TRIGGER WARNING (Suicide, Abuse)
Hello, I’m your host Andrew Pledger and this is \"Surviving Bob Jones University: A Christian Cult.\"
I grew up in fundamentalist Christianity, specifically the Independent Fundamental Baptist cult. I was homeschooled my entire life to be indoctrinated into this environment. I was subjected to psychological, spiritual, and emotional abuse. I experienced religious trauma from abusive theology on hell, the end times, purity culture, sexuality, and human nature. As a queer person, I experienced so much trauma from their hateful and violent speech towards the LGBTQ+ community and also harm from authoritarian parents. Fundamentalist Christianity was my whole world and I ended up at Bob Jones University. I was at BJU for 3.5 years from 2018-2021. While at Bob Jones I struggled with my mental health from religious trauma, sexual repression, and minority stress. I was driven to the point of nearly committing suicide from my traumas in this system of control. I knew I could not get the help I needed in this environment so I searched outside the group. I was able to connect with people on the outside who would eventually get me out of this cult. Series coming in 2023.
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Music Credit: https://www.purple-planet.com
Mental Health Resources
National Suicide Hotline (988)