In Reply to: Re: We might have been robots posted by Alan on September 24, 2003 at 08:00:12:
I am glad you found time to reply. Slavery was a thorn and in many cases it still is but I was trying to address the questions in your last paragraph:
"With all we have in common with Thomas Jefferson, how is it that some ex-fam members can applaud the tyrannical acts of evil judges and politicians? How is it that they who have broken the chains of this cult's bondage and have savored the freedoms of thought, speech, religion and press now want to deny those freedoms to others?"
I was agreeing with you when I said: "I also find amazing that many of us, ex-cult members who were taken for all we had, are still able to turn off our ability to ask questions, hard questions. Or that when questions are asked, many cannot deal with the answers." and then tried to expand our conversation towards the possibility of generalization:
"Do you think it might be plain human nature and part of our own frailties? In other words, those seeking freedom for themselves really didn't care about freeing others when that would mean going against their own interests? In other words, the current government and the patriot act you mention are within the same type of mentality Jeferson had of protecting his own interests and the consolidation of government."
I think that we might enter into a dangerous terrain when looking at specifics without considering the overall foundational reasons of behavior. In my opinion, if we can agree that the powers that be (meaning governments perhaps?) are of God, it is not profitable to argue about this government or that government (or for that matter, this form of government versus other forms of government) is better or worse.
So, if it is human nature to first and foremost consider one's self and one's interest then ex-members are very much humans while cult members have actually lost their humanity. This is a strong point and leaves out people who have gone to martirdom and sacrifice on behalf of others. Both in religion and in social causes we can find examples of altruism but for the most part, our human selfishness takes over and we put ourselves first and everybody else's needs later.