Posted by Monika Kosz on March 17, 2005 at 06:28:09
In Reply to: your questions are difficult to answer posted by Suggestion on March 16, 2005 at 22:14:02:
Thank you very much for your reaction.
You may be sure that I have read the articles of
the ex- members that are on this site and other materials which mention Children of God. I am also
going to use them in my work. However, the methods of research that I have chosen: the interview and case study complement one another. So, I not only want to read the article and that's it, but I also want to have the opportunity to'talk' to one of the ex - members. The reason is I need to analyze some phenomena more thoroughly. My research is not quantitive but qualitative. I know that I will not be able to mention all the symbols, myths, etc. that appeared in this particular sect. This statement will also be included in my work.
I am fully aware that the experience of each of you is different in many aspects. I also know that you may not be willing to answer the questions of someone who does not share your experience and cannot fully understand it. I can assure you that as a believer I have the right perspective on the things that the sect has done. My M.A. thesis is, however, a research of the organziational culture of Children of God. I mention in my work that it is a destructive sect which practiced Flirty Fishing and encouraged prostitution (I do not write about the present time as it is difficult to find the materials about nowadays practices of the sect. I am focused on the time from 1968 to 1994).
You may be right that my questions seem to be irrelevant to the stories of ex - members. The experience that you had is comparable to the experiences of prisoners of concentration camp. It is undoubtedly bitter and extreme and I am sorry if I offended any of you with my stock questions. I just want to show by writing my work that a sect is an organization that has its management, structure of power, promotion, punishemnt and reward system, symbols, rituals and myths that integrate the group, because I believe it is true. Many people have very idealistic attitude towards religious groups, I know that many of them ( I mean sects) operate like small companies and reap profit.
I am fully convinced that if you were sure that I do not have bad intentions, you would answer the questions without difficulty. For example you could write that there were so many posters that you only describe one or say what was common and repetative subject of them. I have seen some and I have the impression (I do not know it of course for sure) that many of them talked about love.
You asked me if I had known that many of you did not have the opportunity to see the leader. Of course I had, but I cannot write it in research basing on my knowledge. I need to have a kind of evidence. The fact that let say 'ordinary' members did not see the leader is also the kind of manipulation technique, making the leader seem more distant and unattainable. It is also connected with the structure of communication and promotion. Only the people on the top knew the leader and his plans/intentions because their status allowed them to. This is really obvious to me.
Common themes are exactly what I mean and I really thank you for the bits of information that you gave me. I hope I can use them in my work as 'a criticism of the questions that are too broad'.
Would you agree on that?
The change of the questions is not really possible, the person under the guidance of whom I have been writing my work accepted them after several corrections.
Maybe I should start some questions from: give one example of... What do you think?
Thank you once again
I hope you reply
Monika