Hi to all you good warriors- Lakeshore, I also think you captured the 3 categories perfectly.
What's the motive behind the "be very careful" message: Intention is always impossible to accurately nail down, but my take is it's a power trip. Someone, who thinks they know something, wants to instill fear in someone else because they feel superior, or "in the know." It's plain and simple intimidation.
After a few of my articles came out, I got a private message from the good doctor, that would be, John Horton--the personal physician and former instructor. We knew each other, but not well back in the day. His note said he wanted to talk to me. No hello, no how are you Don. Just his email. I wrote him back a very pleasant note--How are you Dr. John, been a long time...blah blah. You've read my articles I suppose, so what do you want to talk about? He said, your criticism of P.R. I said, well, what would be the purpose of that conversation? Guess what happened next? Nothing. Crickets.
How did I feel? I just wrote another few articles. I don't care what he thinks or what any of them think. I've lost a good number of friends that go way back. And, it doesn't bother me in the least.
What bothers me the most frankly, are all the people who are actually ex followers, who aren't saying a god damn thing publicly. Some just don't want to rock the boat on their friendships with the loyalists.
Going silent into the night isn't my thing. Not everyone's thing of course. Anyway, my efforts to keep the truth out in the public eye will continue.
My book will be published next May, and there's my story of leaving the cult in there. The publisher is going to push hard to get me on podcasts, radio, TV, and when the opportunity presents itself, I will be more than happy to mention my life shaping cult experience, and give the hornet's nest a good kick right in the ass. -
