Responses to article:
Jesus Christians - Offshoot of the COG?
by WC
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I just stumbled back onto this website, and I was surprised to notice that I did NOT acknowledge that we had a member who had previously belonged to the ICOC,when I posted in January. She had only joined last year, but she is still with us, and I must apologise for overlooking it.
And yes, I am the member who was once associated with the Family. My wife was never a member, and I spent only a couple of weeks away from her and living with the Family more than a quarter of a century ago, before I decided to take advantage of a rule that said one could become a "shepherd" by setting off on their own and getting another disciple or two. I returned to my family, enlisted my children as members, and then proceeded to receive postings from the Family (COGs then) as a shepherd. It always frustrated the Family that they did not have me conveniently under their thumb, and eventually Cherry agreed to leave the church scene if I would leave the Family, and the two of us set off on our own, along with our own children. Thus the Jesus Christians were born.
The similarities between us and the Family are many; but almost none of them relate to sexual matters. We appreciate the idea of more open and frank discussion of issues which deeply concern young people, but our community on the whole tends to be regarded as opposite to the extreme, because we do not believe in divorce, remarriage, homosexuality, adultery, or even kissing and cuddling between engaged couples.
Dave McKay <fold@idl.net.au>
Newcastle, NSW Australia - Nov 29, 2003
One of your members is an ex member of the church of Christ, according to your web site. i doubt anyone is suggesting that you are a breakaway group from ICC. However your literature and teachings suggest you are still heavily influenced by early Berg teachings. What was your name in the children of God?
hannah
- Nov 8, 2003
Dave,,,I have met you and you told me then that you had been a member of the CoG! While it may be true that only one of your members has been involved it's pretty significant don't you think that that member just happens to be the leader of the group. As an offshoot group maybe not but your thinking and operations is definitely influenced by the COG
Abel Mechanic
- Jul 28, 2003
There really is a lot of false information in these reports. If you want reliable information from someone who does not agree with us (i.e. does not agree with the Jesus Christians), we recommend you go to http://www.spotlightministries.org.uk
It beats us what a lot of information about the International Church of Christ and the Children of God has to do with a supposed expose on the Jesus Christians, but what can you expect from someone who has never met us?
To set the record straight, none of us has ever been connected with the Church of Christ, and only one of our members has ever been a member of the Children of God, so we can hardly be called a "breakaway" group from either of those organisations. The founders of the Jesus Christians (Cherry and I) have been active members of the Quakers for the past four years. Cherry and I were teenage sweethearts, and have been married for 38 years now (39 in July). Neither of us has ever been unfaithful during that time. We have consistently opposed the sexual teachings of the Children of God.
Those are just a few of the facts that have been overlooked or contradicted in your article. Like I said, check out the spotlight website for some real information.
Dave McKay <fold@idl.net.au>
Sydney, NSW Australia - Jan 31, 2003
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