It is funny how even if you haven’t spoken a foreign language in a long time, some words will come to your mind out of the blue. That is what’s happening to me now. I feel like a lot of the French I have learned is about to come out when I hear what some former friends of mine are saying about me and the lifestyle that I live and have chosen to be a part of. But instead of feeding this feeling I will try to rise above it. Instead of stooping to their level of low blows I will, with all restraint, be as cordial as is possible in this situation as I give you a brief overview of my upbringing and where I stand in this awesome movement that I am a part of: The Family International.

I was born into The Family in the late 1970’s to parents that I believe did their best to love and care for me. As is normal with many religious parents, they imparted to me their faith and beliefs in Jesus Christ, the Bible, as well as the teachings of The Family. They were missionaries and I have many fond memories throughout my childhood of the over 25 countries that I have been blessed to either visit or live in; The new sights and sounds of India, Thai cuisine, or my travels in South America.
Their mission was to fulfill the calling that Jesus gave to all Christians found in Mark 16:15; To tell the whole world about the Gospel of His love, truth and salvation. I know that when this life is over and they stand before Jesus He will reward them for the life of giving that I have witnessed them lead.

I so enjoyed this type of lifestyle that when it was time for me to make my own decisions I decided that I also wanted to continue on in the thing that has brought meaning and peace to my life. I don’t want to paint the picture all shades of pink, as in everyone’s life there are things that you wish you had better or that would have been done differently. The truth is I feel up until now I have led a life that a lot of my contemporaries outside the Family would be envious of.

I also would like to add here that I have a lot of friends and family that were once a part of The Family but for various reasons decided that they would like to do something else with their lives and I am happy for them. I still feel close to them and communicate often with them on a variety of topics as true friends would. They also respect my wishes to continue on in The Family. I would say that they are well adjusted and have been able to get good jobs and pursue the majors of their choice.

I now have a family of my own with the newest addition being my beautiful 6 week old daughter. The thing that irks me the most–which so happens to bring back the “French”–is one of the things our antagonists are saying and that is that I in so many words don’t have a right to believe the way I do and that I don’t have a right to raise my children in the way that I see fit.

What gives them the right to tell me what to do with the children that God has entrusted to my care? Who are they to tell me what to do with my life?

I think that The Family is the healthiest environment for my kids to grow up in and that being the case I will continue to raise them as such, until proven otherwise.

But I will not start a campaign to get our antagonists to raise their kids in The Family because I respect their choices and I in turn expect the same from them.

In closing I have one thing to say to them: GET A LIFE…and you are in my daily prayers.

John Orcutt is a second generation member of the Family International, currently residing in CA, United States.