Jen explains how the coercive control and manipulation of a cult makes leaving it a complex and possibly dangerous achievement.
https://www.jenkiaba.com/lessons-on-leaving/why-didnt-you-just-leave
This blog post is also available as a podcast
Jen explains how the coercive control and manipulation of a cult makes leaving it a complex and possibly dangerous achievement.
https://www.jenkiaba.com/lessons-on-leaving/why-didnt-you-just-leave
This blog post is also available as a podcast
Jen Kiaba begins her series on trauma, recovery and cults in a blog that is also available as a podcast:
https://www.jenkiaba.com/lessons-on-leaving/embark-mission
Jen speaks about the mythology of the Unification Church, her experience growing up in it, being labor-trafficked, and having an arranged marriage blessing. Her recovery is explored through powerful photographic self-portraits and the value of art as therapy.
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
Episode 1:
Episode 2:
Teddy Hose speaks to Elgen about his experience growing up near the Moon family, labor-trafficking and how the church dealt with the suicide of one of the Moon family sons.
In episode 2 Teddy talks about using humor to deal with difficulty, the book 1984, children being abandoned at Jacob House so that parents could do their mission and resulting parentification.
In Part 1, Ares speaks to Elgen Strait about his experience growing up as a ‘Jacob’s Child’ in the Unification Church.
In Part 2 Ares and Elgen discuss the Blessing, Special Task Force, Washington Times, dating after the church and the ‘indemnity stick’ ceremony.
In Part Two of Donna’s interview with Elgen, she talks about being kicked out of New Eden Academy and the pressure and problems of purity within the church.
Summary of content:
4. Falling is worse than Hitler. 7. Camp Sunrise and older blessed kids, blessing seniority. 10. Dae no. Nim and cheong pyeong. 14. Fear of hell if you fall. 16. Religions using guilt as leverage to control people.18. Control who you can love – matching and blessing. 27. You don’t belong to you. 33. Seeing loving families outside of the church. 35. Judging outsiders. 37. Spiritually compromised by listening to Metallica and wearing black. 40. 16 year old relationship. 40. Definition of sex to destroy lineage. 41. Tampon equals threat to lineage. 46. Sent home for having sex. Put on the train on her own without telling her parents. 51. Different rules for boys – He didn’t get sent home. 57. Donna felt like a tool to produce third generation children. Concept of true families versus reality of unhappy families in the church. 60. The blessing takes away the need to improve yourself – real relationships take work. 64. No actual difference after falling – Donna was disappointed by lack of actual impact. 66. Expelled from the Moonies. Not welcome at church events after that. 67. New Yorker. 68. Forgiveness ceremonies and Hoobastank soundtrack. 69. Not fitting in the real world. 70. Talking about having been in a cult. 71. Siblings on STF and sister wanted to get out. 75. Not knowing how to be a good parent. 76. Holy wine slipped into the wine at a wedding. 77. Parents trying to influence their grandchildren. 78. ‘Parenting myself while parenting my child’. 80. ‘Your sexual organ belongs to your spouse’. 81. Live for the sake of others is a problematic thing to teach children as they learn they have no control. 83. Processing church experience many years later. 90. Living for the sake of others should include forgiveness. You need to live for the sake of yourself too.
Elgen Strait talks to Donna Cervelli about her time in the church’s New Eden Academy
Summary of contents:
1. Intro Donna and New Eden Academy. 11. Press release of Eden Academy different from reality – no heating etc. 15. Learning Korean but no proper academic classes. 23. Unification Theological Seminary. 27. Similarity to Children of God in the required conversion experience for kids. 30. Pledge explanation. 33. Hoon dok Hae explanation. Offering table and too poor to afford food. 41. Elgen’s experience of GOP. 52. Madison square garden blessing and three day ceremony. 58. Belvedere and East Garden
Following Hideo’s podcast series Growing Up Moonie, Lee Hale interviews Hideo on his podcast Preach.