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In Reply to: To Joseph posted by Thinker (hmmmmm?????) on July 26, 2002 at 05:04:24:
I'm sorry for not responding to your post. I have been very busy with Union negotiations this week, and haven't had as much time as usual online. I really did want to go back over that, because I didn't think it was complete.
The comment about Barney was in response to a message saying that someone should do something for the SGA's. The person in the ex-member community who does more for SGA's than any other ex-member I have ever met is Barney. Jane did a very good job of describing what goes on in Barney's home, and how he helps SGA's get on their feet. As far as I know, there is no other system available in the country that takes in young people in the numbers that they are taken in at Barney's home. My own Son, who was born in the Family lived there recently, and received a great deal of help in getting established in that area. So, I know what I'm talking about from personal observation.
Then the person who wrote the original message clarified it for me that he was talking about why The Family doesn't do anything for the SGA's.
Now, when you think about it, the discussion of the deamonization of Barney is a double edge sword for some people. There is a faction out there who seems to think that Barney IS in the Family, or has deep attachment to the Family. If that is true, it almost screws up the line of thinking even more. Because, unless you can show me someone doing more on a daily basis, Barney IS the person helping SGA's in large numbers in the world.
If he's an Ex-Member, or a Family member (either in reality, or in his heart), he is still helping SGA's in large numbers. Anyone who wants to refute that can get on a plane to BWI like I did and go see it for themselves. If you haven't seen it for yourself, then you are just repeating heresay.
What I have noticed, and hang on, because this is going to re-piss off a few people in here who have already gone ahead and forgiven me for my unthinkable outbursts (what others might call voicing an alternative opinion).... what I have noticed is that the people who appear to do the most to help people leaving the cult on a daily basis, are also the most deamonized people in this community. I have met three people, and been in their home who match this description. Their names, in alphabetical order are Anneke, Barney and Cancion.
Chew on that one for a little while, and tell me why this community beats their chest, while looking toward the heavens for a messiah to come down and help the ex-members and SGA's. But, at the same time they brutalize these three people who spend every day of their lives helping those people.
It appears to me that those prayerful people must think that these three are the wrong kind of people to be offering help. But, these prayerful people have not yet taken their place. No, that place is for some magical perfect person who never voices a differing opinion to the prayerful ones.
It is so bad, that I believe that people who might help are scared off by looking at what happens to the people who try to help.
I've worked really hard to help the ex-member community in volunteering my time to assist technically at NDN and Lolos. This compares in no way with what Anneke, Barney and Cancion have done to help. But, look at how I'm dragged into the mud all the time. For what? For being a guy who tries in some small way to help you guys? AND (gulp) for having opinions that don't always match yours?
One of these days, I'm going to compile a list of names I've been called. It is shocking. But, again, it doesn't compare to the abuse that Anneke, Barney and Cancion get any time they dare to show their faces.
Why is that?
