Why I joined a Cult…

I am going to tell you a the story of my experiences of 7 years of life in a cult. But first, I must lead you to the point that brought me to them… (This will be a very condensed version. I will be writing a book about coming out of the Twelve Tribes Cult due to the encouragement of a good, my best, friend… Thank you Baby…) note: I’ve been advised to not use the word cult because of the negative connotations and the images of Charlie Manson, Waco and mass suicides that are evoked when this word is used. There are many good aspects of the Twelve Tribes members lives along with bad. So replace that word with High Control Destructive Fundametalist Christian Group. HCDFCG for short ! LOL. But they do fall right in with the criteria… http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cult_checklist

I was struggling with a drinking problem and went on extended medical leave from the USAF Civil Service. I put myself into a 6mo program in Ft Lauderdale ran by Pentecostals called faith farm. It was a huge Thrift store and compound, similar to the Salvation Army, run by the Church and supported by 150 addicts and drunks. You worked, ate, went to bible study and worship services and slept there. If you left, you could not come back…

They loved me. An intelligent, semi attractive, clean cut white boy. “Lets make him a priest!”. I was a fast study of the scriptures and had charisma and the gift of gab. The perfect minister! They had another 6 mo program just for that. I was being groomed.

One day they asked for volunteers to help set up and tear down for the Promise Keepers Rally at the Orange Bowl Stadium in Miami. You got to leave the compound and stay for the 2 day event for free. Which at that time was $35, now its $85. I said “Hell yes!(without the hell of course). The first day of the event I saw a friend from the program reading this pamphlet and I took a look at it and said “Wow! Were did you get this?” He told me from a long haired guy with a short cropped ponytail and a full beard out side the parking lot. Damn, I gotta get one of these… As we left the first night, I found him, or someone who fit that description, and got a small pamphlet from him. I didn’t have time to talk to him cuz the bus was leaving. So, that night I read the pamphlet over and over. Researched the scriptures in it and was completely blown away! This was it! I had never heard of intentional communities before! This was what I was looking for and praying for! A place to belong were people who sought God with the heart to obey him lived together and held all things in common! Just like the First church in Jerusalem after the Apostles spoke with the power of the Holy Spirit in tongues!

So the next day, I looked for this dude (with very little time to find him and get back to the stadium) I found him and saw he had some big pamphlets. I grabbed one, no time to talk, and ran back to the stadium. I felt just like when I finally scored some rock! That night I again devoured this manna from heaven. God! I gotta call these people or at least write them. So I wrote a letter to there community in West Palm Beach and said Id like to visit on a day pass from the program.(If you were a good boy, you got a 8 hour pass after 3 mo.

I took this literature to the Teachers and clergy at Faith Farm and asked what they thought of it. “Its a cult!” they said. Are they reading the same thing I was? There crazy! This is what the Bible leads you to do if your following it and want to follow its direction!!! If your study of the Bible, with the intent to obey, does not lead you to community, your doing something wrong! A Cult? I aint haven it! Im gone…

To be continued…