Cults - Tumblr Posts

Bad Batch Crosshair - Modern AU (Names)

This is a reality where the Dathmarian Night Cult is known for turning people into mincemeat while alive, and being cannibals for eating said mincemeat. They are also known for grooming, SA, and having their narcissist leaders word be law. AKA, Crosshair learns which cult Lyni and the kids escaped from.

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It had been a few days after Crosshair and Techs talk at the bar. Cross kept meaning to tell Lyni about how he felt but it never seemed to be the right time to confess. With her busy schedule and the fact that a few minutes into any downtime that they had alone, she would fall asleep due to the exhaustion she felt.

This day was like any other Tuesday, with Lyni getting up early to get to the coffee shop while Cross and his brothers made sure the twins got ready for school. After they trio left there was down time before the rest of the house got ready for the day. Crosshair was warming up some of the leftover stew around two o'clock in the afternoon for Lyni when she would make it home. Then he heard an argument from outside the batches house.

Turning off the stove he went outside to find a large dark orange zabrack arguing with Lyni. The circle of horns on the Zabracks head showed that he was at least in his mid-to late thirties. That took the back seat to the threats he was yelling at Lyni, "If you do not come now you will wish whipping will be your only punishment!" His face was twisted and purple with the rage building up.

Lyni was keeping out of reach of the hands reaching out to grab her, "I am not going back." A dodge from his claws, "You cannot force me to."

The man gave out a deep growl before gathering himself to jump at her. Crosshair grabbed the shovel Tech had left on the front porch and sprinted to stand between them. He could hear Lynis voice, "Cross..." faintly warning as he placed himself in front of her with the shovel raised. Meeting the mad yellowish gaze with cold eyes, "Why are you threatening my friend?"

The eyes narrowed, "She is not yours.' Baring his teeth before pulling back a sleeve to show a brand, "She is ours." Then with a threatening growl, "I've come to take her home."

Crosshair could his cousin Fox in his police uniform standing his right. At that position Fox's body cam would catch everything. Glancing over his shoulder, "Miss," Lyni gave a slightly surprised chirp at the term, "do you want to go with him?"

"No," was the clear and calm answer, "I do not." Then continuing, "Destroy, I am not part of the group any longer." Pulling herself to her full five feet and nine inches of height, "I am an adult and chose to leave."

There was a feral growl as the man, Destroy, started forward ready to bite and claw. Crosshair caught him on the shovel and pushed him back before Fox quickly made the arrest. Reading the man his rights as he was on the ground.

Destroy did not seem to be listening as he glared at Lyni, "You will return to us." Laughing manically as he was forced up and towards the squad car, "You cannot run forever Laloni Oppress. She will find you!"

Crosshair waved to Fox to show he heard that his cousin would be by later for a statement. Then the two Fett's went different directions. One to drive away in the squad car with a seeming mad man, the other into his families house following the woman he loves.

When Cross entered he found Lyni slumped on the couch, she immediately looked up when he entered, "Destroys right you know." Sighing as she put her head into her hands, "I'ts stupid to think that I could run forever. I should have known," hitting her head with her hands, "stupid, stupid stupid."

This would have continued if Crosshair didn't catch her hands, "Your not stupid Lyni." He was kneeling in front of her like he was when she admitted to her mother allowing people to SA her. Pushing that memory aside, "Please tell me."

Swallowing she turned her hands to be holding his instead of being captured, "I was born Laloni Oppress, but my brothers always called me Lyni." A slight smile at the memory, "Their treasure." The nickname did fit her but he was quiet as she continued, "The 'she' Destroy referred to was my mother." Pausing to gather herself, "Mother Talzan, the leader of the Dathmarian Night Cult." Looking into his eyes and seeing the recognition there, "That's where I was until I was until I was seventeen, when my brother Savage and I escaped with the twins."

Trying to gather his mind again after the unexpected news, "When you said Savage was killed...."

Finishing his thought, "Mother ordered him to be murdered the traditional way." Shuttering at the thought, "He was butchered alive."

Crosshair had nothing at all to say to that. Luckily Lyni did not need words, she just pulled his hands so that he sat on the couch with her and situated to be as much in his lap as possible. She wanted to be held, and he fulfilled her silent request.

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When it comes to cults, control and abuse there are so many mind games going on. I hope that no one is too triggered at this. I tried to keep it light while giving the idea of what happened.

Debated posting this here cause of friskiness, but decided to for the Bloody crowd (not frisky with him, but he does appear and have a fun role)

Anyway.

My hypothesis is that in like 10 years gen z is gonna have a big cult boom the way the boomers did in the 70s

𝑯𝒂𝒗𝒆𝒏'𝒕 𝑰 𝒈𝒊𝒗𝒆𝒏 𝒆𝒏𝒐𝒖𝒈𝒉 ?

- Gilded Lily, Cults

You and me,

Always forever

- Always Forever, Cults

* cough cough * @hannamoon143

Adding onto this, homeschooling was massive help to me and my siblings because we all have various mental illness. We grew up with people who understood us, and didn't hate us because we were hard to teach or a disruption

For a lot of people, for a lot of reasons, homeschool has helped people. Even in the ways we are "stunted", if you want to go around calling people stunted cause they don't fit in, its helped us in more ways then its inconvenienced

So again, homeschooling is not a cult

Cults are cults. They do what they do in any form they please. If you ban homeschooling you don't stop cults, all you get is something that's helped a lot of people ruined

Anyway enough lame gifted kid discourse we are in our 20s. Let's talk about how homeschooling in america should be fucking illegal it's insane lol

okay. listen. if you ever find yourself falling into a new ideological circle, pay attention. if you notice that you’re among people who define themselves as part of an “in-group” with a pre-prepared human “enemy” to constantly rail against—if everyone fantasizes about the mental state of these loathsome monsters, if they participate in witch hunts or (perhaps worse) poke bears and court harassment on purpose to comfort each other over—get the fuck out. you haven’t been enlightened to some grand conspiracy, there are no evil “enemies” or “degenerates” trying to rip apart the fabric of society, and you do not have the moral duty to “enlighten” anyone to whatever you think the “truth” is. it’s neither safe nor normal to spend hours of your day fighting with strangers on the internet

a lot of people wear this shit like a badge of honor, but it’s also not normal to hide your “in-group” status as a form of martyrdom, relishing when the “enemy” slips up around you. it’s comforting in the moment, but in the long run, you’re alienating yourself from the world outside of your bubble. the more you alienate yourself, the more vulnerable and lonely you become, and the harder it is to reject the comfort of belonging to the “in-group”

i’m writing this from the perspective of someone who grew up in a cesspool of awful, cult-like rural churches—which is its own situation—but i see similar shit happening in online communities all the time, both within and 800 miles outside of my own ideological principles. yes, every toxicass radfem i block seems to be trapped in a version of this vicious cycle, but i also see it happening in random queer circles and niche fandom communities. no one is immune, not even me. i’ve watched people fall into this shit and never make it out. be careful

Anyone else get the feeling that Gale would be a major Cults enjoyer? 🤔 I feel like that man would absolutely sob to Always Forever. Gilded Lily coded sad man✨

Gale listening to his sad girl music:

Cosine may or may not have developed as a character... :> (see tags for his Lore)

plus some bonuses from the layers!

America has a weird relationship with cults where they’re terrified of small cults (or organizations they think are cults) but completely normalized massive cults that hurt many more people (eg: LDS Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Amish, Scientology, most Megachurches)

This is kind of a weird thing for me to throw while theres the whole "Timothy vs Melanie 2: electric boogaloo" situation going on but ive noticed that the melanie fandom kinda works like a cult, im not saying that as a joke here.

Im not trying to be a conspiracy theorist here but the fanbase sure has a lot of manipulation tbh, if anyone who knows more about cults could maybe talk to me about this lemme know but i think i might have figured out why the fanbase is so shitty.

Go and stretch out my arms

Long as they need to be

Turn off all alarms and lie to me...

Go and stretch out my arms

Long as they need to be

Turn off all alarms and lie to me...

Haven't I given enough, given enough?..

Restored/Abandoned

Ancients had followings once.

Massive, sprawling networks ever in their service. They cared little for things in the long run, but that is not to say they didn’t acknowledge their followers power, their devotion, their borderline obsession.

Some watched over their believers, sometime to keep them from harm, sometimes just to know them. Some picked favorites and kept them close, even in death. Some granted desires at a whim, showering gifts upon those they deemed worthy. Some spoke to their believers, in person, or through that offered connection.

But Ancients had duties. They had realms and domains that could keep them blind to the worlds for a time that would only seem reasonable to something so long-lived.

And in that time, devotion would fade. Proof would die, and believers along with it. Their followings would splinter, their stories would grow warped, until not even their name was consistent.

They would cease to be known.

And while this did not effect them so massively, it was a shame.

It was a loss.

Now that you know of orders lost, I need you to think of a boy.

I need you to think of Danny Fenton, of Phantom, of a child who had people close to deities as role models, a strange sense of humor, and just enough spare time on his hands.

Think of a boy that would correct the broken versions of Pandora’s myth, of a boy that would hear of Father Time and rave about a clock tower of the most intricate build, a boy who would set down grudges and tell of dreams more wild than even Amity’s waking world.

And remember, this was Amity Park. This was a place mundanely haunted, a place known for it’s mystique. So, people heard, and they considered it. A few even believed it.

Cults already existed in Amity Park. It was not hard for more to form when it was Phantom egging on their conspiracy.

And the Ancients heard, and they might have ignored. But, that child was theirs as far ghosts cared, and he had given them believers.

So, much in the way a parent might stick a hideous crayon drawing up on their fridge, Pandora and Clockwork reached out to their new followings.

And like a curious sibling, Nocturne was just entertained enough to humor Danny.

Pandora gave protection for every offering delivered, talked into the minds of her zealots, and appeared to them as she pleased.

Clockwork chose prophets, gave prophecies and future sight without any comprehensible reason.

Nocturne spirited away resting minds, hiding them away in a deeper sleep, with more powerful, happier dreams.

And as simply as that, Amity knew Ancients, and they would not forget for a long time yet.

America has a weird relationship with cults where they’re terrified of small cults (or organizations they think are cults) but completely normalized massive cults that hurt many more people (eg: LDS Church, Jehovah’s Witnesses, the Amish, Scientology, most Megachurches)

I always have people tell me I look older than I actually am. Go to the last slide and you‘ll see why. #trauma #traumarecovery #suicide #suicideprevention #suicideawarness #troubledteen #troubledteenindustry #troubledteens #troubledteenindustrysurvivor #troubledteenagers #cult #cults #therapy #therapycult #selfimprovementcult #childhoodtrauma #childhoodtraumasurvivor #childhoodtraumarecovery #childhoodtraumaawareness #childhoodtraumas #adolescenttrauma #adolescenttraumaandabuse #adolescenttraumaticexperienceawereness #teentrauma #violence #violenceisnottheanswer #violenceagainstwomen #violenceprevention #domesticviolenceawareness #domesticviolence https://www.instagram.com/p/CKrk-GPph9h/?igshid=1k3owggotcufd

LB # 38: Cult Kitties #webcomic #comic

SmallComic: Cult Kitties

If this was “people from Montana” it would be an entirely valid summary of the play I’m in right now.

People from Wyoming

One thing I see a lot in discussions of cults and radicalization and high demand groups is people saying things like “Yeah, be careful, and remember, if it feels wrong, trust your gut!”

And like, I know they mean well, and it’s not always bad advice, but like,

No.

Don’t rely on your gut.

Your gut is gonna think these people are safety and your gut is gonna tell you that leaving is scary.

Sure, you might be picking up on something suspicious. Or! You might be experiencing cognitive dissonance when confronted with the truth, in which case you actually need to lean into and examine the bad feelings to see if they make sense.

The whole way cults operate is by making themselves the primary source of your good feelings and sense of security and correctness. By making everything else feel unsafe and scary.

Yes, you need to be aware of your emotional reactions to things, but not in a trust your gut way.

When TERFs are transphobic, they are trusting their instincts. Their instincts, whether born of trauma related to sexual violence or just born of living in a cisnormative society, tells them men are scary, men are inherently predatory, and women and men are different on a fundamental incompatible level. Their gut is a fucking liar. Having that initial reaction when learning about new people or new ideas is normal, but you have to push back against it - instead TERFs tell people something that feels good, that they want to hear. Their first feeling was right. They should never be asked to question it. They are special for knowing the truth about men and trans people. When TERFs spread the shit that reinforces their world view? It feels good. It feels right. When people present meaningful evidence that they are causing harm, and don’t know what they’re talking about? That feels bad.

If they trust their gut, they’ll keep doing what they’re doing forever.

Being Mormon felt good. Hearing things that made being Mormon feel special and seem right? Felt good! Leaving Mormonism? Felt bad! Felt confusing and disorienting! There was grief in what I was losing, and uncertainty about who I even was or what world I lived in. When I was Mormon coffee was frightening to me, and normal happy people outside the church living normal moral lives while not following its rules was upsetting to examine, and being at a youth service felt good and safe and right.

One of the most important ways to avoid cults, conspiracies, high demand groups, radicalization, and even just spreading false political memes online, is to question your gut. These things live and breathe on manipulating your initial instinctive reaction to them - to feel validation, righteous anger, superiority, safety, certainty.

Question your initial reaction. If something immediately gives you a hit of “so true”, or “a perfect example” or “see???” or makes you feel self satisfied or vindicated? Step back and ask if it was specifically designed to get you to feel that way - and if it was, was it actually right?

If something makes you feel accepted, safe, a sanctuary- what is it keeping you safe from? Is it actually a threat? Do you have other places or people elsewhere that also make you feel safe?

If something makes you feel scared, isolated, misunderstood, threatened, angry, uncomfortable, ashamed - Step back and ask if it actually should, if the feeling is based in fact, if it’s actually proportional to the threat, how common or trivial the trigger is. This makes you scared or uncomfortable, but should it? Are you making enemies out of the benign? Are you vilifying normality? Even if it’s genuinely something bad, is your reaction proportional?This made you so angry you wanted to share it immediately- was it designed to make you angry? Is it a fair representation? Does it have an agenda?

Every single religion in the world, regular or cult, makes people feel good. That’s why the people are there. Every single conspiracy manipulates people’s fears, making normalcy and reason feel bad. Every single high demand group and radicalized group and predatory group does what it does specifically by targeting your feelings.

Don’t listen to your gut unexamined. This applies to cults, but honestly? Also to forming opinions, forging relationships, and more. Abusers know how to play with your emotions, while simultaneously your trauma can lie to you. You have been raised in a bigoted society that might poison you against kind people and allies. Politicians play on your fears and your insecurities to get votes.

You need to develop the emotional intelligence to recognize when your emotions are being manipulated specifically to influence and control you. Since that’s the primary method of spreading misinformation, you actually should constantly be questioning your instincts. Follow the data, the primary sources, the science, and real logical argumentation. Understand how people control you. Understand you are biased and probably wrong about some things. Learn not to be scared of being wrong. Don’t ever tie your identity inextricably to something other people control the definition of. And find peace in uncertainty and nuance. It takes practice, and that means messing up on the way. It’s okay to mess up. You’ve got this.