| I was openly threatened by a
PCG minister to the point
where hotel security almost had to get involved. The meeting was in a
quiet part of the hotel but the minister's shouts that I had a "problem
with authority" became so loud that the hotel security came into the area
and walked past twice to ascertain the situation. I'm sure the meeting
looked very suspicious, due to the fact that another member a sat off in
the distance in the dark watching the whole episode. I was told that the
other member was there as a "witness."
After this incident I was very
shaken, and asked the manager on duty to thank the security who felt the
need to patrol that area. I spoke to a close friend (non church related)
who is a police officer and he was ready and willing to send a squad car
by the hotel to question the minister on his behavior and the threats he
made against me and my family, if we didn't "straighten up." Even though
this would not ordinarily be a police issue, having friends in high places
in a small town unfamiliar to the minister definitely helped at this time.
I'm sure with the collaboration of the security guard on his weird
threatening behavior, that would have definitely been reason for them to
question and detain him, just for the mere safety of the other guests in
the hotel.
I came back home in shock looking
for comfort and was basically told if the minister was upset, it was
because of something I had said and I deserved the scolding.
My family was more concerned about their faith at the hands of this
minister than how this so called "man of God" acted in a public place.
At the time this happened, I was
no longer attending services as I had been asked to leave after a series
of misfortunes in my life, which the ministers felt were due to some "deep
dark sin." I was told I was "too secretive; living a secret
lifestyle."1 It
got so bad that my family was instructed not to attend my college
graduation. This was punishment for me not being the sweet and open little
girl that I was expected to be. I
felt defeated and eventually called a minister at headquarters to ask to
meet and counsel with. He informed me he would be in a nearby town for a
[particular function]. So the meeting occurred when he visited the area.
My family were all of sudden pleased to accept me back into the fold.
Unfortunately the meeting did not go well. I had heard about the scare
tactics of the ministers but had never experienced them upfront.
Every so often I guess the ministry instructs my family to mess with my
mind. (I have even been told that if a
child goes against the "church" they are virtually dead.2)
Now it has less affect. So I
guess I am learning to deal.
I hope this will help others to
see how these people really are.
By Ashley - Child Survivor of WCG/PCG
March 14, 2008
Footnotes by ESN:
1 This is a trait of
exploitive, abusive religious groups. No one's life is allowed to be
secret. It must all come under the scrutiny of the ministers' ever
watchful eyes.
2 These words are part of
the fear programming. Read: Lifton's
Eight Criteria of Mind Control and
What Were the Lies and What is the Truth?
Articles
For Those Who Were Emotionally and Spiritually Abused
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