I watched the documentary series about Gwen Shamblin on HBO and wow! A women, a church going God fearing woman. She undeniably led a cult and of course, openly and on record said “no, I didn’t”. She called it a Church, a Reformer Church, you know let’s go backwards in our thinking and leave reason behind church. This was her congregation of like minded people. Her “church” was attended by hundreds of loyal followers, following what they believed was God’s word, as any true christian is want to do. It turned out it wasn’t God’s word as much as her word. And the bolder she became at saying she was a mouth piece for God, her teachings took a more radical stance as to who was in charge of this “church”, enter the word CULT.

Like the breeding ground where Gwen started her church, I too, grew up in a standard Christian Church where; women are subservient, The Bible is Truth, my living savior are words at the tip of your tongue, and more importantly, better “get saved” before you die. I didn’t buy everything they were selling and I have to say, I was luckily enough to be allowed to believe what I inherently believed. This Church wasn’t also a cult. I wasn’t gagged or beaten for not buying into the party line. I may have been “talked to” but it wasn’t any more than that. I can’t imagine how different my life would have been if it had. Or if my father had held that church’s beliefs, would he have put a stop to my smart mouth, disbelieving heretic I was? Would I have been disowned after I got pregnant. In Gwen’s church, the mouth piece of God, her word golden and Divinely inspired, I would have been removed if I couldn’t be brought into line.

When I think on my upbringing, the discipline in my home made sense, given my father was a high school teacher who saw over and over again, the terror that was the age group 14-18. There were raging hormones, broken homes and hopelessness and unending anger about it, not to mention community unrest. He took a tough line in his classes to hold order and he demanded respect. The loyalty this can inspire from kids is amazing and the results were undeniable. Young people who had not been given the skills to think for themselves in a positive and forward manner were the trouble makers at school. So dad put instruments in their hands, discipline in their mouths and community in their hearts. He built in the band room what they didn’t have at home.

So I get how easy it would be for a preacher to get ahold of the mental lives or even the emotional lives of their followers and especially in this fearful world of uncertainty, and especially if ego motivated and money driven. Same for self help Gurus, so called Yoga masters and Spiritual Teachers. In most societies thinking for yourself is the last thing they wish for you to do, it’s so much easier to run a society or group or church or school or… when everyone follows the party line.

And it is, that our school systems do not promote reasoning and thinking, just follow and acquiesce. And of course the first offender, The church, does not teach reasoning and thinking-at all, every means were given to work in counter to this thinking. The church demanded following and acquiescing, PERIOD. It’s the same for some families, you could be thrown out for all manner of reasons, especially if the good book your family/group believes/claims through Divine inspiration stated your behavior bad. A family may try to save you in the eyes of the church before eventually needing to save themselves by disowning you, you know in the eyes of the church.

In the HBO series, people interviewed shook their heads at the behavior of these people who on the one hand did such great works but often acted like the worst of Gods children and did it loudly and proudly and in the name of God. It’s stunning to witness such ignorance at work, no doubt! Good people losing the ability to see truth all the while running themselves, their good name or finances straight into the ground, because someone said too. People becoming more and more ignorant and blinded as the evidence of misconduct continues to mount.

Everyone who was interviewed eventually woke up at some point in their drama fully aware of the brainwashed nightmare they had been a part of. Humiliation and shame keeps people right where they are, this I know! Anyway…it gave me pause to know this kind of manipulation of humans is still practiced with great vigor. To have the personal strength to remove the veil of ignorance away from your eyes is the same step of faith Indiana Jones had to take in the temple. No one can do it for you. In your heart is the knowledge and awareness that spiritual truths are to lead a person to freedom and self evolution. They do not under any circumstance, work to take your sovereignty away and they won’t be needing your credit card number to alert your to this fact.

Maybe Freedom can be the next religion or the next cult, the cult of freedom, no membership fee or mandatory gathering times. Celebrations will be held to mark sacred occasions, weekly group meets for devotion study and community building. They will be no mandatory classes to pass or fail, just an abundance of wisdom teachings given to enhance your life experience. There will be teachings given by thousands of teachers who have walked the walk before you and have turned around to mark the path and give advice. These are free roads you may walk, no tolls any where but as many stop overs as you may need. Oh and by the way, there are currently no by passes or fast planes to get you to the other side, or a better place.

Planet earth is a walk on habitation and your earthly experience is gained by doing and held by being. It is a learning experience and one made for you. So, no more following the leader, the leader you need is you, follow your heart! Ask for help, seek guidance, lead yourself!!!! Working/existing in the world community is the walk we are all on, you know down here on Planet Earth, who’s in?

Freedom Freedom Freedom