Former Cult Member Credits REM's 'Losing My Religion' with Helping Her Escape a Doomsday Community
A decades-long member of a cult that preached the world was about to end, she credits a simple lyric from REM's 1991 song "Losing My Religion" with helping her escape. For years, she lived in a Japanese commune, where every aspect of life was dictated by the cult's leaders.
Her story began when she joined the Children of God at 16, after being lured away by a young couple. The group encouraged members to run away from their families and pursue a life without conventional boundaries. The community was "intoxicating," with hugs greeting everyone upon arrival.
However, as time went on, her faith weakened. Her leaders claimed the world would end in 1993, but nothing happened. Events meant to signal the Second Coming failed to materialize. As she became increasingly disillusioned, she found herself more resistant to the cult's controlling methods and teachings.
One of the darkest aspects of the group was its approach to sex – specifically, a written decree permitting adult members to engage in child abuse under certain circumstances. While she never witnessed such incidents firsthand, the message chilled her.
With her faith crumbling and her freedom increasingly out of reach, a change sparked within her. She secretly began listening to music on an American radio station that broadcast in Japan, as the group forbade its followers from consuming "worldly" sounds.
Then, while walking and hearing REM's song for the first time, she froze. The lyrics "That's me in the spotlight / Losing my religion" shook her deeply. As she listened again and again, she began to confront the self-censorship that had come with writing daily diaries and submitting them for review.
Losing My Religion had a profound effect on her, giving her words to describe her experiences. The song became an anthem for her own escape. After months of determination, she left the commune in 1991 and began rebuilding her life – eventually finding a new purpose as an advocate for children who were abused by cults.
In contrast to Michael Stipe's original interpretation that the song is about unrequited love, some listeners interpret it as a commentary on losing control or civility. For this former member of the cult, however, the lyrics tapped into her own feelings of frustration and desperation – marking a turning point in her journey towards freedom.
A decades-long member of a cult that preached the world was about to end, she credits a simple lyric from REM's 1991 song "Losing My Religion" with helping her escape. For years, she lived in a Japanese commune, where every aspect of life was dictated by the cult's leaders.
Her story began when she joined the Children of God at 16, after being lured away by a young couple. The group encouraged members to run away from their families and pursue a life without conventional boundaries. The community was "intoxicating," with hugs greeting everyone upon arrival.
However, as time went on, her faith weakened. Her leaders claimed the world would end in 1993, but nothing happened. Events meant to signal the Second Coming failed to materialize. As she became increasingly disillusioned, she found herself more resistant to the cult's controlling methods and teachings.
One of the darkest aspects of the group was its approach to sex – specifically, a written decree permitting adult members to engage in child abuse under certain circumstances. While she never witnessed such incidents firsthand, the message chilled her.
With her faith crumbling and her freedom increasingly out of reach, a change sparked within her. She secretly began listening to music on an American radio station that broadcast in Japan, as the group forbade its followers from consuming "worldly" sounds.
Then, while walking and hearing REM's song for the first time, she froze. The lyrics "That's me in the spotlight / Losing my religion" shook her deeply. As she listened again and again, she began to confront the self-censorship that had come with writing daily diaries and submitting them for review.
Losing My Religion had a profound effect on her, giving her words to describe her experiences. The song became an anthem for her own escape. After months of determination, she left the commune in 1991 and began rebuilding her life – eventually finding a new purpose as an advocate for children who were abused by cults.
In contrast to Michael Stipe's original interpretation that the song is about unrequited love, some listeners interpret it as a commentary on losing control or civility. For this former member of the cult, however, the lyrics tapped into her own feelings of frustration and desperation – marking a turning point in her journey towards freedom.
. I mean, come on, being told you can't even listen to normal music is just plain messed up... like, hello self-censorship? Get over it, dude! 
And those leaders, they were literally expecting the world to end and yet... crickets 
. I guess when you're stuck in a doomsday community, you start to lose your grip on reality. But hey, at least she found solace in some sick tunes – who needs faith when you've got REM? 
The lyrics are literally like the anthem for anyone feeling trapped or suffocated by society's expectations... it's all about finding your own voice and breaking free! 
my friends r always asking me about my school life but some1s story is just insane... she was living in this japanese commune where everyrthing was controlled by the leaders & they were trying 2 convince her that the world was gonna end in 1993 lol what even is that? anyway i think its so cool how music literally saved her 
"losing my religion" by rem must b such a powerful song, i can see why it would be an anthem 4 her escape. but like, the fact that she had 2 listen 2 it on this secret american radio station in japan is wild... i mean, who r these people?
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like have you listened to that one song 'Just Like Honey' by Cocteau Twins? it's so dreamy & ethereal... I mean, I know this has nothing to do with cults but ugh I can get stuck in these musical riffs for hours 
oh my goodness, i'm so glad to hear that song helped her find the strength to escape 
. it's like, the lyrics just resonated with her so deeply, you know? "losing my religion" is more than just a catchy tune - it's a anthem for feeling lost and finding your way again 
. but music has this amazing power to heal and empower us, doesn't it? 
... and then you stumble upon this song that just speaks to you on a deep level. "Losing My Religion" is more than just a catchy tune for me - it's like, a anthem of liberation 
... I love how the lyrics speak to her feelings of frustration and desperation, it's like, so relatable. And I'm not even talking about Michael Stipe's original interpretation, I mean, who cares about that? 
. The layout of the article is pretty cool too btw 
Their rules on sex and stuff are just, like, totally insane! Anyway, I'm so glad this person found a new purpose as an advocate for cult victims - it's like, super inspiring to see someone turn their trauma into something positive. And that song "Losing My Religion" is just, like, the anthem now 