It's odd.  Not everyone is like that.  There are people who are innocent in their brainwashing so that when they are presented with the truth honesty will prevail.

My mother said to me that we had a safety net - that's what she called it and she was right - when I started to see through the cracks of the Maharaji facade I didn't try to paper over the cracks, I walked out into the light of day.

Then I tried to tell my friends - Maharaji was not the good man we believed him to be.

I was made manmut.  I saw a premie literally cross the street to avoid me.  Then one day I am going for a parking spot and pull in to see a good friend just getting out of her car.

There's no way she can get away, I am up there and smiling and happy to see her as always and we are chatting and I make a joke.  It was funny, we were laughing, and omg she choked.  

I could see the ticker-tape running in her head like it was yelling at her - 'she's supposed to be a wretch but look at her, she's more fun and better than I ever seen before.'

And then the fear sparked in her eyes.  we both shuttered down, it was bad.  she took a step back and I didn't follow, I would never want to make someone feel like that.

So I think that's a lot of what makes brainwashing so successful, that inculcation of fear - fear of disloyalty, fear that if you go thinking about it and putting two and two together you might trick yourself out of your place in heaven?

No, it's the cult that is tricking you in the first place, not your mind.  Listening to your thoughts is very underrated.  

Always glad for my friend she found love again before the end.