From Sol, second-generation former Family member

After a long day at the office, then picking up my car from the service center, I arrived home and looked over my oldest daughter’ s school papers (she starts school next week, pre-primary) - After that I proceeded to finish some financial documents for a business I’ve recently launched. After all the evening things such as spending time with my wife and kids I went online and stumbled across a whole load of dialog on the ricky effect.

I’ve just finished reading a lot of it and honestly I could sleep for a week, it was a tiresome read and I did muse over the fact that had I got involved with the whole davidito/ricky murder and consequent suicide, I ‘d have had little time to concentrate on anything productive.

Where do you people get the time???

Till this point I honestly didn’t care what Ricky did, to himself or to another. It saddens me that 2 lives were taken under somewhat pointless circumstances however it left about as much of an impression on me as it does reading about an equivalent scenario in the daily newspaper.

I had never met Ricky however I formed an opinion of him at a young age - about 12 years ago when he was traveling in our area he had leadership ask a girl whom I was very fond of to have a date with him - so regardless, I always thought he was a dickhead. My opinion of him is not up for discussion, former Family members choose to hold grudges against current Family members and I choose to maintain a grudge against Ricky. - Oh and now that I remember I think we were featured in a GN together, talk about a cruise down memory lane.

By posting this I seek not to become involved in the whole discussion and subsequent tirades, nor do I seek to invoke discussion. I’d say it’s not easy to change people by dictating how and what they should assume as an opinion.

The terms “Move on”, “Get a life” and “Apologize” are terms that are frequently sent in both directions. I have chosen not to continue what I like to call recycled and somewhat redundant vocabulary.

I was in the Family, from day one in fact. I have fond memories as a child and yes I did witness some odd occurrences. I was never abused, although I could never say that abuse did not occur, to make such a claim would be as ludicrous as some former Family member claims that thousands of people were abusers or abused in the Family.

Does the Family need to apologize? I couldn’t care if they did or not, again this is my own opinion. Does the Family need to take known abusers to court and thereby vindicate themselves? In principle, maybe – However “Would I take a world cruise” comes to mind. It’s bloody expensive.

I left the Family mainly because it didn’t mean anything to me, I never really felt compelled to spread the gospel to every man, woman and child.

I left the Family to become a really good systemite. I left the Family to be successful, I wanted money and to lead a selfish lifestyle. I left so that my kids would not have to deal with the Family’s emphasis in spirits and demon species. I left so that my kids could get a formal education and integrate well into society, without having the “end of the world sword” hanging over their heads.

I didn’t leave so that my kids would not be abused. My daughter was born in the Family and while we were in the Family she was never in danger of being abused, ever.

My reasons for leaving did not enrage or embitter me in anyway, I left feeling tip top. It was exciting venturing into the world and knowing that I could pursue my secular dreams, I had no reason to post on the moving on site nor did I have reason to associate with former family members (friends are always the exception). I wanted to disassociate myself from the family completely and consequently made new friends and to put it one way, I integrated pretty damn well.

The thing that made me think about the Family was a recent barrage of emails into my email box from Family and former Family members “explaining” the whole davidito/ricky thing. – Please, I read about it in the news, and that’s really as far as I intended to go with it. I went about my day at work and had a successful day, utterly no consequence.

I left the Family for the above reasons and in my own right it has nothing to do with the Family – they are an entity and within legal confines they can do whatever they want, it’s none of my business and I (unlike other ex-members) don’t bother to make it my business.

The moving-on site has become an entity unto itself, a cult outside a cult – and within legal confines, they can do whatever they want, and besides my opinion it’s none of my business and I (unlike some current family members) don’t bother to make it my business. I do however get slightly ticked seeing a few opposing viewpoints on that site get reamed for all their worth using an exceptional amount of “shit mouthed” language. But then again they are within the confines of what’s legally allowed – all power to them – not exceptional resume’ building skills I might add.

I didn’t intend to pour my 2 cents into the thickening soup of “Yes you dids” and “No I didn’ts” –as we have more then enough cooks in this kitchen. However the amount of emails I have received on this topic is making me want to change my email address.

Former Family members – Do yourselves a favor and save your breath, “persecution” never exterminates a movement, look at history. You will never get an apology greater then what’s been issued. The Family is now made up of peers of you and I, if there are abusers left in the Family they are few and far between.

Get on with your lives and become wonderful industrious members of society. The only way you can hope to “get back” at the Family is to be successful in secular life and become a really good systemite. If you think you can’t because of your education, don’t be silly – I stopped studying at the ripe age of 15, I am a division manager for a systems integration company and own an import business. My wife stopped studying at the same age, she has recently passed her UNI entrance exam and has been offered a very competitive place doing her Bachelor of Science. You are limited by your motivation only, not the Family as you have supposedly put that behind you by leaving, you are now the master of your own fate.

The family is no longer your business and should you choose to make it so, I say you are wasting your time.

Current Family members – I respect your beliefs and I know you will make the Family a better place for all. Freedom of speech is not a strong Family belief however, while in the Family you adhere to the principles you agree to abide by otherwise you get out of your own accord or you are asked to leave.

Freedom of speech nevertheless is an integral part of society, it’s what allows you (The Family) to exist with your far from normal beliefs. While I don’t agree with many posts on the moving on site and choose not to be involved I can’t agree with some Family member calls to take the site down.

I started a website once in the Family, Ultrazone. Some people might have seen it. WS had me take it down, postings conflicted with Family principles and I was instructed to disable it. – That accomplished nothing; there will always be a voice.

If Family members and former Family members can’t agree they should well and truly avoid each other and live life as they see fit. If a former Family member chooses to take a proven abuser (Family/Former Family member) to a court of law – go for it. Other then that, I think you are all wasting your time slinging verbal mud, Family Members included.

Family members go be the best missionaries you can be, former Family members, be the best systemites you bloody well can be.

Geez I’ve wasted enough time on this.