The Strong Arm of a Religious Cult
Imagine your son or daughter
or another loved one being swept into
the emotional incarceration of a
religious cult. No longer attending family functions and holidays, long periods
of time pass without any word from them.
They may use deceitful tactics to obtain monetary support for their
commune. They no longer seem to have free will, having been sleep deprived and
brainwashed. I know about this topic. Without going into further detail, our
family experienced this devastation due to a loved one reaching a low point in
life and turning in this direction. Once so fully entrenched, they don’t know
how to get out.
Darlene Eichler experienced
the wreckage of family unity when her son became involved in this same
situation. It is more common than people realize. Her son eventually had the
courage and strength to walk away, and Darlene was compelled to write a book
that addresses this issue. Her own words tell the story:
Why
I Wrote the Book, Satan's Best Friend
The word 'cult' brings to mind a
variety of meanings for different people. For some it is neither positive nor
negative if they have no experience with one. For me it conjures up feelings of
sadness, control, abuse, depression, estrangement and other repressive terms. For
you see I lost my son and his family to a controlling religious church/cult for
the better part of twenty years. Down deep I always had the feeling he would
come out. He is independent, sort of like his Mother, and I felt he would
'break' away from the control some day. And he did, almost three years ago. The
sad part for him is that his family remains in the cult.
Our family was elated when he came back into our lives. I cannot imagine his
feelings or the mental trauma he has gone through, not to mention the physical
battles. He is a strong person and I will add, one of tremendous faith. He is
admired greatly by all those who know his story.
The experiences and understanding of this controlling group gave me a burning
desire to do something that might keep others from being drawn into this or a
similar group. That is why I have written Satan's
Best Friend. Although it is a novel with fictional characters, the research
took almost three years. It is my hope that it might open a person's eyes to
the perils of joining a controlling group--no matter what it is called.
Book Description
"Patricia Sue Benton
Fraley closed the heavy drapes and sat down at her antique desk. She sighed as
she opened a journal with a gold title, "My Flock," embossed in its
rich leather binding. Reaching into the top drawer, she removed an expensive
fountain pen and bottle of ink. Carefully dipping the fine tip into the black
liquid, she meticulously wrote each letter, "Gone to Hell" cross the
name..."
The majority of cult leaders
are not born that way; although in most cases the tendencies toward narcissism
and a burning need to control others is fed by underlying causes such as abuse,
be it sexual, physical or psychological. In Satan's
Best Friend, the main character is Patricia Sue Benton, a poor little waif
who is abused physically and sexually by those very adults who should be
guiding her in becoming a normal, happy child. Instead she becomes a bitter
victim, scarred for life, promising herself as an adult no one will ever
control her. Patricia goes a step further and organizes her own church/cult.
Along comes Margaret (Maggie)
Hines, jilted and pregnant with nowhere to turn. Patricia, now called Preacher
Pat, comes to the rescue giving her a home, instant friends and a new identity
(or so she thought). As Preacher Pat's control begins to tighten, the conflicts
of values, family traditions, and personal choices create a story of intrigue
filled with broken promises, unethical medical practices and abuse in the form
of mind control.
About Darlene Eichler
Darlene
Eichler, who uses the pen name, Nan Turner for most of her books, is a native
of Southwest Virginia. Growing up in the
Appalachian Mountains has influenced her writing more than any other
factor. She is a graduate of Radford
University and the University of South Carolina. Her career in teaching began as an elementary
teacher, and she moved on to positions as a reference librarian in college
libraries. After retirement she
concentrated on writing. Darlene is known for the “Rose Series” and “Trunk
Tales.” She teaches “Memoir Writing” for the OLLI Program at Coastal University,
which she says is the most rewarding teaching position she has held.
She shares a
home in North Myrtle Beach with her husband and Miss Boots, a black and white
cat featured in several of her books. Darlene has twelve grandchildren and ten
great-grandchildren.
Connect
with Darlene Eichler at:
Blogs:
Websites:
On a more personal note, several Myrtle Beach area authors have banded together to form a group called Beach Author Network. We meet monthly at various locations along the Grand Strand, and our purpose is to collectively market, promote and raise awareness about our books. The monthly meeting site will be listed on the Contact page at http://www.awriterspresence.com in case you are interested or know someone who would be. Traditionally and independently published authors of any genre are welcome.
All the best,
Mary Anne
I was particularly interested
in reading his story, Locked In, because this could occur in any family. I know from personal experience because someone very dear to me in our own family was in a cult for many years
and may possibly once again be entangled in one at this time. We do not know
for certain because she has cut off contact with our entire family with a
silence that has now reached a sixteen year anniversary.
