In response to Kevin aka Silas

I am a friend of Tio's. I met him during my travels. I do not share his past and only knew bits and pieces of it from him. Since Tio's death, I discovered the horrors that where "The Family". Frankly, I felt compelled to respond after reading this post by Kevin aka Silas.

It is very easy to say that one feels sorry when it is all over. In truth nothing can take back decades of denial and child abuse at the hands of your father and adults who joined the group. As others have said before, "How could they have done that to little children?" It is something I do not understand. It is something I do not want to understand. I never knew a religion that taught one to beat and abuse young kids until they have nightmares that drive them to suicide. You stole their dreams and their innocence. You stole their sense of future and life.

This tragedy, can not "purge the hate and bitterness". This tragedy demands action. To realize and acknowledge the truth of what happened to all those children raised in the group. Additionally, how can anyone "rebuild" when the foundations of love and protection were never there to begin with. At what point will you confront your past and express the truth of what really happened. Only then can the "healing" began for these children, when "The truth shall set us free". I don't think these children are looking to be "held" once again by their abusers, nor do I think that you deserve their forgiveness. I think what they really need if for you to say, "Yes we did these things to you." no excuses because their are no justifiable excuses for what you have done. Perhaps then these children will start to find closure instead of begging you to stop denying them the history they continue to survive.

Finally I read on MSN how Tio ended his life. How did he get his hands on the gun? What kind of loving person gives "a beloved child" who is having trouble dealing with the demons a gun?

Tio will live long in my mind. I will use his passing as another reason to find truth. I wish to express Tio's and many others wish to bring the cult abusers to justice. Kevin aka Silas, instead of coming here to gain sympathy, might I suggest that you confront your demons and your past. The Peace and Love decade which has left the world empty and hallow of all your false promises and prophets.