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In Reply to: Forget the infighting and get on with life posted by Jay on August 24, 2002 at 21:13:04:
Ok, I'm sorry, but I don't agree with you on most points you brought up. Firstly, I (and most I know) don't hang around online all day looking for ways to "persecute" the Family. We all have lives, we are all experiencing good and bad, and we have homes, families, work, school and much more going on. Some I know come onto these sites solely to stir up debates (there’s nothing wrong with that); others like to voice their opinions on different matters (whether it has to do with the Family or not). My personal reason for coming to these sites is and always has been finding others with common history (I'm an ex SGA-I didn't go to High School, it's almost like a reunion, getting caught up on each other's lives and the such and I enjoy meeting/knowing others that can understand some of my thought process’s which are unusual in the “real world”).
"I realize that a majority’s only purpose for living and writing in an exer group is seeing the Family disintegrate and getting revenge, but that surely will be a shallow victory when you could progress in life." I feel that this is a generalization-which is unfair to say the least. As I stated above, we all have our lives and we (for the most part) have and/or are progressing in life!
"But just don't be so foolish as to always want to persecute them and anyone that disagrees with you." How can you say that when we (ex Family members) are looking for actual justice to be sought? How can you even suggest that those of us that suffered in that group should in essence forgive and forget? I don't understand why wanting those that hurt us to pay is a bad thing-by hurt us, I mean the child abusers, the child molesters and the rapists just to name a few. Those that chose to join the group obviously have other things they went through-but that doesn't make what happened to them "ok". Every single person that suffered at the hands of the Family is entitled to seek retribution! No one should look down on them. Look at what's going on with the Catholic priests that molested/raped children in their parishes, they are paying (years later) and no one is telling the victims (the majority of whom are now grown men) to "move on and upward" or to "get over it".
Also, you claim to be a “Christian” but I felt that quite a bit of what you wrote was very judgemental. As a “Christian” you are supposed to LOVE others, not judge them! As a Christian you are meant to show understanding when others are going through “trials”! How can you attempt to lecture us (other ex members) on our behaviour when it really isn’t your place? I could sit here and quote loads of versus that state the way a Christian should behave-but I’m sure you already know them. Here are some excerpts from your article that I feel show that you are not a very Christ like example-“You're basically reaping what you have sown”, “I do pray that the good ones among you, move on and upward, discern the past and do better in the future from what you have learned”, “But just don't be so foolish as to always want to persecute them and anyone that disagrees with you.” “rather than getting inflamed against others you might consider being either just normal and natural and positive or even missionaries for Jesus AGAIN if any of you, still have the original motivation you supposedly had when you first joined the Family. For a true missionary goes on no matter what happens to them along the way, and is stronger for it.” and my favourite-“So Shalom and Peace to the Peacemakers with the Lord and to the others ...just the opposite”…just the opposite??? HELLO, that right there gave away your non-Christian attitude! Don’t you dare try to lecture others on how they should or should not feel! Don’t try to tell others what they should or should not be doing with their own lives-it just isn’t right! Every person on this board knows what is going on-they have the choice to either take part in debates or ignore them, but it is their prerogative, not yours.
And one last point FYI persecution means-
1: the act or practice of persecuting especially those who differ in origin, religion, or social outlook
2: the condition of being persecuted, harassed, or annoyed
I don't know of one person here or on the site that I actually frequent who wants to persecute the Family for religious reasons. So in my opinion, it is the wrong word to use. It's too good a word to use on the Family! The reason that most want to bring them to justice is for criminal acts committed against themselves and their families. Religion doesn’t even come into the picture.
