This is a site designed simply as a more permanent information archive for sites and documents concerning very serious moral issues in a religious organization sometimes called the'2x2's', 'Friends/workers', 'The truth' or other names
2023-09-24 A major feeling being expressed on
support sites is horror and shame for the enormous moral failings by
2x2 leadership that have come to light since the DB issue broke.
Not just isolated cases ... but a large scale systematic disregard
for basic principle that has gone on for up to 100 years by all
leadership figures. Extreme disregard and cruelty toward the
downtroden and assailed, and now so well documented life destruction
for hundreds upon hundreds of victims.
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A report compiled by one of the friends and published by Wings For Truth September 17th 2023 As of July 14th, 2023, there are credible allegations against 550 abusers. Each perpetrator has a minimum of 2 separate allegations, meaning there is a minimum of 1500 victims. (and reports continue to roll in)Around 21 workers in the US and Canada have been removed. At least 15 or more workers have left on their own due to mental health or personal convictions (just in 2023 so far). 6+ Conventions have been canceled and/or adjusted this year (some by workers, some by the owners). (Less than half of SA cases and only about one in 10 CSA cases are ever reported to authorities.) Based on statistics about how many victim-survivors a single perpetrator abuses, these reports could indicate 5,000-8,000 people subjected to SA or CSA within the Truth.
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2023-09-17 Rank and file membership has obviously decided that a 'wail and a moan' is as far as they are willing go to go to stand for what is true and right .. No furthér!! .. The personal cost for going further is deemed more than they are willing to pay. (They are being put to the test and the vast majority are failing!)
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2023-09-15 The culture of religion People underestimate the beautiful capacity for life fulfillment, for spiritual development and the moral beauties in ordinary life - just on a personal basis.
Professing
folks misunderstand and underestimate the capacity for honourable
fellowship and spiritual inspiration in the ordinary folks we live
our daily lives amongst. Why is 'fellowship' with folks in a
particular organization regarded as so superior over the resources
of decency and goodness in 'ordinary' folks? |
Participators! It is pretty hard for any honest person to deny the ongoing moral disaster in 2x2ism --- and the hundreds, if not thousands of victims ..with a major part of their lives destroyed, first by the abuse itself and the followed by the utter cruelty of blatant diminishment and denial of the consequences -- followed by a life devastating infection of imagined guilt and shame purposely and systematically injected into the hearts of the tender and defenceless by cult leadership (with membership support)!!! These ugly facts are now documented on a massive scale and cannot be denied.
These
facts and documented atrocities will NOT go away or be
forgotten.
Leadership bares major blame …
but even more discouraging and more serious is the vast majority of
followers .. probably at least 95 % of the members … that
obviously don’t have the moral strength and courage to take their
own responsibility still giving their continued full
participation (as they have always done) --- in this ugly
system that is so obviously the root of immeasurable evil in our
communities. Yes EVIL. Evil of the most despicable kind!! |
2023-09-04
CSA / SA is just one symptom of a deeper issue in the fellowship
I would suggest that
the CSA/SA abuse issue is just one of the serious visible
symptoms of a very sick and morally destructive social
philosofy.
Hundreds of others
have suffered enormous injustices, abusive cruelty and life
destructive treatment that haven't had anything to do with
the sexual drive issues that have hit the fan these recent
months.
That doesn't make
them insignificant- There will be no solution for CSA and SA
until the root causes of basic evil are dealt with ...
Respect for truth
and decency!!
The symtoms of CSA
and SA are clear evidence of a deeper problem ... All the
"hot lines" , "support centers", "convention rule systems"
and "call the police" recomendations in the world are not
dealing with the basic problems. The real "root causes of a
sick fellowship!
The site
"Advocates for Truth" started after the Dean Bruer issue
broke .. report quote "550+ perpetrators with
allegations of child sex abuse and sex assault have been
reported to the hotline. "
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2023-08-30 By the rivers of Babylon Lori Kostenuks (Alberta Canada) recent analogy titled "Babylon is falling .. Now what?s" made me think of Boney M and the song "By the rivers of Babylon" These first words maybe
summarize the feelings of many within 2x2izm these days.
"Yeah,
we wept, when we remembered Zion" "Carried
us away in captivity Required from us a song. Now how shall we sing
the Lord's song in a strange land?" |
2023-08-24 Adequate proof Recently in a letter of
"Guidelines" for a convention (
Eagle Bend Mo) detailed directives of suitable conduct and who
would be regarded as welcome and not welcome on the grounds were
carefully documented and apparently sent to prospective visitors.
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2023-08-22 Guidelines There have been some well thought out and quite detailed "guidelines" ´published for how elders (and elders wives) should deal with CSA and SA allegations. (an example) Seems to me it would be in order
to draw up some "guidelines" as to how workers complicit to abusers
should be dealt with!!! .. and of how allegations of
CSA "victim silencers" and "victim blamers" and
"victim ignorers" should be held responsible for their part in
the crisis and pain of today. |
2023-08-18
What about the bruised and broken? 100s of workers and members have come to light recently guilty of very specific and identified instances of sexual abuse -- - Yet the fact that for every allegation
brought forward there is at least one suffering victim
-- most often multiple victims, seems to have been forgotten.
Why is there absolutely no organizational focus on
dealing with their injury and pain? This is fundimental to
change,
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2023-08-16 The ministry I think it is safe to say that the major problem today is within
what they reverently title themselves as "the ministry" --
This is a home made term (the word isn’t used in the bible at all)
to describe the highest political and power level in the fellowship.
Of course within "the ministry" there are multiple levels as
well … lowest ranking are always the females ..then males rising
often (but not always) in rank with age and cognitive strengths to
the very top levels (always male) – and arriving at these highest
levels by secret assignment. Partly because of multiple examples of indecent sexual appetites coming to light – and then a very, very common weakness, over a long period of time for protecting and harboring lower ranking sexual offenders in the hierarchy . Equally distressing .. the protection and harboring concern has
very often included harsh and cruel treatment of abused victims with
the simple and cruel purpose of silencing their cries.
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2023-08-15 Just a little request!! Wonder if anyone has a picture of Mike Hassett that they would consider sending to edgar.massey@gmail.com The visuel aspect of description can sometimes help make a point, Thanks |
2023-08-13 OVERVIEW from Oxford harbouring QUICK REFERENCE Hiding a criminal or suspected criminal. This will normally constitute the offence of impeding apprehension or prosecution. See also escape. From: harbouring in A Dictionary of Law »Subjects: LawThe vast majority of senior workers
in the world are likely criminals by this definition
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2023-08-10 Losing out The fear of "losing out" is deep in the 2x2 culture. It is equal to facing a lost eternity .. to failing God .. to being sucked into the horrors of "the world" .. it is equal to the lost capacity for spiritual inspiration and fulfillment.. becoming susceptible to the gruesome awfulness of false religion.. children drawn into drugs and crime. etc etc In practical reality "losing out" just means chosing to quit going to meetings .. simple as that!! Then it includes the freedom and responsibility to personally and individually work Christian teaching into daily and family life. Decency, humility empathy, honesty, hospitality, justice, love and thankfulness, mercy, forgiveness, equality, harmony, peace, non-violence etc etc That is what "losing out" and wearing the "outsider" tag has meant to us!! For us, we honestly feel that any return to 2x2ism would seriously downgrade our capacity for spirituality and diminish our life quality and our testimony in decency.
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2023-08-09 Let my people go . Exodus 9:1Egypt filled an honorable function in its time.. but as leadership became impossible to tolerate, "Moving on" was God’s will and plan so that as God worded it, "my people can serve me" It required multiple tragic developments and clear evidence that God had withdrawn his support and blessing from leadership, to shake people loose from Egyptian dominance and to strike a new course into an unknown and uncharted personal future Leaving Egypt behind! Faith in personal divine support and personal guidance was an imperative condition to reach the promises in the "other side" Egypts borders. (An interesting detail in the Exodus story. They were reminded that there was gold in Egypt… take it with you!)
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2023-08-05 I confess – I (and my family) am a longstanding ex. Expelled 21 years ago for criticism, and labeled as extremely bitter and an "enemy of the truth" by the vast majority of friends and workers. I realize there is still an active warning in the fellowship for association with me.However I still find it interesting (and morally scary) that the now obvious, long going corruption, within 2x2 leadership is dismissed as lightly as it is amongst membership.Non-contestable top level protection and harboring of hundreds of
child sexual abusers (well understood as such amongst
themselves) – reaching so criminally far as pressuring silence in
victims in the ugliest of manners (shaming, blame shifting,
rejection etc) Not just in isolated cases --- but in ever
growing volumes of atrocities coming to the surface … over a long
period of time.
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2023-07-28
I notice that there are still many workers
and friends that choose to disregard and close their eyes to the
obvious moral crisis in the fellowship at the moment.
(Especially in Canada) |
2023-07-25 A false idea that religion would push (especially 2x2ism) , is that development, maintenance and feeding the spiritual and moral aspect of our lives is something that is dependant on organizational participation. That was never the intention in the teaching of Christ. (check the gospels!) We need to remind ourselves that the wonder of creation has given each of us personal individual responsibility for ourselves, and has promised each of us the capacity and inner guidance to apply genuine spiritual principle into everyday decency and honour .. And as well, we all have been given the personal capacity to nurture and develop these things in the amazing task and process of inner life fulfillment and dignity. No organization is necessary – so don’t be afraid to distance oneself from an organization that has failed so many in such a gruesome manner.!!
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2023-07-22 For folks in distress over the obvious long term (and ongoing) moral failure in the ministry --What are the options? 1: Wait for God to take care of it. 2: Wait for others to influence the development. 3: Personally demand change and improvement in the ministry – and wait for it to happen. 4: Distance oneself (and family) – refusing to participate in tainted organizational sponsored activity and to retake personal responsibility for ones own moral development, spirituality and for activating Christian teaching in daily life. I and my family tried the first three options for years .. then on the 4th option it was made easier for us, as we were refused to participate in the tainted organizational sponsored activity and had to retake our own personal responsibility for our own moral development, our own spirituality and for activating Christian teaching in daily life. For us it has worked very very well!!! We are thankful for the process
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2023-07-22 There are so many stories/documented examples of long running serious misconduct of senior leadership pertaining to cruel and damaging abuse of subordinate folks in the organization that are coming to light these days. As a 20 year ex it is becoming harder and harder for me
to understand /respect) the moral reasoning behind the choice of so
many folks to individually confirm their active participation week
after week, year after year in such an obviously long term morally
faltering institution /fellowship- It's not as if "going along
with it" is the only option open! |
2023-07-20 I have wondered how things have gone for the worker Alanna MacDonald in NB who wrote a very descriptive open letter about her concerns for the ministry back in April.Today I received this information "
Alanna was given an ultimatum to stop being an advocate for
the abused or leave. She was very harshly treated by the
overseers in a meeting this week and kicked out.
She spoke very helpfully at a pre convention meeting last
Sunday at Ellershouse. Hopefully she will get support from the
true friends and staff.
Here is a link to the workers list for 2023 denying her a companion. |
2023-07-19
After
reading the facts clearly described
in Document
#164 under ´Recent letters' |
2023-07-18
NOTE: Document
#161 is a very significant letter!
Posted as an open letter
written by worker/ex-worker Trevor Larsen Fargo, ND
I don't know this person at
all, but my experience in the work helped me understand
the brave thought process behind his well written and
sincere open letter.
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2023-07-14 I wonder if anyone remembers the countless convention sermons promising fire and brimstone for a skirt more than an inch over the knees .. or for the evils of a brooch on a dress -- or cutting a few inches off the hair --- or the evils of a women wearing a "mans clothing" -- or a radio in a car -- or a TV in the front room -- or going to a hockey game on Wednesday night .. or a beer bottle in the fridge .. It was regarded important to keep the "standard high" !!etc etc. Not any more.. Yes times have changed --- Heard that at convention this year in western Canada ... even the fact of 15 senior workers facing sexual abuse allegations (and concealing sex abuser violations) along with hundreds of lower ranking folks "removed" yet it didn't even make the 'mention it list' at convention. this year The recent documentation of hundreds of cases of sexual abuse victims being forced to silence and shame to "save the reputation of the fellowship" and left with life long mental damage -- no one brought that subject up at all! at least at the conventions I heard about... and literally hundreds of other abuse cases finally being internationally brought to light .. "Lets talk about something else!!" And this isn't even deemed important enought to mention at the gathering of friends!! What has happened? I remember when moral issues where important in the fellowship (with my parents at least) ... not any more ... especialy in western Canada ... Professing folks in western Canada don't seem to "give a damn".
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2023-07-13 A major part of my personal contact
net within 2x2ism is in Canada –
particularly Western Canada. Sadly I have noticed how workers
there (particularly senior workers) don’t seem to have understood
the extent or significance or the seriousness morally and legally in
disregarding sexual abuse issues– especially CSA. More responsible regions in the
US have been much more anxious to engage in discussion with
friends in an honest effort to come to a consensus regarding what
can and should be done to create a safer environment for folks
within the fellowship in the future.
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2023-07-11 I took a brief look at one of the online sites for professing people and noticed referens to the 2x2 terminology of "losing out" --- as if this was a bad thing. The thought was, that to live a life of spiritual fullfillment and harmony with the all powerful forces of creation, membership status of 'professing' was an advantage. Not so ... "losing out" was
UNEXPECTEDLY actually the begining of a most wonderful chapter of my
life ... and of the lives of my entire family. It opened up
new doors of spiritual fullfillment and guidance that were well out
of reach from the inside of the 2x2 bubble. We have proven
this for over 20 years now.
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2023-07-10 I have felt
that a renewed expression of appreciation to
WingsForTruth
is due. Appreciation for their role in collecting and
presenting relative information for the issues at hand
within 2x2ism. Unfortunetly The "secret sect"
aspect of 2x2ism carries probably the greatest guilt in
the moral meltdown that has finally reached the surface
since the Dean Bruer revelation. |
2023-07-05 Thought I would be upfront regarding my position ... I am clearly an ex 2x2er .. after 16 years in the work and 40+ years as 'hearty professing'! After our exit 2001 I attended a number of different Christian groupings in our community.
Regarding if I attend church nowadays!
I also am in awe of, and have utmost respect and admiration
for the amazing and most wonderful forces guiding our universe and
the world we live in. An all powerful, all mighty force that we are
all part of by creation ... Something that is far beyond our
understanding -- I believe (as Jesus did) in the virtue of
independence from the religious forces of the world we live in. --
etc etc |
2023-07-03 Many documents published here
illustrate the horrible and wide ranging extent of this immoral
policy. A policy that has been practiced internationally by senior
workers throughout a longer period of recent history - Not
just isolated incidents! - A group policy justified simply by a
dishonest interest in falsifying the purity of the organization.
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2023-06-30 Unawareness does not diminish moral responsibility when personal ignorance has been an active choice! Seems that a well used method for 'inside membership' to live with the revelations of recent months regarding vice, cruelty and horror within the organizations, is to cut themselves off from the information flow that would distress them. Willful ignorance! |
2023-06-27 |
2023-06-26
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2023-06-22 There are proper regrets being expressed regarding different forms of confessed abuse and completely disgusing treatment of victims ( better late than never) ..also the recommendations for the future regarding particular issues can seem proper and commendable. However it does bring up some interesting observations. If this ministry claims a 100% monopoly on understanding of the will and mind of God, how could the complete opposite and vile 'group policy' to the policy expressed now -- enforced with an iron hand for the last 100 years ever have happened?? Senior workers of today inherited these ugly and cruel policys from the generations of senior workers that have gone before them. The "deny it, hide it, and vilify the victims " policy enforced by senior workers until now is vile and evil!!! How did the claimed answers to their diligent prayers for a 100 years on these issue go so terribly wrong so many times? Has God ever even been involved??
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2023-06-10 There are lots of pledges from senior workers these days that they have better control on CSA issues now. --- What they say may sound true and right --- but because of the historic reputation of this ministry, a very red flag goes up to me. This is the same 'ministry' that has actively deceived its membership for the last 100 years regarding CSA issues. Purposely concealing and diminishing the issue with a number of now well understood dishonest techniques. This was official and systematic dishonesty. The work has a 100+ historic reputation of only presenting
information that is strongly in their favor and of actively
diminishing and camoflaging other significant information.
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2023-06-07 Lets face it --- workers
--- especially senior workers definitely cannot be trusted to
share the real significant truth and give an honest picture of any
serious realities within!!! Instead they are known
for their ambiguous, evasive and misleading methods of internal
explanation. I still differ with some
of WingsforTruth.info
basic goals and am quite doubtful of any meaningsful reform-- but at
this stage they have my utmost admiration and thankfulness for
the positive function they are filling in a fellowship that could
seem (to an 'outsider' like me) to be in shameful
disarray. |
2023-06-02
NOT TRUE! We have been 'outsiders'
for 21 years now .... and these years have surprizingly enough, been
by far, the best years of our lives. |
2023-05-31 Isn't it interesting that the prime factor in measuring 2x2 Christian membership standing (after the 'tested meeting' performance) is regular Sunday morning meeting attendance. Especially with the fact that Jesus himself never ever seemed to practice or teach this all important 2x2 aspect of 2x2 ritual. Seems that the values that are important in Christian teaching are insignificant to 2x2 membership standing as long as regular attendence to approved fellowship meetings is maintained. Think about it, the most common method of "un-professing" is by simply choosing to reschedule Sunday mornings to different activitiy. In the 2x2 world, this rescheduling will cause the sky to fall in!!! .. regardless the Christian moral virtue that may be maintained. |
2023-05-28 From the dictionary --"Patriarchy is a social system in which positions of dominance and privilege are primarily held by men."
Hard to deny that 2x2ism doesn't fit disgustingly well into this
description in its organization. Sex is clearly an important
factor in the organizational structure .... and this factor has
produced enormous inequality, twisted decision making and injustice
-- As well as many of the vile elements of male privelage --
including abuse. |
2023-05-27 What is self-righteousnes? How can one excape this title if one openly regards everyone in EVERY OTHER group in the world to be less righteous before God than us? If EVERY OTHER ministry in the world is regarded as false prophets--- and we are the ONLY ministry in the entire world that is really true? How can this mindset be regarded as "humility"? Isn't this the maximum of self-righteous arrogance? What is self-righteousnes? |
2023-05-25 What is hypocrisy? |
2023-05-21 But I can honestly say the 22
years since then have been the most fullfilling and morally
rewarding of my whole life. I am an old man now ... but extremely
thankful for the blessings that have opened up to me and my family
these years. There have been bumps along the way ...but none of
those 2x2 fears have come true ... and the fullfillment and
spiritual beauty we have seen is far greater than anything we ever
experienced "inside the bubble"- |
2023-05-19 When the Dean Bruer issue broke ... first responce was of surprise at such horrible personal failing ... Then as this bubble burst, a whole new list of sexual abuse documentation regarding senior workers started to emerge. It wasn't so unusual at all! In the last month or so ago abuse issues from deep in the heart of 2x2ism now turn up on a daily basis These last weeks we have seen that these issues are being dug up and reported from further and further into the past. Not just isolated cases but in a systematic manner well known to top leadership, suggesting that the myth of "The perfect way" seems to have been an fanticy that NEVER has been true. "The way" is obviously no more perfect than the imperfection of people!!!! And it never has been!! Some of the abuse issues (female oppression for example) were even more prevelant a 100 years ago in the fellowship, than they are to day ---- Neither then nor now has it ever been even close to being a "Perfect way"!!! This "Perfect way" claim is a simple FRAUD progagated by folks that should have known better! |
2023-05-17
Perhaps the most important piece of doctrine within 2x2ism is in the
completely unique and supreme status of the ‘ministry’ as they call
it. - "The highest calling!!" Unexplainably -- a life in celibacy!!
Folks that believe that just by their calling they have been given a
higher and superior access to the mind and power of God, over
ordinary, married folks with jobs and families.
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2023-05-15 The Dean Bruer issue seems to have opened an enormous can of worms within the previously completely inaccessible, murky and darkest possible corners of the 2x2 ministry. The whole issue is still pretty much an unholy alliance of fuzzy explanation, undefined promise of improvement, and a whole slew of new question marks for the future. Remember that this 'ministry
is the same self-centered ministry that has appointed itself as
morally sovereign, and has claimed the title for itself as the
ONLY true connection between the God of the universe and mankind.
???
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2023-05-12 |
2023-05-10 |
2023-05-05 |
2023-05-03
Just found this TicTok video today, Thought it was
interesting. |
2023-05-01 |
2023-04-30 |
2023-04-27 |
2023-04-25
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2023-04-21 The FB discussion group "Ex-2x2 Support
Group" is just over 1 year old and now has attracted 1762 members - 140 in the last week..
(2023-04-21) -- and this is only one of a growing number
of ex-member groups. Take this
development seriously! |
2023-04-01 Just
wanted to say! --- I have personally decided to try to distance
myself as much as honorably possible from the public ex-2x2 discussion
environment – An environment that has occupied a certain (sometimes
excessive) amount of my time these 22 years since our expulsion. I
am 76 now so maybe "it is time"!! Édgar
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Comments, corrections and eventual questions are welcome to edgar.massey@gmail.com