Seems to be a rite of passage in these cults.
It sure does. I still worry about Gloriavale - all those innocent children being brainwashed.
You are right. There is brainwashing there and the leader was convicted of paedophilia, but Gloriavale is a strange mixture. They do mingle with the outside world and do perform quite broad community services. As an example, they provide an aircraft and pilot, no charge, no hidden agenda, to take a doctor from Greymouth to the clinic at Karamea on a regular basis.