He Escaped From A Cult After 10 Years When He Decided To Run Away From Home One Night
When TikToker Matthew (@matthewandpaul) was 10 years old, his family joined a religious cult. Thanks to his music, he was able to escape after spending over a decade in the cult.
So, one day, his parents were invited to attend a seminar called “The Institute in Basic Life Principles.” It discussed how to live a moral and biblical life and how to raise your kids to be healthy, happy, and successful.
After that, their lives changed very quickly. His family began following the teachings of Bill Gothard, who was the leader of the cult.
Men and boys had to show up wearing navy and white suits, while women and girls had to cover their bodies from ankle to wrist to neck.
His family started reading Bill Gothard’s booklets, which contained a curriculum that replaced science with Bill Gothard’s personal beliefs.
An example of one of the beliefs was that if a pop song came on in a restaurant, they had to cover their ears and get out as quickly as possible.
The cult leader was a strong believer in classical music, so Matthew and his siblings practiced their violins for hours each day.
Playing the violin was the best part of his childhood. He was able to perform on stage in front of huge conferences.
When Matthew was 14 years old, he was offered a full scholarship to The Juilliard School, one of the most prestigious music schools in the country.
Sign up for Chip Chick’s newsletter and get stories like this delivered to your inbox.
His parents refused to let him go because the cult taught them that sending their kids off to college was the equivalent of handing them over to the devil.
When he was 18 years old, he was offered two scholarships to two different music schools. Again, his parents said no.
One night, he decided to run away once and for all. He grabbed his violin, stuffed some clothes into a duffel bag, and escaped through his bedroom window.
It was the hardest thing he had ever done in his life. As he learned about what life was like outside of the cult, he kept playing his violin throughout it all. Now, he is free, happily married to his husband, and can share his music with the world.
More About:Freaky
