The cult has been experiencing a slow and steady decline in membership the last few years. From its heyday of 30 active ministers and as many ministers-in-training, the numbers appeared to have dropped to about 16 ministers and maybe 4 ministers-in-training.
My moment of clarity was different but just as enlightening. I was summoned to a meeting with the cult directors. In it, they were testing my faith or something like that. In the conversation, the president said that the founder wanted me to "teach the year class and join the board of directors". Those are both highly esteemed positions in the cult and are endowed with a certain amount of power, privilege and influence.
Well, after politely accepting this information I ran like hell back to my little church-owned hovel and started using the meditation and reflection techniques taught by the cult. Keep in mind that at that point I was opening my eyes to the cult. I was recalling the lies, the deliberate way they kept people confused, and the way they would appeal to a person's ego just enough to get what they wanted from them.
While in reflection, a few words came up. Greed. Pride. Gluttony. Was that me? What was that? Where did that come from? After a moment, the answer came up. That statement was there to appeal to my baser self. They always said that I had an "ambitious nature" and that they were charged to control it and use it.
There it is again. The appeal to ego. Knowing that the cult rarely keeps a promise and always pulls some kind of stunt to keep people off-balance, not knowing what to expect I knew right then that the statement that I would be given a influential position was nothing more than some kind of appeal to my "ambitious nature".
It was no coincidence that at that time, I was about to receive a sizable amount of property through an inheritance. And they knew it. Giving me a stroke to my ego would keep me in line and would keep me in control. It would also lead me to get rid of my only blessing at that time - the inheritance. That inheritance was the only thing that would allow me an independent life away from the clutches of the Spiritual Rights Foundation.
So, being no idiot (but perhaps not far from it) I put two and two together and decided my long-term spiritual growth and unfoldment lay elsewhere.
It took a while to get myself actually pulled away from the mess called the Spiritual Rights Foundation. It was a little longer for my wife to pull herself away. No, I did not do anything or say anything to force, coerce or otherwise influence her to leave. She left on her own. But leave we did. She turned her back and walked away while I kept turning back to spit at them.
I would imagine that SRF is none too pleased with this blog. In their view, the "negative energy" of this blog apparently permeates the organization and is infecting the cult with defections.
How that happens, beats me. I don't send this blog to anyone. In fact, I don't publicize it at all as of this writing. If anyone reads this blog, it's because they searched for the topic or stumbled upon it. I never initiate contact with any of the SRF members out of respect for their way of life, where there is little or no contact with outsiders.
Should a current member of SRF reads this, I'm not advocating or encouraging your departure. That is your choice. However, I will support your decision if you leave and would be willing to help any way I can.
I don't think I'll get any takers. Honestly, many of the people left there have nothing significant in their lives but the cult. Many have lost marriages, family, property and money or have no hope of the health, wealth or inner peace the cult claims to inspire them to attain. But despite that, they might as well stay since SRF gives them a chance to wallow together.
Best of luck to them. I hope their moment of clarity happens sometime. If they do have that moment, we will be glad to invite them to our next event. And unlike SRF events (where you cough up an entry fee, are told it's a pot luck or both), we will pay for the entrees.
But you can bring some cookies. We also like good wine.
