My brother called

AnonyMouse

My brother calls my mom ALL THE TIME.

He did some vicious things to her in the past. One of her 'war stories' was that she went to the convention black and blue because he had beaten her up (a son to his mother). He inherited manic depressiveness from my grandpa, and refuses medicine for it.

My other brother also abused her, despite not being manic. I suspect that they were both extremely angry at the religion, my mother's incompetence, and my dad dying when they were younger (died when I was 4, so I don't remember him). I admit that I get angry at her, sometimes to the point of promising myself violence against her, but I posess a cooler head than both of my brothers, and have never gone through (or ever will) with such a terrible thing.

Anyways, back to the story:

They've patched up things in recent years, so he calls all the time. They talk about various things, but many times he ends up getting mad at her and saying stupid things.

She comes out of her room asking for a dictionary. We're in the state of moving, and it's packed away. I tell her that I'd probably know it's definition (being the genius that I am :P), but she just glared at me. I assumed that meant it was a sexual word, but I wondered what in the world they were talking about (because Im not supposed to know 'anything' about sex).

Anyways, I scrounge up the dictionary and give it to her. She comes out a few minutes later all made and stuff, and I ask her what the word was. I bug her about it, and she tells me that he asked her to look up the word 'cult'. "He says that the Jehovah's witnesses are a cult. Look it up, and you'll see."

But she wanted me to define it first, to see what I thought. I said "It's a fanatical religion. Well, not always a religion, it can be fanatical about anything, really."

I was essentially right.

But heres the good part: She asks me if it is a cult. I (proud of myself as I am) say "Of course it is."

She tells me to explain myself. So I say "You're fanatical about the bible, that could be considered an object. And you're fanatical about the Watchtower, that IS an object. And you're fanatical to people, because of the governing body."

We sit down and talk, her saying crap like "We're different because I would lay down my life for my brothers and sisters."

I say "Fanatical islamists would blow themselves up for thier 'brothers'. You're not unique in that you would die for your brothers and sisters"

She completely missed the point, and kept saying "But we don't blow ourselves up"

I hate to say it, but she has the intellegence of a couple of rocks scraping together and making a spark. And that's not my "teenage superiority complex" talking either. Every point she said was cornered, maimed, and subsequently destroyed. She had no chance to attack anything I said.

Also brought up some stuff about how they can't attack buddhism or eastern religions because they're so different. They have thier own books and such. The bible says they're wrong. Well, thier 'bible' says christians are wrong too. And a couple of books doesn't make a case.

And if you got this far through the thousand word story, I congradulate you.

hopie

Hi OnonyMouse,

Here are some characteristics associated with Cults. I hope this will help !!

The group displays excessively zealous and unquestioning commitment to its leader (whether he is alive or dead) regards his belief system, ideology, and practices as the "TRUTH", as law.

Questioning, doubt, and dissent are discouraged or even punished.

Subservience to the leader or group requires member to cut ties with family and friends, and radically alter the personal goals and activities they had before joining the group.

The group is preoccupied with bringing in new members.

The most loyal members (the"true believers") feel there can be no life outside the context of the group. They believe there is no other way to be, and often fear reprisals to themselves or others if they leave or (even consider leaving) the group.

Child molestation, and other criminal activity are handled (In House), and are not reported to local (Civil Authorities).

Good Luck !!!!

Hopie

katiekitten

Hi AnonyMouse

your story was both funny and tragic. Im glad that you pride yourself on having more self control than your brother - good man. It must be real hard with no dad and a not very bright mum.

I take it at the tender age of 16 you have left the religion already?

BTW I love your online name - its so cute! (sorry if it wasnt meant to be cute)

megsmomma

Thanks for sharing that experience. You have the uniqe situation of being made to live close to the cult and have no choice. I can totally relate to what you say as to your mom being dumb as a couple rocks...(However you so elequently put that ...LOL) My mom really has no idea what the religion actually teaches and is based on. When I have asked her things in the past.....So she would research it, she would just say.."Do you want me to get an elder to call you" Kepp trying to get through though...she is in the uniqe situation of not being able to get away from you! ( My mom won't answer her phone when I call)

Mary

I hate to say it, but she has the intellegence of a couple of rocks scraping together and making a spark. And that's not my "teenage superiority complex" talking either. Every point she said was cornered, maimed, and subsequently destroyed. She had no chance to attack anything I said.

Good for you! Unfortunately, it sounds like your mother is the exact type of person any cult would love to have: not too intelligent, which means she's very pliant, easily swayed and will believe anything they tell her.

LovesDubs

It disturbs me that there is so much violence against a WOMAN...your MOTHER no less in this family! Would you beat a retarded child because they didnt understand you?

I know you personally "held back" but NOBODY should be laying a hand on that woman and if someone else does and YOU dont do anything about it...then you are culpable.

Anony-Mouse

This is the same person, different name. God killed my normal account, apparently.

"I take it at the tender age of 16 you have left the religion already?

BTW I love your online name - its so cute! (sorry if it wasnt meant to be cute)"

I've left the religion mentally. I'm forced to go anyway physically. And I don't mind if you think the name is cute or not :P . I'm secure in my masculinity ^^ .

"I know you personally "held back" but NOBODY should be laying a hand on that woman and if someone else does and YOU dont do anything about it...then you are culpable."

I hate myself for thinking that way, but it was a tough time for me mentally and and with hormones. None in our family lived close enough to us, and she was without protection.

And, if that comment is targetted at me...I was 6 at the time. I was scared and hiding, and didn't understand what was happening. And my brother could have killed me because I was so much smaller. There is a gap in our ages, he's in his late twenties, and I'm 16.

itsallgoodnow

Maybe you will get your mom started to think a little about it. Different groups define "cult" in different ways, but the one that got me thinking is this one... (copied straight out of wikipedia, I'm sure there is better info out there on this definition)

Definition by secular cult opposition

Secular cult opponents define a "cult" as a religious or non-religious group that tends to manipulate, exploit, and control its members. Here two definitions by Michael Langone and Louis Jolyon West, scholars who are widely recognized among the secular cult opposition:

Cults are groups that often exploit members psychologically and/or financially, typically by making members comply with leadership's demands through certain types of psychological manipulation, popularly called mind control, and through the inculcation of deep-seated anxious dependency on the group and its leaders.

"A cult is a group or movement exhibiting a great or excessive devotion or dedication to some person, idea or thing and employing unethically manipulative techniques of persuasion and control (e.g. isolation from former friends and family, debilitation, use of special methods to heighten suggestibility and subservience, powerful group pressures, information management, suspension of individuality or critical judgement, promotion of total dependency on the group and fear of [consequences of] leaving it, etc) designed to advance the goals of the group's leaders to the actual or possible detriment of members, their families, or the community."

The common anti-cult definition summarised,

Manipulative and authoritarian mind control over members
Communal and totalistic in their organisation
Aggressive in proselytizing
Systematic program of indoctrination
New membership of cults by middle class

Wasanelder Once

Anonymous,

Out of all her kids you have presented yourself as the most reasonable. A tad conceited, but reasonable. (I'm sure that's just your sense of humor.) The fact that she sat down with you and let you speak your mind is admirable. Those rocks might be sparking more than she lets on. I know there is a tendency not to agree with the shocking truth about the "Truth". Give it time and keep firing those little facts that eat away at the cult information stuffing up her brain.

W.Once

Anony-Mouse

Let's go with the "sense of humor" thing instead of conceited :P .

I never said I DIDN'T have teenage superiority complex, just not on this issue.

I realise that I don't actually know everything. Not even close. But what little I do know makes me proud of myself. And so long as I don't LIFT OFF from my overinflated head, I'll be fine.

Thanks for the love!

My brother called

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