2023-06-02
One of the false messages of 2x2ism is that "losing out"
or being an "outsider" is a very bad thing!
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.
As "insiders" we were taught that the "outsiders" had
the assurance of a lost eternity with fire and brimstone.
It was clearly suggested that folks leaving the fellowship of
friends would quickly fall for all the evils of "the world" --- all
the differnt forms of worldliness ... alcohol .. drugs .. sexual
promiscuity
-- Christmas trees .. divorce and children completely lost to the
temptations of the world. etc etc etc.
Then there was the 2x2 promise that "outsiders" have
absolutely no access to a genuine spirtitual life and development.
Not true!!!
"Losing out" is used as a threat for not following 2x2
protocol ... and "Losing out" is painted in 2x2 colors as a
terrible place to be. That fear is the only reason many folks
stay involved in an organization that is quite obviously not what it
has given itself to be.
We can warmly recommend the blessings and beauty in the lives of an
"outsider"
 |
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.
Saw a program this morning of Denmarks first female Imam in one of
the major Islmic fellowships. Her description of problems in male
dominence fit so amazingly well into the 2x2 male control mindset.
(Ex. a completely different and unique set of rules for women!)
Where are the female overseers .. or why is all major planing and
decision making systematically kept out of reach for sister
workers? Is equality and justice exclusively a 'male
privelage'?
Many of the recent moral abuse issues are clearly connected to this
"male privelage" culture that is such major aspect of 2x2ism.
|
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??
Consider how through the years, especially lower class membership
has been harshly repremanded, cruelly shamed and even degraded and
expelled for things like dress code infractions .. a glass of wine
... owning a TV .. a ring on a finger --- going to a movie --keeping
company with or marrying an outsider -- missing a meeting etc
By the same ministry
that has proven itself these recent months to be infested with the
most vile forms of human behavior ... Even those that haven't been
perpetrators themselves, have systematically protected
and justified abusers -- and then have continued to demand
membership to regard these identified 'abusers' as 'examples'
-- and to follow and respect their leadings as "the
servants of God"!!
--
What is hypocrisy? |
2023-05-21
Looking back on my nearly 50 year experience within 2x2ism, I
remember the thought that "losing out" would mean a
diminishment for the capacity for a fullfilling life and for dignity
in living.
This was taught in every undertone in the fellowship --
"People outside the fellowship are unhappier .. less spiritual ..
and more prone to the evils of a degenerate society. ...Furthermore
folks outside the fellowship have no legitimate hope for eternity".
Just for the record -- It isn't true!! Not even a little bit
true!!!
When we were expelled 22 years ago .. we'll admit the future did
look somewhat scary ... The inbred horror of being an "outsider"
with no moral capacity was a fear.
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"-
Edgar and family |
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.
They take upon themselves the absolute authority to
proclaim what is right and wrong for all . A claim on a monopoly on
Gods blessing over every other grouping in the world. They teach
that God himself because of their calling and their celibacy, speaks to
them in prayer in a more dependable way than to others. They believe
it is their calling to determine what is best for "the Lord’s
people" and to make up the list of things that should be
discouraged/ruled out. And they believe they have the mandate
from God himself to both do it and to enforce these things!!
A recipe for corruption???
Countless folks have been shamed, distained and banished
simply for not accepting the ministries ultimate authority over
right and wrong. (my family included)
|
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.
???
|
2023-05-12
For folks acquainted with bibical history!
The children of Israel lived for years in Egypt ... They had an OK
life there for many years, but a chain of events helped them to
realize that they were being 'used' and 'misused'
by a leadership that was becoming morally difficult to accept from
any perspective of justice and decency.
"Moving on" became an option when they began to realize that
things were very.very unlikely to significally change. And
even if they did change .. they were going to be run by the same
self-appointed leadership that so obviously had betrayed and used
them.
It took some shaking up moments -- but they finally
understood the wisdom in taking with them what they could
gather as 'gold from the Egypt years" and then in "moving on".
Which they did -- Into a future that at first was scary and seemed
so unsure... but in the end served them so very well. That's
what I call 'faith'!
Think about it!!!
(We experienced something like it 20 years ago --- and it has
been by far, the best 20 years of our lives!!!) We will NEVER
EVER return to Egypt regardless how politics should change!
|
2023-05-10
I may live on the other side of the world .. and I
haven't had a personal tie to the 2x2 organisation for over 20
years. --- Yet the recent events in eastern Canada by a group
of obviously arrogant, extremely self-good and hypocritical senior
2x2 officials has sickened and disgusted me to the extent that I cannot
just let it pass.
It began, as I understand it, with an honorable and sincere
sister worker, unable to endure an abuse environment she was working
in any
longer .. Chosing to quit "the work" that she had hoped to give her
life to -- and at one time had believed in.
In line with the honorable principle of "being a light in dark
places", that many of us grew up to believe in, in
leaving she
courageously chose to describe the environment of ugly and
demeaning abuse that she had fled from. She is not alone
amongst former fellow sister workers with these complaints.
Her parents, also in line with their own belief in truth, honesty and
decency (and love for their daughter) chose to stand by her side,
and help her just to be that candle bravely flickering for
enlightenment in the darkest of places. A responsiblility
any honorable parent would, or at least should feel.
Rather than honorably dealing with the offending issues ... top 2x2
officials have chosen, in the selfish interests of protecting the
"image of the fellowship", to diminish the seriousness of
the sexual
abuse issues she endured,. They have chosen to discredit and slander the honor and
dignity of this honorable woman (acquiting her abusers)... and then as well,
have chosen to punish and dishonor
her parents in the ugliest, most painful and most demeaning manner
possible.
How can participators in this fellowship just stand by and look the
other way and pretend? Is their no honor, decency or moral
responsibility left in membership or the ministry? What is
moral cowardice?
I recognise the mindset from our own history
|
2023-05-05
Had an interesting contact from a BBC journalist today (George
Wright) who has got his eyes up regarding the Dean Bruer issue so
was seeking information sources on 2x2ism. I told him that for me,
the most objective and comprehensive 2x2 site on the net was
https://www.tellingthetruth.info/home/. I told him that I
have written extensively but I make no claim to objectivity. I don't
hide that my feelings and emotions influence my writings .. but I do
make the claim of correctness in any allegations that I refer to.
I have also refered to
https://wingsfortruth.info/ as a credible site run by
undisclosed "insiders" or "half-insiders" -- set up to
specifically deal with Child sexual abuse in the fellowship.
We'll see where this goes!!
|
2023-05-03
Just found this TicTok video today, Thought it was
interesting.
Somewhat sarcastic .. but making some very, very relevant points.
Seems it was made by an Austrailan woman with 2x2 history.
A TicTok video link
|
2023-05-01
Perhaps worth noting!! ... These recent abuse issues
mentioned in the outpouring of
letters from senior workers these last weeks, are nothing new
in themselves. The abuse itself is longstanding in the fellowshp,
and extensive in historical occurence. .. It has gone on for years!
It is the widespread public relations disaster that is new
and unique.
Senior workers have been very well aware of multiple
clear abuse issues in years gone by .... but previously they have
had the ugly internal capacity to diminish, deny, disregard ---and
with well camouflaged motive, to protect perpetrators --
as well as to shame and divert guilt to victims, to
effectively silence both victims and whistle blowers. I
personally, am aware of many examples of this from my years in the
work. This is moral vise in its most ugly form --- and no
honest person can deny it. Moral crimes consciously and
systematically commited by
organizational leaders.
|
2023-04-30
Of the letters from workers that have finally poured in about the
abuse issues that have come to light, many of these letters have
started with a complaint about the distressing news they have had
to read and acknowledge as true. The painful part for
these senior workers is for the fact that so many examples have
turned up and the details of such horrible things have become
public knowledge.
Before we start feeling sorry for these responsible workers (and
their PR disaster)... remember that every single abuse issue that
finally has been swept out from under the 2x2 rug represents
an enormous suffering for each and every victim the last 100 years
... especially for the vast majority that have had their pain
diminished -- and in many cases undue guilt cruelly placed on them .
and also, for most that have understood that their abusers
have been set free and protected by the hightest ranking "Gods
servants" in the organization. It s this pain is really
what we with any empathy should feel. Not the pain in a public
relations disaster for the top ranking leadership.
We need to remember that reports of abuse of today are the results
of a 100+ year top policy of diminishing the credibility of
abuse victims ... and actively moving blame away from workers ... of
moving perpetrators to less suspecting enviorments -- The policy of
regarding the "testimony" (public image) of the ministry and of the fellowship to
be far more important than the cry of the abused and oppressed.
This does NOT come as a surprise to top group leadership. Every
leading responsible worker
has been aware of it, and this makes each and every one of
them responsible this complete disregard for moral principle.
This by the folks claiming to be Gods sole representatives on earth ...
the folks claiming to be Gods onle true servants!! Rather sickening. |
2023-04-27
It could seem that the issues of today paint the fellowship ín the
darkest of its colors ... However many issues date a long time
back in history. The senior workers of today are bearing the
brunt of a 100 year old dark and murky culture, where protecting the
image of the ministry was far more important than any moral, decent
or honorable principle.
The age old principle of viligantly protecting devient workers
..moving them to less suspecting environments .. and the 100
year policy of shaming and abandoning victims -- and of
rejecting and surpressing any form of critisism, has been a
well understood and well rooted policy in senior workers ever
since William Irivine in Ireland. Yet the communication
posibilitys of today, have led to failure in the group policy
of camaflage, leaving todays senior workers high and dry!!
Maintaining the 100 year policy of claiming a monopoly on the
will of God. The doctrinal claim to superiority over every other
grouping in the world is going to be a challenge for workers to
suport after this pr meltdown. This 100 year fruitless task to
maintain an arrogant, self-righteous and hypocritical doctrine
is the forming basis of the moral embarassment of today.
Edgar |
2023-04-25
Recent letters prove beyond the shadow of a doubt that the Dean
Bruer issue was a well needed catalyzer bringing to light a much
greater scope of reprehensible behavior within 2x2ism. (and where
sexual abuse is only one of the several forms of abuse that has come
to light)
Even more disturbing than individual personal crime, is how this
issue has illustrated top leaderships long term policy and
'dark' culture of finding inticate ways to conceal and deny the
abuse issue --developing methods of protecting and relocating
abusers -- and then a clear systematic policy of cruelly vilifying
and shaming both victims and 'whistle blowers'.
There is a major risk that the suggestion of a web page from
'MinistrySafe' or equivelent is only a diversion maneuver to side
step the basic problem of what is an arrogant and hypocritical
mindset claiming total monopoly on 'the will of God' --- A
leadership mindset demanding detail control over membership
(down to what they may hang on their walls and how
they do their hair) and then selfishly claiming superior
Christian understanding over every other grouping in the entire
world!
Edgar
|
2023-04-21
I know that 2x2 group membership
and leadership would
like to imply that the concerns that I and other vocal ex-members
share regarding problems in the 2x2 fellowship are exagerated ... and
that in reality just insignificant and isolated issues that are
already dealt with. Not so!
I have formerly been involved with the FB discussion group "Ex-2x2
Support Group" which is only open for ex-members.
Each of
the recent thousandfold membership have had an experience of some kind of abuse or
concern serious enought that it has prompted them to personally exit the
fellowship -- the exodus process from 2x2ism always comes at a social
cost ... None of them have taken their exit lightly!! ...
Those that have gone online with their choice, are only a small
portion of the present exodus!
It is clear arrogance as leadership would suggest that these
ex-members all are just "morally
inferior
complainers that are 'not willing' for truth"!!
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!
Edgar
|
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"!!
There has been an explosion of new membership applications *
in ex-2x2 communities recently. With so
many different and unconnected painful stories from the heart
(several hundred and not only of sexual abuse but other forms of
abuse behaviour ) that have emerged that
there is no reason to doubt that enough information is now open on the
table for honest folks to ‘weigh it in the balance’ and make
honorable decision---when this should be a personal concern ---
Even in the 2x2 internal groupings of the "somewhat true and
faithful" and the “moderately true and faithful” as well as the
“fanatically true and faithful" there is enough ethically
incriminating evidence blown well
into the open at this time, for moral decency and integrity to do its
work---if that should turn out to be a personal concern
for some.
Édgar |