The Family / Children of God

RELIGIOUS PERSECUTION

--In a Democratic Society?

Will You Be Next?

By The Family, June, 1992

                IN THE PRE-DAWN HOURS of May 15th, 1992, massive police raids were simultaneously launched against  our six Christian communities in Sydney and Melbourne, Australia. At each of the homes, 20-25 policemen barged their way in (violently breaking down the doors in some), accompanied by 30-40 people from the State Community Services Departments. Shocked and bewildered mothers and fathers were ordered not to interfere as the authorities cold-heartedly awoke and rounded up 142 of our children in these six communities, ages two to sixteen, snatching them from their beds and out of their mothers' arms, and hauling them away to undisclosed locations.

                The press was obviously "in" on what was happening, because TV cameras were rolling as soon as the action began, thus guaranteeing maximum media coverage of the spectacle of these children supposedly being "rescued" from the so-called "dangerous cult"! All of the national newspapers' front-page headlines and every TV and radio station's prime-time news broadcasts immediately focused their attention on this unprecedented seizure of so many children.

                Despite the sensational and lurid false accusations against us (which were amply supplied to the media by our international enemies), so excessive and callous was the manner in which this raid and abduction of children was conducted, that an array of voices rose at once to protest the totalitarian methods employed by the authorities. A team of conscientious lawyers in both cities volunteered their services, and the legal battle was on.

                After holding our children for six days of intensive questioning, examination and evaluation, the Community Services were still unable to bring even one legal charge against us, and both courts (one in Sydney, the other in Melbourne) released every one of our children back to their parents! A public furor has been raised as a result of this scandal, with many freedom-loving Australians becoming very concerned about police-state tactics being used against a tiny minority religion. The opposition political party has decried the raids against our homes as being "oppressive, excessive and heavy-handed", and are calling for a government inquiry into the entire affair. The following statement from one of our legal representatives, as quoted in  The Sydney Morning Herald succinctly summarises the case: "We are witnessing a department of State, for the first time in decades, using its processes and powers for direct religious persecution."

                Although our children are now thankfully reunited with their parents and loved ones, the agencies which perpetrated these raids against our homes in Australia are now working overtime (in conjunction with some of our most vindictive and implacable enemies) to try to come up with charges against us which they hope will justify their assaults on our homes and children. We therefore greatly appreciate and need your prayers and support regarding this case. Please pray especially for our children, the younger ones in particular, who have been traumatised, frightened and confused by the nightmare of having strangers forcibly enter their bedrooms and tear them away from their mothers and fathers.

                Future hearings are now being set, at which the prosecution will attempt to again take our children away from us, so please pray that their efforts to break up our families and destroy our work for the Lord will falter and fail. "If God be for us, who can be against us?" (Romans 8:31) We find very fitting the words which the great Jewish lawyer, Gamaliel, spoke before the tribunal that was attempting to condemn and silence the Apostles, Peter and John:

                "Ye men of Israel, take heed to yourselves what ye intend to do as touching these men . . . Refrain from these  men,  and  let  them alone: for if this counsel or this work be of men, it will come to nought: But if it be of God, ye cannot overthrow it; lest haply ye be found even to fight against God" (Acts 5:35, 38, 39).

* * *

                UNFORTUNATELY, Australia is not the only place where the authorities have been propagandised, pressured and provoked by our enemies to launch unjustified, paramilitary-style raids against our peace-loving Christian communities. In November 1989, two of our communities in Argentina fell victim to this same type of persecution. So outlandish were the accusations and insidious rumours circulated by our enemies, the authorities apparently feared they might encounter armed terrorists or dangerous gangsters when entering our premises, as over fifty "special forces" police barged into our homes, brandishing automatic weapons. As if this wasn't enough, they were accompanied by a heavily armed anti-terrorist team that leaped over the fences, spearheading the assault, while police helicopters hovered overhead!

                As is often the case, the media's role in this harassment was made evident by the fact that on the day of the raids, they arrived in force outside of our communities well in advance of the police and the social services. So lurid and irresponsible were the stories which followed, that one unbiased and reputable Argentine reporter lamented, "Those implicated in this judicial operation have been portrayed as fanatical and depraved. However, once they are acquitted, the press will pretend not to notice! This habit of provoking the judgement and condemnation of the public through sensationalist media coverage distorts the judicial principle of the presumption of innocence until proven guilty."

                Although the police arrived at our doors prepared for the worst, once inside our communities, they realised within minutes that the Christian missionaries they were facing were not the criminals, weirdos or nefarious characters that our enemies had made us out to be, and they apologised profusely for the violent and uncalled-for intrusion. The more thoroughly the authorities searched the premises, the more favourably impressed they became, particularly after meeting our children and seeing firsthand how polite, well-mannered, well-cared-for, healthy and happy they were.

                Afterwards, our children were subjected to a multitude of different examinations by the Social Services, resulting in the following ruling, which was handed down in an official statement by the judge presiding over the Minors' Court: "After having analysed the different materials gathered in these proceedings (social-environmental reports, statements from non-member relatives of the children, and the personal contact which the undersigned has had with each one of the children), I am convinced that these minors are living in a suitable environment for their physical and moral development, and this court of law is therefore not called upon to intervene."

                In May 1990, three judges in three different branches of the judicial system all ruled in our favour, totally acquitting our members of all charges. In conclusion, the judges of both the Minors' Court and the Federal Courts, as well as ranking police officials expressed astonishment at the dimensions of the judicial actions stirred up against us on what proved to be totally false grounds. These officials personally encouraged us to press legal charges against those who libelously initiated these actions with their false accusations. The members of our communities were also encouraged by these officials to carry on with their missionary activities throughout the country.

* * *

                A SOMEWHAT RELATED and notable development has just taken place in Barcelona, Spain, where another legal battle has been raging for almost two years. Similar to what happened recently in Australia, in July of 1990, police and social workers (who were goaded by our enemies and their trumped-up charges of child abuse) conducted a massive raid on a Family home in Barcelona, seizing and taking into custody 22 of our children. For eight long and agonising months these children were held in welfare institutions. After the children's release, strict measures were imposed on their parents, effectively achieving what our foes were after--the disbanding of our community there.

                The subsequent legal wrangling and court battles dragged on for 23 months, when a final hearing regarding the custody of the children was held on May 22, 1992. The judge's clear and fair ruling on the case absolutely absolved the members of our Family in Barcelona from all of the false charges which had been levelled against them, gave full custody of the children back to their parents, and decried the unjust and draconian tactics of the prosecutors (persecutors)! This courageous judge embarrassed and exposed the true nature and motives of the prosecution by labelling them "Inquisitors", a term that is not tossed about lightly in Spain! The judge compared the seizure and incarceration of our children by the Social Welfare Agency to the modus operandi of a "gulag" (concentration camp) in the former Soviet Union, and he acknowledged that we were "an attacked group". He also reminded the court that "the Spanish Constitution guarantees the parents' right to give to their children the religious and moral education according to their own convictions".  Praise the Lord!

* * *

                WHEN OUR TINY GROUP becomes the centre of controversy in large-scale hostile media campaigns, or when we become the target of strong-arm police raids and extensive government investigations, the public can't help but wonder, "If you're not guilty of these heinous allegations being levelled against you, then why are so many people maligning and attacking you?!" Another similar question that comes up is, "Why do you claim that it's `religious persecution', when the charges against you have nothing to do with religion?"

                While it's true that the actual charges drummed up against us usually have nothing to do with religion per se, careful scrutiny of the sources of these accusations reveals distinct anti-religious undercurrents that do not appear in the lurid headlines against us in the newspapers. Of course, if genuine evidence existed that a single child in one of our communities was actually being abused, then such journalistic furor would be more understandable. But the facts are that no such cases have been substantiated in any way, shape or form. There is absolutely no evidence to back up these trumped up charges.

                The local media, Community Services (also known as Social Services) and law enforcement agencies don't come up with such allegations themselves, they are supplied with such filth by a network of our determined, well-funded and influential anti-cult enemies who are presently using these accusations of child abuse to accomplish their dirty work! Our enemies are not the concerned and compassionate pictures of piety that they profess to be, whose hearts are bleeding for the pitifully "victimised" children caught in the clutches of the big bad "cult". They are professional inquisitional "cult-busters" and "faith-breakers", who don't hesitate to use whatever dirty tricks they can in their attempts to discredit and destroy us and our entire way of life!

                Our lifestyle is one which is godly, happy, loving and safe, though admittedly somewhat different from that of mainstream society.--The main difference being that we base our beliefs and, as much as we possibly can, our practices, on the Bible. We believe that those who choose to live a life of full-time commitment and service to God will inevitably suffer persecution, for the Bible clearly states, "All that will live godly in Christ Jesus shall suffer persecution" (2 Timothy 3:12). We take very seriously Jesus' warnings that "the disciple is not above his Master, nor the servant above his Lord. If they have called the Master of the house Beelzebub [the Devil], how much more shall they call them of His household?" (Matthew 10:24,25) "If ye were of the world, the world would love his own: But because ye are not of the world, but I have chosen you out of the world, therefore the world hateth you. The servant is not greater than his Lord. If they have persecuted Me, they will also persecute you" (John 15:19,20).

                We follow the Bible as closely as we can, because it is our belief and conviction that this is what God wants us to do and the way He wants us to live. Every aspect of our lives is based on Scripture: our communal living; the fact that we live by faith and benefit from the material help and support of those we minister to; the way we teach, raise and train our children to serve the Lord and become missionaries themselves, as well as the way we personally teach them scholastics in our own home schools; and especially the way we dedicate our full time to preaching the Gospel of God's Love and proclaiming to the world the warnings from His Word of the anti-Christ one-world dictatorship that is presently taking over the world. We very conscientiously adhere to and follow all of these Biblical practices and principles because we believe it is our religious duty to do so.

                In their attempts to cloak their true motives of wanting to eradicate us and our lifestyle, our enemies have come up with many different accusations against us over the years. Their charges always involve issues which they feel will serve their purpose of inciting public outrage against us, just as Jesus' enemies falsely accused and stirred up public sentiment against Him! Although we freely acknowledge that some of our beliefs and practices are certainly different from those of the more traditional mainstream religious establishments, we have never been guilty of the outrageous claims that our enemies have levelled against us!

                In some of their earliest attacks against us, they tried to destroy our credibility by denying that our members had undergone genuine religious "born-again" conversions. Instead, they claimed that the devoted and dedicated lives of our disciples were the result of some kind of sinister "brainwashing", "hypnotism" or "cultic mind-control". Similarly, they alleged that our members couldn't possibly be staying in our fellowship of their own free will and volition because they sincerely desired to serve the Lord and were personally persuaded that God had called them to join our fellowship (as the members themselves claimed); but surely, our enemies argued, our members were somehow being detained against their will and coerced to stay by "the cult".

                Ironic, isn't it, that many of these accusers resorted to outright "deprogramming" to try to snatch members out of our fellowships? The typical deprogramming was usually initiated (or at least sponsored by) concerned relatives who had been "programmed" by our enemies to believe that their "child" (invariably an adult of legal age) was in grave danger by being with us. After extracting an exorbitant sum of money from the parents or relatives, the "deprogrammers" and their hired thugs would violently abduct and kidnap their prey, and spirit them away to unknown closed quarters  where  the   hapless  so-called "cultist" was forcibly detained while the deprogrammers (or "exit counsellors" as they now prefer to call themselves) harangued, harassed and assaulted their victim nonstop with a barrage of lies, accusations and threats, virtually browbeating them to a mental and spiritual pulp, in order to make them renounce their faith. (And they accuse us of "brainwashing" and coercion?!)

                Our enemies soon realised that such strong-arm methods frequently backfired and blew up in their faces, not only causing a concerned and conscientious public to question their blatant trampling on our basic human rights and freedoms, but they also found themselves on the losing side of many a court case. In fact, the highly illegal and immoral actions of these deprogrammers have been found felonious by the courts, crimes for which several of these modern-day inquisitors have been heavily fined and sent to prison. (Our anti-cult enemies have now refined their deprogramming techniques and relabelled the process "depersonalising" or "exit counselling".)

                So now these same implacable enemies have added a new tack to try to discredit and destroy us, and put a stop to our proclamation of truth. And this time, they're riding an accusation that is their most effective one yet in provoking and outraging just about anyone who hears it: "They're child-abusers!" Instead of claiming that they want to "rescue" our adult members--most of whom are now middle-aged parents with young families of their own--from the "terrible clutches of the cult" (a line which the public and most law enforcement agencies are seeing through and simply refusing to buy any longer), they're now unleashing a battery of fabricated charges of child abuse against us. Our enemies strive to appear so pious and compassionate, acting as if they're doing a great community service by stirring up the media and pressuring the Community or Social Services and legal authorities to "rescue" our supposedly "abused and mistreated" children from danger; whereas in reality, their sole objective and ultimate goal continues to be the same as it's always been: to crush our religious freedoms, destroy our communities, and silence our preaching of the Gospel and our exposure of the anti-Christ forces that are taking over the world.

                Remember, the identical sordid pattern has emerged several times in a number of different countries now. First, our embittered enemies launch a massive media smear campaign against us, thereby creating a hostile public attitude towards us. Then they bear down on the Community Services and legal authorities, using high-pressure tactics to persuade them to "rescue" the allegedly "abused" children in our communities. In pre-dawn assaults, scores of armed policemen storm into our homes (frequently breaking down doors, shattering windows, etc.), accompanied by dozens of social workers who brusquely awake and literally snatch our bewildered tots and children out of their cribs and beds, hurriedly rounding them up and tearing them away from their astonished and now-terrorised moms and dads. All of this usually takes place under the watchful eye of the media, who just happens to receive a "tip" that this "sensational" story is about to break. (--Which incidentally, always gets prime-time TV coverage and front-page headlines!)

                A protracted battle then begins, with the Community Services fighting to keep the kids away from their parents for as long as possible, while they examine, interrogate, observe and speculate about the condition of the children they've just "rescued", frantically trying to find some shred of "evidence" that these kids are somehow victims of any conceivable form of abuse. In the so-called "care" of the social workers, our children have been blatantly and cruelly lied to (for example, they've been told that their parents don't really love them or care about what happens to them). They've been sexually harassed by deviant social workers. They've been illegally strip-searched. They've been purposely placed with delinquents who taunted and bullied them. They've been neglected and left to themselves in dangerous environments, resulting in serious accidents and broken bones. They've had known members of anti-cult groups fraudulently posing as "psychologists" interviewing them and issuing false reports about them. They've even had supposed social workers reading them literature and propaganda produced by our most virulent enemies, in an attempt to subvert and overthrow their faith and "deprogram" them against the beliefs and godly practices they've been taught from the Bible. Yet these very agencies have the audacity to say that we are the "abusers" of our own precious children!

                The resounding fact is that in case after case, in country after country, not once have we ever been found guilty of any kind of child abuse--sexual, physical, emotional or otherwise! Our international enemies know this, yet they continue to level these dirty charges against us, hoping that if they sound the "child-abuse" alarm long and loudly enough, they will elicit an official reaction from the governmental machinery designed to respond to criminal abuse of children.

                With no regard for the heart-wrenching and traumatising effects that such violent separations from their parents and loved ones have on our little ones, our calloused foes do not hesitate to instigate and orchestrate such draconian assaults against us in their futile attempt to crush and destroy us and our work for the Lord. But, thank the Lord, His Word is true, "If God be for us,  who can be against us?"--And in the end, we have always, without fail, been cleared of all charges, and our lives for the Lord have been vindicated. Our children who have had to live through such a nightmare have learned to love and appreciate more than ever their mothers and fathers and brothers and sisters, as well as the peaceful and godly way of life they enjoy in our homes. As for the psychological damage or emotional scarring that such offensive and traumatising kidnappings have caused our children, with time, love, prayer and a lot of reassurance, they mend and are restored. We know that God greatly loves and cares for each of the precious children He has blessed us with.

                We are also assured that justice will always prevail in the end, and that Jesus' warning stands as an awesome indictment against those who perpetrate such malicious acts against us and our children:

                "Whoso shall offend one of these little ones which believe in Me, it were better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and that he were drowned in the depths of the sea. Woe unto the world because of offences! It must needs be that offences come; but woe unto that man by whom the offence cometh!" (Matthew 18:6,7)     

* * *

                WE VIEW SUCH VICIOUS ATTACKS against our communities as an ominous "Sign of the Times", a foreshadowing of the global persecution that the Bible predicts will come upon all peoples of faith in the Last Days. Scripture clearly warns that in the days just prior to Jesus' Second Coming, a powerful anti-God world government will arise, led by a Satan-possessed megalomaniac who will ultimately demand the entire world's submission, loyalty and obeisance. No one will be legally allowed to digress from the "norms" of the anti-religious society that this soon-to-arise "Big Brother" will establish.

                Once this New World Order is firmly in place and its control over the nations is consolidated, the Bible says that its leader will outlaw and abolish all faiths, blasphemously declaring that he himself is God, and that anyone who dares to observe or practice any traditional faith or religion must be executed. This will plunge the world into the darkest and most horrendous nightmare it's ever known, a time which Jesus described as, "Great Tribulation such as was not since the beginning of the world to this time, no, nor ever shall be!" (Matthew 24:21) (See also Daniel 11:21-45; 2 Thessalonians 2:1-12; Revelation 13:1-18.)

                Although the Bible warns that this anti-religion, anti-faith, anti-God power will take over the world, how soon and how easily such forces come to power will largely be determined by what choices people make today, and how easily they allow themselves to be subjugated. If people turn a blind eye and passively ignore it when the rights and freedoms of others are trampled upon, then be sure that the resolve of the aggressors is strengthened. Whereas if people will rise up and do what they can to resist and stand against acts of oppression and injustice, the aggressors will then realise that they must give an account for their deeds, and their victimisation of the innocent will frequently be checked and halted.

                When civil authorities in supposedly civilised Western countries can be manipulated and pressured by anti-religious hate groups to bully and barge their way into the homes of peace-loving members of a tiny religious fellowship, terrorising the occupants and rounding up and carting away the children without a shred of evidence to justify such an assault, we feel that a very dangerous precedent is being set, and that every freedom-loving citizen needs to take notice. If such blatant violations of human rights are permitted against us today, who will be the victims tomorrow?--Will you?--Or your children?

                Consider the following words of the Reverend Martin Niemoller, a Protestant clergyman in Germany who experienced firsthand what happens when those who should speak up for freedom refuse to do so:

                "When the Nazis came for the Communists, I didn't speak up, because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak up because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn't speak up because I wasn't a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I was a Protestant, so I didn't speak up. Then they came for me . . . and by that time, there was no one left to speak up for anyone."

                So we appeal to you, whether your personal beliefs are the same as ours or not, to stand up against tyranny today, take action and speak out against such flagrant religious persecution as we and our children have been subjected to. Your prayers and support will not only be greatly appreciated, but are greatly needed. God bless and keep us all, in Jesus' Name!

* * *

                If you feel unable to grasp the essence of what we, the Family, are all about, we would like to offer you the opportunity to meet the One whose Life and Love are the cornerstone of our life and ministry. We are speaking, of course, of Jesus Christ. By inviting Him into your heart, you can personally receive Him and all the wonderful things He has to offer you. Jesus says, "Behold, I stand at the door [of your heart], and knock: if any man hear My voice, and open the door, I will come in to him" (Revelation 3:20).  Simply pray,

                "Dear Jesus, I want to know You. I've heard that You are the Son of God, and that You died for my sins, so I ask You to please forgive me for all the wrongs I've done and come into my heart, and give me Your free gift of eternal life. Please help me to learn to know and love You. Amen."

                Once you have received Jesus into your heart and committed your life to following Him and the truth of His Words, you will certainly be in the best possible state--mentally and spiritually--to see us for what we really are: fellow Christians who genuinely love and follow our wonderful Lord and Saviour, Jesus.

                (If you would like more information, please write to us at the address below.)