In Reply to: reposted letter from Mr. John LaMattery Sr. posted by John LaMattery Sr. on February 07, 2005 at 14:38:41:
John, I reposted your letter here because Journeys is the board where we mostly discuss spiritual matters & much of the content of your letter is spiritual in nature.
I have a question for you & if you don't mind answering, it might really help other first generation exmembers cut the Gordian knot of many past cult issues as well. In your open letter to the Family, the media & your own kids, you own up to your mistakes & having not stood up for your kids & declare in no uncertain terms that Zerby & leadership are responsible for unleashing so much evil. You briefly mentioned that it took you a while to realize these things.
If it's not too painful or personal, could you please tell us 'waking up' process you went through to get to the point that you finally wrote your public letter? I'm assuming that for some time after leaving the group you must have been a bit pro-Family, looking back on the good ol' days of personal witnessing, and tho you must've known that excesses happened, I'm guessing that you felt the basic principles the Family taught were right. Then at some point when faced with your own children's pain, you woke up to the facts.
Since we all go through a 'waking up' process, getting back our own consciences, some quicker & others slower, would you mind elaborating? I don't want to ask you to touch on this if it's too personal or painful, but since many of our readers have not yet made a stand like you have made & have not experienced the reconciliation & healing in their own families, I'm guessing that they would appreciate seeing the process you went through. I think a lot of people would identify & benefit.