Its the persons attitude. However, the group believes it can prove its case in a few instances. Day after day, half-truths and outright lies designed to poison people against the group have been posted on the Internet, he says. 2021 The Texas Observer. Members produce much of their own food, whether from individual efforts such as home gardens or group projects such as Homestead Heritages cattle ranch. In my story on Homestead Heritage for the Observer, I interviewed Sandy (not her real name) who told me that she was abused by two different men in the church from the age of five. When Fanny F Moon was born on 10 April 1889, in Ohiopyle, Fayette, Pennsylvania, United States, her father, George William Moon, was 39 and her mother, Amanda R. Bailey, was 37. But before the letter was published, some people bothered by the Christianity Today article took their complaints to a far broader forum: the World Wide Web. Also, it is illegal in the state of Texas not to turn someone in instantly if they admit to abusing someone and I don't understand why nobody arrested the people at homestead. They talk of secret meetings and secret documents. Then came a so-called recovery workshop in April 2005, a forum for ex-members to discuss their experiences. (Everyone always seemed friendly and relatively normal when I visited, so just wondering.). While there arent documents nonmembers are forbidden to see, the group generally doesnt load down visitors with a stack of books. . Three members have been convicted of sexually assaulting minors. You brought me into this world and gave me my name. So happy you did this, so thanks for taking the time to share and answer questions! Its because of their doctrine. Hey Reddit, I was raised in a religious cult located in Waco, TX for the first 16 years of my life. Visitors see traditional craftsmen and women who bake their own bread, sow their own crops, make their own furniture and build their own homes. South Africa's relationship to Zimbabwe, is not ANC-ZANU PF, but South Africans-Zimbabweans. Somehow we ended up in a scuffle and he took my thumb and started bending it into my arm so I kicked him in the knee and punched him. 388 Halbert Lane, Waco, TX 76705 (254) 754-9604. So there are a lot of allegations of abuse but I never personally experienced anything like that. An attempt to make Homestead Heritage appear clandestine and shadowy is apparent in Arnns first post on FactNet.org, members of the group say. You murder their reputation and cause people to fear them, Yarden says. We rely on the generosity of our readers who believe that this work is important. I was planning on leaving the instant I turned 18. . But Homestead Heritage also believes there are other Christians every bit as sincere as they are. Church policy, according to internal documents, states that religious matters within the community are not the proper province, of the corporate State and its investigative, police and judicial services. In fact, our investigation has exposed a litany of tragedy: families broken apart, child abuse and allegations of mind control, cover-ups and secrecy. Hey, that's interesting because so few people in Waco seem to see how creepy they are. Homestead Heritage CULT. Crow also has an explanation for his comments about medical care. The same is true for exes who claim their childrens schooling suffered because of group responsibilities, members say. We hadnt been in the fellowship very long and a member who had been there a while told me that was what was necessary. He kept silent. It's crazy because the answers are either how to word it right so you "technically" aren't lying or they are straight up lies. All Homestead Heritage asks of such people is that if they join a church with greater light, then tell Homestead Heritage leadership where it is, leaders say. He theorized founder Blair Adams wrote it. According to several ex-members I spoke to, the only person who has never fallen from grace in this way is Blair Adams. It would seem to me that most people would think that such a man is one of low character, even a coward. A clue is in the leadership structure. Four members, I discovered, had been convicted of sexually assaulting minors, but I uncovered further allegations of sexual abuse of children that had never been reported to authorities. I still am to an extent but I love interacting with people now. They have gotten even Better at hiding abuse and Lying to cover it up. The environment in Waco is particularly ripe for such accusations to fester, Homestead Heritage followers say. You went to group functions and then as a guy I would have had to go to one of the lower elders and tell them God had told me I should marry a certain girl and then that process would have begun. No matter what we say, as the Jews have experienced, you cannot falsify the accusation that someone has a secret, Wheeler said. Rather, Homestead Heritage teaches that every member receives a piece of it. Whats so frustrating about those accusations and others like them, members say, is that theyre almost impossible to categorically refute, at least publicly. Yarden agrees, saying it concerns him that the plan laid out two years ago in that early morning anonymous phone call to Howard Wheeler now appears to be unfolding. There are some areas we are more ahead in than others.. It began with Arnn individually contacting people who left the group. They are breaking the vow they made to God to put the unity of the body over our individual desires, Wheeler says. He intends to plead guilty, according to the McLennan County DAs office. Contact; Hours & Location; Menu; Make A Reservation; Why would it open itself up for discussions with local theology professors and students? The way the group lives is a much stronger statement than any written document, they say. In Internet posts, for example, the group and its leadership have been compared to Nazis, Jim Jones and Warren Jeffs. What can we do? Most of the accusations were written by ex-member Jeremy Crow. Monday May 7, 2007 Homestead Heritage Phillip Arnn has created a public presence for a group of people who once felt invisible. For this story, I spoke to 14 former members of the community. Some have nuggets of truth to them, but thats as far as it goes. But the process doesnt involve screaming or yelling as ex-members claim, they say. If he walked by and patted you on the shoulder, it was as if God shined down on you. In the past, its primary focus has fallen on religious movements that many would consider aberrant. If parents arent spending enough time on their childrens education, thats because of choices they make, not the group. In the end, the magazine opted to publish one of the critical letters, written by ex-member Bob Beechner, along with an editors note. Montana, The Walk. Such treatment might sound harsh, Homestead Heritage members acknowledge. Besides, Arnn says, he has volumes and volumes of Homestead Heritage literature. There are things I just cant forget.. Its a work in progress, lifelong member Abraham Adams says. She cites the example of Heavens Gate, the UFO religion founded by Marshall Applewhite in which 39 members committed suicide in 1997. They call themselves a "nondenominational religious organization" although they are somewhat similar to united Pentecostals in how they dress, etc. According to Christina, who asked that her surname be redacted, Blair Adams began preaching about corporal punishment shortly after the group first moved from the East Coast to Colorado. There has to be authority, but its not authoritarian, Wheeler says. If the group really had something to hide, Wheeler says, why would it host so many public events? 3rd Annual Law Day Art Contest Rules and Information: The Circuit Court Clerk, Jacqueline Smith, is calling for artwork from all local students enrolled in the 2022-2023 school year in the County of Prince William and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, including private, home based, and public schools. Partners must notify. I know of someone who felt like he was doing something wrong because he had sexual feelings toward his wife. Pasture-raised beef, fresh breads, award-winning local cheese, and house-made sauces and condiments; these are a few of the things that help make Cafe Homestead one of Waco's most-loved restaurants since 1994. The only times Homestead Heritage has refused to give or sell its literature to someone was when members concluded a persons motive was to attack, not learn. He was furious., Alexander said his mother told a church elder about it, but that the elder in question did nothing. Its literature stresses simplicity, sustainability, self-sufficiency, cooperation, service and quality craftmanship. Perhaps some day those efforts will pay off in the form of shoes produced by members, they say. I sat down with Sandy (not her real name), for whom every day is a struggle coming to terms with what happened to her at Homestead Heritage. The other elders are beneath him. Ex-members have intentionally tried to stoke those fears by comparing Homestead Heritage to the Branch Davidians and other cults, members say. All critics have to do is twist such groups views of authority into authoritarianism and many people are willing to condemn them, Wheeler says. Allegations to the contrary are actually self-indicting, group members say. When we are walking by faith, everything is covered under the blood of Jesus, Wheeler says. Contrary to Elders subsequent assertions, nothing in Homestead Heritages public response, issued in the form of a book, was confessed to a minister, the group says. Even more damning for Arnn, they say, is the fact Arnn commissioned the articles. Joseph Ratliff was convicted of five counts of sexual abuse, sexual assault, and indecency with a child. This is normal and was accepted in HH (if your condition is considered spiritual or a judgment.). Local ophthalmologist Scott Smith, 45, says hes all too familiar with the phenomenon. The reason for that is because some of the wording in the constitution might sound apocalyptic to those unfamiliar with Homestead Heritage history, Wheeler says. Most people in there buy into the fact that Homestead is the only route to heaven and while they are miserable they would never leave. The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead.In all, more than 160 million acres (650 thousand km 2; 250 thousand sq mi) of public land, or nearly 10 percent of the total area of the United States, was given away free to 1.6 million homesteaders; most of the . Rooted in Oneness Pentecostalism, it denies the doctrine of the Trinity and teaches an anti-grace message denying salvation by grace alone. In the case of Bill DeLong, the fact that George Klingensmith, the church elder, knew about his child sex abuse a year before DeLong turned himself in, meant he too may have committed a crime under Texas law. From age 5, Sandy said she was sexually abused by two different men. I was told the leadership was trying to get him counseling and help before they turned him in because they didnt want him to go to jail., Bill DeLongs son Andrew, then an employee of Brazos Walking Sticks, a company affiliated with Homestead Heritage, pleaded guilty to four offenses of child sexual assault, waiving his right to a jury trial and his right to appeal. The posts cover a range of topics of varying importance. We have reposted it following a recent report on Homestead Heritage by WFAA in Dallas. For example, one person proficient in leather work has been experimenting with making footwear. Without being too specific in your answers for my questions: How did your family get involved in this cult? All I want is for you to love me. The closest the group came to providing evidence that anybody acted in bad faith is information it gave the Tribune-Herald about Watchman Fellowship researcher Phil Arnn. The group does teach that the spirit of Jesus is manifested within the body of Christ. See Photo Gallery Inspire Inform Instruct Through the years, he says he has learned when something might be gained from meeting with group leaders and when it wont. Throughout, they would vacillate between positive and negative, and all meetings were conducted by the imposing Adams, standing behind the lectern with his booming voice. We rely on the generosity of our readers who believe that this work is important. On Sundays, however, services often revolve around church business or discussions about how the group can become a more perfect expression of the body of Christ, Wheeler says. Church leaders follow the biblical pattern of first going to someone in private about the offense. And they preach that they are representatives of God. That was basically the gist of every 8 hour long Sunday "meeting". PDF Media. Over the years, the church has been called, variously, New Life Fellowship, Fellowship of Christ, Emmaeus Fellowship, Koinonia and Heritage Ministries. To that end, the group compiled information they say refutes some of the posts on the Internet discussion board and gave it to the Tribune-Herald. 5.0 out of 5 stars Perfect! Theyre well known in this city of 125,000 along the Brazos River as harmless religious folk devoted to an earlier, simpler way of life. My mother and I would go out there sometimes when driving through from Fort Worth between 2007-2010; it never occurred to us that it was a cult. Interestingly, John said the children in the congregation would actually look forward to Sunday meetings an intense drama they couldnt watch on TV or listen to on the radio because both were banned. One of the things I learned after being in there is how you really can interpret the bible to say almost anything you want it to say with enough of a deceitful bias. We raise a few Barred Rocks and Australorps because they are a nice meat-chicken that also happens to lay large brown eggs that are favorites at our house. Besides ex-members, those posting on the site are Watchman Fellowship officials, a few ex-members who defend Homestead Heritage and interested outsiders. A favorite target is any high-demand religious group, Wheeler says. We need help. I really didn't care bc it was good fishing. You didn't date. Theologically it therefore is considered to be a cult of Christianity. at Homestead Heritage We're open year-round, Monday through Saturday, 9AM to 5PM. The Texas Observer is known for its fiercely independent, uncompromising work which we are pleased to provide to the public at no charge in this space. They don't practice any sort of sex Ed and enforce strict abstinence and it leads to a lot of the kids (and adults) doing some really weird sexual stuff. Held in members homes and attended by about 100 people, their size allows visitors to get to know the group more easily, they say. Although Elders letter to church leaders criticizing Homestead Heritage was hurtful, that wasnt the reason the group wrote a formal response, members said. Members believe they would have prevailed in court, too, after Elder brought legal action against them. You dont question it., Most members of Homestead Heritage are so closed off from the outside world, ex-members say, that its exceedingly difficult for anyone to alert the authorities if they suspect wrongdoing. We were told sex was strictly for reproduction, she said. While the church refused to answer questions about allegations of abuse, it did move aggressively to respond on its own terms, setting up a web page to rebut a story it hadnt seen (the site remained under construction as this story was going to press). Were they judgmental of them, envious, suspicious? That way, when theyre asked to prove their claims, they can throw up their hands and plead a secret conspiracy. He described the food served in the caf as heavenly., I was given a copy of a letter sent to Christianity Today in response to Olsons piece by ex- member Bob Beechner, Katherines husband, of which the magazine chose to publish a very small extract. According to internal documents published by the Observer, church law states that religious matters within the community are not the proper province, of the corporate State and its investigative, police and judicial services. The obinvestigation also discovered families broken apart, and allegations of physical abuse and mind control. He suspects the caller was a member of a New Zealand anti-cult group that he believes has had contact with an ex-member of Homestead Heritage. To Olsons dismay, the article provoked opposition to Homestead Heritage. He limped for about two weeks after that. Seated on 510 acres and consisting of a craft village, faming land, pastures and housing, the close-knit community is home to around 1,000 members. When we were in Sunday meetings, the screaming and yelling and belittling of people was so atrocious, she said. Alex Hannaford writes about the death penalty, crime, prisons, religion and human interest issues for the Telegraph, Times and Guardian in the UK, and to GQ, The Nation and the Texas Observer. March 7: Cimarron Boulevard from Cimarron Drive to Cimarron Common. As for John, he said his effort to maintain a relationship with his parents, who are still members of Homestead Heritage, has been emotionally taxing. Crow tells the story of seeing a woman struck by her husband several times. Thats why living in community is so important, members say. The McLennan County Sheriffs office wouldnt release details of the cases against Bill DeLong, Andrew DeLong or Joseph Ratliff, even though they are part of the public record. But stranger things have happened, he says. DeLong then told the officer that sometime around March 2003, he sexually assaulted a 6-year-old girl, according to his statement. The station's veteran investigative journalist Brett Shipp has been working on corroborating and documenting allegations of physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children at Waco religious. So far, they havent learned of any group with a greater amount of revelation in all areas, they say. This is the authority of fatherhood, of love, of brother and sisterhood.. For the Circuit Court Clerk's 3rd . He went into some detail, saying it happened about five times. DeLong said he had told an elder at his church about the abuse shortly after the first time it happened. But thats it. Glencore says the Aboriginal heritage application under federal law covers 156 square kilometres or 15,600 hectares, which is more than 20 times the size of the area involved in the Glendell IPC decision. Are there any things you were taught in the cult that are hard for you to remember are false? They also believe people have an obligation to leave Homestead Heritage if they fail to keep walking in greater light meaning greater revelation from God or if they feel called to leave by God. Sex is treated as an extremely taboo subject and it leads to a lot of weird behavior. The group especially noted the persecution of Jews throughout history, saying one of the weapons used against Jews was wild claims of a secret conspiracy to take over the world. It just blew my mind, he said. Anyone who honestly reads the groups literature or listens in earnest at meetings could not possibly come away with that idea, he says. 5.0 out of 5 stars Right price and product. Another former member, Robin Engell, admits she once locked her 7-year-old child in a room for two weeks. Promotional materials distributed by your outlet, including all social media work, must include cites for the Observer and our reporter. But the intent of discipline is not punitive. It also leads into the supposed teaching that people who leave the group are damned, they say. Its forcing people not to be human., Janja Lalich, a sociology professor at California State University and author of two books on recovering from cults and abusive relationships, said sexual repression is one of most powerful ways that a group can exert control. Homestead Heritage is an intentional community in rural Texas. The Internet postings are a perfect example of that phenomenon, followers say. Furthermore, the Observer has allegedly "learned from a number of different sources of other cases of sexual abuse within Homestead Heritage. Visit the Homestead at Heritage and witness first hand why so many are calling it home. It has grown to a 140-acre operation. A Texas Observer investigation has found allegations of child sex abuse involving at least six members of the Homestead Heritage community. Please notify us by email that the article will be republished at, Abbott Wants to Deny Undocumented Kids a Public Education, Border Security Is a Financial Black Hole that Will Consume Us All, Two Executions, Many Questions about Mental Health, Innocence, Remembering a Social Justice Lawyer Extraordinaire. Alexander said the man snapped it in half. Jeff is the son of James Easter, the . - this is the exception and not the norm in Africa's value system and rich heritage. Hi! Whenever they quote our literature, member Nathan Tittley says, you really have to watch the ellipses.. And not just on my ass.