National Cult Info&Family Support conference Brisbane, Australia
by Flossycat 6 Replies latest jw friends
-
-
Flossycat
Try again...
Just looked back over coments from my Intro/joining this forum week or so ago. Thank you everyone who said hi/welcome. (Love Finally Awake and Just Ron's 'hi' - great logo.)
The Brisbane Cult conference was amazing, fabulous, and at times, horrifying. Responding to some of your requests here's some of my notes - hope it's not too dry:
There was a girl in the audiece who escaped from a satanic cult - just horrifying. Won't go into details here till I get her approval to speak publicly about it. The punchline is, after getting through a series of police investigations and court procedures, she ran into a brick wall - appears there are people in high places who don't want her story made known, nor want certain perpurtrators held accountable. Other testimonials of getting trapped in seemingly helpful New Age psychology groups made the JWs look like a walk in the park by comparison. I was the only JW there, incidentally. There were some ex-Exlusive Brethren, and some ex-Brisbane Christian Fellowship Church members (who are v similar to JWs in shunning and rigid beliefs).
It was good to see and meet many psychologists, counsellors and community health workers, and one lawyer - all interested in helping ex-cult members make sense of, heal, and move on with their lives.
A lot of recent survivors (pre-arranged testimonials) still very hurt, confused and emotional, often in tears from what they've endured - plus cyring with happiness at being among people who understand and there to support them.
Clinical psychologist Professor Doni Whislett from California was one of the main speakers. (If you closed your eyes you'd swear it was Meryl Streep speaking.) She's had many years dealing with cults and ex-members. (When I introduced myself to her on the first day she said one of her close relatives is a long-time JW and missionary.)
From a pure neuro-biological analysis, the brain's nuerons-axons-dendrite function was outlined. Babies are born with 100billion neurons. How connections are formed from babyhood and up. Over years of being in a cult, not being allowed to think for oneself many years, one's axons&dendrite wiring, withers; and stops functioning, even. However, because the brain is 'plastic' (as opposed to rusted?), an empathetic environment where the person feels safe,can help them rebuild and begin to exercise their innate powers of reason. New experiences re-wire the brain. Therapy re-wires the brain. (So, logically, places like the JW Discussion Forum help re-wire the brain and get it functioning again.)
For those who have left cults and get down on themselves for having been so gullible, or feel ashamed etc, this segment of the conference helped people to understand that the brain's hardwiring had been programmed 1/not to trust outsiders, 2/had been programmed/learned helplessness, 3/had stress responses dulled, and 4/had no sense of personal choice.
Lifton's research and 7 points of brainwashing - how the gradual process of normalising of cult's beliefs ends up resulting in 'anxious dependency.'
Lalich: 'Bounded Choice': How people in cults say their actions/deeds are done willingly - but it's not really willing when it comes at a cost, or there's a price to pay for not doing something that's meant to be done 'willingly'. At what point/s do 'voluntary' become obligations?
Some mystical groups use the term "Heavenly deception" to justify illegal/immoral behaviour. Reminded me of the JW theocratic warfare, and how other in-house terminology blankets the real meaning, turning it into something normal/right, for the 'Higher good'/glorifying God.
5 emotional signs of Post Traumatic Stress Disorder. 5 physical signs of PTSD. (I'd had nearly all during the 1980s-90s.) Ex-cult members have what's frequently called complex PTSD: In chronic trauma cortisol/adrenaline levels remain chronically high. Or, never returned to base line/normal levels. They've spent much of their lives fluctuating between chronically high cortisol levels due to chronic stress - then PTSD symptoms of chronically low cortisol. Going round and round in this way eventuates in mental and physical damage: depression/anxiety/schizophrenia/nightmares/flashbacks etc; insomnia, gastro-intestinal problems, headaches/migraines, persistant back/neck problems, anorexia.
Putting words on trauma (eg. therapy) helps bring down the terror - which is why forums such as this one are so helpful and healing for many.
NICK XENOPHON (Independent Minister) spoke with passion. He was a lawyer before he went into politics. He'd like to see the French model of the Anti Cult Act employed here in Australia - a big call. A couple of notes I only had time to note: cults equal exploitation and abuse of an individual's weaknesses. Ex-members become refugees in their own community. He urged every one of us to assist in getting community/State/Federal awareness up and running via: Local and State parliament members, (Queensland Senator Sue Boyce who joined with an Aboriginal Elder in opening the conference is keen to assist); the ACCC (Rod Simms); and especially urged to write to our new Attorney General Nicola Roxon.
Unfortunately because the conference was running about 1/2 hour behind schedule and Nick only had 7 minutes to answer questions before he had to leave for another engagement, we broke for morning tea. By that time I was almost peeing in my pants; the reptilian/survival brain overtook the neo-cortex/judgements section and I scuttled out of the auditorium, down the hallway.
-
Black Sheep
Interesting
Thanks Flossy
-
Broken Promises
Fantastic info - thanks for that!
So glad to hear Nick Xenophon was there - he could be a big help in getting publicity for the hurt that the WTS (and other cults) has caused.
Ex-members become refugees in their own community.
I can totally relate to that.
-
smiddy
Flossycat
You were the only JW their ? What an oppurtunity lost, If only 1 JW`s attended this conference why would Nick Xeenophon even be interested in the plight of Jehovah`s Witnesses? who would ? And why would any other politician or person of persuasion be ? If their is no interest from the ones who are supposedly most affected by their policies ?
Was their advance info.about this topic ?
No wonder authourities dont take any notice of people like us
smiddy
-
Broken Promises
If I remember correctly, there was a substantial entrance fee for the conference. Something like $300, I think?
Most exJWs are not big income earners, and when you add accommodation prices, meals, transport to and from Brisbane etc, it'd become a costly excursion to Brisbane.
-
Flossycat
Hi Smiddy and Broken Promises. This is only the beginning of something we/any one of us, can work on - and I'll be working on. Last year I sent a copy of my book, "A Little Lower Than Angels" to Nick and he said he looked forward to reading it. A few weeks later I sent a DVD (copied from a video I made) from Channel 9's Sunday Morning Program in 2002 called Silence of the Lambs. Does anyone remember that? Before Australia/channel 9 did their show, the US and UK had already done their's, on the problem on pedophilia not being addressed in JW congregations. I know a journalist with one of Melbourne's leading newspapers who is an exJW. He's been writing pieces here and there drawing attention to JW cult behaviour. I intend to write to Nick again. In view of the fact JWs are always out there door-to-door it's important the public gets to hear the real story/s about the WT Society.
For those of you in Queensland, maybe put together a co-signed letter to senator Sue Boyce, to begin with? For what it's worth I'd co-sign it too. I'm going to find out who to approach here in Melbourne. The counsellor I used to see encourages some of her clients/patients to read my book - she would probably sign a letter too. Think of who you can get to co-sign in the health field as well if you decide to do a letter?
Yes, it was $400 to attend the conference. Worth every cent, esp as morning tea, lunch and afternoon tea included. Found a really good B&B called Annie's Shandon in Upper Edward St on the edge of the city - cheap.
One of the stand-out things for me was the advice in how to handle those still under the spell of cults: be gentle with them and provide them with an environment where they feel safe, (even if at times you feel like tearing your hear out).
Gotta go - night