Kitty BITE Back Series Episode 12: These Are My Stories @liMes!!!

Heyyoooo! I have been totally MIA For a while now. Like, quite some time now. However, I got myself a new laptop for Christmas and I told myslef once it came in I Would start back up with my writing, Well, guess what?! My laptop came in last night!!! So my writing adventure will pick back up and we will start here again!!

SOOOO,,,,, just a recap, what is the BITE Model as described by SAH? How does that relate to my experience? To your experience?

Firstly, the BITE Model, as written by SAH, goes through 4 categories: Behavior Control, Information Control, Thought Control, Emotion Control. Each of these categories has up to 25 components and sub-components.

We have reviewed the first 9 components under Behavior Control on this Blog in previous posts. (If you havent read them, go check them out!!)

Secondly, these categories house components and sub-components that directly relate to the teachings and treatment of people I was in a destructive religious cut with (myself included). These are my stories…

(I'm sorry, I just had to lol)

So, Lets bounce right back into it shall we? The 10th component of Behavior Control is: "Permission required for major decisions". Lets break this down. Merriam-Webster defines "permission" as giving formal consent. Formal consent? But what would an adult need formal consent for in their life? Well, major decisions. What are major decisions that adults make in their life? Getting married? Buying a house? Moving? Big purchases? A new car? Ready to have a baby? Where to go on vacation? These are just to name a few.

You know what time it is!!!!!

STORY TIME!

I grew up with a single mom, someone who had been independent for the majority of her life. When we first joined the cult, the leader was distraught by how independent my mom was and how she was teaching me to be the same, her, with the help of his minions over the course of years, broke my mom down to where if she was spending money on things that just made sense (ie. a new coat in winter, car repairs, paying off debt, buying a new lawnmower in spring) she would ask explicit permission and ask the cult leader to pray for god's will to be done through her finances. Many times this left us with our electricity cut off, no groceries, and being swallowed up by debt. The leader of the cult would take enough time to pray about the decision being made, but ultimately request a higher tithe and a lower amount spent on high dollar things we needed. This ended a lot of nights in arguments between my mom and I because aI ended up taking jobs to pay our household bills.

I don't say any of this for you to say "wow, you had a bad mom". Because in reality, my mom was just being extremely manipulated and forced to help fund a cult.

Do you or someone you know have to have permission for major decisions in life? Do you get a say over your own decisions? If so, reach out to someone safe. Me, the police, a friend outside of that group, anyone. Just please, get away before they drain you of all your money and individualism.

Until all people get to make decisions on their own, I hope the words of your tongue bind you to yours.