From: CAST OUT IN THE WORLD By Miriam Arnold Holmes....
Heather Johnston
arrived and honored us with his presence. This usually happened in
the afternoon while we were in school. We children gathered together,
sitting on rows of wooden benches to sing Santa Claus songs. Soon we
would hear the tinkling of a bell.
This made my heart stop. I was scared to death of Santa Claus. He
would come into the room not only carrying a large bag on his back,
which we knew contained cookies, nuts and fruit, but also with a large
bundle of twigs that he used to spank the naughty children. I was
always terrified of being publicly humiliated by this man.
If memory serves me, he used the sticks only on the boys. My brothers
were frequent recipients of a Santa Claus whipping. He would call
selected children to the front of the room and reprimand them for some
wrongdoing or other, such as not doing their homework, getting into
fights, or disobeying teachers or parents.
Then he would mete out the punishment. One year, to my horror, my
name was called (I must have been about 7 years old).
Santa Claus told me that he had heard that I took too long to eat my
food and that he had to teach me a lesson. A dishful of lumpy
cornmeal was placed in front of me that I had to eat right then and
there in front of everyone. Everyone was amused but me.
After all the bad children had been punished, Santa would take out the
goodies and hand them around to all children, good or bad. He then
bade us farewell and left.
When I was eight years old I was told, again in a whisper, that this
was not really Santa Claus but rather one of the men dressed up.
I was flabbergasted.
All these years we had been lied to by the very grown-ups who always
told us how evil lies were!
This whole Santa Claus business made me uncomfortable for years. As a
matter of fact, I still don't like him. My children were never told
that lie.
hjj
A. Merchant
them over and over when they are from decades past and tremendous
changes have been made since then. I would hate for someone to bring
up my past which I have repented for, and keep throwing it in my face.
Who then is the forgiven and the forgiving?
As for poor Santa Claus, I've heard that argument from other parents,
that we are lying to our children by depicting him as "real". My kids
figured out soon enough that the Santa they saw waving his hand
outside K-Mart was different from the one giving out candy canes
outside WalMart. They figured Santa couldn't possibly be in all places
at once so these guys weren't "the real Santa". When my son asked me
if I'd ever seen the real Santa I told him "no". He then said "Well
then, how do you know there is one?". I then told him that I had also
never seen God but believed in him. You don't have to see to believe,
necessarily. It comes down to that whatever you want to believe in
will be real. Personally I think the phrase "evil lies" is a tad too
strong when it comes to Santa. I've believed in fairies and giants and
elves and goblins until I was old enough to figure out they were
imaginative. (I still believe in angels, however!). I still don't
think I was lied to---my imagination was fed, that's all. There's a
difference.
But that's all beside the point. Let's forgive and move on. This
perpetuating dour memories one's past life doesn't do anyone any good,
and only feeds a sense of revenge, not healing.
Angie
rumspr...@yahoo.com (Heather Johnston) wrote in message news:<ff024fff.03080...@posting.google.com>...
Heather Johnston
Angeline, if I can stop one person, just one, it will be all
worthwhile the passages from these books that I am posting. If I can
keep one single person from making a decision to join this evil cult
called Bruderhof, than I will rest easy.
"Let's forgive and move on" makes for a great slogan but it doesn't
apply here.
I don't think the Bruderhof has made many changes except where their
finances come into play.
Santa Claus beating children is such a horrifying and ridiculous
solution to a non-problem, I find it interesting that you chose to
completely ignore that part of the passage that I posted and instead
went on and on about what is real and what is not.
What is real is your total denial of the horror these people and
children were put through....and it runs the gamut. From the Santa who
whips "bad" kids to the Servants of the Word who send you out into the
world you have been taught is evil with 50 dollars, a few articles of
clothing, and a driver who is more concerned with getting back to his
Witness Brother's meeting than finding a safe place for you to
stay.....
hjj
Ole Olson
Angie, Angie. Your inate bruderhof audacity continues to shine
through. Who on earth do you think you are to advise someone to "shake
it off, move on", instead of seeking accountability from individuals
who hid behind, and used the slogan of unity and brotherhood to brush
off and expell anyone who wouldn"t conform to the cookie cutter
mentality of the day. Of course what else would I expect from someone
who posted some sophomoric drivel to the effect that: those of us who
left were just not Christian enough to hang with the big dogs. In
addition, what makes you think everyone on this newsgroup is seeking a
cozy happy group hug and sweep all unresolved issues under the rug ?
For example, I applaud those who live for the feud if that is what
gets them through another twenty four, unlike your incessant apologist
stand. Obviously I understand that living in NW Louisiana is for you,
in itself a challenge, as you have no interest in soaking up the local
culture at the 1/2 mile dirt track. Of course community playthings did
not sponsor a car back in the day so................
A. Merchant
> through. Who on earth do you think you are to advise someone to "shake
> it off, move on", instead of seeking accountability from individuals
> who hid behind, and used the slogan of unity and brotherhood to brush
> off and expell anyone who wouldn"t conform to the cookie cutter
> mentality of the day. Of course what else would I expect from someone
> who posted some sophomoric drivel to the effect that: those of us who
> left were just not Christian enough to hang with the big dogs. In
> addition, what makes you think everyone on this newsgroup is seeking a
> cozy happy group hug and sweep all unresolved issues under the rug ?
> For example, I applaud those who live for the feud if that is what
> gets them through another twenty four, unlike your incessant apologist
> stand. Obviously I understand that living in NW Louisiana is for you,
> in itself a challenge, as you have no interest in soaking up the local
> culture at the 1/2 mile dirt track. Of course community playthings did
> not sponsor a car back in the day so................
I live in southeast Louisiana. I've been here 6 weeks (have visited
often before) and love it! It's extremely hot but that's just
temporary and sure beats the cold in the Northeast. I have found the
people here to be incredibly friendly and laid back--unlike the more
reserved northeasterners. I'm excited about all the new things I have
to discover and explore. I guess it's part of that adventurous spirit
instilled in me during my Bruderhof experience.
I don't expect you to welcome my words with open arms, let alone mind
and heart. What I say is unpopular but to me it's very true. It hasn't
even crossed my mind that people in this newsgroup are seeking a "cozy
happy group hug", but it is apparent to me that whatever forgiveness
is being sought is one-sided. The Bruderhof actively sought
forgiveness and they were laughed at. Now tell me who the more
Christian person is. If you no longer consider yourself Christian then
stay out of the battle because you will get no peace from seeking
"reconciliation" as it will always be one-sided. Your words ooze
sarcasm and anger and in my observation there is absolutely no
peace-seeking going on there.
Jesus lived a cookie-cutter life. There was little right or left with
Him. There are clear lines where He is concerned. The Bruderhof is
trying to do the same, often failing, picking up the pieces and trying
again. I have faith that where they recognize wrong they will try to
make it right. I have personally experienced that.
I guess I get a sense of sadness when I read your postings, and I
don't mean that in a condescending way. Maybe the Bruderhof experience
was as big a part of your life as it was mine, but we see it in very
different lights--even the tough experiences. I wish there was some
way to work with you to get some sense of reconciliation---but maybe
you can't bear the thought of letting go of being able to put someone
down? Or is it too awkward for you to actually forgive where
forgiveness is warranted because it might smack of wimpiness or giving
in?
Is the Bruderhof a scapegoat for all the reasons to be angry in your
life? I can't help but wonder.
Angie
Timothy Domer
> Jesus lived a cookie-cutter life. There was little right or left with
> Him. There are clear lines where He is concerned. The Bruderhof is
> trying to do the same, often failing, picking up the pieces and trying
> again. I have faith that where they recognize wrong they will try to
> make it right. I have personally experienced that.
Yes Angie, many religious people and groups worship a cookie-cutter
jesus - a hard, cold, unyielding, compassionless, one size-fits-all,
"if you don't fit the mold you will go to hell", jesus.
From what I have read, God's son, who walked the earth 2000 years ago,
was kind, gentle, full of compassion and full of life. His first
miracle was to change water into wine and liven up a marriage party.
When a crowd was preparing to stone a woman who had been caught having
sex with someone who was not her husband he intervened to save her -
even though she had broken one of the commandments. He did not shout
and scream at her, as Christoph Arnold and other Bruderhof ministers
do to members who haven't properly "submitted" to them. Instead, He
told her that he did not condemn her.
He said, "My Father's mansion has many rooms".
The times he became angry were when He saw people trying to gain power
and control over others, or were dishonest or half-hearted. He said
the two greatest commandments were to love God and to love one's
neighbor. He said nothing about joining the Bruderhof or similar
organization.
Many religious people and organizations over the centuries have
created Jesus in their own image. They have made rules and regulations
and rigid forms (cookie cutters) and choked the life out Him.
Unbelievable cruelty has been carried out in the name of those
"jesus'". Jesus was killed for NOT leading the groveling, "obey the
church", cookie-cutter life that the church leaders demanded of
members.
The Bruderhof is made up of individual human beings. As individuals
and as a group they make mistakes, just as all of us humans make
mistakes. When the organization is elevated and praised, Jesus is
diminished and pushed aside. In an environment of such self-praise and
religious superiority it is not possible to see clearly when one has
erred. The Bruderhof may seek to change things that they feel are
wrong. The problem, as I see it, is that they beleive so strongly in
themselves and their righteousness that they cannot necessarily
recognise obvious mistakes. When people, such as yourself, praise,
honor and "have faith" in the Bruderhof, I beleive that praise, honor
and faith are misplaced. Truth, honor, love and compassion come from
God - not the Bruderhof. If they would humble themselves just a
little, I believe a great deal of unnecessary suffering could be
quickly ended.
Tim
Heather Johnston
Thank you Tim, that was a beautifully written and informative piece.
Regarding the Bruderhof humbling themselves......it's hard to be
humble when you've got Community Playthings taking in well over 23
million a year in sales. Twinshot Technologies well over 43 million
and just getting started. Good for them.
But Humble they will never be. With a Fleet of Gulfstream Jets
taxiing around CEO's from the Fortune 500 category and movie stars
like Mel Gibson and Sharon Stone around from country to
country......................
"Humble" can hardly have any wiggle room amidst all those earthly
possesions, coupled with the seeemingly unquenchable thirst for more
all the time.
Heather J.
Ole Olson
Angeline, you ceaselessly amaze me, drawing more conclusions from less
material than Sir Arthur"s Sherlock Holmes would. Only he was right,
more often than not. As much as it may amaze you, and I am actually
serious here, I spend only minutes a week regaling myself with your posts
and than it"s off to constructive,rewarding and entertaining days at
work, oh gosh here I go opening up to the whole world. I do, of course
fully blame my upbringing and the bhof for smashed knuckles after
changing a flat tyre !!!! Just as you so cunningly deduced. Elementary,
my dear Angeline.
Watson.