O.K. MH and Ba, we all missed it! If u are talking about cults vs. forgiveness for the brainwashing of it, then that is like a zombie moving because someone put the trans in 'D'. It is thoughtless, unremarkable and makes you concerned about the person!

In my experience: Some people can only function in a cult type of atmosphere! Unfortunately, we are all free spirited and free thinking individuals here and I doubt anyone would condone following someone like an ant!

I have a brother that is one of those people, also! I get it. He was definitely in a cult and finally switched to Budhism. I went to temple, read the books, etc. I am not Budhist and do not subscribe to the belief. I use to think it was harmless and helped my bro. AS he did improve. So, I thought. I let him live with me and supported (college-etc) him for a few years when we were pretty young. I encouraged him to take classes in the field with which he had worked and had a lot of skill in. No, he wanted totally different-so he did nothing. He would not get up in the AM. My secretary called him one A.M. for one hour and he never did pick up the phone to wake up and go to college!

Now, the little shit gets up earlier and chants for over an hour every A.M.! He believes all your problems are yours, even if he runs you over with his car and almost kills you. He had nothing to do with it, his car did it! If he can stir a pot and make it explode, he will do it. So long as no one clearly sees that is what he is doing!

Fortunately, I did see it. He is no different than he was 30 years ago. He is a silent trouble maker and cares not what the consequences are from the wake of his behavior! If he thinks telling someone that you droppen in to visit him and did not have time to go next door to visit another, he will tell that person and piss them off, big time! He will leave out the fact that it was when you were off on vacation and not even home!

That is how a mindless type of person thinks and I've given a mild short version! Once you get them out of the cult or that type of thinking-they will migrate to another of similar variety. Just as Ba states!

Those people have ego's bigger than this entire community spun together. That is why you have so many hipocrates in a church. No one is perfect and we need to forgive. AS I have forgiven my bro. The last time he stopped talking to me, because he contends I 'slammed his vehicle verbally' in some way, I will never know, I made his cease talking permanent. He gets in the middle of everything behind your back and makes mudd! Now, he wallers in it! His attempts to phone, etc. go unanswered. Why, he is never going to change. He has a little girl he has nothing to do with, because of the Mother. The mother is a good person, just not Buddhist! She will and has offered to make arrangements for visitation, etc. without ever seeing him. No, he could care less he abandoned that girl at age of 2: She is now 12! People like that will be back, like bhouncey said! THAT IS FRIGHTENING!

The only consolation is to hope the world is full of all of them and not you! So, you only pass this world but once! Live life well and full. Don't step on toes and you can forgive and decide to delete that person from your life. You may need to for mental health. You can't save everyone and people that are cult type driven, are some of them.

As with Ba, I think, mental illness or something. Doesn't matter what reason, you need to avoid and stay away from that person. I have learned though a very hard and expensive way--it is best. However, when I did not forgive, it hung over me like a black cloud. Now, I don't even think of it.

Forgiveness, is a process. You can get so good at it you forget why and what and slip up and let that person do you 'in' one more time! Then you are challenged and it is all or none! Being aware of what you are doing is about the only difference. Having a filter on your own behavior to prevent you from doing a regretful thing-you cannot forgive yourself for is the goal!

I know when I apologize on line, others think it is thoughtless. It is sincere! I'd hate to bump off someones Starbucks latte and walk off. Leaving the person there broke and no more $ to buy anymore! That is cult type of ego driven bull that will overtake the world and already has our economy!

I used my bro and his belief as an example. I do not subscribe to his belief, but I don't think everyone is like him. So, when I see that irritable glaze in one's eye's of; 'hell with you, I know it all and I'm gonna do it, regardless of the consequence's to anyone' I try to get away and stay away forever!

If I could spot it as easily as Ba, it would give me a 'one up' so to speak! I would not even say hi! That is how bad these 'followers' are! Of course, every minister needs them. In fact, I know a few ministers--they are wealthy. If I had to change careers, I'd suggest that field! If you are a good speaker, there is more $ legally in it! But, pay your taxes, they get audited freq.! PR :twocents::twocents: & do remember, these people that are 'cult like' do act out their fantasy's--one way or another. So, be alert! Fortunately 4 me, my bro and people like him are a thousands of miles away!!!

I don't make much of an effort to get too close to people, until I know them pretty well.

I do believe we all need to have a belief system based on honesty and good will to mankind. No matter where we are. I happen to believe in God and Christian values. Any good and decent religion pretty much has the same values. I just do not subscribe to abandoning people in a time of need and say, "She has cancer and is dealing with her own demons!" That is not a very good way to treat anyone! Can I forgive someone for treating their best friend like that, sure--will I ever be in the position I will need that person-No! Yes, I have been treated in that way and it actually takes work to get pissed about it. I just move on. If they keep on and poke at me, I do whatever I need to, that I can live with and speak about openly. I would not do anything illegal, even if some of these people need to be on a planet of their own. One day, they may all inherit Mars! pr

That type of thinking, like my bro's: He chanted that my mother would outlive her children. She has 2 of them and was at his home for a few weeks when she realized she was the world's worst parent. While she cried he was on the phone to me asking me to relieve his guilt. He actually believed his chanting caused her emotional pain. Fool--she is just like him and was playing him! They died because of how they lived, just as we all will. She was sad, because she is one of those egotistical know it alls with no education! pr