Things you can expect when leaving the 2x2 cult

You can expect the fears instilled by the destructive mind control techniques to make it harder to leave. Knowledge and good people will help you to leave

1. Slander: (a former Sunday AM meeting elder's wife) told my friends that I was "mental". I called her and confronted her about it. She said I was "mental" because she was in the only right "way" and if I knew about that "way" and turned away from it, I must be "mental".

   Someone told people I had a mental disease because I had a "fixation on the scripture". Wow. Another 2x2 against following the Bible. You can really laugh about these things after you've been away for awhile. But at first it is bewildering, then hurtful and later hilarious.

2. Libel: People posted lies about me on internet. People make insinuations about exmembers having sex with goats etc. Really crude. They've really got the 2x2 spirit alright.
3. Harassment:People spam my business email address whenever I post on message board or especially when I put this website on Wikipedia. My brother-in-law called me five times yelling threatens and shouting profanity into the phone. He even threatened to assault me. Do a search on Wikipedia.org for "Christian Conventions". The page is monitored by 2x2s and they remove all postings by people who have left the cult. They removed my website 4 times because they don't like my eye-witness account of what goes on. Especially since I've been in the "work" before.
4. Threats: My sister's (Pam Rank, formerly Lewis) husband (Brian Rank) called me on the telephone and threatened to "k__k f____ a___ you s___ of a ___" etc. These 2x2s are very vulgar, disobey laws, and downright "impolite" to put it mildly. He never called to apologize. I had to call the police and give a report to get him to stop calling me. He called me 5 or 6 times in one day with threatenings. Fortunately I had a witness and she got to hear his threatenings on the phone. Plus I've got the phone records.
5. Shunning: I don't have a problem with this :) After all the profanity, lies and deceit, I really don't want to even look at them.

Here's a list of things you can expect to go through

1. Learning the real gospel: "Christ died for your sins. Repent and believe in Him"
2. Learning the real meaning of words used in the cult: workers - people who work, friends - people who help you when you're in need, meetings - people getting together and not to be preached at, field - where you grow barley and pasture horses
3. Getting rid of numerous fears so easily be learning facts about the cult and making real friends.
4. Naseau after looking at 2x2s when memories come back
5. Hurt after being lied for so long
6. Hurt from broken trust
7. Hurt from betrayal of parents and "friends"
8. Feeling foolish for believing the workers
9. Wondering what to expect from others if this is how you were treated by your parents
10. Confusion as to why you allowed yourself to be deceived for so long
11. General trauma and symptoms of post-traumatic stress disorder
12. Depression
13. High mood swings

The good things about your emotions: Your emotions are based on your beliefs. Once you learn the real meaning of "love", "friend" etc, then your emotions will settle down and you will stabilize more.

Here's some hard things you can expect to go through

1. Roller-coaster of emotions as memories come up
2. Rethinking about all your experiences in the cult
3. Developing healthy behaviour
4. Figuring out all your unhealthy fears and changing bad habits
5. Learning the definition of what a friend is
6. Dropping cult vocabulary
7. Confronting parents for their lies
8. Abusive behaviour of 2x2s who got out of the cult but haven't changed their behavior
9. Annoyance of the fear tactics used by workers as thoughts come into your head.
10. Anger of how you've been treated. You can use this anger for energy to confront your abusive parents (if they are 2x2) family and friends.

Here's a list of things that happened to others when they left:

1. Worry: Some people worry about what others will think of them. This usually doesn't last more than a few days. Afterwards you'll probably look back and laugh about that. I mean after being lied to for so long, why worry about what they think of you? What do you think of them? Do they care?
2. Sadness: Sadness of knowing you will be lied about. They will say "So and so quit coming to meetings and has "lost out". Isn't that so sad?" No, it's not sad these people have left. It's good to leave a cult that practices destructive mind control techniques. These feelings of sadness make some people feel literally sick and nauseas.
3. Worry:Worrying about what your parents will think. You may think they love you. Ask yourself this though, "Knowing what you know, would you deceive your children? Do you consider this loving?" Look in the Bible for the definition of love. Does it include telling lies, threatening, deceit and aberrant behavior?
4. Worrying about your salvation. Some people worry that they have lost out. This is because of ignorance, quite easily solved. Read the Bible and what it says about salvation. Salvation comes by repentance and faith in Jesus Christ. It does not mean attending meetings of cults and suffering through their wicked way. Do you think these followers of the workers are really concerned about your salvation? You can listen through years of meetings and still be clueless about salvation. If you want to do something about your salvation, do this: Read the Bible. Put your faith in God. Repent of your sin. Confess your faults to God. Plead the blood of Jesus Christ.
5. Cruel Slander My aunt and uncle were slandered by many. I was told they just wanted to be "worldly" and have a TV. My aunt and uncle are much happier out of the cult and so are their kids. Don & Kathy Lewis were a great help to me for a couple years after I left the cult. Kathy has written a book and it's listed in the Books section. Don and Kathy took me in when I was sick with bacterial pneumonia when my foks refused to help. And that was in August 2006.
6. Divorce I have a friend whose wife is divorcing him, has taken the kids and house and is using other "friends" money to support herself. 2x2 relatives slander his name to others. A relative spoke evil of him. I asked her if she knew that she said first hand or not. She said to talk to her elder. I called this elder on 05/26/2007 Sat 8:12 PM. This 2x2 elder slandered him also. Thank God for telephone recorders. In Oregon you can record any conversation without the other persons consent. It's good to record all telephone conversations with 2x2s if its' legal in your state. If it's required by law, be sure to get their consent first. If they won't talk when it's recorded, they aren't worth talking to.
7. Lies 2x2s tell lots of lies about people who leave. I would like to put together a page of experiences of people who have left the cult so you can read their experiences. It's horrible to hear the grotesque abuse of 2x2s to people who want to become Christians.