when I was younger (around 14 years old) my father stopped sexually abusing me because he also joined a cult. (my memory is fuzzy here on the date or time frame, but it was after that and before their divorce when I was 16, the rest happened) ok, at first I was a little interested in what they were teaching (that took up about 6 months in order to give a fair chance). when we decided we wanted no part of it my father began to force me my brother, and my mother into the cult. even after we all made it plain that we were not interested and didn't share their belief system.

well here is where I did something plainly criminal no matter I was a minor led astray (other issues not discussed made it possible to be easily enticed into what happened next.) I fell in with another boy there and he had the key to the desk of one of the higher ups in the cult (third tier leader if memory serves). how he acquired it I don't know. anyhow between the two of us we took over $300 that night, and two days later another $600. (I cant remember if these are complete totals, or what we each walked away with) out of that desk and went on a spending spree.

now if that weren't bad enough he shows the $300 watch he bought to the very person who's desk we took the money from. told him it was a gift from some random female member of the cult.

result:

we of course got caught. now for me (I never learned what happened to him) this was the best thing that could have ever happened. I got thrown out, and told never to darken their doorstep ever again. I got permanently banned, and if I was to provide a written apology to the person the money was stolen from they would not even call the police.

I was never happier to write a letter in my life!

to this day (40 some years later) my father still refuses to believe I got permanently banned and on the very few communications we have he still tries to recruit me, and occasionally sends me literature (he doesn't own an email thankfully) that I simply throw away without even opening.

so that is my history with a father who pushes his cult on not just me but the whole family. my mom and brother escaped by way of divorce when I was 16 and I don't know if either has anything to do with him or not.

while I don't recommend you do this, and hopefully you wont have to go to such extreme measures, I do hope that someday you find peace with all of it weather you retain any contact or not.

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on a side note this is the first time I have ever related this history to anyone. during the events it was focused more on what happened, and how to end it. I have never told the history in detail to anyone before.