The Family Children of God by insidersChildren of God Family International
Home Chat Boards Articles COG History COG Publications People Resources Search site map
exFamily.org > chatboards > genX > archives > post #3255

Re: A question Jane:/Joseph?

Posted by goth88 on August 20, 2002 at 18:30:23:

In Reply to: Re: A question Jane:/Joseph? posted by Joseph on August 20, 2002 at 17:44:00:

I am still curious about your personal opinion. I don't think it is for me or anyone to say as to who you pick for friends, but I do wonder when you post where your interests lie. That is why I ask. The importance to me of seeing posted lit. regarding the family and their policies past and present, is that when I first searched the Web just months ago, what I came up with was family sites where I read articles that basically called people who reported TRUE stories on the family, liars. Child abuse and molestation was minimized with excerpts from Harvard degreed Psychologist or Psychiatrist. (This is not verbatim, as it was something I read some time ago, only once.) Seeing that, as a former member, looking for some healing, I felt sick inside. I questioned myself, I knew what was lies, but felt like many a person who has been abused has felt. "you are crazy. That didn't happen. Your're just disgruntled...Look, even professionals say it is okay what we did and what we do..." and so on. This is why I feel it is necessary to have articles that validate the person that has been abused or suffered as the result of the familys child molestation or problem/victor camps etc. The damage may be behind me and others, but it is present in the fallout in many lives. For this sake, and for professionals dealing with those seeking help, a balanced source of information is needed. You don't find that at the Family site. Obviously, there are many different personalities and opinions on this board. That is healthy. I do not negate you for being friendly with individuals that are in, but because of the copyright commments etc., I think it was fair to ask how you personally feel about it. Not legally or from a legal stand point, but personally. Maybe now it is clearer to you why I ask. Sometimes I think miscommunication occurs because people are wary of each other. Trust is an issue that many ex-members struggle with, myself included. Safety is another issue. I remember being in the family and them regularly posting a Rogue's Gallery with pictures and derogatory comments about those who "graduated" (left the family). I am not interested in harming or hurting individuals in the family. I would like to see leadership(Berg, Maria, Peter) exposed on behalf of their many victims/survivors. I would not want to see that right challenged in a court of law. But if it was, I am sure that would provide a venue for countersuits for first hand offended to go against a legal family entity.