My name is Stephen McNair. I’m 17 years old, and I live in Japan with my family.

There’s not much more to be said about Ricky and Angela. I freaked out when I heard the news. After hearing about the video he made, it’s plain to see he was psychotic. What made him that way? The Family? Abuse? Or the “anti-cultist” ex-Family-member detractor friends he made after he left the family (On good terms, I might add)?

OK. Murder is wrong, period. If what Ricky did is justified, the message you send to everyone else in the world is, It’s OK to kill people if you feel that they harmed you in your past. It’s even OK to kill that person’s friend, and not the person who harmed you, just to get back at them. Or, if you’re angry at your parents because of some of the mistakes they made raising you, just go ahead and kill them; that’s fine. After all, they made you into the person you are, the person which wants to kill them. In fact, how about we punish the parents of all criminals, because the parents raised the criminals, it’s the parents’ fault. And we can let the criminals go free, because it’s not their fault. That’s the end result of some apostate’s “wise” thinking.

I have never been abused in the Family International. I don’t know what “exact” definition of the word you are using, but it doesn’t matter. All of my friends in The Family (many of whom have posted their feelings here) will tell you the same thing: That we have never been abused sexually, psychologically, or physically. Numerous courts around the world have proven that The Family is one of the best places you can raise a kid. I can’t believe our enemies are dumb enough to try to use these same tactics against us after they’ve been proven false. Growing up, all my teachers were sweet, loving people, who were trying their best to take care of us. I could feel it. My teachers were about as nice as you could ask, granted some more lenient then others, but still. They never lined the class up and systematically swatted away. The only times I was punished unfairly, my teacher or parents profusely apologized afterward. My parents have not been involved with child slavery in the Middle East, or whatever other “the moon is made of cheese” type lies our detractors claim happened. Almost all the accusations our enemies present would not hold up one minute in a court of law. To say that children in The Family International grow up underprivileged, dumb, abused, and brainwashed is totally insane.

I happen to know plenty of people who left the Family, and they are doing just fine. Most have good paying jobs, have friends, and are reasonably happy with life. They adjust to life outside the Family, and move on (no pun intended) with their lives. In fact, the Family encourages people who don’t feel that this is the place to be, to leave. Repeatedly, the Family’s leadership has encouraged members to leave if they wanted to try something else, or didn’t like the Family’s communal lifestyle….whatever the reason. I can leave The Family any time I want to. Two of my sisters and a brother have chosen to leave the Family. My point is, I’m not stuck here. I’m not brainwashed. I’m not being intimidated and threatened secretly in the closet. I’ve chosen this life of serving the Lord and others, and being the best person I can be. Granted I don’t have money to spend on the latest clothes, gadgets and whatever other toys. But I think I’ve got so much more then the average 17 year old.

I can play the drums; I’ve been playing since I was 12. I have been in 3 rock bands in the Family, I own a drum set, and hope to continue playing it for a while. I also play some guitar and piano, (I own a Korg Trinity) and I sing. For the last 2 years I’ve been learning how to produce music. My parents have been helping me get the equipment I need, (Fast computer, sound card, soon to come monitor speakers and mixer, I also own DJ turntables and mixer) and now I have my own bedroom studio where I work on punk rock, trance, remixes, whatever, you name it. I love music. Underprivileged? Yeah right.

I don’t know where some of our detractors get their ideas from, that we’re all dangerous to society, abused or abusers. You don’t even know me, Stop calling me abused. What’s your logic? Do you think you have to speak for me to the world about my horrible condition? Oh right. Because I’m in the Family so therefore I’m too dumb to talk about it myself. Ok. I’m not oppressed, repressed, or whatever else our detractors are calling me. I am happy in my service for the Lord, and plan to continue doing this until the day I die.

Steve McNair is a second-generation member of The Family International