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In Reply to: Re: Family's response to CNN posted by Perry on December 06, 2007 at 15:26:33:
Not to dampen your enthusiasm, but your comment is a bit far fetched. Plenty of emotional violence/blackmail? I got family still in, visit them (they are not leaders) and as far as I can tell they are fine. Yea, the Loving Jesus letters are weird, but not an official belief. They tell me they don't really practice it in full, other then saying "we love you Jesus or reverence the Lord as Lord, savior and bride in their prayers, but for sure not imagining themselves as a virgina or whatever else that is of sexual nature in that series. I do think Peter and Zerby are quite isolated from the main stream of Family members, seeing they only meet them when some special meeting is called, and then it's them who do all the talking. My son attended a meeting once where Peter showed up some years ago and all he did was sit there and listen, with some amen’s and Hal bursts with all attending. I know some of you here will toss your hands up in amazement as to why I don't go do more to pull them out, but the kids are of age and I believe in freedom of choice, religion etc, and whether you believe in the same is your choice, and mine is mine. I do know what my kids are doing and can say they are not child abusers, fail in teaching their kids, falsely promoting Jesus in regards to how many Christians do, collecting money falsely to how many other Christian organizations do it, or falsy helping people in need. I think they honestly want to serve the Lord, and to date they find the Family International of today an ok place to do that.
Since Ricky is mentioned a lot right now, I met the guy, and honestly I thought him to be simple, not a super brainy person (if you know what I mean). Maybe it's got something to do with that Latin blood or his up bringing, so any great training he had in the Family didn't really show itself to much. At least he could do handyman stuff (from his "Life with Grandpa days").
I no longer am in, or care to rejoin, but there is now a major difference in the Family international of today and in times past. Berg is gone, Zerby & Peter aren't in direct contact with most normal Family members, and leadership structure is less dominant in the daily lives of members. So, I think it's safe to say things have or are changing, and it's safer. Of course this does not negate the fact some suffered, but I think they really should take that up with those involved and not lump every Family member of today in the same basket. It's like saying we Americans are all war mongers, just because the leaders of my country make war, kill innocent people in foreign lands, steal, rob etc, and all in my countries name & God.
