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Replies to '08/24 The Family Cult'
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October 6, 2005, 3:10 pm PDT
 Quote From: estrella Hearing and reading about such slanderous outright lies is hard for me as a 24-year-old fulltime member of The Family International. I still can’t believe that people would stoop to such low measures and means to demonize and bring others against a group of individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping others and bringing the true Gospel to many who otherwise perhaps wouldn’t have the chance to learn about Jesus’ love.
Being a mother of two small children myself, and wanting the best for them as they grow up, I am thankful to be surrounded by loving and caring members of my community who have the same vision and goal in life as I do, and impart that to my kids in their daily interactions with them. If I, living day in and day out in our communal Home, saw that it was indeed a “den of alleged sexual molestation, prostitution and extreme physical abuse”, I would be out of here without second thought. Who in their right mind would allow their children to continue to live in such conditions? Nevertheless, there are thousands of similar parents in The Family, who know the truth, have seen it and lived it for years, and are very thankful for the opportunity to have such a peaceful, pure and charmed atmosphere for their children to spend their formative years in.
Of course, living a life fully dedicated to others includes quite a bit of sacrifices and giving up of selfish desires, so I can understand why there are many who choose an easier, less sacrificial and more self-centered lifestyle. I respect that. That is their choice, such as the Scripture says: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) Few choose to give their lives to the benefit of others in this way. But this gives those who don’t no right or leeway to criticize or make up stories about those of us who do feel called and have chosen to dedicate our lives to something more worthwhile and long-lasting than selfish living.
My prayer is that these former members can find the peace that they are looking for, not by inciting more anger and violence, but by leaving the past behind and deciding to go on with their lives in the way that they feel is best, and allowing us to do the same. Each of us is an individual and has the right to live our lives in the way that we wish. I’ve found a wonderful place to live mine, and for my children to live theirs as well, and I feel very fulfilled in the cause of spreading Jesus’ message to all who are interested. Why can’t you just leave us alone so that we can get the job done while there is still time?
With regards, Estrella Sola You say that what you hear are “slanderous outright lies.” Just so that we are on the same page with our definitions please let me know if you are aware of any of the following practices in the Family (although you a bit young, you should recall the following):
- Children being exposed to sexually graphic material (e.g., Heaven’s Girl, True Komix, and other literature)
- Sex encouraged and practiced regularly between children
- Regular or occasional dances that involved all of the women in the home (including children) to dance and strip for all the men in the home.
- In the mid 1980s, 12-years-old became the official age for adulthood (this is what constitutes the Family’s stringent no minor-adult sex policy), which meant children 12 and older could be put on a home’s sharing list (i.e., could be forced to have sex with adults).
- Copious amounts of sex between the “adults” in the homes, much of which occurred in front of children (e.g., your mom having sex with a “brother” in your presence).
I have intentionally left out instances of direct child-adult fondling and/or sex since this usually occurred behind closed doors (except for 12-year-olds being on sharing lists). Additionally, I have left out other abuses and neglectful behavior that occurred on a widespread basis (e.g., lack of adequate education beyond the 6th grade, child-labor, etc.). I would like any Family member to address these points and honestly tell me that these sanctioned practices did not occur in a typical home in the 1980s and early 90s.
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October 6, 2005, 3:14 pm PDT
Quote From: estrella Hearing and reading about such slanderous outright lies is hard for me as a 24-year-old fulltime member of The Family International. I still can’t believe that people would stoop to such low measures and means to demonize and bring others against a group of individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping others and bringing the true Gospel to many who otherwise perhaps wouldn’t have the chance to learn about Jesus’ love.
Being a mother of two small children myself, and wanting the best for them as they grow up, I am thankful to be surrounded by loving and caring members of my community who have the same vision and goal in life as I do, and impart that to my kids in their daily interactions with them. If I, living day in and day out in our communal Home, saw that it was indeed a “den of alleged sexual molestation, prostitution and extreme physical abuse”, I would be out of here without second thought. Who in their right mind would allow their children to continue to live in such conditions? Nevertheless, there are thousands of similar parents in The Family, who know the truth, have seen it and lived it for years, and are very thankful for the opportunity to have such a peaceful, pure and charmed atmosphere for their children to spend their formative years in.
Of course, living a life fully dedicated to others includes quite a bit of sacrifices and giving up of selfish desires, so I can understand why there are many who choose an easier, less sacrificial and more self-centered lifestyle. I respect that. That is their choice, such as the Scripture says: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) Few choose to give their lives to the benefit of others in this way. But this gives those who don’t no right or leeway to criticize or make up stories about those of us who do feel called and have chosen to dedicate our lives to something more worthwhile and long-lasting than selfish living.
My prayer is that these former members can find the peace that they are looking for, not by inciting more anger and violence, but by leaving the past behind and deciding to go on with their lives in the way that they feel is best, and allowing us to do the same. Each of us is an individual and has the right to live our lives in the way that we wish. I’ve found a wonderful place to live mine, and for my children to live theirs as well, and I feel very fulfilled in the cause of spreading Jesus’ message to all who are interested. Why can’t you just leave us alone so that we can get the job done while there is still time?
With regards, Estrella Sola This is not intended as a slam, I am curious. You indicacted that the people in the Family have dedicated their lives to helping others. What exactly do the members of this group do that helps others? |
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October 6, 2005, 4:01 pm PDT
Quote From: estrella Hearing and reading about such slanderous outright lies is hard for me as a 24-year-old fulltime member of The Family International. I still can’t believe that people would stoop to such low measures and means to demonize and bring others against a group of individuals who have dedicated their lives to helping others and bringing the true Gospel to many who otherwise perhaps wouldn’t have the chance to learn about Jesus’ love.
Being a mother of two small children myself, and wanting the best for them as they grow up, I am thankful to be surrounded by loving and caring members of my community who have the same vision and goal in life as I do, and impart that to my kids in their daily interactions with them. If I, living day in and day out in our communal Home, saw that it was indeed a “den of alleged sexual molestation, prostitution and extreme physical abuse”, I would be out of here without second thought. Who in their right mind would allow their children to continue to live in such conditions? Nevertheless, there are thousands of similar parents in The Family, who know the truth, have seen it and lived it for years, and are very thankful for the opportunity to have such a peaceful, pure and charmed atmosphere for their children to spend their formative years in.
Of course, living a life fully dedicated to others includes quite a bit of sacrifices and giving up of selfish desires, so I can understand why there are many who choose an easier, less sacrificial and more self-centered lifestyle. I respect that. That is their choice, such as the Scripture says: “Many are called, but few are chosen.” (Matthew 22:14) Few choose to give their lives to the benefit of others in this way. But this gives those who don’t no right or leeway to criticize or make up stories about those of us who do feel called and have chosen to dedicate our lives to something more worthwhile and long-lasting than selfish living.
My prayer is that these former members can find the peace that they are looking for, not by inciting more anger and violence, but by leaving the past behind and deciding to go on with their lives in the way that they feel is best, and allowing us to do the same. Each of us is an individual and has the right to live our lives in the way that we wish. I’ve found a wonderful place to live mine, and for my children to live theirs as well, and I feel very fulfilled in the cause of spreading Jesus’ message to all who are interested. Why can’t you just leave us alone so that we can get the job done while there is still time?
With regards, Estrella Sola Why are calling people "liars" when they say what happened to them? Did you live with each of these people and shadow them all that time?
Criticism in the media and justice through legal means are not violence. Who is advocating violence? I am advocating in the hopes of preventing more of the violence against children that I suffered as a child in the Family.
Do you realize that you are posting on a board that is read mostly by people who live what you are calling "an easier, less sacrificial and more self-centered lifestyle" and "selfish living" (translated as believing in such "selfish" stuff as nuclear family, working for a living and private property)? How do you think insulting people who have not dropped out of society is going to make us look more kindly on your elitist group of "chosen" ones, the only ones who live for something "worthwhile and long-lasting"?
Not to mention that many would laugh at the thought that "sacrifices and giving up of selfish desires" in regular English would apply much to a free-sex lifestyle!
Finally, I don't understand why you would ruin your credibility by saying you "respect" something you are characterizing so pejoratively (that is, a life not having dropped out of society at large to joing your group). |
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