat to American society.

[young-dumb-and-vaccinated]

The Cult Girl (Hannibal x Female!Reader) pt. 4

I thought I'd get to the actual wedding tonight but then I started writing this so here you go. Whatever the hell this is. Hannibal makes a last-minute change to the plan, which forces y/n to think about their future together.

The diamonds embedded on the engagement ring were fake, but not really. They were made of the same stacked carbon as ‘real’ diamonds. They were just created in a lab, and not mined by a Liberian child slave.

Hannibal made a point of explaining that to you before explaining why he had just unceremoniously dropped an engagement ring in your hands. 

“I appreciate the fact that it is a non-conflict diamond,” You began, watching him adjust the collar on his dress shirt. You held the ring in your hands like it was some kind of insect. “but why are you giving it to me?” 

Hannibal began to affix his tie. “For this event, I have decided that we are engaged.” 

You dropped the garment bag containing your dress and placed the ring in your pocket. “...why?” 

“Fiancé hits the ear much better than boyfriend, especially to a group of people who proclaim to value family.” Hannibal explained. “I figured you’d be amenable to the idea.” 

You didn’t see how adding an extra lie to the hot garbage pile that was this wedding could possibly improve anything, but you were certainly curious about what would happen. “I see what you mean.” 

He pulled his navy checkered waistcoat over his shoulders and fastened the buttons along the front. “Besides the point, one day it won’t be a lie.” 

That comment caught you off guard. You’d only been dating for six months by the most liberal of estimates. Marriage had never once come up, except for in your head. You may have been madly and irredeemably in love with him, but you didn’t want to assume the feeling was returned. He’d just confirmed that it was. Once again, you falsely assumed you weren’t on the same page only because you were too embarrassed to ask. 

“That sounds nice.” You admit, picking your garment bag up from the ground and hanging it on the door. 

“In your own time, of course.” Hannibal glanced over his shoulder. “And certainly not before you finish school.” 

“Right.” You nodded, unzipping the garment bag and revealing an exquisite deep blue gown. "So what else have you thought about?"

"Of course, I would expect you to take my name." He said, watching you undress in the reflection.

"I wasn't very attached to my family name anyway." You agreed, pulling the dress from its hanger and pinning it against your shoulders.

Hannibal pulled on his suit coat and approached you from behind. "However it may get a bit confusing when there are two Doctor Lecters in the house."

"That's not going to be a problem." You shook your head. You stepped into the dress and pulled it over your shoulders. "I can't afford a doctorate."

Hannibal admired the illusion back of your gown and the column of buttons down your spine. He began to fasten them one by one.

"Maybe not on your own, darling." He countered, the little movements of his fingers tickling your skin. "But it would be such a waste to let something as trivial as money stop you from reaching your full potential."

"Hannibal," you sighed. "It's a pipe dream. Of course I'd love to--"

"And you will." His voice hardened.

Your face contorted into an expression that could only be identified as vague, unplacable discomfort. You took a deep breath in, trying to find the right words.

"...I can't ask you to pay for my education."

"You don’t have to." He said, curtly. "I'm merely making an investment for the future of my field."

It took a second to register what he'd just said and when it did, it hit you like a ton of bricks. "That's a lot of pressure, Hannibal."

"It can't be more pressure than you already feel knowing that the Jehovah's Witnesses are withholding the names of thousands of abusers." He said as he finished fastening your buttons. "Or that the New Cult Awareness Network is owned by the Church of Scientology."

"That's a fair enough judgement." You agreed, your face falling. You had no reason except your pride to decline. You never thought yourself to be very prideful, so why was it so hard to say yes?

Hannibal returned to his bureau and retrieved a black velvet box. "I want to see you flourish, my dear."

"I do too." You agreed. "I really, really do."

He flipped the box open, revealing a crystal chandelier necklace. He held it in his palm to examine it for a moment. "Let me help you, [F/N]."

"Hannibal, I-" you peered at him over your shoulder, but he gently turned your head back to return your gaze to your reflection.

He draped the necklace over your collarbones. "I see Dr. [F/N] Lecter. She's the most respected authority on the psychology of cults. She is gentle and kind with victims but writes scathing profiles of leaders for the entire academic sphere to see."

You looked at your reflection. You so desperately wanted to see the woman he did, but all you could make out was a scared, emotionally fragile person wearing a costume.

It was, however, a costume that fit you well. You liked the way you looked in it.

"...does Dr. [F/N] Lecter host a lot of parties?" You cracked a smile. "I hear her husband is a hell of a chef."

"Of course." He smiled back at you. "They love to entertain."

You turned around and met his eyes. "And people like her?"

"People revere her." He corrected, running his fingers through your hair. "Abusive men fear her. Her husband adores her."

You picked your pants off the ground and found the ring. It really was beautiful, even if some would consider it fake.

"I like the sound of that." You said, sliding it onto your finger.