Today I woke up with a song in my head that I sang a lot as a child/teenager, without realizing how it is a song where high control is explicit, but while we are in the trance as members of a sect/cult, we don’t see it. In Brazil, the lyrics are this: How priceless is the unity As we carry out our commission. We must show obedience, And give loyalty to the Theocracy.
Chorus: Independence and arrogance Are bad qualities. Obedience, without imposition, Is the Christian conduct.
We have a spiritual war. Christ, our leader, is the marshal. We will always remain very united, Being subject to God is our duty.
Chorus
Jehovah guides us, gives us his light. His active force is what leads us, For we obey the Supreme God Proclaiming all his decrees.
Chorus again (which is where the control is super present)
One of my characteristics most repeated by my PIMI family, especially my mother, is stubbornness. She says I have always been stubborn, since childhood and I still am. In fact, I was a child who tried not to submit, and, obviously, as a child who grew up in the 90s, I was beaten to be controlled. I obeyed a lot. But, like every child, I had moments of stubbornness. But I was always questioning and the organization limited that a lot for a good time, and I grew up learning that obedience was a quality that I should demonstrate. Today understanding why it is so important for them that we obey. Today, stubbornness for me means strength and courage. It comes along with boldness and authenticity. Being inside a cult, disobeying is revolutionary. Here, we are all considered disobedient, when, in fact, we just woke up.
But the song is super symbolic, even more when we are women: “independence and arrogance are bad qualities. Obedience, without imposition, is the Christian conduct.” 🤯 Think about growing up hearing and singing this, knowing the power that music has? Think about hearing this in chorus, in times when conventions were crowded?
Today, that we are able to see, we realize how terrible this is.