If you were granted three minutes to return in time and speak to your younger pre-cult self, what would you say? Here’s mine.

“Hi young Robert,

Remember this simple definition and universal truth – “If anyone says their way is the only way, or it will be the end of the world, it is definitely 100% a cult, a scam, or a falsehood”.

ALL doomsday predictions that “the world will end soon” have never come true – throughout history. Yes we had the Black Death, the deadliest pandemic recorded in human history, which killed 30% to 60% of Europe’s population. But Earth did not end even with all the disasters and massive extinctions in Earth’s 4.6 billion years history.

Even if your own eldest brother told you it is true and that they have famous public figures endorsing them but you should think for yourself logically about Brahma Kumaris’ teachings of 5,000 year repeating cycle, the promise of golden age, and perfect human deities living on heaven on earth, these weird beliefs are simply false and impossible. “The universe doesn’t allow perfection.” Stephen Hawking said.

Learn from your big karmic life lesson, move on, and be the voice of truth, love, and light to enlighten the darkness in the world.”

~ from Robert Chaen’s future self to his younger pre-cult self

Written: Robert Chaen

Published: 16th September 2020.

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Recently, an ICSA supporter shared an innovative idea that may provide us with a valuable new tool for preventive education via social media. The supporter wrote a fictional message to his younger self, before his recruitment into a cult. The message communicates what the old self thinks would have helped his younger self to resist the allure of the group.  So, we are asking members of our network for similar thoughts:
 
If you were granted three minutes to return in time and speak to your younger pre-cult self, what would you say?  If you were born or raised in a cultic group, consider writing a message to your young parent(s) and/or your younger self. We welcome short vignettes as well as other artistic communications, like art, photography, music, poetry, and fiction.  

If this idea intrigues you, please contribute to our project by submitting your short vignette or artwork. (Try to keep vignettes to about 500 words or less.)  Use this online form to submit your work.    In about two months, we will review the submitted vignettes and contact their authors. Feel free to write mail@icsamail.com, if you have not heard from us within three months.   ICSA will not post or publish anything you submit without first obtaining your written permission. Submissions are treated as drafts.

If appropriate, ICSA editors may help you with the revision process.   If you would like to know more about ICSA’s preventive education planning and the rationale for this project, please write us at mail@icsamail.com.  

Thank you!  
Michael Langone, PhD
Executive Director
ICSA

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All Doomsday Predictions Were Wrong. Here were 5 Times The World Did Not End.