Many of us care about the confusion, fear-mongering, anger, vengeance, and even the subtlest of psychological harm often caused by religious fundamentalists, no matter what the religion. One person speaking up about it is Richard Yao, founder of Ex-Fundamentalists Anonymous. I heard from Richard a few months ago. Last year, long before he contacted me, I posted a blog about fundamentalism and the toll it took on me. Click here to read it ⇒ Where is ex-Fundamentalists Anonymous?
Undertow, fundamentalists, and Richard Yao
Richard has now read my book, Undertow: My Escape from the Fundamentalism and Cult Control of The Way International. He discovered it when, by chance, he found this website. I’m proud to be in touch with him and to share his comments about my book.
“Charlene Edge’s Undertow shows how intelligent, even strong people, from all walks of life, can be sucked into a dysfunctional or abusive religious group or church, and once in the fold, how difficult it is to get out. I know because I was raised in a fundamentalist Christian church and school. When I started a support system for people leaving fundamentalism, that got me on Oprah. Afterward, I debated Jerry Falwell on Today and Nightline and exposed television evangelists like Jim Bakker and Jimmy Swaggart. I was amazed by the anguished, guilt-ridden, repressive, and tragic stories I became privy to. I wish everyone leaving fundamentalism could have the courage and the writing ability to bear witness against their religious bondage and testify as to how they broke free. The lure, the group dynamics, and The Fundamentalist Mindset are basically the same and are more important than the theological quirks of a particular group.”
—Richard Yao, author of the forthcoming book Freedom from Bad Religion. Founder of Ex-Fundamentalists Anonymous and the new website Ex-Fundies.
Visit Richard’s website. If you are concerned about religious fundamentalism, you owe it to yourself. Sign up on his website to get his free book, Freedom from Bad Religion.
Is your religion helping you be a better person?
When I give presentations about my experience in what I have good reasons to call a fundamentalist cult, The Way International (still in operation today), I usually wind up referring to one of my heroes, His Holiness The 14th Dalai Lama. He reminds us that our religion (if we have one) should help us be a better person.
My question is: What does it mean to be a “better person?”
My thoughts on this are many, but here’s one: If your religion, or your minister, or your belief system promotes hatred in any form, no matter how subtle, I say reject it and find a new way of being in the world. Please question bigoted or self-righteous doctrines you may have been taking for granted as “the truth.” Do not be afraid of doubt. Doubt can lead to healing, truth, and love.
Ciao for now,
Your writer on the wing.
Marjorie Patton
The last paragraph is an excellent summary for everyone. The hard part for many questioners is overcoming the guilt they feel for even having doubts.
Rob Ruff
Perhaps only the slenderest of threads connect the two, but I can’t help but think that Trump pushes his brand of snake oil on the vulnerable as religious fundamentalists do on their victims.
Steve
To Rob Ruff,
I’m not so sure the connection is as thin as you suggest.