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In Reply to: how sad posted by Miguel on August 02, 2002 at 07:25:47:
MG described the attitudes to a 'T,' especially how Family members can be so incredibly sincere. It's like they get up in the morning, put on their PR sincerity makeup, and show the 'happy, sincere' face to the world. I used to be there and used to do it to. to the outside world it looks like "Sheesh, why are you criticizing these guys, they're so sincere, simple, happy, etc."
Reminds me of Jonestown where everyone was ordered to put on a show for Congressman Ryan (who was there on a fact-finding mission), and they did the song and dance and sang the American anthem so movingly that even Cong. Ryan began to wonder maybe these people aren't so bad as I was told. Then the facade began to fall apart and people began coming to him wanting to leave on the plane with him.
It reminds me of the Czar taking tours in pre-revolutionary Russia, how teams would go through first and scour the villages, cleaning them up and puttting up prosperous facades and making sure all the peasants were happy.
And behind the Family facades are some very heartbreaking stories. For e.g. many times if you get a children's show presented to you by a group of 10-15 children, here's what happens behind the scenes before you (the outsider) sit in your folding chair. The kids' teacher says, "Anyone who doesn't get out there and really perform and smile and show a happy face to the vistors is NOT going to get any treat." And then they actually SHOW the goodies and snacks to the little children and warn them.
Then you sit on your folding chair and the delightful, happy little children come out, and they even come out into the audience and hug you. And you're like, blown away and can't believe the love, warmth and genuine sincerity of these little children. You walk away thinking what a wholesome,obviously love-filled upbringing these kids must have, whatever the "lies" misinformed people tell about the Family.
Then you go home and scores are settled. The kids go to their snack room and as they walk in, the teacher pulls aside this child, this shy little girl, this little boy and tells them, "No snack for you. You didn't hug a vistor. No snack for you, you weren't really singing with your whole heart." And the little kid is crying. You in the audience might've thought the kid was doing great or normal or OK, but the teacher settled scores after you left.
You got the show and the kids who weren't quite as happy, warm and outgoing got the punishment. How do I know? My wife used to be a childcare teacher and saw this with her own eyes.
