|
In Reply to: Re: Good points by Ashley posted by Perry on November 17, 2005 at 14:47:33:
That's a good point too Perry. I know that humiliations, breakings, fear factor, endtime doctrines, nightmares of Berg, homes to deal with people who were resistant, people cordoned off for fasting and exorcism if they had "problems" existed in the family before the combos and were quite harsh as were the regular purging sessions in the earliest days of the COG.
Not to mention that before the crop of children were ripe for Berg to harvest, women being turned out to prostitute. Not exactly what a person would have realized when recruited, that a "Christian Missionary group" was going to turn into a large scale prostitution and molestation operation from a small scale "selah" operation Berg orchestrated.
He effectively blamed it on the hippies when bad publicity came out and children were taken away in raids. "It was those hippies" from the "Free Love" generation. People actually believe that child molestation was advocated during that period. Well, it wasn't. Even convicted murderers and theives in the prison system hate child molesters. Not to mention that way before "hippie" was a known word or lifestyle, Berg was boinking Faithy. I didn't know that until I read Deb's book, while in the family! I was never on that level of top leader trust or leader only trust. I am so grateful for being resistant and being "out of it" in the "Darkside, upside down world" of the Family.
What people don't realize who are IN THE FAMILY is that the world at large views them as DEVIANT when they are able to get the umbrella org. name out of the way and look at the root. Everyone who advances in that alternate lifestyle is sliding down the spiral when they appear to be advancing. TFI truly is "The Green Door" world.
The basic message when introduced to the cult was the member was showered with love only to learn they were nothing, worth nothing. Only "Jesus" or "God" was good.
As someone so aptly put it, the world revolved around Berg because he was God's chosen and mouthpiece.
What has made the COG/TFI big news? Not their great works but their deviant and criminal behaviors that are denied and which followers believe to be "of God" until they can get out..IF they can get out and find their marbles and then learn how to use them.
People that are SG currently in had no choice to be in the family but many are adults now entering their thirties and have had exposure from their peers and from the outside world enough to realize there is something awry with the Family portrait. I hope before their children are too traumatized, they can get out and let their children have the opportunities they missed out on, like being able to become whatever they choose to, attend universities. Not to mention that the parents, current SG's can get assistance to attend school and get grants that will help care for their children and expenses while they are in school too.
I know it is not as simple as this. But resource hunting is crucial. The more resources the better.
