Hi Jones, I'm a newly emerging ex-premie.

 An unfortunate side-effect of having belonged to an " off-spring " group is that , having escaped from such an obviously dangerous and stifling physical environment ( isolated in the deepest Norfolk countryside ), the more subtle imprisonment - by- thought-control of the official premie world seemed, by comparison, quite free.

 In fact,the official cult , because of it's insidious nature, it is more difficult to recognise and  therefore break free from. I tended to blame any negative feelings I experienced later within the official premie world as caused by my traumatic, previous association with David Willmott and his  "offspring" group ( I thought I might be" scarred for life ", metaphorically speaking ! ).

One good result was that " Robin Farm " ( that was the name of the house ) was such a classic and extreme " cult " set-up and so obviously deviant and weird that I was able to use my experience there as a " litmus test " for all experiences thereafter and was thus able to avoid and steer my way around the worst excesses of  the " official " premie world.

I had had the physical proof that total obedience,humility and fear-based " devotion " would be the death of me.( ( during my time at Robin Farm my weight dropped to about 6 stone and a previous inmate had been hospitalised seriously starved , another guy ( also severely under weight ) contracted a serious infection in an open wound and was refused access to a doctor ( " faith " was supposed to heal him ))

These were pre- moonie or rev Jim Jones days and little was known by anybody about cults or how to recognise them.

It is interesting how the kind of people who set themselves up as the leaders of these groups  ( I include Prem Rawat here) seem to have an instinctive understanding of how to manipulate the human psyche.......

Out of curiosity, Jones, could I ask why you are interested in " offspring " groups ? I would appreciate any input regarding this very strange time in my life.

All the best Lexy.