I am surprised that no one has commented on this essay as of yet. But then again, I shouldn’t be surprised. I was raised in a religious cult. I was molested as a child by my own father who was the chosen one. He was the self-appointed leader and prophet of the last day and age at least according to him. Not one person in the entire congregation stood up against him and several other predators within the congregation. Not one person outside the cult ever stepped forward to protect any child within the cult. I don’t know if Mormons beat their children, but many churches of a radical nature like the cult I was raised in or the Amish or Mennonites or evangelicals condone beatings. I contend that people by in large are very uncomfortable with discussing the hidden truths in deeply religious organizations. Why? Because their own blind Faith is called into question and they cannot deal with the mental instability that they feel when confronted with the possibility that religion is about power not about one’s personal well-being. How sad that children come into this world and don’t get to choose their parents. They don’t get to choose the religion that they inherited. Instead, they’re forced to hit the ground running with no one on their side to protect them. I left the cult when I was 18. I was disowned by my family. I had no car, no civilian friends, no drivers license, no money, and no idea how to navigate my life outside the cult. I’m proud to say that the god virus no longer threatens my life. I’m free, free at last. I’m sorry you have suffered so much.