I don’t know who may be reading this but whoever you are, if you love freedom, if you love liberty then may I please suggest that you stop to take the time to read this and ponder it.

On the night of January 8th a horrific and tragic event took place in Tucson, Arizona in which a lovely and innocent woman was brutally murdered and then her murderer sadly took his own life. In most cases this sort of homicide/ suicide wouldn’t generate that much media coverage, at least not internationally.

However, unfortunately in this case it has, as those involved were former members of the Family International. Ricky Rodriguez was the murderer and Angela Smith was the victim who suffered a cruel and untimely death. When I first heard the news I was greatly saddened and appalled that such a thing could have happened as in our fellowship we are diametrically opposed to any and all forms of violence of any sort.

My prayers and thoughts were with the victims’ families that God would comfort their hearts and that they would feel God’s balm and salve of comfort and solace. As a Christian though, such heartbreaking and awful things do happen in our morally bankrupt and aimless society, yet we know from God’s Word that “all things work together for good to those that love Him” (Romans 8:28).

Yet when I began to hear that certain of our ex-members were exploiting this tragedy for their own ends and stooping to the lowest levels imaginable I was to put it mildly, infuriated and irate! For what they are saying is that (get this!) is that our fellowship is responsible for what happened, as Ricky Rodriguez was abused as a child. I Solomon M., 28 have grown up in the Family and have been cared for, taught and trained in the most loving, caring and nurturing environment that anyone could hope or pray for.

The love, attention and concern that I have received my whole life has made me who I am today and I know for a fact that I wouldn’t have the happiness, strength or fortitude that I have if it wasn’t for this loving and close care that all receive in the Family regardless of age, gender or skin color. Truly we in the Family live by the Scripture “By this shall all men know that ye are my disciples if ye have love one for another” (John 13:35) for I have never heard of or witnessed any kind of abuse whether mental, physical, emotional or sexual.

Because I have received this training and upbringing I have devoted my life to bring this same happiness, love and joy to as many people as I can. Whether it be physically, spiritually, or emotionally, our world is in dire need of this kind of love, peace and faith that I have been blessed to have since I was a child. I believe that I am making an investment in eternity and in the next life I will be richly rewarded.

Though I believe I have had a privileged upbringing I still believe that it is the right and prerogative for every one of us to choose what we will do with our lives, and what we make of the time God has given us on this earth. The fact that some choose to leave our fellowship and lead a more mainstream secular lifestyle and pursue their career and/or academic studies isn’t a problem for me.

What is a problem for me is when those who once were happy and enjoyed their time with us begin to see it as a traumatic and abusive experience and they see everything completely wrong! This phenomenon has been studied and documented by sociologists of religion who have coined the word apostates to describe them. Basically what happens is that instead of moving on and starting a new life outside our group they turn around and slander and vilify everything we believe in and hold dear.

And believe you me they don’t have any sort of moral or even less religious restraints of what they say, their language and rhetoric are full of hatred, bitterness and depravity and any one in their right mind who reads their rubbish and nonsense can clearly see that these poor, deluded souls are not would you could call balanced, well adjusted or mentally stable people!

The things that are posted on their web site are disturbing and revolting with allusions to revenge, retribution and even violence; of course allegations of abuse of any kind are always sure to stir up public outrage and cause people to take action of some kind or another.

If the truth would be told though all these allegations are simply lies, half-truths and distortions of the truth as our fellowship has been investigated time and time, our children have taken from our midst and incarcerated again in country after country, court case after court case, and in each instance no wrongdoing of any kind was found and each case was thrown out, all the children taken returned and we were declared innocent on all counts.

Academics such as psychiatrists, sociologists have conducted extensive studies on our centers and have said that while our fellowship differs in many ways from mainstream society it is a safe and loving place to raise children and that actually our fellowship is a help and benefit to society.

So why, you ask, do these people say these things if there isn’t some truth to what they say? well perhaps it’s like two people who were once married and loved each other but after a nasty and spiteful divorce now all they can say about each other is hateful and insulting things and their memories of formerly happy times is now misconstrued by their bitterness, hatred or animosity. Or perhaps they are taking a page out of someone else’s book who said “If you tell a lie be sure you tell a big one because no will dare disbelieve you when you tell such a big lie because they figure you must be telling the truth”.

I believe that this is an attack and an infringement of our religious freedom to love and worship God as we have chosen to and teach our children to do the same. I believe in free choice and self-determination but I also believe that no one has the right to denigrate or malign the choices that others have made.

Why are we being attacked? It is because there are those who disapprove and disagree with our lifestyle, beliefs and morals and are imposing theirs upon us. I for one will not stand by and let these speak evil of our good, and for all of those of you who are of any religious persuasion I urge you to reject and shun these vicious and cruel attacks against us, because if you don’t today tomorrow it may be your turn!

Consider the following words of the Reverend Martin Niemoller, a Protestant clergyman in Germany who experienced firsthand what happens when those who should speak up for freedom refuse to do so:
When the Nazis came for the Communists, I didn’t speak up, because I was not a Communist. Then they came for the Jews, and I did not speak up because I was not a Jew. Then they came for the trade unionists, and I didn’t speak up because I wasn’t a trade unionist. Then they came for the Catholics, and I was a Protestant, so I didn’t speak up. Then they came for me . . . and by that time, there was no one left to speak up for anyone.

In closing I quote one who has gone before me, one who fought for freedom, for truth and for religious liberty & who changed history and the world! – Martin Luther

“Here I stand, I can do no other! Unless I am convinced by the testimony of the Scriptures or by clear reason, I am bound by the Scriptures I have quoted & my conscience is captive to the Word of God. I cannot & I will not retract anything, since it is neither safe nor right to go against conscience. I cannot do otherwise.”

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