Yay! I love to nag about this every once in a while (gotta take out the luggage sometimes)

"Friend" at church and me are discussing metal music quite often.

I was pretty upfront about that I found most christian metal bands quite lackluster as music. You can clearly tell most of these bands are about the message, not music for the sake of music. He once responded with: "at least it's not about doing drugs all the time like all those other bands do."

I pointed out "what are you even talking about? The few songs from metallica? Master of puppets and harvester of sorrow? Most metal is about societal issues, war, evil, fantasy, ...where did you get this idea?"

=> crickets.

This same guy refused to listen to dream theater because it had the word dream in it. But was very ok watching lotr.

This same guy, thought it was a good idea to jump through a few hoops in order to send Tim Lambesis an encouraging message when he got into jail (singer of an xtian metal band, who then plotted to have his wife murdered).

Anyway enough about that particular one.

(Warning: very uncomfortable material up ahead)

I'm minding my own busines walking down the street. When all of a sudden some couple walks up to me. "I spoke to your pastor, you must come do our worship at our church". I was still totally brainwashed and didn't have too much backbone back then so one thing led to another I'm playing guitar at yet another church. Which...oh boy.

Pastor: today we're praying for our sister (pregnant lady walks up). There are satanists who praying to kill her child. (Just says it without any proof, as one does) today we will pray that these satanists will drop dead by the end of this prayer.

Same pastor tried to introduce me to his daughter with sort of a "ain't she pretty?"-vibe which reaaaaaally gave me the creeps. The age diffirence between me and her was beyond innapropriate to even entertain such conversation. Let alone doing the whole "here's my kid, say hi" thing, wtf man!? I walked out of that church having decided it was the last time. That same pastor would keep calling me a few times months after inviting me to worship. Fucking boundaries man.

Here's a few more stories:

https://leminal.space/post/30282765

I'll end with this: once I managed to unbrainwash myself (with lots of patience from my parents and friends) it didn't take long for me to meet my wife. I've done a lot of healing since then and life is A LOT better. I feel like I escaped imprissonment.

If you know someone in there, who you feel wants to escape but doesn't have the tools or is afraid to (cults are an emotional hostage situation most of the time). Carefully engage and show them pieces of your life. So they can see that there is healing and peace in the mundane and non spiritual.

Edit addendum: or spiritual other than a controlling cult of course.

Thanks for listening!!!