When I was fourteen, I tried to escape the cult I was in so I could go to high school.
If you’re like most of those I’ve mentioned my story to, you’re likely to have two responses at once. The first— “Did you really grow up in a cult?!” and the second, “But it’s against the law not to go to high school, so that can’t be true.”
I did, and the education laws have huge loopholes that are used more than you’d think. Moreover, reduced education is just one of the tactics cults and extreme religious groups use to trap their members. JUDAS GIRL is written to expose and untangle these underpinnings—both to help those who’ve escaped as well as to shed light on dark secrets most are unaware of.
Like the loopholes in education.
If my story were truly unique or even rare, I wouldn’t have shared it. It’s difficult to quantify how many are currently trapped in religions like those I grew up in, partially because most members aren’t running to disclose, but mostly because most of us are fooled by the façade of purity and innocence many of these groups hide behind. Yet they are everywhere, ranging from small nondenominational groups to large, well-known sects. It’s not a checklist of rules, but rather a playbook of philosophies and practices that define them.
Because of this, I knew that essays and articles would miss the soul of the issue. Instead, I chose a more visceral approach, letting you see and feel through my own eyes, heartaches, and fears. To let you experience what these beliefs actually do to the foundation of a young woman, rather than as some abstract dogma or teaching.
As an introvert, writing this book has been incredibly challenging, and I don’t invite you into the secrets of my soul lightly. But I am asking you to relive this journey with me, because together, we can wage a bigger war against these beliefs and injustices. Hold on, because the ride will be rocky. But in the end, we’ll both be stronger. And with a little luck and love, we may also find a sense of peace and resolution.
More to come.