Bethany Joy Lentz hasn’t forgotten the cult that seduced her and changed her life. Now she’s sharing the details.
Many years have passed since the casting of One Tree Hill We each go our separate ways, and that time remains indelible.
Partly because they were CW stars at the time. Now it has fallen Network Prime. But for Bethany Joy Lentz, there’s another reason.
she spent 10 years of her life in the cult. That tragic period in her life One Tree Hill. One of the cast members even tried to help her figure out how she could be saved.
Now she’s coming clean about the whole experience.
‘One Tree Hill’ alum Bethany Joy Lentz is a cult survivor
Starring Bethany Joy Lentz in the 2000s One Tree Hill Alongside Sophia Bush, Chad Michael Murray and Hilarie Burton.
Lenz has published a memoir; Dinner for Vampires: Life in a Cult TV Show (Belongs to a Real Cult Too!).
The book, which hits stores on October 22nd, explains how a dominant ultra-Christian cult allowed Bethany Joy Lentz’s nine years of television stardom to end with almost nothing to show for it. There is. At least she escaped the cult itself.
talk to people Prior to the publication of her memoir, Bethany Joy Lentz explained that she first became involved with cults through Bible study. She joined the group after first moving to Los Angeles at the age of 20.
“I was always looking for a place to belong,” Lentz explained. She grew up in an evangelical Christian world, married young, and was born to parents who moved around a lot. Acting was her main outlet, and attending church was always her social outlet.
At first, Bible study seemed like a natural fit. Lenz said: “No matter what you do, no matter how badly you act, no matter what stupid choices you make, I still love you, and I’m here for you,” someone says. The idea of saying.
When did things get so bad?
According to Les, a visiting pastor named “Less” began attending and leading the conversation.
Even when she persuaded some members of the group to move and live in a “big house” that resembled a small commune in Idaho, it didn’t ring any alarm bells for her.
“It still looked normal. And then it just changed,” Lenz characterized. “But by the time it started to change, I was too deep in the relationship to realize it. And I was so young.”
However, those around her could tell that Bethany Joy Lentz belonged to a cult. including her One Tree Hill co-stars.
“I could see it in their faces,” she recalls. “But I rationalize it by saying, ‘There’s no way I’d be in a cult.’ But I have access to a relationship with God and people in a way that other people want. They don’t know how to get it.”
Co-star Craig Chafer told her directly about the cult early on in their filming together, but Lentz wasn’t ready to hear it. She admitted: Cults are strange things. Cults are people who wear robes, chant crazy things, and drink the Kool-Aid. That’s not what we do! ”
Finally, Bethany Joy Lentz figured out what the cult was all about.
At that point, Lentz wasn’t sure how to leave. At this point she was married to a fellow cultist who was considered part of the “family.” They kept Rosie together. Ms. Lentz wanted to leave the cult and her cult-related marriage.
“The stakes were very high,” recalls Bethany Joy Lentz. “They were my only friends. I married this group. I’ve built my life around it. If I admit I was wrong…everything else falls apart.” It will be.”
All of this is very textbook. What started out as a simple gathering of like-minded Christians, slowly boiling a frog to bringing people together through marriage, children, finances…this is what these organizations find. keep member. I’m so glad Lentz was able to escape.
