I am the type of person who would generally prefer to “let things lie,” and keep away from too much controversy. I like to be free to do what I feel is best with my life, and I try to respect others’ choices as well. But after the tragic recent events that took place, I feel compelled to say something, to “let my voice be heard.”
I am appalled at what happened—it goes beyond the wildest things I could have imagined. And I am appalled that some people would seek to twist it to their advantage, or try to somehow justify or minimize the horror of the crime.

A young man brutally murdered a defenseless woman. And not just any woman. This was someone he’d known and lived around most of his life, a very close friend of his family’s, someone whom even he (who had already stooped to almost unbelievable levels) had never thought of defaming. While no premeditated and cold-bloodedly executed murder could possibly be defended, it seems that surely what we are in the presence of reached a separate level altogether in senseless cruelty and perversion. I can only assume (and indeed, hope) that Ricky was an extremely deranged and mentally ill young man—someone who would have been more at his place in a medical institution where he could have received professional help than walking the streets.

I never met Ricky. When I was in Eastern Europe for a while in 1998-1999, I met a number of people who’d known him, and/or had been around him during the time he spent there. While there were certainly some indications that he seemed a bit disturbed, and a number of things he did or said at the time raised eyebrows and questions, surely nobody could have ever imagined that he would eventually fall to such depths of homicidal psychosis.

Of course, I feel like I’ve known him all my life. “Davidito” was always to me the epitome of someone who was richly blessed in so many ways, a role-model for so much of my early life… and it’s very painful to me to be faced with what he did with his later years. Under whose influence, and by what choices, he could have changed from the Davidito I feel like I grew up with into someone with such a callous disregard for human life, I cannot understand, and I have a hard time coming to grips with … but I know that there is no way to justify or minimize it.

I never knew Angela either. But I’ve been privileged to live with people that did know her, who’d lived around her for many, many years in some cases. I’ve listened to their stories and recollections and I think I have a fairly good idea of the type of woman she was. By all accounts, she was an extremely friendly and lovable person, someone who had no difficulty relating to, and being friends with, all kinds of people. I am confident Angela is in a better place now, and remembers no more pain or fear.

Ricky must have been a very seriously insane man to have done what he did… I pity him and I wish he had realized his mental situation earlier so that he could have had help, and might have been prevented from harming himself and others as he did. I can see no redeeming factors; I can relate to no efforts to excuse this heinous crime. I pray for Ricky, that his soul may find rest and help where he is now, and that he is able to reconcile himself to his Lord. I grieve for the loss of his life, but at least, I rest assured that he can do no further harm to himself or to other innocent people now.

There are some who would use these tragic events to further their agenda, to try to justify what Ricky did, and to attack the Family. I will not speak for others, just as I would appreciate others not speaking for me. The following is my personal experience.

I’m 24, and was born in the Family. I spent most of my childhood in the Indian Subcontinent, where my younger sister was also born, and in France. I have many happy memories of that time and of the people I was around. By the age of seven, I was fluent in two languages and had made many trans-continental trips. I always felt loved, provided for and secure—sheltered, perhaps, I might say with hindsight, but it’s not something I resent.

My family left active service for a while during my teen years, and we lived a pretty secular lifestyle. When I was 18, I made a decision to forsake that and to dedicate my life to the Lord’s service. I chose to join the Family because that was the place I felt I could best accomplish that goal.

That was my decision, and one I made in a very informed manner at the time. I’ve also re-evaluated it on numerous occasions since then, and am very confident that I’m still exactly where I want to be. I am hurt, and also quite outraged, that individuals would take it upon themselves to attack my lifestyle and beliefs, purporting to know better than me what I ought to do with my life.

Over the past six years, I’ve lived in six nations, as well as visited almost every single European country. I speak between five and ten languages, and have participated in numerous humanitarian programs and Christian counseling sessions. I have seen firsthand the effects of the Family’s relief work, and I personally know people whose lives were literally saved by meeting and talking to members of the Family. I’ve recently started doing pubs work, and am surrounded by wonderful and dedicated people. It’s obvious to me that the Family fills a much needed niche in today’s world, and I’m determined to do all I can to help it to continue to be that help and support to so many.

True, some do choose to leave the Family, and since that is their choice, I respect it. Some of my best friends over the years since I’ve joined have taken that path, and I think no less of them for it. I know that they didn’t choose impulsively, and I assume that they made good, careful, decisions, which they felt best suited their aspirations and goals. I wish them well, and pray that they will find happiness, and lead productive and successful lives. Unfortunately for them, those who actively oppose and try to smear the Family are but a very small and minute group, compared to the many who are content with their decisions and respect ours.
Voltaire once wrote, “I don’t agree with a word you say, but I will defend to the death your right to say it.”—And he might have added, “to live it.” Where is that broadmindedness today? How dare people say that my lifestyle or beliefs are “inferior,” or “to be eradicated”? How dare those few Intolerants allow their insane hatred to reach murderous intentions, and now even actions? Once upon a time, there was a term coined to describe the horrific crime of murdering someone simply because of who they were—it was called “crime against humanity”… and as the World gathers to commemorate and pay homage to the victims of the Holocaust 60 years ago, let us also remember Angela, who it seems was a casualty of the same irrational hatred!

I don’t have children, but I am fully convinced that there could be no place I would rather have them raised than within the Family. I am fully convinced that there is no place where they would receive as much loving care and as good an upbringing as within the Family. I am fully convinced that there is nowhere else that they could have as many opportunities and as well-rounded an education as within the Family… And finally, I am also convinced that they could not be better protected and their childhood innocence more guarded than within today’s Family.

My liberty to live my life as I choose, and to bring up any children I may have, in the best way I know how is one I will not accept any compromises on. I will live my life, and I will raise my children, in compliance with secular laws and requirements, as well as in accordance with my conscience, being also ever mindful of my personal accountability to Christ in those matters.

It’s not very clear to me what our detractors’ goals are in attacking the Family, our lifestyle and our beliefs. So far, they’ve aimed most of their attacks at our parents, and incomprehensibly seem to hope (or perhaps wish?) that the younger generation will side with them… I’m baffled at their apparent naïveté and senseless optimism… Do they really think we are so dumb, so gullible? … I am reminded of another famous quote which I shall take the liberty to paraphrase here, “Tremble, Apostates—we have grown up!”

—Ronan

Ronan Keane is a second-generation member of The Family International