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In Reply to: Re: A question Jane:/Joseph? posted by goth88 on August 20, 2002 at 18:30:23:
My personal opinion, and some of this gets me in trouble and may again tonight is...
The adults who joined the family of their own free will, and stayed in regardless of the facts at hand, many for twenty or more years get little or none of my sympathy. They left either when it suited them, or only after they got thrown out, and not before.
The children who were born into the group had no choice in the matter. It is well documented that many of these children were abused. They have all of my sympathy.
The abusers should be brought to justice, but the victims have to do that. I can't file charges against someone for something they did to you. I wasn't a witness, and even though I might believe every word you say, it is still heresay, and they don't allow it in court. You have to file a complaint and go through the process, which includes producing witnesses. So far, very few people have done this. Not because it didn't happen, but because the process is very difficult.
As far as our personal friends...
Jane has disclosed that four of the children of the couple that we have befriended have left since they have known us. One of them wrote me an email thanking me for including her and her siblings in our normal family activities. That means a lot to me. We've done things like have them over for Thanksgiving dinner for the past several years. The first time, none of the kids had any idea what Thanksgiving was.
Back in June, I took the two younger kids fishing with me in the afternoons up in the Sierras. If I can give these kids an experience of what it is like being around a normal family that does normal things, I feel like I've done something good. It is possible that the parents take them home and tell them that I'm an evil systemite, but I've got the time with them out on the lake. They might just be smart enough to figure it out for themselves. Their older siblings have.
As far as the parents? Will they ever leave the Family? Probably not as long as they are of use to the Family. One day they might get a little old, or a little sick, then their time may come. If and when it does, we will help them however we can.
The husband believes at this point in his life that he can make a positive difference from within the organization. I hope for the sake of the others in the group that he can. I'm not sure he can do worse than past leaders.
As far as the Family website telling the truth, I doubt that will happen. The Catholic websites don't mention that they used to do things like boil people in oil for not converting to the true religion. It just isn't in the nature of organizations to do that. The first rule in an organization is to protect the organization. It's not right, it's just the nature of the beast.
