I Grew Up in A Cult
My Black family moved from Los Angeles to Grants Pass, Oregon to follow a right-wing cult.
Hi, I'm Marissa Hackett, and I grew up in a right-wing cult that my parents started following in the 70s. In 1991, when I was 11 years old, my Black family moved away from family and friends to follow a cult leader, Roy Masters, and his group, the Foundation of Human Understanding, to Grants Pass, Oregon.
Present Day: I’m 43 years old and live in Seattle, Washington, with my husband, Aaron. I am a fierce progressive and vehemently reject the teachings of my childhood. I maintained a close friendship with my mother, who watched Fox News religiously until the day she passed away in 2016.
My unique upbringing gave me a heightened insight into the human spirit.
Before Seattle, I lived in Los Angeles, Grants Pass, Ashland, Or, Amherst, MA, Tempe, AZ, Santa Cruz, CA, Bozeman, and Livingston, MT. And this is my life story.
It is important to begin by outlining the teachings and beliefs of Roy Masters and the Foundation of Human Understanding.
All excerpts below are from a 1990 Washingon Post article:
“More than two decades later, in 1982, he moved the foundation to Grants Pass. About 2,000 supporters followed him to the rural Oregon town of 17,000, where they have clashed repeatedly with local residents.”
“Masters's sons started a construction company, and the family soon moved into other Oregon businesses... The foundation operates Tall Timber Ranch and Brighton Academy, a private school…”
“In an article called "Anatomy of a Liberal," Masters asks: "How does an intelligent, well-educated person come to passionately believe that unborn babies are not human, that homosexuality is normal and that self-defense is dangerous? ... Through a traumatic conditioning process well known to terrorists and mind-control experts.”
“In a 1984 interview with Us magazine, Masters said: "I am a man without sin. ... I bring out the evil, alien force that controls people." He has jokingly called some of his more passionate followers "Roybots." “
“A spokeswoman for the National Rifle Association, which bought one full-page ad in an issue on gun control last year... “
“Jeffrey Hart of ACT-UP's Oregon chapter said New Dimensions is "spreading a lot of misinformation and lies." He said it is published by "extreme right-wing fundamentalists" who "have a thing about homosexuality."
My move to Oregon in 1991 was a shock to my system.
I am sharing my story to continue my healing process. I would be honored if you witnessed my journey.
I will share regular short stories that lead up to my present life as a grad student in Marriage and Family Therapy at Antioch University, Seattle.
Please feel free to share. 💜
Sources
Kurtz, Howard. "THE EVANGELIST'S NEW PULPIT." Washington Post. 1990. https://www.washingtonpost.com/archive/lifestyle/1990/11/29/the-evangelists-new-pulpit/46dd60c0-b2ca-4a07-8f2a-b9dab0e27eb3/
Roy Masters Wikipedia https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Masters_(commentator)