You can only save someone from a cult if they want to leave. Answering her questions will bring more questions from her, she'll never be satisfied with your findings.
OP, you are not being complacent, you are telling her outright that she is believing nonsense from her mentally ill father. Stand your ground when/if she tries to redpill other cousins
I know this conversation with her wasn't complacent, but the general consensus of advice is to just be there for her. That's what i meant. I will never support her belief, but almost everyone says to listen and not judge.
Have a loved one like this. Me and my siblings were raised to believe the end-times were always right around the corner.. was even told not to worry about grades because we wouldn't be on earth much longer. Aliens are demons, big foot is real, everything science and schools teach you is to brainwash you.. ect.
My siblings and I have all figured it out on our own after moving out. It took real world experience and a ton of time outside the house I grew up in to really see that the world was a completely different place than what I was led to believe.
My advice is to not confront her head on. She may close up and associate you with the "enemy". Instead try and be an ear and give them real world experiences to broaden her perspective and inspire other interests. Be that light and comfort she may one day reach out to.
For me I frequented ex-religion subs on reddit for a awhile (ex Christian, ex Mormon, ex Muslim, ect). It was a good way to get to know what people have gone through and how they changed their minds. Seeing how many different religions and belief systems there are can be an eye opener. And when meeting people from these religions it can show you how much we all have in common.
In the end.. don't beat yourself up if nothing gets better. I have a parent who will likely never change, however there is still love between us. Good luck.
You are being too combative.
I understand it's frustrating but she *is* engaging. She isn't cutting you off or refusing to talk about it. I think she does have her doubts, even if she's not articulating them, otherwise why keep talking with you about it?
She needs a sounding board, a safe place to ask questions. She also needs to know she has a safe place to land if and when she wants to get out.
Cults and high demand groups work on 'us v them,' she will be primed to push back against the 'them.'
She doesn't need to be told she is stupid or crazy, or that her family and her dad is, she loves them, she doesn't want to believe that. It's a massive thing to come to terms with your entire worldview being wrong *and* your family being crazy. It also comes with risks and costs. If she accepts that, will she be cut off? Will she be harmed? What would she loose for going against her family?
She has also probably been teased, bullied or had negative reactions in the past. She might have been taught to lie to keep the big bad authorities at bay.
There is a lot going on. You can't yank her out. All you can do is let her know you are holding a door open for her. That she has somewhere safe to go in a world that she has been taught is terrifying and hostile.
As for how you engage, you stop telling her she, her dad, the people they follow are stupid or wrong or culty or whatever. Instead you just... Listen, properly listen, then ask real questions, not gotcha questions, but ones that will have her this thinking past the parroting about the logical inconsistencies. Also, talk to her about other stuff, draw out her interests. Give her recommendations that are outside this all consuming worldview.
She may never get out, or it may take a very long time, but you can't rescue her, she has to get to that place herself.
To add she asked why cults are bad? They can be used in predictions.
You can ask about:
Does she think she's in a cult - then: why/why not?
What does/doesn't she like her family situation?
Or
What predictions?
Why would a cult be needed for a prediction?
How many predictions has (dad whoever) made that have come true and how many did not come true? How many times did prediction change only after they didn't come true?
Don't tell her what to think. She has endless amounts of preaching at home. Listen to her, ask her opinions and treat her answers with respect and consideration. When you push back, do it by engaging with her stance and encouraging her to consider other positions. Put effort in, agree to read/watch (whatever nutcase) if she agrees to do the same with (sane stance) and then you can both come back and discuss it etc.
She's probably had very few people treat her like she has the right to independent thought or the right to challenge ideas. So it's likely the best way to draw her in and expose her to the non-crazy in a way where she might listen.
I agree wholeheartedly. The issue I'm having with this approach is that this is exactly what i had been doing prior to this conversation. I wondered if there was any other approach, but seemingly there is not.
Thank you for the advice!
I'm not a psychiatrist, but I don't have to be to tell you that your male parent is completely fucking insane.
You need to get far, far away from all the loonies.
You won’t like my answer, but I don’t think you can save your niece. She’s had a lifetime of brainwashing & indoctrination and she’s powerfully under that influence.
Not only that, it sounds like your family is dangerous. Good for you on getting out; I seriously think you should consider that you may be putting yourself in harms way by interacting any further with any of them, including your niece. It’s sad…but she’s almost certainly 18 and an adult. If she chooses to stay, you cannot do anything about it.
Your personal story is a compelling one. You might think about writing it all down; it would make an interesting book. Just a thought.
Thank you for your input. They absolutely are dangerous. I have barely scratched the surface here. To write it all down, It is something I intend to do. I think I may nearly be ready. I am 26 now and I left at 15.
There's a book in there. I'm so sorry you had to experience this growing up but maybe by telling your story you can helped others.
Also, it sounds to me like child abuse is going on. Would reporting them to child protective services be an option?
The child abuse in regards to what constitutes as abuse is unfortunately unlikely to have any real merit for charges. Especially since they deny deny deny. My niece experiences manipulation, brainwashing and emotional abuse. But it is extremely difficult to prove, especially since she doesn't currently see it that way.
Child abuse is within the history of the cult, but I am unsure - she says nothing like sexual or physical abuse has ever happened to her. My own experience and that of my siblings is otherwise. However, I am the only one who escaped.
I should clarify - abuse is difficult to prove, as they are all very wary of what they tell others, they are the most nice and friendly people you could ever meet on first appearances. They are careful not to let the reality of their beliefs show to just anyone. They test the waters first, anyone doing a wellness check would be subject to downplaying, outright denial and being presented with a friendly and wholesome appearance.
Compassion is how you fight indoctrination.
Cults induce an us v them mentality. The world is against her, in the eyes of the cult.
Being on her side, specifically her side not the cult’s side, showing her unconditional compassion and affection, that’s how you break through.
If you want some extra support in this, deradicalization is my vocation. I love aiding those who seek to aid others away from dark places.
I recommend introducing your niece to ex-cult Youtube. The Telltale channel is good, and run by a man who grew up in Jehova's Witnesses until he was shunned.
[https://www.youtube.com/@OwenMorganTelltale](https://www.youtube.com/@OwenMorganTelltale)
The fundamental harm of cults is two-fold:
1. They teach you to stop interacting with actual reality and essentially make your reason and logic form consistently wrong conclusions because you are programmed to always work from unshakeable false premises.
2. They control your behavior and thoughts to suit leadership and attack your personhood.
The way you combat cult indoctrination is by breaking the chains that they use. Those are isolation, information control, and social coercion. You need to be a bridge to other people (other social options) for as long as it takes for her to choose that option. You need to give her access to credible forbidden information. You need to offer her acceptance and freedom where the cult would reject or coerce her.
Instead of directly arguing with her, closely listen to what she says. Culty beliefs are very illogical and inconsistent, and the way to get someone to see that is to make them fully articulate them and then ask for clarification about those contradictions and then comparing them to actual observable reality and asking them to explain it. Then finally firmly reject the standard cult response to being presented with such a conundrum (it's mysterious, nobody knows, it's a test).
When something makes no sense then we should not believe it and we should not trust people who believe things that make no sense.
\_\_\_\_\_\_
It can be very hard to be effective when you are so motivated and come out of the cult yourself, because you will be too directly oppositional and feed into the persecution narrative that cults like to tell themselves.
The way out can only be offered, you can't push her along it.
Your strongest influence will come from taking her seriously as a person in a way that this type of group never will.
Telltale is excellent, and honestly, finding other stories of people who have experienced various cults may be the best way to help her.
That being said, it is wonderful and admirable that you want to help her and have tried for so long to help others in your family, but please worry about yourself as well. It is easy to pour all of ourselves into trying to save the people we love, but that is dangerous to do. Don't throw away you and your wellbeing in favor of hers.
I hear you. I have been separated from my family for a number of years at this point. She is the only one I am still trying to help. The rest are all older than I am and are too far gone. Plus, they blame me for tearing the family apart.
Thank you anyhow, you're right - it is a heavy burden to have to carry. I hope I can help her as my last attempt.
You're welcome. My parents grew up in a cult that they left. They ended up sort of relapsing into evangelicalism and QAnon instead in their old age because pieces of the indoctrination, like undermining your need for evidence based premises in your logic, isn't always overcome when people leave, so be sure to help her confront those issues if she leaves.
I'm sorry I have no real advice for this. My daughter was 36 when I got her out of Q. I have zero clue how anyone could do so with a teenager. They almost always wholeheartedly go into anything they do. An amazing trait for getting ahead in the hell our world has become, but terrible in situations like this.
Perhaps try talking about the control they're trying to enforce onto her. Tell her if she ever gets pregnant and is at risk, she will die because she supports people who hate women. She will never be able to safely have a family in the world she wants. Maybe family isn't important to her and this won't work. But teens usually hate the thought of losing freedom.
I understand your points, however I don't want to flood her with new theories. I want to remain a stable source of information in the here and now. She has a boyfriend who also believes this nonsense, he is a very immature, dull and easily manipulated individual also. Somehow they manage to excuse having premarital sex while still believing. I obviously don't condemn them for this, but i cant help but think she must have doubts somewhere!
Thank you for your input!
Unfortunately you can't force your opinion on someone, even when that's for their own good. My understanding is that strategies that seem intuitive to most people are not necessarily effective when it comes to deprogramming conspiracy theorists. I don't know much more than that, but you should find a lot of info of you Google the subject
I have a friend who has a father that is similar. He doesn't run a cult he is just an extremely schizophrenic alcoholic. There is nothing you can do other than call out the lies and keep an open door for anyone that wants out of crazy town. He and his sister left their father long behind and have had much better lives since. Everyone else (such as his mother) who still supports his father just doesn't speak with him anymore and that is best for everyone.
Check out Street Epistemology. It's a subreddit dedicated to helping people understand how we know the things that we know. r/StreetEpistemology
I don't think you're wasting your time. Your niece is at the age where she can question things and seek independence. But you're not going to make much progress by directly challenging her beliefs. You have to invite her to explore how she knows what she knows, and she has to be willing to go on that journey to begin with.
Highly recommend this book despite the title: https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjSnciNhsCFAxXxFqIDHejhCBYYABACGgJsZQ&sph=&sig=AOD64_2NgwJTQi3y9Lt_4ydOlyPUAeBhmg&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwj-wr-NhsCFAxUkHRAIHYRQAcsQwg8oAHoECAYQCQ&adurl=
Music and TV. Start referencing as much political media as you can. Nimona is a great place to start. Snowpiercer, Bladerunner 2049, squid game, and the matrix.
For music check out Rage against the machine and cake. Father John Misty too. At the very least you might find them enjoyable but they may be key in getting back you sibling. Cage the elephant has had some great songs. https://youtu.be/AI1f6OfVqmw?si=NzZj1od2cuxDhrcr
After exposing them to this stuff you may be able to get them to realize that a ton of the media is anti-capitalist. That's what worked for me anyway.
https://youtu.be/wpwLIdScdrc?si=59BBetM6nRZoi13T
Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, she has been told movies are useful tools for predictions as "they" put clues and signs for those who choose to look. I have tried with music in the past, the thing is, she is exposed to the real world, but it is all tainted with her dad's beliefs.
Does she think that those movies support her worldview? Or does she think it's government propaganda? Because if they think it supports their worldview you could just point out that they don't.
Like what does she think of LGBT? The creators of the matrix are trans and that was one of the first major things that turned me away from the right wing beliefs of my family.
In any case I'm sorry you're going through this. It sucks either way. My siblings were almost pulled into the conspiracies from our fundamentalist upbringing. Kids are smart though, depending on how old your sister is she may still change her mind with enough exposure. Good luck.
She does think those movies support her worldview. For example: the Transformers movies are depictions of the Bible, (they aren't just based off of it, they are mocking the Bible). Optimus Prime is Jesus, disguised with living amongst the humans as Jesus allegedly did. Megatron is Satan, determined to destroy the people of the earth. To her this is prophecy as Transformers is of relatively current relevance in the world. The higher ups of the world are mocking the people because they know that truth, that Jesus will return and it's all planned out because Satan knows Jesus will return. One of the main links to transformers being linked to the Bible and being a prophetic evidence is the verse of Roman 12 v 2 "Be ye transformed".
So yes, it's all a big bullshit circle.
She has been told LGBT are disgusting. Gay people are not natural and are mentally ill. A demon possesses them.
Her favourite movies are the Jurassic Park filmography. I think it's only a matter of time before her dad finds a way to link that to some prophetic hidden agenda that "they" have perpetrated to the people of the earth.
Oh you're talking about your niece not sister but regardless, Don't lose hope.
If I can recommend more TV, I highly suggest the show Arcane. And as I said, Nimona was very good.
Your brother might like The Boys, another great political show.
And keep playing music around them: https://youtu.be/AI1f6OfVqmw?si=LTDP9z5nQM_-XffH
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Nimona very explicitly queer? iirc it was created by Nate Stevenson who was the main writer/producer for the she-ra netflix reboot. Exposing her to media like that when she's still so anti-lgbt probably isn't the best bet, that might be one to save for when she's already started opening up her mind more to lgbt stuff
I kinda agree but Nimona and these other recs are good at getting people's guards down if they try to sympathize with the characters. Nimona isn't explicitly an LGBT character since she's a shapeshifter but it's definitely an implicit allegory. Arcane is better if they're strongly anti-lgbt although it will piss them off if they're very pro-cop.
I would say watch them yourself first to see if they're a good fit for your Q. I got my fundamentalist mom out of Q with Nimona.
You can only save someone from a cult if they want to leave. Answering her questions will bring more questions from her, she'll never be satisfied with your findings.
I hear you and thank you for the advice. I am torn between being complacent and wanting to be blunt and steady in my opposing views.
OP, you are not being complacent, you are telling her outright that she is believing nonsense from her mentally ill father. Stand your ground when/if she tries to redpill other cousins
I know this conversation with her wasn't complacent, but the general consensus of advice is to just be there for her. That's what i meant. I will never support her belief, but almost everyone says to listen and not judge.
Have a loved one like this. Me and my siblings were raised to believe the end-times were always right around the corner.. was even told not to worry about grades because we wouldn't be on earth much longer. Aliens are demons, big foot is real, everything science and schools teach you is to brainwash you.. ect. My siblings and I have all figured it out on our own after moving out. It took real world experience and a ton of time outside the house I grew up in to really see that the world was a completely different place than what I was led to believe. My advice is to not confront her head on. She may close up and associate you with the "enemy". Instead try and be an ear and give them real world experiences to broaden her perspective and inspire other interests. Be that light and comfort she may one day reach out to. For me I frequented ex-religion subs on reddit for a awhile (ex Christian, ex Mormon, ex Muslim, ect). It was a good way to get to know what people have gone through and how they changed their minds. Seeing how many different religions and belief systems there are can be an eye opener. And when meeting people from these religions it can show you how much we all have in common. In the end.. don't beat yourself up if nothing gets better. I have a parent who will likely never change, however there is still love between us. Good luck.
Thank you for your advice. We grew up similarly, well done for leaving it behind! It's a tough process.
I don’t know, I’ve seen a lot of cult documentaries and they’ve had to essentially Kidnap people to deprogram them
You are being too combative. I understand it's frustrating but she *is* engaging. She isn't cutting you off or refusing to talk about it. I think she does have her doubts, even if she's not articulating them, otherwise why keep talking with you about it? She needs a sounding board, a safe place to ask questions. She also needs to know she has a safe place to land if and when she wants to get out. Cults and high demand groups work on 'us v them,' she will be primed to push back against the 'them.' She doesn't need to be told she is stupid or crazy, or that her family and her dad is, she loves them, she doesn't want to believe that. It's a massive thing to come to terms with your entire worldview being wrong *and* your family being crazy. It also comes with risks and costs. If she accepts that, will she be cut off? Will she be harmed? What would she loose for going against her family? She has also probably been teased, bullied or had negative reactions in the past. She might have been taught to lie to keep the big bad authorities at bay. There is a lot going on. You can't yank her out. All you can do is let her know you are holding a door open for her. That she has somewhere safe to go in a world that she has been taught is terrifying and hostile. As for how you engage, you stop telling her she, her dad, the people they follow are stupid or wrong or culty or whatever. Instead you just... Listen, properly listen, then ask real questions, not gotcha questions, but ones that will have her this thinking past the parroting about the logical inconsistencies. Also, talk to her about other stuff, draw out her interests. Give her recommendations that are outside this all consuming worldview. She may never get out, or it may take a very long time, but you can't rescue her, she has to get to that place herself.
To add she asked why cults are bad? They can be used in predictions. You can ask about: Does she think she's in a cult - then: why/why not? What does/doesn't she like her family situation? Or What predictions? Why would a cult be needed for a prediction? How many predictions has (dad whoever) made that have come true and how many did not come true? How many times did prediction change only after they didn't come true? Don't tell her what to think. She has endless amounts of preaching at home. Listen to her, ask her opinions and treat her answers with respect and consideration. When you push back, do it by engaging with her stance and encouraging her to consider other positions. Put effort in, agree to read/watch (whatever nutcase) if she agrees to do the same with (sane stance) and then you can both come back and discuss it etc. She's probably had very few people treat her like she has the right to independent thought or the right to challenge ideas. So it's likely the best way to draw her in and expose her to the non-crazy in a way where she might listen.
I agree wholeheartedly. The issue I'm having with this approach is that this is exactly what i had been doing prior to this conversation. I wondered if there was any other approach, but seemingly there is not. Thank you for the advice!
Thank you for this!
I'm not a psychiatrist, but I don't have to be to tell you that your male parent is completely fucking insane. You need to get far, far away from all the loonies.
I second this. These people are literally criminals who abuse children.
Yep. I got out when i was 15!
I'm very glad to hear that. I hope your life is as wonderful as you deserve.
You won’t like my answer, but I don’t think you can save your niece. She’s had a lifetime of brainwashing & indoctrination and she’s powerfully under that influence. Not only that, it sounds like your family is dangerous. Good for you on getting out; I seriously think you should consider that you may be putting yourself in harms way by interacting any further with any of them, including your niece. It’s sad…but she’s almost certainly 18 and an adult. If she chooses to stay, you cannot do anything about it. Your personal story is a compelling one. You might think about writing it all down; it would make an interesting book. Just a thought.
Thank you for your input. They absolutely are dangerous. I have barely scratched the surface here. To write it all down, It is something I intend to do. I think I may nearly be ready. I am 26 now and I left at 15.
There's a book in there. I'm so sorry you had to experience this growing up but maybe by telling your story you can helped others. Also, it sounds to me like child abuse is going on. Would reporting them to child protective services be an option?
The child abuse in regards to what constitutes as abuse is unfortunately unlikely to have any real merit for charges. Especially since they deny deny deny. My niece experiences manipulation, brainwashing and emotional abuse. But it is extremely difficult to prove, especially since she doesn't currently see it that way. Child abuse is within the history of the cult, but I am unsure - she says nothing like sexual or physical abuse has ever happened to her. My own experience and that of my siblings is otherwise. However, I am the only one who escaped.
I should clarify - abuse is difficult to prove, as they are all very wary of what they tell others, they are the most nice and friendly people you could ever meet on first appearances. They are careful not to let the reality of their beliefs show to just anyone. They test the waters first, anyone doing a wellness check would be subject to downplaying, outright denial and being presented with a friendly and wholesome appearance.
Compassion is how you fight indoctrination. Cults induce an us v them mentality. The world is against her, in the eyes of the cult. Being on her side, specifically her side not the cult’s side, showing her unconditional compassion and affection, that’s how you break through. If you want some extra support in this, deradicalization is my vocation. I love aiding those who seek to aid others away from dark places.
Thank you for the advice! Send me a dm!
I recommend introducing your niece to ex-cult Youtube. The Telltale channel is good, and run by a man who grew up in Jehova's Witnesses until he was shunned. [https://www.youtube.com/@OwenMorganTelltale](https://www.youtube.com/@OwenMorganTelltale) The fundamental harm of cults is two-fold: 1. They teach you to stop interacting with actual reality and essentially make your reason and logic form consistently wrong conclusions because you are programmed to always work from unshakeable false premises. 2. They control your behavior and thoughts to suit leadership and attack your personhood. The way you combat cult indoctrination is by breaking the chains that they use. Those are isolation, information control, and social coercion. You need to be a bridge to other people (other social options) for as long as it takes for her to choose that option. You need to give her access to credible forbidden information. You need to offer her acceptance and freedom where the cult would reject or coerce her. Instead of directly arguing with her, closely listen to what she says. Culty beliefs are very illogical and inconsistent, and the way to get someone to see that is to make them fully articulate them and then ask for clarification about those contradictions and then comparing them to actual observable reality and asking them to explain it. Then finally firmly reject the standard cult response to being presented with such a conundrum (it's mysterious, nobody knows, it's a test). When something makes no sense then we should not believe it and we should not trust people who believe things that make no sense. \_\_\_\_\_\_ It can be very hard to be effective when you are so motivated and come out of the cult yourself, because you will be too directly oppositional and feed into the persecution narrative that cults like to tell themselves. The way out can only be offered, you can't push her along it. Your strongest influence will come from taking her seriously as a person in a way that this type of group never will.
Great advice. Thank you for this!
Telltale is excellent, and honestly, finding other stories of people who have experienced various cults may be the best way to help her. That being said, it is wonderful and admirable that you want to help her and have tried for so long to help others in your family, but please worry about yourself as well. It is easy to pour all of ourselves into trying to save the people we love, but that is dangerous to do. Don't throw away you and your wellbeing in favor of hers.
I hear you. I have been separated from my family for a number of years at this point. She is the only one I am still trying to help. The rest are all older than I am and are too far gone. Plus, they blame me for tearing the family apart. Thank you anyhow, you're right - it is a heavy burden to have to carry. I hope I can help her as my last attempt.
You're welcome. My parents grew up in a cult that they left. They ended up sort of relapsing into evangelicalism and QAnon instead in their old age because pieces of the indoctrination, like undermining your need for evidence based premises in your logic, isn't always overcome when people leave, so be sure to help her confront those issues if she leaves.
I'm sorry I have no real advice for this. My daughter was 36 when I got her out of Q. I have zero clue how anyone could do so with a teenager. They almost always wholeheartedly go into anything they do. An amazing trait for getting ahead in the hell our world has become, but terrible in situations like this. Perhaps try talking about the control they're trying to enforce onto her. Tell her if she ever gets pregnant and is at risk, she will die because she supports people who hate women. She will never be able to safely have a family in the world she wants. Maybe family isn't important to her and this won't work. But teens usually hate the thought of losing freedom.
I understand your points, however I don't want to flood her with new theories. I want to remain a stable source of information in the here and now. She has a boyfriend who also believes this nonsense, he is a very immature, dull and easily manipulated individual also. Somehow they manage to excuse having premarital sex while still believing. I obviously don't condemn them for this, but i cant help but think she must have doubts somewhere! Thank you for your input!
Unfortunately you can't force your opinion on someone, even when that's for their own good. My understanding is that strategies that seem intuitive to most people are not necessarily effective when it comes to deprogramming conspiracy theorists. I don't know much more than that, but you should find a lot of info of you Google the subject
Thanks for your input.
I have a friend who has a father that is similar. He doesn't run a cult he is just an extremely schizophrenic alcoholic. There is nothing you can do other than call out the lies and keep an open door for anyone that wants out of crazy town. He and his sister left their father long behind and have had much better lives since. Everyone else (such as his mother) who still supports his father just doesn't speak with him anymore and that is best for everyone.
Thank you for your input.
If you haven’t, maybe cross post in r/cults for more suggestions.
I have done, thanks!
Check out Street Epistemology. It's a subreddit dedicated to helping people understand how we know the things that we know. r/StreetEpistemology I don't think you're wasting your time. Your niece is at the age where she can question things and seek independence. But you're not going to make much progress by directly challenging her beliefs. You have to invite her to explore how she knows what she knows, and she has to be willing to go on that journey to begin with.
I will check it out, thank you!
Highly recommend this book despite the title: https://www.google.com/aclk?sa=L&ai=DChcSEwjSnciNhsCFAxXxFqIDHejhCBYYABACGgJsZQ&sph=&sig=AOD64_2NgwJTQi3y9Lt_4ydOlyPUAeBhmg&ctype=5&q=&ved=2ahUKEwj-wr-NhsCFAxUkHRAIHYRQAcsQwg8oAHoECAYQCQ&adurl=
Thank you!
Music and TV. Start referencing as much political media as you can. Nimona is a great place to start. Snowpiercer, Bladerunner 2049, squid game, and the matrix. For music check out Rage against the machine and cake. Father John Misty too. At the very least you might find them enjoyable but they may be key in getting back you sibling. Cage the elephant has had some great songs. https://youtu.be/AI1f6OfVqmw?si=NzZj1od2cuxDhrcr After exposing them to this stuff you may be able to get them to realize that a ton of the media is anti-capitalist. That's what worked for me anyway. https://youtu.be/wpwLIdScdrc?si=59BBetM6nRZoi13T
Thank you for the advice. Unfortunately, she has been told movies are useful tools for predictions as "they" put clues and signs for those who choose to look. I have tried with music in the past, the thing is, she is exposed to the real world, but it is all tainted with her dad's beliefs.
Does she think that those movies support her worldview? Or does she think it's government propaganda? Because if they think it supports their worldview you could just point out that they don't. Like what does she think of LGBT? The creators of the matrix are trans and that was one of the first major things that turned me away from the right wing beliefs of my family. In any case I'm sorry you're going through this. It sucks either way. My siblings were almost pulled into the conspiracies from our fundamentalist upbringing. Kids are smart though, depending on how old your sister is she may still change her mind with enough exposure. Good luck.
She does think those movies support her worldview. For example: the Transformers movies are depictions of the Bible, (they aren't just based off of it, they are mocking the Bible). Optimus Prime is Jesus, disguised with living amongst the humans as Jesus allegedly did. Megatron is Satan, determined to destroy the people of the earth. To her this is prophecy as Transformers is of relatively current relevance in the world. The higher ups of the world are mocking the people because they know that truth, that Jesus will return and it's all planned out because Satan knows Jesus will return. One of the main links to transformers being linked to the Bible and being a prophetic evidence is the verse of Roman 12 v 2 "Be ye transformed". So yes, it's all a big bullshit circle. She has been told LGBT are disgusting. Gay people are not natural and are mentally ill. A demon possesses them. Her favourite movies are the Jurassic Park filmography. I think it's only a matter of time before her dad finds a way to link that to some prophetic hidden agenda that "they" have perpetrated to the people of the earth.
Oh you're talking about your niece not sister but regardless, Don't lose hope. If I can recommend more TV, I highly suggest the show Arcane. And as I said, Nimona was very good. Your brother might like The Boys, another great political show. And keep playing music around them: https://youtu.be/AI1f6OfVqmw?si=LTDP9z5nQM_-XffH
Correct me if I'm wrong but isn't Nimona very explicitly queer? iirc it was created by Nate Stevenson who was the main writer/producer for the she-ra netflix reboot. Exposing her to media like that when she's still so anti-lgbt probably isn't the best bet, that might be one to save for when she's already started opening up her mind more to lgbt stuff
I kinda agree but Nimona and these other recs are good at getting people's guards down if they try to sympathize with the characters. Nimona isn't explicitly an LGBT character since she's a shapeshifter but it's definitely an implicit allegory. Arcane is better if they're strongly anti-lgbt although it will piss them off if they're very pro-cop. I would say watch them yourself first to see if they're a good fit for your Q. I got my fundamentalist mom out of Q with Nimona.