Tory, we DID have a glorious time! And for me a big part of the gloriousness was finally meeting you face to face! I’m still processing the information…I’m glad I took notes. (I got home and found I had filled the journal book almost halfway.)

Your talks were astounding and so beautifully delivered…just powerful, that’s all I can think of to say. I had a hard time taking notes when you talked because I was so riveted to you and the things you were saying (had a similar problem with Nora Crest and Jon Atack, I found.)

I hope you got home with no trouble. I left very early in the morning on Sunday and the Toronto airport was a madhouse (at 6:00 AM!) That manhunt was still going on and they had closed the border between NY and Canada…so many people who were driving into the States were turned back and decided to try to fly in. The flights were crammed and people were hysterical. It was a good time to remember details of Buddhist practice! But I got home with no trouble once I had managed to get past the gates.

I had thought I would sleep but was sitting next to a blonde woman about my age who asked the usual questions…”Why were you visiting Toronto?” in a thick accent. I told her I had been at a conference about the psychology of cults. In response to her questions I said that people who get out of cults frequently have the same problems as people who have been in a war. At some point she said “I know…I vas in Vahhhr.” I thought she was was telling me about a cult called “Vahhhr.” When I asked her to repeat, she said ” Vahhhr in Bosnia.” It turned out that she had lost her brother to sniper fire and when she and her husband and daughter were trying to get out of the country they were stopped by Serbs (who were trying to take over Bosnia and “cleanse” it) who demanded that the husband sign over their house to them. When the husband refused they shot him in the head IN FRONT OF her and the little daughter. She and the daughter ended up in a refugee camp where they spent more than a year, including one very cold winter, in tents. Finally they got into Canada because she had been trained as a nurse and could have a profession. Of course they had to learn English almost instantly.

I told her about some of the problems of ex-cult members and she said that she too has nightmares (30 years later) and can’t get the terror of being hurt (her city was under constant sniper fire for months and it was potentially death to go into the street to try to get food.) They starved and had to drink dirty water…anyway, the PTSD stuff was absolutely similar, although when she started telling her story I stopped with my information and just listened. When we got to Toronto…she was going to Idaho to visit her daughter, now married and with children…we hugged and I told her sincerely that I felt honored to have heard her story.

So the PTSD thing is not an invention. I was astounded at how similar her mental anguish was to that of people who spent time on the RPF. And ALSO about how similar the situation was between Milosevich and Hubbard (and Miscavige)…all dangerous, absolutely narcissistic men who were willing to do ANYTHING to get power.

So…that was my homecoming. Now I’m sacking out and hugging John every chance I get and lying on the couch with the purring cat on my chest. As you keep telling people still in…come out! Life out here is good! It has its problems, but freedom is worth it! And I know that is true because the Bosnian woman’s story had the same message. In spite of it all, she is visiting her grandchildren and enjoying life in Canada with new friends and NO terror.

Hope to talk to you at some point soon again, Tory! If you get any brainstorms and want to tell someone, I will always be happy to talk about things with you! (And don’t forget the hip…you ARE going to need a new one at some point…)

Betsy

LOL! 🙂

Was good to meet you, David.

Thanks for the write up, Betsy! I’m not sure if you knew…but the entire time I was at the Conference
I was “off line” ….so I’m working on catching up. So great to read the Bunker, even after the Conference.
Oh what a glorious time we all had!! 🙂

Thank you for offering to help, right now the important think is to click prohibited on co$ ads. you will find list of URL for the ads in our spread sheets, you will also find some tips.
What else could be done is to complain to CL about spamming and overposting , the procedure is described in the tips.

Likewise skies! My pleasure- what an incredible event xo

Oh, Betsy. Please don’t over-do things. I know it’s a once in a lifetime event but make sure to be in bed at a sensible time and eat well. Lots of fresh fruit and veggies.

We can live without your reports (just about) – we can’t live without our Betsy! Lots of love x

Whoa – well, I must say, you be well read on this subject now, thetastic. Holy moly! I googled Gabriella Coleman’s book – Hacker, Hoaxer, Whistleblower, Spy. That one will have to go on my must read list. c ya ’round.