Por: Ed
Date: 21 Feb 2001
Time: 16:46:07
Comments
Dear Eduardo,
I was very glad to hear you re-affirm that God is restoring your faith! I think that's great.
When you first made mention of it in your response to me, I thought that you might've simply
been saying it as an expression. But I am very glad to hear that you truly are restoring your
relationship with Jesus.
Without answering every point you raised about why people in the Family lose faith in Jesus,
I have to say that, unfortunately, far too much of what you relate is the truth. To me that has
always been one of the saddest testimonies against the Family: how many SGAs leave the Family
and because they think Jesus was smiling down on all they suffered, they turn away from faith in
Jesus as well as leaving Family teaching. I've heard that some teens and SGAs are so upset about
the LJR that they refer to Jesus as "the Penis Man". They can no longer see Him as the Jesus of
the Bible, their savior, the defender of the weak and the oppressed.-But to them he's also the
man wanting to have sex with them.
For those of us who were Christians before we joined the Family, it is still a rugged road to
regaining wholeness, but it is a lot easier for us. After all, we simply have to do like Berg
said in the Letter, "War and Peace" and scrape away the false teachings of man and get back to
the foundation. In this case, the foundation is Jesus Christ (1Cor3:10-11) and his teachings in
the Bible. All the rest of the "wood, hay and stubble" is simply burned away. (1Cor.3:12-15).
But my heart really goes out to the SGAs who, when they finally disagree with Family doctrine
and policy enough to decide to leave the Family, they have been taught Family stuff along with
the Bible for so long, that they often think they're one and the same. Because they don't know
how to sift things and stand on the bedrock foundation of the Bible, they throw the baby out
with the dirty bath water. So, so many SGAs end up thinking that if Jesus was like what they saw
and experienced in the Family, if He's the "Penis Man," that they want nothing further to do with
Him. This is a terrible testimony against the Family.
I think Family leadership could go a long, long way to helping SGAs keep their faith in Jesus.
Since it has been published that those who want to leave the Family are free to do so, it's their
choice, etc. when it becomes very clear that someone wants to leave-or they tell their leaders
they are leaving-I think those leaders should strongly encourage the departing members to hold
on to faith in the Bible and Jesus. Do they do this? I don't think so, but it would be so easy
to do and so great to do it.
It would be so easy to say-and it would be the RIGHT thing to say, "We know you're leaving
because of disagreements with Family policies and doctrines. But we want you to continue having
faith in Jesus, even if you're no longer with us. If you want to chuck out the Letters, fine,
but please read your Bible. That's all you need to be saved and to please God anyway. Nothing
more. And please know that Jesus was NOT the one behind any abuse you suffered in the Family.
If you were treated wrongly, it was our fault, not God's. Leave the Family by all means, forget
the Letters if you want to, but we encourage you to love Jesus and follow the Bible. Meet other
Christians. Join a radical Christian fellowship or church."
I don't believe leaders give any such advice, though a few may do so. I doubt it. But I think
it would be perfectly in line with the Family's earliest teachings to bless departing members
and let them know that all they need is Jesus and the Bible. Tell them that they should not
feel condemned about "failing God," and to pray that God will bless them mightily in their new
life outside the Family.
On the other hand, I sure understand why some SGAs would not only be mad at the Family, but at
God. All their lives they've been told that God will judge them if they leave, so in leaving,
deep down inside, many feel that they have to leave God as well. This is so tragic! And the
added tragedy is that Family leadership does not clarify this misconception and tell the SGAs
that this is not so, that God is everywhere, always with us (Psa.139) and as Jesus said, "I
will never leave thee nor forsake thee." I think the Family would be able to help in the
healing process of many departing members if they would only do this.
Family members, what do you think about this? I would be interested in your feedback.
Love, Ed (Hart)
Wow! So it was "La Ventana" that freaked Hugo out
From: Ed
Date: 21 Feb 2001
Time: 15:53:15
Comments
Eduardo, thanks for clarifing that detail that I mentioned in my letter to you, that it was
"La Ventana" magazine that released all that information about the upcoming raids to the
journalists, and that it was not you, but one of the judges who was talking to the media. Very
interesting. Glad to finally find out more about that.
Yes, I am amazed, since that magazine was distributed all over Buenos Airess and Argentina,
that the Family didn't find a copy and find out details about the coming raids. At this point,
and you will disagree with me, I wish they HAD found out about the raids at that time, and
could have possibly avoided them. It would have prevented all of the innocent and children
from ending up in prison.
Eduardo, I only had time today to read the first couple paragraphs of your letter, but wanted
to reply to it now. Will try to continue responding to you and Hugo bit by bit during the next
few days.
Ed
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