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Mighty_Emperor Divine Wind
Joined: 18 Aug 2002 Total posts: 19943 Location: Mongo Age: 42 Gender: Male |
 Posted: 09-05-2004 16:39 Post subject: The Twelve Tribes Cult |
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| Quote: | Cult hoping expansion plans may flower with Plymouth cafe
By Dave Wedge
Saturday, May 8, 2004
Members of a controversial cult accused of racism, violating child labor laws and hitting kids with sticks defended their lifestyle yesterday as they planned to open a new cafe in Plymouth.
``We spank our children out of love,'' Twelve Tribes member Kevin Gadsby said. ``There's so many misconceptions about us.''
The 3,000-member international sect, led by elusive ``prophet'' Elbert Eugene ``Yoneq'' Spriggs, runs the Common Sense health food shop on Main Street in Plymouth and recently purchased an adjacent building where they will open an eatery. The sect operates Common Ground cafes in Dorchester and Hyannis and has several compounds in Massachusetts, Vermont and New York where members live communally.
``They're very nice people. They keep things clean,'' said Lynda Oehme, who runs Stevens Florist next door to Common Sense.
Ex-members, though, say the Judeo-Christian religious sect is really a brainwashing cult that preaches against interracial marriage, sucks members dry of money and property, and abuses children. In addition to hitting children with ``balloon rods,'' the sect has been accused of locking kids in basements and forcing children to work at their factories.
The group was fined for child labor violations in New York in 2001 and has been embroiled in several child custody scandals in which members allegedly hid children from authorities. There have also been investigations into newborn deaths and accusations that children have died of preventable diseases because members aren't vaccinated or taken to doctors.
``This group is very dangerous,'' said cult deprogrammer Robert Pardon, who runs a Lakeville home for defectors of high-control groups, including the Twelve Tribes.
One ex-member living at Pardon's center said she was denied anti-depressants and locked in a room for six days before she fled.
But followers, who believe they are a ``chosen'' people who will be saved by the Messiah upon gathering 144,000 male virgins, deny wrongdoing and say they're ``misunderstood.''
``We don't hurt our children,'' said 30-year member John Howley. ``We love our children and to not discipline your children is to not love them.'' |
http://news.bostonherald.com/localRegional/view.bg?articleid=22081 |
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| escargot1 Joined: 24 Aug 2001 Total posts: 17896 Location: Farkham Hall Age: 4 Gender: Female |
| Posted: 09-05-2004 17:58 Post subject: |
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Waco, Jonestown, Solar Temple, there's one born every minute......
It's up to the nutcases themselves what ridiculous beliefs and customs to follow, but their poor kids can't choose for themselves. |
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| ramonmercado Psycho Punk
Joined: 19 Aug 2003 Total posts: 17933 Location: Dublin Gender: Male |
| Posted: 30-09-2013 14:41 Post subject: |
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Time to resurrect this thread.
| Quote: | Twelve Tribes 'child caning punishment' claims
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-devon-24330157
Twelve Tribes, Germany
Forty children from two communities in Germany were removed by police earlier this month
Allegations have been made that children are being beaten with canes at a small religious community in Devon.
The claims against the Twelve Tribes Community at Dunkeswell, near Honiton, were made in The Independent newspaper.
Concerns raised by the NSPCC about the way children are being "punished" are being investigated by Devon and Cornwall Police and Devon County Council.
Twelve Tribes has not responded to a request from BBC News for an interview.
The NSPCC said corporal punishment was "completely unacceptable" and caning had been "rightly outlawed" in England many years ago.
'Pain' claim
Continue reading the main story
“
Start Quote
Caning of children or the threat of caning is a completely unacceptable method of disciplinary action”
Philip Noyes
NSPCC
Twelve Tribes is a Christian organisation founded in the US and with communities across the world.
Earlier this month, German police and social workers removed 40 children from two communities at Klosterzimmern and Wornitz.
The sect follows teachings in the old and new testaments of the Christian bible as "God's direct word" and says its vision is "to form a new nation - the twelve tribe nation of Israel".
Twelve Tribes has previously defended its use of spanking as punishment but claims the "small reed-like rod" used is intended to inflict "pain and not damage".
The community at Dunkeswell is described on its website as "a little light in the darkness, just beginning to shine here in Britain".
A statement from the police said: "We can confirm that Devon and Cornwall Police and Devon County Council are working together to thoroughly review the recent information received about the welfare of children in the Honiton area."
Phillip Noyes, director of strategy and development at the NSPCC, said: "Caning of children or the threat of caning is a completely unacceptable method of disciplinary action to take with any child.
"This was quite rightly outlawed by schools in England many years ago and we would always encourage alternative methods of discipline as opposed to hitting or beating.
"Children grow up to become healthy, confident adults when they are loved and cared for by adults who have clear boundaries and adopt consistent discipline." |
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