A Canberra woman has spoken out about how she was brainwashed into joining a global religious cult at just 18 years old.
Liz Cameron was browsing a bookshop in the capital in 2011 when a stranger approached her with a survey, the first step in what became a two-year ordeal inside the Jesus Morning Star (JMS) group, also known as Providence.
“For the longest time, I really believed that they were just another Christian church,” Cameron said.
“What I didn’t realise at the time was that I was undergoing this whole process of brainwashing without my knowledge, because no one understands that they’re being brainwashed as it happens.”
Providence, founded in 1978 in South Korea by self-proclaimed messiah Jeong Myeong-seok, claims tens of thousands of followers worldwide, including branches in major Australian cities.
Female recruits are told they are “brides of God” and are encouraged to maintain slim figures and attractive appearances.
Cameron said cult members used a “very complex psychological process” to control behaviour, thoughts, emotions and access to outside information.
“They love bomb you. They overwhelm you with kindness. They make you feel incredibly seen, understood, loved. And slowly, you start to build trust with them,” she said.
“So, all of those four elements together can basically limit someone’s exposure to external stimuli and start to change the way they think, the way they perceive themselves, the way they understand the world. “
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