The Cult

In this message, I have to get you to understand the human mind. In many cases I've seen people search for a way out of this life. A better way to live. I've seen people search for answers, but the truth is that life can be a scary place once you lose your sense of comfort. The poor and rich often become enemies. These are two different states of thought. My friend, the truth is that some if not all of us are afraid to lose the gift of life. Some of us journey in search for a way out, only to find out that the path is the same dead end for everyone, no matter what path we choose. In that thought, we have the legendary story of the cult. The story begins with a boy child on a mission to find salvation, and while on his journey through the forest, he sees a village. In the village all of the people are dressed alike. From a distance, he sits and watches from a hanging tree branch. He becomes curious, for he is not happy with his own struggles in life. He then falls from the tree into the village and they welcome him in. He begins to attend services with the people in the village. After a certain amount of visits, he begins to act strange when he goes back home to his parents. He no longer follows the same customs that his mother and father taught him. The village is so peaceful that he runs away from home to his new safe-haven. His past life soon fades away, and in time, he becomes accustomed to the cult. In the cult, they hold hands and sing songs while working. A man is appointed a woman to marry and is entitled to a home. Everyone follows the laws of the prophets put in charge. There's no more news, no more television, only worship, work and fellowship with the other members.
Once the boy becomes a man, he begins to question his authority with the leaders of the cult. He begins to want to try new things. As he questions the cult leaders, they disciplined him with more work and point to the heavens for him to find his way.
"I see your future. You crave for your old uncertain life back. You crave to be like the world. I prophesy that you will be brought back to the light with the affliction of our Lord. True discipline is the only way for you to learn that those in the world do not act like the children of our Lord. His way is the only way," the Prophet explains to the boy child, who appears to be losing his way. From a distance you could see two men and a boy standing, two men pointing to the sky and one boy looking up at the sky.
"You fell from the sky into our village and we welcomed you. The prophecy has to be fulfilled, for it was written long before you arrived that you would lead us into the promised land," one of the prophets explains.
Braden, the boy that was soon to be a man replies, "I've lived in peace since I've been here, I want to go out and try something new."
The members then open up the gates and prepare him for his adventure back into the world. On his journey, Braden tries to find his real family that he ran away from years ago, only to discover that they were torn apart when he disappeared as a child. Seeing the world differently now, Braden starts to feel like an outcast. He dresses differently and his work ethic is not like the rest of the world. Walking into a restaurant, he cannot believe how things have changed. After two years of searching for his family, he gives up and goes back to the village.
"What have I done? What have I become?" He says to himself while tending the fields. His appointed wife starts rubbing his back while pointing with her other hand at the world burning on the outside of the village. All of the people in the cult begin to gather around Braden, and start to sing. The prophets then come out, one blowing the trumpet, while the other prophets speak words of encouragement to the members.
"Our time has come brothers and sisters. We've received word that the world outside of this village has burned to hell and we've been chosen to carry on the plans of our Lord. Let us open up the gates of the village and replenish the land," says one of the prophets.
The people then take to their horses and carriages, Braden's wife looks at him smiling, "You chose the right path Braden. Aren't you happy? Our way is the right way. Praise be to our Lord."
In the cult, there was no other way but the way of the prophets and the cult leaders. Realizing that the old world was no more, Braden had nowhere to run to and he had no control or freedom to find a way out. The prophets told him who to marry, when to work, and how to dress. One night Braden woke up and decided that he no longer wanted to be in the cult. He told the leaders that he wanted a change. He began to act out. He told his wife to wear short shorts and tight dresses tailored by him. Realizing that something was wrong, the leaders of the cult felt that he was possessed by evil spirits. They did everything they could to cast them out, but nothing worked. He began to sing crazy songs with the instruments. Braden also began to invent strange gadgets and talk about the future. This was very odd to the cult leaders so they whipped him and tied his hands to a cross while everyone watched him suffer. Braden screamed, but there was no one there to save him. When he passed out while dangling from the cross, they took him down and bathed him with fresh water.
"Have you learned your lesson? Master Braden," asked one of the cult caregivers.
"Yes, I submit to his will," Braden cried out.
The evil spirits are gone!" One of the cult leaders proclaimed as everyone cheered.
The next morning Braden woke up, never to test the prophets of the cult again. Hard discipline had put him back in his place and at the next worship meeting, all of the people watched him say, "Amen."
For it was written that a child would fall from the sky and lead the members of the cult into the new world. The child would grow and journey back through the underworld and brought back to the light while being whipped on a cross. This was the prophecy, this is what the cult members believed. This was the same dead end that left people at a cross roads trying to decipher between realism and delusions. What made the cult so powerful, is that they believed in something other than this world and the world didn't. This belief led them into salvation, this belief led them into the new world. It was the cult's way or no way and when everything was going wrong the cult was certain that their way would fix it. Their way was the only way.
The End.