In Reply to: Re: Zerby's latest bullshit posted by Carol on June 19, 2004 at 14:45:30:
I convinced that they really believe it. Someone very close to me is a WS worker, where they live and exactly what they do I don't know, but this person is completely deluded by the whole "gift to the world" spiel.
When I was still stuck in the group, which continued to last for some time even after Berg died, when top leaders come around I can remember that one of the main reasons they were so convincing is because of the sincerity of their convictions. (Just because you sincerely believe something doesn't mean it's the truth.)
I believe brainwashing is a fact. I know that I personally got sucked into Berg's cult of the personality religion because of how vulnerable I was after nearly 4 years of the hippy drug-subculture, i.e. lots of psychedelics, and shattered ideals.
Berg really did personally believe he was the fulfillment of Biblical prophecies about a person, the so-called "David of the End", who old testament prophets predicted would come in the "last days" to lead God's "End Time Church" against the Anti Christ and his forces. This is a core belief that the Family continues to adheres to.