To James Seemore re: legitimate NGOs

Re: communications & James Seemore
Posted by James Seemore on November 03, 2005 at 17:09:12
In Reply to: communications & James Seemore posted by FRED on November 03, 2005 at 12:31:57:

You are very right to call this a hostile environment, as all along in my posts I stuck to what I think about my own local situation. What I didn't appreciate is posters coming along and trying to get me to fess up to a subject I had nothing to do with - you know, the abuse they suffered and who was guilty.

I shared what I thought about Mama Maria (even if she is a bit dumb on subjects), what I thought of Dad (I won't say Mo as then you might think I am fake). I also said I would most likely stick with the Family even if Maria and Peter left. What does that say? Simple, it says that things are not as bad as some try and make it sound. Even if someone left just last month, does not mean my situation was or is like theirs. I know some of you know that there are certain fields where one could say that the local shepherds are more into controlling the situation, but then again that's what I have heard, as I have neither been there or lived there.

As much as some want to make us believe, we do have a lot of leeway, for example we can choose what home we want to be in, what country, what ministry, who we want to date, who we want to vote into the home, if we want to have sex or not (as long as both parties agree and not underage), if we want to memorise Key quotes or verses. Sad to say my memory work is out the window, very rusty. I may go out fundraising, but it doesn’t mean we suffer hunger, or can't buy things we need. At the same time I have "heard" and visited other homes that are having a real difficult time. They live hand to mouth. They read the same letters, they live for the Lord, so why is this? Simple, they run their own show, their own ministry.

About "good works" - some folk’s knock what most family people do in the CTP work, saying we miss-represent ourselves, we lie for gain. Sorry, but that's a BIG FAT LIE, if I ever heard one. Granted, maybe there are some homes that don't represent themselves just right, but not everyone is a PR genius.

I've worked in some pretty heavy countries in times past that went through war, and when I was there we where driving a dump of a vehicle while most other aid agencies had their guys driving around in new aircon jeeps, plus each one had their own house or apartment. They did their activates, but not 24/7. On top of all that they got a salary. Who was paying for that??? Little old ladies and so forth back in the rich west.

So, stop yapping at the mouth that we are guilty of using money for our own gain. Sorry to say, but that is the real world of charity, not every single cent goes to the poor little boy on the street corner. If a person lives on a mission field, then it's pretty plain to understand that money they raise goes to support their work. That is what most of us on the front lines do, go out and tell people about Jesus, help people with things they need etc. Can't really witness to a person who has an empty stomach.

Posted by Unworthy Servant on November 03, 2005 at 20:38:52
In Reply to: Re: communications & James Seemore posted by James Seemore on November 03, 2005 at 17:09:12:

I like your concluding statement, "Can't really witness to a person who has an empty stomach." I've done NGO work, soup kitchens, meals on wheels and the like with a number of different organizations. I'd never want my credibility as an outreach worker compromised by affiliation with a scandal-ridden group like TFI.

In the real world of evangelical and social service work, a person is judged by the company s/he keeps. In my current position I advocate for the needs of very sick and vulnerable people. If I am to remain effective in my work, I am obligated to avoid even the appearance of impropriety. Doors will automatically shut in my face the minute someone thinks I can't be trusted.

Unfortunately for you, the founders & CEO of your parent company are old drunk Mo the child molester, the dim-bulb Mosquito Queen, and Ping Keeter, an LJ Viagra commercial. Unfortunately for you, some of the independent missionaries in your present company "don't represent themselves just right" and include children growing up in "homes that live hand to mouth."

All service organizations and missionary groups have their problems, but none that I know anything about have as much baggage as TFI.


Posted by FRED on November 04, 2005 at 10:52:51

Hello James, thanks for your comments, I’m replying to some of the things you said in your reply to my last post, ‘Communications & James Seemore.’

It seems the fundraising/honesty thing is a bit of an issue for you, perhaps because you feel your home is being totally up front and maybe you are. However, you did say that, ‘We lie for gain……that’s a BIG FAT LIE.’ In past posts you’ve talked about your experience and ‘don’t know wasn’t there.’ Well I was there and I’m not lying. All the homes I knew of in the continent were legally registered with the respective local Government.

To do this and avoid paying tax we had to write our books in such a way that we had one set of accounts for the auditor which showed we were all volunteers and no one received any personal financial gain and we kept another set for ourselves which showed what really happened with the donations. For example we never gave receipts or recorded in the audited books donations of cash.

To register we had to declare if we were members of any International group, leadership said to say no as they did not want to submit any accounts or list of leaders, which left the local Family holding the bag if our affiliation to TF was discovered. Here’s some bullet points of things which I know were common practice in the homes in the continent were I lived for seven years.

· Importing vehicles as emergency service vehicles, adding a few cosmetic accessories to make them as such so as to avoid paying heavy import duties and then striping the cosmetic additions and using them as normal private vehicles once through customs.

· Double book keeping
· Double & triple funding of projects
· Asking for donations of goods for projects but keeping most of it (Usually food)
· Asking for donations of goods for projects but not being clear on what it was for and keeping donation.
· Not declaring and pocketing surplus funds.
· Denial of affiliation to larger group for registration.
· No mention of tithe in accounts.
· Fictitious paperwork for legal registration
· Fictitious paperwork for visas (Usually educational degrees etc)
· Denial of existence of management structure, Boards, VS’s, WS etc.
· Misrepresentation/exaggeration of own organisations involvement in large projects belonging to larger more recognised organisation for financial gain. (Small example; quickly donning a medical mask, surgical gloves and a red cross vest to pose for PR brochure & NL’s photos while dropping stuff off).
· Asking for donations towards the homes ‘work’ without stating most goes to pay for personal expenses such as rent, food, etc.

That’s why I said, ‘People were not being honest in their fundraising & witnessing.’ All of the above is illegal and deceptive. At the same time I understand your statements re: large aid agencies but they can do that because they are accountable and transparent in their accounts, whether you agree with the morals of how the money is spent is another issue and irrelevant to the topic. I also saw the rich aid workers and felt repulsion. The perceived failures of others do not make TF’s deception right. I think TF could get big funding from the big boys but it would have to clean up its act and reputation and become accountable.

I believe most in TF are genuine in wanting to reach the lost and physically help but if they knew how other agencies and churches solicit funds and account for them they would begin to feel a little nervous about their own activities.

You mentioned, ‘posters coming along and trying to get me to fess up to a subject I had nothing to do with - you know, the abuse they suffered and who was guilty’. I think its more like people wanted to understand how you could belong to a group that officially promoted in its publications and through its leadership structure;

· sex between adults & children
· sex between children
· physical and mental abuse of minors in the homes and at victor camps
· prostitution
· speaking to the dead
· encouraging minors to masturbate to Jesus
· using children to solicit donations
· discouragement of anything but the most basic of education
· allowing and encouraging children to witness sexual acts at orgies
· coercion of the group through fear, if you don’t do this then you’re not as close to TL as you should be and bad things might happen, to name a few.
· deceivers yet true

Then there’s the drunken end time prophet, flying saucers, heaven’s in the moon, Pyramids, destruction of America, sex with goddesses, Abrahim, ‘sex with Grandma’ letter, confessions of incest with Berg by his daughters, copied art, Mene’s horrific abuse sanciouned & witnessed by the prophet & present leadership, James Pen’s insight into WS & Zerby, over 600 children suffering the trauma of being detained and examined by the authorities because of the beliefs and literature of TF. The leaders hid while the rank and file suffered for their teachings (I’m sure others could think of more). I think people genuinely want to know after having been there and realised there was something terribly wrong and come out what you thought of all this.

Yes, a lot of the sexual stuff does not go on any more but it did and some people were seriously hurt through these practices. Unfortunately they cannot have closure because the leaders refuse to properly address the issue and disclose the whereabouts of known members who committed abuse so they can face their accusers in a court of law. Instead a vague general apology for ‘past mistakes’ is supposed to make everyone feel OK.

Remember Malaysian Mary of UK victor camp and Lord Justice Ward fame? Witnesses said she publicly beat teens until they were bleeding the judge as part of the deal ordered TF to promise never to let her work with children again. TF gave her a slap on the wrist, sent her packing to a hotel to pray for a few days after which she went to Africa where she has worked with kids in and out of TF ever since. After all we’re supposed to be Christians and love one another, forgive & forget, right?

Unfortunately most of the victims do not have the wherewithal, money, knowledge of the perpetrators whereabouts or legal name to be able to do anything about it. That’s why TF can smugly say, ‘If there’s been all this abuse how come the authorities have done nothing about it? so it can’t be true.’ What would you do if your king & queen whom you have sworn allegiance to refused to talk to you or disclose the whereabouts of someone who abused your kids? Hypothetical, for you, yes but not for others who have tried to have this issue addressed but failed to get a meaningful response its very real.

TF is set up in such a way that its leaders are not accountable for their own or the collective actions of the group. This is wrong. They are a law unto themselves who rule through fear. The people who succeed in leadership positions in TF are those who subscribe to and practice the same philosophy. I could only see this after I left. The same people who promoted all the above are running TF today and have never allowed themselves or others to be accountable for their actions or writings. This is unacceptable no mater which way you look at it. They hide behind deviant spiritual principles and misquoting Bible verses. ‘We’re being persecuted for righteousness sake’. I believe most of the persecution TF has endured is rather a result of people’s horror of the atrocious acts done in the name of Jesus.

There is no hidden ac Jewish government whose number one enemy is TF because they are exposing them. Jesus did not come back in 93 or 97 as predicted by Berg the end time prophet. Comet Kohutec (I know I’ve spelt that wrong) did not destroy America, nor did Russia. California was not destroyed in an earthquake, TF is not an economic power, Ricky was not all hunky dory until he met the evil Vandari who poisoned his mind and made him into a killer. He was already deeply hurt when he left TF, his own writings at the time testify to that.

Its all just too much, the list goes on and on of all the mistakes, lies, half truths, injustices and downright nonsense that is TF. I truly thought that despite its lacks it was the best place in the world to serve TL. My only regret is that it took too long to realise what was happening & that I was being used.

Anyway, I’m not trying to make you leave. It’s up to you what you do with your life. I am curious though I remember a series of prophecies just before I left about how TL was going to judge TF through persecution if it didn’t tighten up. (More fear tactics) Well it has been persecuted over the last year is that because of TL’s wrath or has the blame been shifted, has it been addressed at all within TF?