78 Ex-Cult Members Share The Strangest Things They Were Expected To Do And Believe

I grew up not allowed to cut my hair. I shaved my head in 2020 and it was so healing.

Watched my mom try to pray a demon out of our garbage disposal.

Millionaires passing around plates asking poor people for money so they can go to heaven.

I got a disciplinary lecture from my pastor and his wife (who also happened to be my parents) when they figured out I was reading parenting books that advocated against spanking children. Then they demanded that I immediately begin spanking my son because I was arrogant and thought I knew better than God. I have since been no contact and happily out of church.

We weren't allowed to eat celery because the leader said it was 'a smug and ambitious vegetable.'

Having it drilled into my brain that menstrual cramps were meant to remind women that we were responsible for The Fall (Adam and Eve getting kicked out of the Garden of Eden).

In junior high, I found myself rolling around on the floor of a university racquetball court, pretending to speak in tongues.
I was at an Evangelical conference where our minister’s wife was convinced I “just needed to reach for the spirit.” I just wanted to leave & literally be anywhere else.
She kept going on about how we needed to walk on stilts for Jesus, so I finally gave in and made a bunch of random “shamala hamala” noises until she was satisfied.
This, followed by bowling.

Allowing your child to perish rather than have a blood transfusion.

Men praying out loud in front of everyone to stop being tempted by preteen girls.

Oh I knew my time to shine would come. Where do I start? We had to pray over toilets to fix them instead of calling a plumber.

The pastor slept with his babysitters including my friend. He also got her pregnant and paid for her abortion. But, she was kicked out of the church…stay tuned for the day when I release a memoir specifically about this insanity.

Being told that women could hold no positions of power because God made man the leaders and then telling us to cover up because men had no control over what they do when tempted.

The pastor went on $12000 trips to Africa to hunt big game while the vast majority of the congregation struggled to pay bills.

14, 15 and 16 year old children married and pregnant right after. I was 15.

Men constantly praying for hymens to get restored.

I didn’t speak in tongues so the leader of the church grabbed me by the throat and started blowing in my mouth to give me “fire in my mouth.”

I begged my parents to never go back.

Was told I had scoliosis because of a demon in my spine when I was 14. I don’t even have scoliosis.

I was grounded for reading Harry Potter for “bringing evil spirits into the house”.
Also, I wasn’t allowed to watch Scooby Doo because it gave me a “spirit of fear“.

Avoid taking ibuprofen/ pain relievers during your period because “ period pain is your punishment as a woman and suffering will make you reach sainthood “ ( Opus Dei ).

Being forced to drink colloidal silver because they believed it would cure anything. It ended up giving my cousin lifelong brain damage and seizures.