What does one gain by saying “yes”?

I am not a “yes” person.  I will say that right up front.  My control issues make me take the contentious route in many conversations.  So when I see a posting from someone  that can get little over the top, I take notice.  Such was one today …news article about how some cultists forced women to have sex “with themselves”..their words not mine…mine would have said lesbian sex, because that term “with themselves” could also have been masturbation..~shrugs~ just saying.  Anyway, it was filmed and when said cultists(again their words..probably sect outside of regular faiths), were arrested, they found film, weapons.  Comments were made disparaging the women, which I actually found offensive.  Remarks about how could someone be coerced into performing such acts..so of course they must have been prostitutes.  Now I have issues(ok, a lot of them) with people always blaming the victim of crimes that involve  sexual crimes, or religious coercion.  One wonders why they would “consent”..well, in my humble opinion, I believe that if one is trying to save their lives, most people would do damn near anything…It’s why cult leaders are so successful in what they do.  they string you along, prey on those who have a weakness, be it youth, ideology, poor home life, spiritual disconnect..whatever that may be..they start off with the physical, provide shelter, companionship, food, etc..under the guise of spiritual love.   When all those other elements have been met, it then moves on into their own depravity….  their own self-gratification..and has nothing to do with religion or spirituality.  It takes a lot for those involved to make it out…it’s been shown many times in the news that the brain is fragile, and can be fucked with on a grand scale by master manipulators.  Kidnap victims have been known to identify with their captors in a syndrome called “stockholm syndrome”, in that the victims soon empathize and even defend their captors, mistaking lack of abuse as kindness.  So what does all this have to do with people who always agree you may ask?  Well, in this same conversation, there was a person who automatically jumped on the bandwagon of disparaging the women..and they agree with the comments because one..they don’t think for themselves often enough, and two..the comments came from someone they look up to and take their words at face value..as gospel..although if you were to ask the second person, he would tell you that he is not infallible, is still a student of life, and he voices his opinion as do the rest of us.  Now while I too, respect the words from this person, and from others as well.  I have a brain and coupled with my control issues..it makes me pause and think things through even to the point of playing devil’s advocate sometime…just to give another point of view that some may not have considered.  I see it in daily life as well.  People trying so hard to fit in or not be considered “strange” for not being the same as others, i.e. going to church every time door is open, having same political views….  whatever someone says..one agrees to it.  As someone who has always been on outside looking in..always the “new kid” moving from base to base..I’ve become a people watcher and can see the  complexities  of human nature, so am aware of people’s need to fit in..believe me, am not unaware of that emotion myself.  But I refuse to fit into a mold of “yes people”.  It’s how the bullies, dictators of this world are able to get as far as they did before being taken down.,  People refuse to stand up and voice their opinion.    But those not on a life or death scale..what do they gain from agreeing with those they are enamored of?  Does it reinforce in their world that they are on the right path..doing this “just so” so that the plan moves accordingly?  Screw that…make your own road!  Take the knowledge offered and see if it works in your world?  if not..acknowledge that and move on.  When we stand by and become a cheer squad for whatever comes out of someone’s mouth, we place them on a pedestal(yeah I get the irony Nagini,lol)..and then do not keep their feet to the fire and keep them honest, we are disloyal to our very being.  Our spiritual connectedness to the universe is threatened.   We want what they teach us to be truth, based upon fact, not opinion..if they speak from personal point of view, we want that stated as well.  So, maybe next time one makes a controversial statement(or not), think before automatically agreeing.  Is it really how you feel?  If not, then speak up..what do you have to lose?  Perhaps you could give someone else food for thought..a perspective that they had not considered.  What do you have to lose?

PEACE OUT