To whom it may concern,

I am 21 year-old second-generation* member of The Family International. My name is Christopher, and this is my testament. (*Born and raised in the Family)

I don’t know what you’ve heard about our group, or for what reason you stumbled upon this site. I don’t know how you’ve chosen to form your opinions about us or which side you’ve chosen to believe in this whole controversy.

I am not writing this, however, to try to change your mind or to try to convince you of my views. What you choose to think is entirely up to you and I have no right to try to change your own personal choices.

The only reason I’m writing this is to explain to you the life of a random Family Member and state my own personal opinions about the Family International. If there is any coherence in what I say, I leave it up to you to decide by cautious, intelligent, and professional investigation.

I was born in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, to an American father and Norwegian mother, who themselves were, and still are, missionaries in our group. I am the second oldest of six and have lived my entire life in Brazil.

My childhood took place in many types of Family homes. Small “pioneer” type homes, large “combo” style homes, field homes (homes working directly with outreach), service homes (homes designed to provide service to field homes) and school homes (somewhat of a Christian boarding school). I say in all honesty that I lived a perfectly peaceful and innocent childhood. My parents took excellent, excellent care of me, physically, emotionally, scholastically and spiritually. Not meaning to be presumptuous, but I believe this is more than the average modern-day child can say for themselves.

We didn’t live a life of luxury. Most toys we had were donated toys without that “brand new” luster. Clothes and shoes were, in many cases, hand-me-downs either from my older brother or from other children in the community. But we were happy. I was happy. I felt so accepted, so cared for, appreciated—even with such a simple life style. We were taught to look beyond the material to the real values in life, which were love, unselfishness, and kindness. Lessons which a great many youth in our advanced and “enlightened” society could stand to learn.

The first time I can remember hearing about the accusations of child abuse was when I was ten—around the time when the Argentine government persecuted the Family. I must say that I couldn’t really understand what it was all about. I had a vague idea but my life had been so sheltered that concepts such as “child-abuse” were entirely foreign to me. It was many years later when I understood their absurd accusations from studying news clippings and Family statements written in response to those accusations. It was funny, because I had had such a beautiful childhood that my mind couldn’t even register these horrible things being said against us—of course I thought they were absurd, but my own painfully innocent mind was a witness to their falsehood.

I am now 21 and am involved most of the time in Christian Outreach. I talk with dozens of people every day, from many different religions, ethic groups, and walks of life, and I have found that because, in great part, of my sound and wholesome upbringing I am able to relate to them—and better than that, offer spiritual help and comfort to those who are going through bad times. It is an amazing experience, to see one’s life changed, to see their eyes light up with hope once again, to see them encouraged to keep on living. It’s an experience I have lived many times and continue to live. It’s an experience I wouldn’t trade for anything. It has become my purpose for living. That is why I am still in the Family. That is why I believe in our message, in our methods and in our way of life.

In closing, I would like to state that I am very aware of the failings, shortcomings and mistakes of our movement, but in spite of all those, what prevails in the Family is love. That is our religion and whole basis of thought and belief: true, sincere, unselfish love. I would like to echo the words of two great instruments of God, who I admire greatly.

“Love never fails, but whether there be prophecies they will fail, whether there be tongues they will cease, whether there be knowledge it will vanish away.” (The Apostle Paul, leader of a controversial religious movement of the first century AD, which came to be known as Christianity, commenting on love.)

“The Family has always been a spiritual entity that thrives in the hearts of real, live people. It’s not made up of words, rules, regulations and procedures. It’s not the result of publications, boards, initiatives and [meetings]. But rather it’s the result of the truth that has become alive in individuals which has burst into a flame of passionate dedication to a living Savior.” (Maria Fontaine, leader of a controversial religious movement of the twentieth century AD, which came to be known as The Family, commenting on what the Family is really all about.)

Sincerely yours,

Christopher A. Thomas

This entry was posted on Thursday, April 14th, 2005 and is filed under Speaking Out, By Age, Where From, With Photo, Latin America, 18 to 24, Archived. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Both comments and pings are currently closed.