> Oh my. I take it that the TBs were relatively young? And it worked?>
Not young, but still financially dependent on their families. The exit counsellings I was involved with had good success with educating the people about how groups and beliefs interact. There were often deeper psychological and family issues in play that interfered with simple storybook endings for their lives. For some of them their group involvement was not their biggest problem, although for the family it often seemed like the focus of all problems in the family. It was still such a new developing perspective when I was involved with that work. People in that field are much more competent now. It helped me quite a bit to see how other people had constructed their web of beliefs. It is hard to find people who can discuss ideas without taking it all personally and emotionally. Even harder to find people who can discuss beliefs without becoming combative. When it happens here I feel really great about the interaction. It is worth working at for me. I think it is one of those things that improves with practice. --- In [email protected], ruthsimplicity <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote: > > --- In [email protected], "curtisdeltablues" > <curtisdeltablues@> wrote: > > > > > I think I want to change my TB friends because they are not happy. > > > > > > I know I don't have that kind of power. > > > > > > I guess I'm not close enough to any TBs to care. I'm sure I'd feel as > > you do if I did. > > > > I spent some interesting time helping families get their TB sons and > > daughters out of the group involvement at a level that was > > dysfunctional and unsustainable. It was a slow process and took the > > ability of the family to have an intervention so they would at least > > stay with it for a day or two before we could get through to buy more > > days out of their curiosity. It was a fascinating look at the > > structure of my own TB while in the movement. Like hacking the human > > belief system operating system. I think you would enjoy hanging out > > with some of the guys who taught me. They were very sensitive > > insightful people. In any case it took a lot of prep and about a week > > to really get anywhere, which is unrealistic for most people. The > > phobic responses to even hearing the opposite POV are really strong > > and rooted in the person's identity structure held together by their > > beliefs. It is no joke to even get close to interacting with that > > level of a person's identity. > > > > > Oh my. I take it that the TBs were relatively young? And it worked? > > I rarely discuss belief issues with my TB friends anymore. I had the > experience of trying to convince one friend to take a certain course > of action and she screamed at me, disowned me (temporarily), and is no > less firm in her stance. > > Now Sandiego and I have very different beliefs but we can have a civil > conversation on this forum, and he is one of the few here that always > answers my questions. I appreciate that. He also never screams at > me. I like that. :) Kisses Sandiego! >
