In Reply to: before I contact him posted by exJPA on June 23, 2003 at 13:06:47:
This i know about groups like the JPA and their merging with the family. Those merging leaders of the different groups were shuttled around to "inspire" others. I was at Zion when the one guy was there speaking about a vision to join one stick (his group) with another (the family). Usually these people recieved a leadership position or privilege and then once their followers were entrenced in family dogma, those people were put down. One that stayed in the fam for quite some time was Esther (Linda Meissner) who was over Scandinavia where i was for a long time. Her head rolled much later, about the time of the "Kings" letter where Berg removed leadership and replaced them with his own. Linda was scapegoated for all the problems that thrived in Scandinavia under her leadership. Then Jethro came down with Megiddo and Mara who came to power in the Region. Soon they were replace by the horrid Leah and her husband, can't remember his name, but they were both very harsh. There were always many revolutions within revolutions. Most of us in the family knew that the JPA leaders, etc. were viewed as Kings and Queens and treated with kid gloves for some time. Since I am not sure who Russ Griggs was or the name of the guy that came to Zion, I am not speaking specifically to that. But have others here noticed that scapegoat pattern of the family that allowed things to get really bad and then send in the "rescuers" who often were removed themselves, or likewise "beheaded"? Kina smacks of the Chinese cultural revolution....
In any case, i think it is good that you write and express to this person directly about how you felt. In the family we always had to worry about saying the "right things". I am sure in your heart you know what you need to say. I hope the best for you.