Welcome to our new moderator!

[bella]

Yeah, it has changed. I still have PMs from you from 2 years ago.

I don't think the board's morphed into something weird and separate from how it started; rather it's solidified and found its own identity with a basic majority voice speaking out against a common enemy or common circumstance. I feel, 2 years ago, it might have been more of a "General Discussion on SES". Now, not so much, and I don't see it changing.

People can say "Oh no, please stay" to current SES/St James posters til the cows come home, but it's more complex than that. The feeling of intruding on personal grief, and interrogation re your motives/sanity/level of brainwashing is quite a bit stronger than it was 2 years ago. I can see why some people post for a minute and then decide it was a mistake. That's to be expected as the board finds its identity, but the simple answer to your question is yes.

[Free Thinker]

Thanks Bella for talking about this. Since I only joined a little over a year ago, I am not familiar with how the board was back then.

I assume that one reason it has changed is that more ex-pupils and -students have joined since then, and have had time to discuss their experiences and solidify their opions?

I know that when I joined, I had never talked about my experiences with anyone in any depth. I'd talked a bit with my mom and a bit with my best friend, but not any more than that. Since being here, I have been able to examine my life and my personal experiences and attempt to parse what came from the school and what did not. And I'm afraid that this has made me feel more strongly against much of what I experienced.

I can't speak for any who were ex-pupils since their experience was different from mine given the everyday exposure and the physical abuse.

That being said, it is helpful for me to hear from people who are currently there as it helps me to figure out whether things have really changed, as the leaders are always protesting, and if so, what has. And to remember more about what I learned when I was there since I'd forgotten quite a bit of the details from the vedas, etc. And also to remember what was good and what I gained from being there.

[mgormez]

Yeah, it has changed. I still have PMs from you from 2 years ago.

I hope I was nice to you

People can say "Oh no, please stay" to current SES/St James posters til the cows come home, but it's more complex than that. The feeling of intruding on personal grief, and interrogation re your motives/sanity/level of brainwashing is quite a bit stronger than it was 2 years ago.

I can see how this becomes cumbersome. Why not put in your signature sometime like "I am member of the SOP and am not a zombie. I just like to try things out and see if they work for me. Thanks for caring about my sanity but I feel I have everything under control. Thank you and god bless."

Or words to that effect?