Celebs from Michelle Pfeiffer, Rose McGowan and Joaquin Phoenix open up about their own experiences

In the past few years, the public has become more interested in fringe spiritual groups. This is due to the sensational court cases, such as that involving NXIVM, which have brought together celebrity, crime and a culture-wide conversation on psychological manipulation.

Documentaries and podcasts about these groups - which some have labeled as cults - have become commonplace.

News outlets, TV programs, and even books have covered the intersection of celebrities and non-mainstream religions for a long time. The interest in exploring these groups, their power dynamics and former members' stories has exploded.

Over time, it becomes apparent that these organizations appeal to the rich and poor, the powerful as well as the weak.

Many celebrities (both before and after fame) have shared their experiences with alternative spiritual groups. Not all these groups are destructive. However, some former members might paint their experiences as damaging or at least not something that they want to continue being part of.

1. Bethany Joy Lenz

Bethany Joy Lenz has spent 10 years of her life with a group she calls a cult. She doesn't give many details, however. She has considered writing a memoir because she feels "there is a lot to say" but she isn't certain if it's legal.

"I was in an cult for ten years." She said that it would be an interesting experience to write about and also the recovery -- ten years later. "I don’t know how much more I can tell you because there are people and legal issues that complicate the timing."

2. Joaquin Phoenix

As children, Joaquin, River, Rain and Summer were all connected to a religious group called The Children of God. Joaquin believes that his parents, when they were younger, were looking for a community of believers and not a controlling group. Joaquin's parents decided to leave when he was only four years old.

"My parents felt strongly about their religious experience. They wanted to tell other people about their religious experience. He told Playboy that these friends said, "Oh, we also believe in Jesus." "I think they thought that my parents had found a group who shared their values. Cults are rarely advertised as such. Usually, someone will say "We're all like-minded." "This is a community', but I think that the moment my parents realized that there was more to it, then they left."

He said, "As far as I know, you are on the outside until you get accepted. I don't believe we got to that stage because, frankly, my parents were more hesitant as the date approached. This is not just a religious group. They left early because they felt that there was something else happening here.

Since , the group has been accused by of child sexual abuse and other forms of misconduct.

3. Glenn Close

Glenn Close's family moved to Switzerland when she was a young child to join the Moral Re-Armament spiritual movement. In the 1930s, a reverend believed that the world would avoid war if the population experienced a spiritual and moral awakening. The group required its members to live according to the principles of "honesty and purity, unselfishness, and love". But some former members claim it controlled their lives.

She told The Hollywood Reporter, "You were basically not allowed to do anything or you felt guilty for any unnatural desires." If you ask anyone who has been in a group where they were told how to live, what to say and feel from the age of 7 to 22, you will find that it had a profound effect on them. You have to [consciously] overcome it because that's where all your triggers are.

Glenn left when she was studying in college, at the age of 20.

4. Michelle Pfeiffer

Michelle Pfeiffer joined a group that promoted breatharianism when she first moved to Los Angeles in her early adult years. Leaders of the community believed food was unnecessary, and sunlight and air were enough to nourish the body.

They worked with weights, and they put people on diets. She told The Telegraph that "their thing was vegetarianism". They were very controlling. They were very controlling. I didn't live with them, but I went there a lot. They always told me to come back more. It was very expensive because I had to pay all the time that I spent there.

Michelle didn't realize this wasn't right for her until she met Peter Horton, her first husband. She saw similarities between the group she was part of and Peter's research for his film. She quickly left.

5. Rose McGowan

Rose McGowan, her parents and siblings were all members of the Children of God during her first nine years of life. Rose McGowan, who now lives in California, says that the family's first years were "really idyllic". As time passed, the family had "no outside contact" and began to become more aware of the treatment women received by men.

"I remember how men treated women and I knew from a young age that I didn't want to be the same as those women. She told people that they were essentially there to serve men sexually. Her father was also concerned that Rose could be abused. "My father was strong enough that he realized this hippie love went south."

Rose recalls that leaving the community wasn't easy. She and her siblings ran through a field of corn in the middle night. She says that members of the group had followed her family, and then tried to break in with a hammer. They were lucky to escape.

6. David & Patricia Arquette

David Arquette and Patricia Arquette were raised on a Subud community in Virginia as children. The Subud spiritual group was founded in Indonesia in 1920, but David and Patricia Arquette's parents brought it to the United States with their friends to create a " Utopian Society".

My dad told me that you are the seeds of a society. You think it's a good idea, but you soon realize that this person is an alcoholic '...and "This person is greedy" and you wonder, "What are we doing?" She said it on "WTF with Marc Maron "

7. Allison Mack

Keith Raniere founded NXIVM in 1998 under the pretense of being a "self-help group". Allison Mack, the actress from "Smallville", joined the group and quickly rose to its top ranks. As she rose through the ranks, however, it became apparent that the group was a sex-cult.

When the true intentions of the group were revealed years later by whistleblowers, revealed that many women had suffered psychological and sexual abuse. The secret society was made up of "masters", and sexually servile "slaves". Some were even branded with Keith’s initials.

Allison was accused, during a federal probe, of recruiting women to the Nxivm DOS subgroup. This was billed as a female mentoring program, but was allegedly used sexually. She was eventually accused of sex trade, sex traficking conspiracy, and force labor conspiracy.

8. Angel Haze

Angel Haze was raised in the Greater Apostolic Faith Pentecostal commune, which some people have called a "cult". Angel Haze, looking back on her childhood, says that she was not allowed to be in contact with anyone outside their group. She didn't listen to music until the age of 16.

We all lived within 10 minutes from each other. You were not allowed to speak to anyone else. You were not allowed to listen to music, eat certain foods, wear jewelry, or date anyone. You were not allowed to do anything. The church was only open on Sundays and Wednesdays. It was all day when they held revivals. She told The Guardian, "I used to crawl under the bench to try to sleep."

9. Toni Braxton

Toni Braxton's family became a member of Pillar of Truth when she was a young child. It is a Pentecostal Apostolic church. The religious organization had strict rules that required women to cover their entire bodies. They also prohibited activities such as roller-skating and listening to music. She was isolated from children of her age, and expected to be ready for the rapture any minute.

Toni wrote that she began to associate religion, God, and the church with guilt, anxiety, and judgment. She later added, "The ties which bound us became the ties which strangled us." Our family was a victim of religious extremism.

Toni finally was able to leave the group when she became an adult and began her solo career.

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Title: 9 Celebrities Who Say They've Been in Fringe Spiritual Groups
Sourced From: www.toofab.com/2023/07/30/celebrities-fringe-spiritual-groups/
Published Date: Sun, 30 Jul 2023 14:00:23 +0000

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