To whom it may concern,

Let me begin by extending my heartfelt sympathies to Ricky Rodriguez’ mother, sister, and wife. Having at one time lived with each of you, knowing you, and counting you as my friends, I can’t help but feel your pain and suffering. Such tragic events are the source of great sorrow, which I share with you at this time. I pray the soothing balm of Heaven will touch your hearts, heal the pain, and comfort you.

I have been horrified as I’m sure you have been, by the reaction of some of our former members who have spewed forth such a fermented and twisted dialog as to suggest that Ricky’s mother is in some way responsible for or contributed to his criminal act of murder. And I have been further disgusted by the news media which has taken their “journalism” to a new depth of sensationalism by capitalizing on someone’s sorrow and suffering and lacking the sensible judgment of character to know where these terrible fabricated tales of abuse are coming from.

Of you, the media who are bound by your journalistic duty to tell the truth and to whom so many look to hear a balanced and well-researched view of events in the world today, I lament the way that you have sullied your name, your paper, and your reputation by carrying this story in such a twisted and callous way. You have shamed yourselves and the profession which you hold dear. Where are the seekers of truth among you? Where are those who will tell the truth? Where are those among you who hold true to your ideals? Have you all been corrupted? Is the news media of today merely a pawn in the hands of a cruel and heartless world? Where is your conscience?

The Family International, while not a perfect organization (who in this world is perfect?), has done its best throughout the years to ease the suffering of countless millions. Even now, as you sit in your comfortable homes, many of the Family are on the forefront of the world’s disaster-stricken shores of Asia, tending to the needs of those whose lives have been devastated by the recent Tsunami. In nearly every major disaster or catastrophe you will find us there among the poor, the needy, and the heart-broken, bringing cheer, comfort, and aid to those whose lives have been shattered.

I urge those of conscience, those whose youthful ideals have not been completely buried under a pursuit of money or fame to come forward and take up your duty as a true investigative journalist and find the facts, find the truth, and publish it. I dare you to be so bold as to discover and print the truth. I challenge you to have the courage to find the good and find what the Family International stands for before you write your report lest you cause more pain and suffering by one-sided, sensational rhetoric.

Help us save the world, help us make someone’s life better. The power to do so is within your grasp, you need only have the courage to reach for it. We need allies in the fight against suffering and cruelty in this world, we need those who are strong in morals and ideals that will stand up for the truth and publish the truth. Where are you? We look forward to working with you and giving you our side of the story.

You who were once among us, who shared our lives, with whom we shared the privilege of our God-given calling who have now found another path in life but still bear the beauty of the camaraderie of our lives together serving our Savior I urge you to come to the fore, come and be counted with us—we need you, our friends and associates. We are thankful for you and we know we can depend on your support.

Sadly I must now turn my pen to a painful topic, one I really wish I didn’t have to say anything about but for the sake of those innocent and uninformed parties I must bring it up to help set the record straight. I wish we could all move on with our lives and focus on the positive and meaningful things in life and leave this hatred in the past forever.

I address this to those who have spoken of violence against us: you bear the responsibility of this act on your shoulders. While you may not have pulled the knife on Angela, while you may not have run her through in a brutal murder, your hands are stained with her blood and she is on your conscience for your untamed hatred which has consumed you, which you express, and by which you goaded the killer on.

You are to blame for your words of hate. I knew Ricky before he came to you as a pleasant person, a kind person, and a decent man. While no one can say that any party other than Ricky is entirely responsible, I believe that you will one day answer before God for your hate-filled words irresponsibly spoken in anger. Sadly, on your conscience is the murder of an innocent woman whose life was cruelly ended not because of any evil act but purely because of the good she did in this life.

I pray for you because, unless you repent of your ways, you undoubtedly will share a similar fate in life. “God is not mocked, for whatsoever a man soweth that shall he also reap” (Galatians 6:7). You who sow hatred in your virulent attacks against us will one day reap God’s justice. You know better, you know the truth, you are accountable. I can only surmise that you no longer have a conscience or that within you is the continual turmoil of your attempts to rid yourself of it.

We would welcome you with open arms if those arms didn’t carry the blade of unjustified hatred. You speak of justice, you speak of equality and yet you foster the hatred by which so much evil and injustice is propagated. We bear you no malice and have wished you well and have prayed that you would find your place in society, we wish you only the best of life and are saddened by our loss of your friendship but how do we reconcile with you when you refuse to reconcile? How can we come to your aid when you stab us to death? How can we walk an amicable path if your hate blinds you to our overtures of friendship?

Are you so blind that you cannot see where your hate has led you? Can’t you see how your unfettered curses have brought about this evil? I pray to God that you will wake up and see where you’re heading and where your choices are leading you. Ricky’s choices led him, will you share in his fate? Must more of us die before you see that you are misguided and that you are in the wrong? Must we die as martyrs to prove our innocence to the world?

Even if you killed every last one of us your conscience would never be eased neither your hatred assuaged. You would find no peace as you brutally murdered the peaceful hands that only try to help and to save. All you would find is an increasingly troubled mind and deeper sadness and anguish. Can’t you see how your bitterness and hatred consumes you? Can’t you see the way you have changed? Can’t you look objectively at your own life and see where you’re heading? Why is it that everyone else sees it but you just don’t get it?

We have apologized for the few and far between cases of ill-treatment that a minor handful of you experienced growing up with us; we have put safeguards in place to ensure that such things never happen again. We have expressed time and time again our condolences and our sadness if you were mistreated in anyway but where does it end? How long can we go on apologizing as you tear us to shreds?

You have not accepted our olive branch—how long must we hold it out for you? Any honest and unbiased observer can see that we have done all we can to regain your friendship and help you move on with your lives. But how much longer can we go on like this? If our efforts at peace result in your violence how much longer can we “turn the other cheek” before God comes to our defense?

Even now you tread very thin ice as you mock the messengers of God and despise His words and refuse His prophets, for your own sake turn from your hatred and cruelty. What do you hope to achieve in tormenting us as we try to reconcile with you or respect your wishes to not associate yourself with us? How long will you wound the hand of peace we extend to you?

I pray that somewhere in your heart there remains a flicker of light and sadness at your words and actions. I hope and pray you can find it within yourselves to give up this purposeless pursuit of vengeance for what in many cases is mere hearsay and distortions of the truth.

It’s time to move on, it’s time to get over this stage in your life and get on with living your life and have a worthwhile purpose to your existence. We respect your wishes to not be in our fellowship, and when we could, in most cases we helped you on your way and helped you get set up in your new lives. We only wish that you’d actually do something with the help we gave you and become a productive contribution to society in whatever positive way you find best suits you.

We are happy for those who have departed our fellowship and have excelled and have become successful and happy with their lives. We urge you who haven’t to do likewise because you only hurt yourselves by treading this mud pit of self-pity. You could be so much more, why throw your life away on such meaningless and futile pursuits of hatred? Please, for your own sake, for our sake, and for the sake of those we seek to help, move on with your life and become what you aspire to be. Fulfill your dreams and become a positive force for good in the world, you will be so much happier if you do.

I long to one day regain your friendship and to once again work with you in some way for the good of others, but that is a decision only you can make. I pray you choose your path wisely. I’m extending the olive branch to you again. Please won’t you accept it?

Hopefully yours in friendship, Chris.

Chris M. is a second generation member of the Family International.