Petra broke with her strict belief: it frightened me

On January 1, the cult signal has stopped. This is a reporting point where (possible) sects can be reported. And it is a place where people who are in danger of becoming victims of a cult - or their family - can go to. Petra (46) broke the Mormon faith himself.

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Petra: "I am sorry that the Sektemeldpunt stop. I think it is always good if people can put things into perspective and can tell their story elsewhere. Particularly because a cult creates a small world where you can get stuck fast. "

" I myself abandoned the Mormon faith when I was eighteen. There were not a lot of rules about faith with us. The most important rule was "total abstinence and not addictive drugs." Coke was unfortunately also seen as addictive.

In addition, we had to fast every first Sunday of the month: then we were not allowed to eat and drink all day and night. And every Monday we had family home evening. We would then have to be at home to play games, bake cookies and be busy with the faith. "

" I wasn't in a Mormon school, so almost all my friends were unbelievers or believers. I always found it very embarrassing not to be allowed to do something - such as drinking coke, coffee or black tea - wearing long skirts and fasting. And to have to go through the doors to spread the faith.

At the age of fourteen, I distanced myself emotionally from the faith. The biggest reason for this is that when my father died of old age. Mormons believe that the deceased can still "see" and "visit" their relatives.

Where my family found comfort in that thought, I was only very scared. In addition, I found the beliefs of the Mormons less and less logical, it just didn't feel right to me anymore and I couldn't agree with it. "

" The Mormons are fortunately not a cult, but also I enjoyed being able to share my sense of this is not true for me and sounds non-logical outside the circle of faith. I am also happy that my mother said she understood. She said she saw that faith felt "like a cage" to me. How difficult would it be for people who do not feel that understanding around them and therefore stand alone?

Four years later, at the age of 18, I left home and completely abandoned faith. Part of my family had a hard time with that. Especially my (half) brothers who lived in the neighborhood. They really wanted to keep the family together, also for my father. For example, I once found the Book of Mormon in my bag after a family visit. That was put in by a brother.

These days I have little faith anymore. I have renounced skirts and dresses for a long time. And where I used to have to pray for problems, now I just sleep on it. Fortunately, my daughter (13) and I are still just welcome to relatives who are Mormons. ”

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