(And yet it seems they can only offer them a life of bitterness, hate, violence and revenge.)
From Nat (Techi’s husband and Ricky’s brother-in-law)

Some would have me trade my son’s light for their darkness; his sweet and giving nature, for their lust for retribution; his contagious laugh, wonderful smile and sweet soul, for a tortured mind, calloused heart and dark deeds; his strong faith, for their confusion and uncertainty.

They would have us exchange our lives based on helping, seeking to save, and giving to others, for one of trying to hurt others, messing up happy families, spreading misconceptions, half-truths and outright venomous lies in order to bring more people into the dark world that they find themselves trapped in.

They claim, and maybe even believe, that they’re doing this for our own good, and that my son’s life will be much better for it. How can that be? Why would anyone agree to that when faced with the facts of what has happened, and the things that are still being planned and encouraged by a few? Who would do that? I certainly won’t!

My son trusts me to take care of him, to shelter and protect him. Lord helping me, that’s exactly what I will do. I will not let anyone or anything keep him from having and living the best life one could possibly have. He’s not wrong in assuming that any harm–physical, mental, or otherwise–must first get past me before it can even hope to touch him.

Every good father wants his son’s life to be as perfect as it can get. No childhood is perfect, of course, but I have found what I firmly believe is the closest thing on this earth to that for him. And no one has the right to try to take it away from him, regardless of what they feel about the way they themselves were raised.

To those few who, in your search for revenge against the things in your life (or someone else’s) which you didn’t like or agree with, you strive to hurt and put an end to my and my family’s way of life–like you openly claim you want to do–I say, should you ever succeed in your objective, you will only have succeeded in becoming, and even far surpassing, the very “abusers” that you have been accusing for so long.

To take actions which could lead to the hurt of my son and those he loves and trusts, or to try to bring to an end and destroy the happy life and family environment we feel is best for our children–surrounded by love, care and what we feel is best for them in every way–and to try to fill their simple, free and happy lives with confusion, sorrow and fear, can never be considered anything less then abuse. How can you be so blind as to think that you are actually doing us a favor?

I know that Jesus, who entrusted this wonderful, precious life into mine and Techi’s hands will stand with us to defend him from any harm. “And whosoever shall offend one of these little ones that believe in me, it is better for him that a millstone were hanged about his neck, and he were cast into the sea”–Mark 9:42.

Techi and I are members of the Family and proud of it. We have freely chosen this lifestyle of giving and helping others because we firmly believe it to be exactly where the Lord wants us to be, and the best possible life for our son. The Family is a very big part of why my wife, my son and I are able to enjoy the happy lives we’ve been given. However, my response here to recent events, and to the rhetoric and plans of those who would try to stop us, isn’t based as much on my Family upbringing, as it is on fatherly instincts.

I would also like to say that I am happy for and proud of those thousands of former Family members who have moved on with their lives, and used the good positive experiences that they had in the Family to make them better citizens, fathers, mothers and individuals, and are using the various talents they gained to make this world a better place for all of us. God bless you, and keep going for Him.

Nat is a second generation member of the Family International.