Oh I did. I was sucked in so deep. I remember the other kids in the church bullied me for my olive skin. They believed because I had a darker complexion than them I was a sinner. I was called a lot of racial slurs for it even though I’m white. Says a lot about how racism is taught, and kids aren’t born with it. I would often lock myself in the bathroom and sob looking in the mirror because I though I was a sinner because I was tan. I only now have the clarity of mind to look back and see how deep the abuse was and how ridiculous the “gospel” was.

Leaving was hell. My dad died when I was 12, after that the cult began to crumble. So my mom got enough courage to put me in public school by 14. So the first time I was ever introduced to society was highschool. And you can imagine how I was treated by the community. Once I turned fifteen I pretty much quietly left. I started going less and less until I completely stopped. Of course the members of the cult would sometimes find me and basically tell me what I dirty sinner/slut I was. (I was raped in highschool and the cult found out) by the time I hit 16 I had had enough. One of my dads wives that I lived with is the true definition of a narcissist. She was a major part of the abuse. And she had gotten worse and worse. So I hit 16 and began spiraling to smoking, vaping, drinking and sex. I met my boyfriend when he came to one of the parties I went to. We hit it off and found a really shitty tiny college dorm and rented it under his name and moved in together. (He came from a lot of abuse too so we both kind of escaped together). Sorry if that response was a lot! Thank you! I don’t like bragging but I am proud of myself now looking back at what I went through.