I drove around Invercargill one heartbreaking afternoon visiting friends, relatives, anyone I cared about, telling them I was leaving the Brethren and this would be the last time we saw each other. "We made it our own fun." "My own personal view is that as a large multinational corporate that prides itself on being one of the top 100 most ethical companies in the world, it [Crombie Lockwood] shouldn't be participating in a kickback scheme like this.". The board of the Arise Church is promising changes as its founding members resign amid abuse allegations. It was one of the worst cases of neglect to come before a racing authority. I knew there was no future for me in the sect. As a young child the chorus mystified me. Now 53, he's in his second marriage and runs a cartage business in his hometown, Christchurch. Most casual observers would say I've moved on. Since 2003 an Exclusive Brethren trust has set up 15 year 7-12 schools here, teaching about 1000 children. Life in the Brethren could be happy enough if you stuck to the rules. [], Members see the head of their church as a servant leader who puts his lives at the disposal of others. Faced with being separated once more, we broke down and cried on each other's shoulders, and I realised how much I still loved my brother. The men must have short hair, be clean shaven and are prohibited from wearing ties. [5], The history of the Brethren movement in New Zealand is unusual in that the schism between the Exclusive Brethren and the Open Brethren effectively occurred much later than elsewhere. Non-members are called worldlies. Exclusive Brethren an evil, corrupt cult, court told Kevin Rudd allows secret talks with 'cult' Brethren's Qld schools gain $3m Inside the Brethren lobby horse Member of sect stalked women Exclusive access for anti-gay cult Exclusive Brethren school given $1m state grants Brethren schools net $18m funding No university for Exclusive Brethren kids Many Exclusive Brethren work in Brethren-owned companies, so they have to give up their jobs as well as their family and their home if they leave the faith. According to Statistics New Zealand there were 20,406 Brethren in New Zealand in 2001. Theologically, it is a cult of Christianity. Little did we know we'd make the evening news. It's the same in 40 towns around the country, from Gisborne to Cust. He also allowed the New Zealand assemblies a degree of congregational autonomy that was unknown among the Exclusives in the British Isles. As a child growing up in Invercargill, my grandma told me about how, when the rule came in that sect members shouldn't have pets as they represented an emotional bond that could come between you and God, the family went and drowned their cat in the river. That song stayed at the top of my playlist for years. Later, while working as a senior reporter for Stuff, I explored issues such as prisoner mistreatment, cannabis reform, and just where all the forks were going from our newsroom kitchen. Source: The Exclusive Brethren, BBC. Wellington man Rob McLean, who was excommunicated from the church over a decade ago and forced to relinquish his business, said for many older Brethren, this was history repeating itself. Simmons has not gone quietly and is paying the price. Here is how the money-go-round works: large New Zealand retail businesses get guaranteed customers (the Brethren who are directed to purchase their goods and services) in return for rebates, which go to UBT. "When I read about some of the conduct the Brethren get up to, it's more like a cult-like organisation than a mainstream religion. that we might humble ourselves before the Lord for our part active or passive in the shameful happenings and sorrow-ful scatterings which have taken place in our times. The schools teach around 1000 year 7-12 students, and get glowing ERO reports. The secretive, cult-like church says its members volunteer their time to contribute to society, but an RNZ investigation has found hundreds of thousands of dollars were sent every year to a Sydney. "There were real pissheads in there: they drink heaps, it's the only thing you're allowed to do." *Their names have been changed to protect their identities. The Exclusive Brethren is the name given (by outsiders) to those among the so-called Plymouth Brethren who, in the mid-nineteenth century, joined John Nelson Darby ( 1800-82) in forming a Christian fellowship which they believed to be based on strict biblical principles. It expressly denies being either a union or an advocacy group; its stated aim is to give pastors a forum for mutual support and encouragement. When his son, John Field Deck returned to England in 1859 to study Medicine, however, and gravitated towards the Open Brethren,[7] Exclusive leaders, including Darby, became concerned. The local rainbow support group occasionally published contact details in the classified section of the newspaper, and for months I scanned The Southland Times waiting for the next listing. I watched TV news in wonder, and laughed as a current affairs reporter challenged a scam artist he claimed to be calling from England, but was unable to name any of the Queen's four children. They were required to wear dresses or skirts, have long hair and very minimalist or no makeup, hair dye and jewellery. The Exclusive Brethren are now divided into a number of groups, most of which differ on minor points of doctrine or practice. (I was lucky to have the first eight years of my education in the public system, which gave me limited exposure to non-Brethren kids, but these days sect children are educated entirely within the Brethren system.) Falling into journalism was an astonishing stroke of luck. I stared in fascination. It was one of those scorching Australian summer days where the tempo slows, as though the very effort of moving is too much. Brethren women are distinguished by their white or blue headscarves and long hair -- which must never be cut. Thompson laments a love betrayed: At the end of the song, Mum stopped to answer my questions about blackboards. My gaze rested on them for a few seconds before I looked away. [29] Of all Brethren institutions, Pastorlink is one of the newest: it is only in the last twenty to thirty years that the practice of having pastors has become common in Brethren assemblies in New Zealand. The Exclusive Brethren are a religious group who forbids their members from voting but are taking out ads in the Tasmanian newspapers telling non believers how to vote. At least one member of the House of Commons has been mislead. These confessions came to a head when one day, feeling completely broken, I finally confessed to being gay. The church is strictly controlled by a central authority. A broker with the insurance company, Crombie Lockwood, said he was instructed to use a special code with Brethren clients, discounting his commission by 20 percent, which went to the listed "sub-agency", UBT (Universal Business Team) a church-controlled company. The girls were fiercely competitive about their scarves. "The thing I find disturbing is these are businesses, so their insurance premiums are tax deductible and on top of that they also claim back the GST - so I view it almost like a legalised form of money laundering. Confessions were a regular part of my teen years. I squirmed with embarrassment watching his fresh inexperience, realising how I myself must have seemed equally wet behind the ears. Diana was drinking whisky with her family from age 13. These sessions often involved alcohol. Meanwhile, ex-Brethrens here and overseas are telling of the pain of being shunned by family still in the church. Most work in Exclusive Brethren businesses, so leaving means losing their job. He wrote a prescription for Cyprostat, a hormonal suppressant usually reserved for sex offenders and prostate cancer patients. Sarah and her producer, Charlotte, took a keen interest in my circumstances as we travelled and filmed together, and asked what I wanted to do with my life. And what if another family member leaves the sect? They were a picture of languid happiness, sitting there in the sun. Brethren have built 36 Campus & Co supermarkets in New Zealand for their members' exclusive use, staffed partly by "volunteers". The site itself is no longer online. A strong family-centred way of life ensures a further cocoon from the world. If our kids were to see my husband's parents in the street, they'd say 'Hello', and 30 seconds later it would be 'I best be on my way'." reach out to my brethren who have been damaged, disillusioned or discarded by the legal system which first emerged in 1959, and continues to dominate many to this day, to recall them to their spiritual birthright the rich heritage of former years; to encourage them to take possession of it . [31] Its current principal is Dr Francine Bennett. Growing up in the Exclusive Brethren meant missing out on a lot of things other children took for granted. This week the New Zealand Presbyterian Church voted to ban anyone in a sexual relationship outside marriage from its leadership roles (though 35 per cent voted against the ban). The early Brethren believed that, by separating from what they regarded as the unwarranted and unlegitimated system that was represented by the organization of churches, they possessed an adequate basis for the unity of all properly motivated Christians. To continue to sit in the illusion that we and only we are right is a presumption only, a self-enhancing propaganda learned over the years to the detriment of Gods testimony, not to breakdown, but to the mind of Man erring in doctrine and practice. In April 2009, finally ready to make my move, I called a meeting with the priests and told them I was leaving the Exclusive Brethren. The Exclusive Brethren is not a democratic movement, nor do individual congregations have any autonomy. The man, who has name suppression, was being considered for parolelast week. Instead I felt condemned to struggle against the essence of who I was. I had no plans, and nowhere to go. Such clandestine adventures frequently led to feelings of guilt and shame, and I regularly confessed my so-called sins to the Brethren "priests" as a teenager. This Sydney-based "global consultancy group" claims to provide "services and advice" to about 3000 Brethren-owned businesses in 19 countries, with a combined revenue of more than $12.6 billion NZD. The link leads to an archived version of the website. "I got on very well with my father, and I was never there in the years you want to be there, when they get old and you want to do their lawns." The most serious charges were dropped. Dad held her arms behind her back as she sobbed, struggling to break free for a hug. The main gospel hall in Dargaville resembles a converted factory, with narrow frosted windows on one side only. Separate Lives [Transcripts | Video] An edition of the Four Corners investigative journalism TV program of the Australian Broadcasting Corporation. Kiwi journalist Craig Hoyle immediately after being tear-gassed during Hong Kong riots on June 13, 2019. The leader of the church has overall power over members of the sect. It was an ill-advised attempt at escape. "It's a round circle scheme - they are using their businesses to pay 'donations' back to their own church and then they are claiming that back as a tax deductible expense.". Brethren run at least 12 firms in. Some Brethren sources claim this number to be an underestimate, with internal surveys indicating as many as 38,000 adults and children attending Brethren assemblies almost one percent of New Zealand's population. An anguished wail from an aunt still rings in my ears. I stayed briefly with my aunt and uncle in Palmerston North, and in January 2008 I was sent on to stay in Sydney under the watchful eye of Bruce Hales himself. ", He added: "They are an extremist group that will exaggerate or ignore one verse from the bible for theirown gain. I held my grandma close dear, sweet Grandma, who always kept a stiff upper lip, but not today and we wept in each other's arms for half an hour. Numerous questions are explored, such as What exactly was their interest in politics? N.B. The world at my doorstep is bursting with opportunity and excitement. This was followed up by a visit by Darby himself later in 1875. Charlotte wrote a letter of recommendation for AUT's Bachelor of Communications degree, and I started working at TV3 as a first-year student. This leader is given titles such as The Man of God or The Elect Vessel. Enter your email address to subscribe. There'll be a dinner and dance, a "mystery day" and lots of socialising - "certainly not religious, just a fun weekend". Confessions were a regular part of his teenage years. Senior executives from a range of leading brands, including Air New Zealand, Office Max and Freightways, make cameo appearances thanking the flock for their business and offering details on new deals. It was one of the worst cases of neglect to come before a racing authority. Imagine a life without television, music or freedom; imagine every minute of your spare time being spent attending church; imagine growing up believing swimming pools, cinemas and dancing were evil. Church and business and family life are inextricably intertwined in a way that means all parts of their lives are controlled. Members marry each other, rarely divorce, and are encouraged to have large families. In New Zealand there are at present at least 6,000 Exclusive Brethren, which is about three times their estimated numbers in 2006, although exact figures are not . The expectation was that you would buy a house, marry a Brethren girl, settle down and raise a Brethren family, and the cycle would rinse and repeat. Why did their activism suddenly blossom almost simultaneously across the world? It wasn't true. The leaders get the children drinking it. Jeff Wearmouth, whose son James was killed in the June 2016 crash which Stewart was convicted for,said he was surprised to hear Stewart had been 'shut up'. I felt trapped, a Brethren failure, and ultimately convinced that I needed to confess my sexuality. And all the old people in the Exclusive Brethren now, they're all depressed, because they know it's all wrong. Another ex-member, whom RNZ has agreed not to name, said he managed to hold onto his position in the family business, despite huge pressure from church leaders - but said many others were not so fortunate. I began talking to outsiders for help and advice. Non-members are called 'worldlies'. Meanwhile, the political storm around the Exclusive Brethren intensifies. I love being a journalist and wouldn't trade it for anything. Sydney marked a new chapter. Although widely welcomed at first, both found themselves increasingly isolated as their Charismatic sympathies became known and Brethren leaders like Robert Laidlaw, William H. Pettit, Enoch Coppin, Colin Graham, and Ces Hilton, along with J. By the time I was born, in the late autumn of 1989, the Exclusive Brethren had morphed into an oppressive sect that tightly managed every aspect of its members' lives. They sought to restore what they saw as the biblical pattern of order which would allow them to live in conformity with the will of God, and which had been corrupted by the development of the ecclesiastical systems of existing churches. Exclusive Brethren member shopping at Woolworths Dargaville. [4], It is not a denomination in the organizational sense, but a loose network of like-minded autonomous local churches, or "assemblies", as Brethren churches are generally known. On their rules against mixing socially with outsiders, he says: "We are believers and don't need to go out with people who might not even be Christians. Families were ripped down the middle. And in other parts of the country, I was known for being against UBT, so that was where I felt the pressure.". Until then my transgressions had been minor offences that could be excused away; forgiven, with a warning not to repeat my mistakes. This system was all I had known, it was all my parents had known, and all their parents and grandparents had known before them. This week, former teachers at Brethren-run schools claimed the schools heavily censored reading material, ripping out chapters on reproduction from science texts, and dictated every aspect of the children's lives. However within 25 years of the Plymouth Brethren forming, one of the founders a certain John Nelson Darby asserted his dominance, breaking away and forming a separatist sect referred to by others as the Exclusive or Closed Brethren. Brethren families as well as businesses are also encouraged to buy goods and services from companies which give cash back to UBT and the National Assistance Fund, including petrol and groceries. [9] Consequently, George Wigram, who had a reputation for enforcing discipline among Exclusive Brethren, visited New Zealand from 14 January 1874 to 20 January 1875. Former members say the church has a centralised hierarchy, and everyone is expected to show absolute loyalty to the Sydney-based supreme leader Bruce Hales. The BBC website listed the following rules for Exclusive Brethren: they cannot go to university, have televisions or radios, visit cinemas or the theatre, read newspapers or fiction, use computers, own mobile phones, vote in elections, serve in the armed forces or join any group that includes people outside the Brethren. Life as an Exclusive Brethren had its good sides. It was the first time I'd seen two men so openly showing public affection. I'd long since accepted I'd never see my family again, so when another of my brothers left the Brethren a few years ago it was a shock to have a sibling back in my life. Life in the Exclusive Brethren could be happy enough if you stuck to the rules, Craig says. They are absolutely vicious to those who want to leave, you'll lose everything, including your family. I had further meetings with Bruce Hales, and he told me to consult a Brethren doctor to receive treatment for my "condition". Known as fair, honest employers and reliable, skilful tradesmen. Nothing will ever be as bad as escaping my sect upbringing. "The words 'I love you'," she said, "are written on the blackboard of my heart with permanent marker and can't ever be removed.". Members marry other members. "Bible Churches" tend to embrace many progressive trends, but generally retain a male-only leadership and continue to disassociate themselves from the Charismatic movement. Latest items: Subscribe to RSS headline updates from: Powered by FeedBurner, Abusive Churches/Spiritual Abuse Cult FAQ. Brethren run at least 12 firms in Dargaville - mostly in trade and farm supplies - many clustered in an industrial complex on the town's southern edge. "So let's say their profit was $200,000 and they decided to donate $50,000. Open Brethren do not have the restrictions Exclusive Brethren face. (The terms "conservative" and "progressive" are often informally used to describe the emphasis, or lack of emphasis, that Brethren assemblies and individuals put on matters of doctrine, worship, and church order which distinguish them from other Evangelical Christians). But not all members can live such a controlled existence. For him, too, the forced distancing from his parents hurt the most. Apologetics Index curates research resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions and related issues. Research resources on religious movements, cults, sects, world religions and related issues, Article continues after this advertisement , Original content Copyright 1996-2022 Apologetics Index, History and Ministry of the Exclusive Brethren (so-called), [p]remier resource for their origin, progress and testimony 1827-1959 on, Name Change: Plymouth Brethren Christian Church, Exclusive Brethen/Plymouth Brethren Christian Church Beliefs, Plymouth Brethren Christian Church: Cult-like control, The Social Dimensions of Sectarianism: Sects and New Religious Movements in Contemporary Society, The Exclusive Brethren A Current Sociologial Appraisal, Breakout: How I Escaped From The Exclusive Brethren, Exclusive Brethren news tracker & news archive, The Exclusive Brethren Christian Fellowship, can still be viewed at the Internet Archive, Secretive sect softens ban on outside contact, difference between theological and sociological definitions of the term cult., John de Ruiter College of Integrated Philosophy, The Church of Almighty God (Eastern Lightning), The Bible is the inspired and literal word of God, God is a Trinity of Father, Son and Holy Spirit, members must keep away from any person or group that does not follow Exclusive Brethren teaching including other Christians. 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