By Rick, 24, fulltime member of The Family

I’ve recently been shocked and saddened to hear of the murder/suicide of Angela Smith by Ricky Rodriguez. That kind of violence is unheard of in our communities. Almost more saddening and revolting are the ensuing attacks on our lifestyle, group, and past history by a small number of former members who’ve chosen to rewrite history and feel it’s their duty to spread this new “truth” about the Children of God/Family International to the world. And then to see the media publish pretty much only their side of the story, and portray us as a cult of abusers or a sect of perverts is baffling and very disappointing.

Routine child abuse? It’s sickening to see this kind of accusation leveled against God-fearing Christian missionaries who’ve given up everything in life in order to live and pass on God’s pure message of love. Abuse is what we suffer when too much of that kind of griping and ridiculously unfounded accusations make the authorities feel like they have to bust kids out of bed at 5AM with a machinegun to their head, arrest their parents and drag the children away to institutions, where they’re told they’ll never see their parents again, that their parents don’t love them and don’t want them. This is when they’re abused and mistreated. I don’t say this figuratively, this happened in the ‘90s! And in every case we’ve been exonerated and found to be free of any wrongdoing. In some cases the authorities who initially handled the case even got a dressing down from superiors or upper courts for their mishandling of affairs.

What happened to fair and unbiased media coverage, to really listening to both sides and trying to publish the truth for the public? I feel the news media has a responsibility to its audience to inform them of the truth and be factual and unbiased in their coverage of stories. And I say with firsthand knowledge that integrity and professionalism were thrown out the window in the press coverage of this story, and sensationalism and rhetoric used instead. It’s sad and disturbing to see the press handle this case the way it has.

If there was anything sinister going on, we could never fool enough people to go on living. It’s preposterous to think that could be the case. We’re sentient beings, we have consciences, we know right from wrong. We’re human, like you! It beats me how one little handful of people can stir up the media like this and no one bothers to try and find out if there’s another side to it. If the type of horrible abuse and ill-treatment said to be routine in the Family were anywhere near true, why did the courts in Spain, Argentina, Australia, France, Brazil, Peru, Venezuela, England, Italy, Sweden, and the United States NOT find a single shred of abuse in the 600-700 children that were medically and forensically examined in court cases in the ‘90s?

To you who are just watching all this, and don’t know who or what to believe, open your mind and look past the mud-slinging and wild tales. Do you want to know what we’re like? There’s nothing like seeing for yourself. Come meet us, look into our face and talk to us. Get to know us and our communities and children, and then judge for yourself if these accusations are true or if we’re bona-fide. Visit thefamily.org and write us. We have open communities in over 100 countries all over the world. We’re not scared, we’re not hiding. We have nothing to hide!

Sure there were mistakes made in our past, but these were few and far between, much fewer than the average in any country I’ll bet. And they were repeatedly apologized for by the top leadership in the Family since then, and measures were taken to ensure that nothing of the sort ever happens again. We are—and I say this with full conviction—the safest environment in which to raise children free from abuse of any kind. I know it; I would raise my child here, and God willing I will, when the time comes.

I’ve lived in many of our Homes (communes) and I’ve seen all sorts of people, I’ve had many teachers and caretakers over the years, as well as seen the care, love, and concern that are shown to all members of the Family, especially children. I can’t think of a better place in which to have been raised and taught, nor of a better place for my nephews and the many other children in the Family. I know of no other place where the same amount of love, concern, education, and guidance goes into the care of children.

Are we different from society at large? Sure we are, very different. But does that make us bad or evil? C’mon, in this age of supposed enlightenment, open-mindedness, and tolerance, where has all that gone? Where are the open and honest minds seeking to really know, not sensationalize and be entertained at the cost of others? This is starting to sound like inquisition stories I’ve read of, from a past I dare say most of us would like to think will never happen again.

My God! It’s ridiculous what people will allege/make up about others. I know the Family! I was born into it and I love it! I’ve gone through childhood in this group, through teen-hood and am now 24. I know what The Family is about, I know our policies, I know our leaders, I know our members, I know our reality!

Why do I say “we,” “us,” and “our”? Because we are one, and when you say “they,” it’s me you’re talking about. There is no “the group” or “them,” it’s me! Can a 24-year-old with a dream of making the world a better place and a deep love for God and others be free to live the life of self-denial and giving he knowingly and responsibly chose? Can my sister and her five-year-old son please do the same? And my father, mother, siblings and friends of all ages who’ve chosen and everyday choose again to give of themselves in order to make another happy, to make a difference? Can we be free to live and believe as we choose to? Because this is what I’ve knowledgeably and conscientiously chosen. Contrary to appearances, this all isn’t about stopping alleged abusers or bringing people to justice, it’s about eliminating an uncomfortable reminder of a life some have chosen not to follow. I won’t get into why, but you know, it really doesn’t matter. I respect and understand those who’ve chosen another life, is it too much to expect the same in return?

To those who have left us and moved on, living useful and productive lives, I respect your choice of lifestyle and wish you the best, I always have. It’s commendable, responsible, and mature that you would move on and live your life as you want to. You guys are great, I love you!

To those who refuse to let go of the past, but instead build on and enlarge it, spinning fantastic stories of what they and others supposedly went through in an attempt to bring down The Family, get a life! And to do that, you’ll have to move on, for real.

Rick is a second-generation member of The Family International