Judgment From Black Hebrew Israelites and Christians

So often survivors of Black Hebrew Israelite cults (e.g. Israel United in Christ) and religious abuse do not speak. Other times former members do not trust or support other former members or have said disparaging things about survivors when they spoke up, while they were still in the group.

Some survivors rather trust third parties who may have only researched the Black Hebrew Israelite movement but have not lived the cult experience. This leaves them not knowing how to heal afterwards because they have not done enough research on the psychological damage the cult caused. Some think that religion is the answer to religious abuse. However, what may work for some is not a solution for everyone.

Furthermore, many survivors still believe in some or part of the Black Hebrew Israelite doctrine. Others revert to Christianity or another religion. Others become atheists. Others are on the fence. Healing and reclaiming one’s identity is different for everyone.

My experience with both Christianity and the Black Hebrew Israelite religions have not been the best. I chose to reclaim my faith in Jesus the Christ. Yet, I have had to deal with judgmental Christians who still hold misogynistic views and stereotypes about women.

I have concluded that religion for me is simply a way for someone else to control me. I now have a personal relationship with my Lord and Savior, and I am not obligated to share my spiritual beliefs publicly. For me, both Christians and Black Hebrew Israelites triggered me with their exclusionary behavior, perfectionism, and obsession with outward appearance. Additionally, the over usage of Bible verses that was once used to verbally abuse and publicly humiliate me did not help solve the PTSD-like symptoms that I endured.

After I left Israel United in Christ or IUIC, Christians pressured me to look and speak a certain way and to go back to church, ignorant of the psychological harm that religion has caused and the trauma I continue to suffer with. Because I did not follow their rules, many Christians that interviewed me initially after I left the group seemingly cut me off just like the cult did and labelled me a “sinner” or implied either directly or indirectly that I was not “Christian” enough. In my experience, it was more about respectability politics and performative Christianity rather than truly loving their neighbor. Many Christians still do not have the understanding that outward appearance and "performative perfection" does not guarantee their own salvation. In fact, Jesus never judged someone from their outward appearance or made them dress or talk a certain way to be "saved".

While I think it is important to be respectful, I also believe that people should not disregard others based on the way they speak, look, or dress. And I have had my fair share of judgment from both Christians and Black Hebrew Israelites.

For the most part, this is why I do the hard part of researching, educating the public, and spreading awareness alone and have since 2018. Not many cult survivors have the courage to speak up against religious abuse, nor do many people understand how damaging these groups are. Instead, they rather focus on the “sins” I commit in my personal life.

This public service is not for the faint. Many people do not give me credit for all the work and time I spent researching and educating the public to help save lives. Even some journalists have exploited me and stolen my research on the cult leader that I used to follow in Israel United in Christ named Bishop Nathanyel. Despite what anyone thinks about me, God put me in position to keep speaking up and I have since 2018.

On a more positive note, I am happy to see that more people are researching religious abuse, undue influence, and destructive cults and are realizing how this is not something a person can just "get over". I am still healing, but I like to think of my healing as a closed wound and not an open one.