[Mary's Little Lamb]

Thank you so much, Jack, for your literary contribution! This is as interesting as reading about King David. I love him, don't you?

Originally Posted by Jack russel terrier

14 or so years ago …. Yadutan was approached somewhat aggressively by Ha-emeq Marsha Spriggs)when he was a very young disciple in the church. Ha-emeq made sexual advances towards him. He was in a very uncomfortable position, being “hit on” by the leaders wife. This was happening during the time when the morning and evening sacrifices were being established and taught about on daily basis. For those of you who remember or have heard those teachings since then, you can appreciate the enormity of what went on between Yadutan and Ha-emeq. There were times when she would grab him by the belt loop or hold his hand while they were walking.
There were times when they were traveling on their bus that she would slip her hands under his bed covers and hold his hand at night. One night she approached him from behind on the beach and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace.
Eventually he gave in to the temptation and BECAME INVOLVED IN A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HA-EMEQ.. No, the did not have intercourse, or oral sex, but they did everything else. They would passionately kiss, they would be stripped down to their underwear, lying on top of one another. The would masturbate one another. They would go to the newly established gatherings unclean, minutes after being together. She would hold his hand during breaking of bread. They would have had intercourse but at one point or another one of them would stop the other. I understand that this is not pleasant or even dignified to have to read these things, but I don’t know any other way of getting my point across. I have sat in many meetings judging people for doing much less than what these two people participated in. I have seen families torn apart because of judgments that have come from Yoneq over youth who have held hands or kissed. I have heard and taught on the utter wickedness of going to breaking of bread and minchot over and over again with unconfessed sin much less serious in nature than what I speak of today. Yadutan is not “blaming” Ha-emeq as being the only guilty one for what occurred, but he was terribly confused and upset in his conscience about what they had fallen into. He encouraged her to stop on several occasions but she did not want to, and so they continued in their weakness. THIS CONTINUED FOR A YEAR OR SO until Yoneq and Ha-emeq left Brazil. At this point Yadutan was able to clear his head and wrote Ha-emeq telling her that they must confess and repent and get forgiven no matter the cost. He told her she must expose it to Yoneq or he would have to do it! Ha-emeq wrote back saying it was ok, all was forgiven.
Yadutan continued under the impression Ha-emeq had exposed herself.
Years later, it is uncovered that Ha-emeq had NEVER TOLD THE TRUTH.

[Mary's Little Lamb]

Thank you so much, Jack, for your literary contribution! This is as interesting as reading about King David. I love him, don't you?

Originally Posted by Jack russel terrier

14 or so years ago …. Yadutan was approached somewhat aggressively by Ha-emeq Marsha Spriggs)when he was a very young disciple in the church. Ha-emeq made sexual advances towards him. He was in a very uncomfortable position, being “hit on” by the leaders wife. This was happening during the time when the morning and evening sacrifices were being established and taught about on daily basis. For those of you who remember or have heard those teachings since then, you can appreciate the enormity of what went on between Yadutan and Ha-emeq. There were times when she would grab him by the belt loop or hold his hand while they were walking.
There were times when they were traveling on their bus that she would slip her hands under his bed covers and hold his hand at night. One night she approached him from behind on the beach and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace.
Eventually he gave in to the temptation and BECAME INVOLVED IN A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HA-EMEQ.. No, the did not have intercourse, or oral sex, but they did everything else. They would passionately kiss, they would be stripped down to their underwear, lying on top of one another. The would masturbate one another. They would go to the newly established gatherings unclean, minutes after being together. She would hold his hand during breaking of bread. They would have had intercourse but at one point or another one of them would stop the other. I understand that this is not pleasant or even dignified to have to read these things, but I don’t know any other way of getting my point across. I have sat in many meetings judging people for doing much less than what these two people participated in. I have seen families torn apart because of judgments that have come from Yoneq over youth who have held hands or kissed. I have heard and taught on the utter wickedness of going to breaking of bread and minchot over and over again with unconfessed sin much less serious in nature than what I speak of today. Yadutan is not “blaming” Ha-emeq as being the only guilty one for what occurred, but he was terribly confused and upset in his conscience about what they had fallen into. He encouraged her to stop on several occasions but she did not want to, and so they continued in their weakness. THIS CONTINUED FOR A YEAR OR SO until Yoneq and Ha-emeq left Brazil. At this point Yadutan was able to clear his head and wrote Ha-emeq telling her that they must confess and repent and get forgiven no matter the cost. He told her she must expose it to Yoneq or he would have to do it! Ha-emeq wrote back saying it was ok, all was forgiven.
Yadutan continued under the impression Ha-emeq had exposed herself.
Years later, it is uncovered that Ha-emeq had NEVER TOLD THE TRUTH.

Originally Posted by Jack russel terrier

14 or so years ago …. Yadutan was approached somewhat aggressively by Ha-emeq when he was a very young disciple in the church. Ha-emeq made sexual advances towards him. He was in a very uncomfortable position, being “hit on” by the leaders wife. This was happening during the time when the morning and evening sacrifices were being established and taught about on daily basis. For those of you who remember or have heard those teachings since then, you can appreciate the enormity of what went on between Yadutan and Ha-emeq. There were times when she would grab him by the belt loop or hold his hand while they were walking.
There were times when they were traveling on their bus that she would slip her hands under his bed covers and hold his hand at night. One night she approached him from behind on the beach and wrapped her arms around him in an embrace.
Eventually he gave in to the temptation and BECAME INVOLVED IN A SEXUAL RELATIONSHIP WITH HA-EMEQ.. No, the did not have intercourse, or oral sex, but they did everything else. They would passionately kiss, they would be stripped down to their underwear, lying on top of one another. The would masturbate one another. They would go to the newly established gatherings unclean, minutes after being together. She would hold his hand during breaking of bread. They would have had intercourse but at one point or another one of them would stop the other. I understand that this is not pleasant or even dignified to have to read these things, but I don’t know any other way of getting my point across. I have sat in many meetings judging people for doing much less than what these two people participated in. I have seen families torn apart because of judgments that have come from Yoneq over youth who have held hands or kissed. I have heard and taught on the utter wickedness of going to breaking of bread and minchot over and over again with unconfessed sin much less serious in nature than what I speak of today. Yadutan is not “blaming” Ha-emeq as being the only guilty one for what occurred, but he was terribly confused and upset in his conscience about what they had fallen into. He encouraged her to stop on several occasions but she did not want to, and so they continued in their weakness. THIS CONTINUED FOR A YEAR OR SO until Yoneq and Ha-emeq left Brazil. At this point Yadutan was able to clear his head and wrote Ha-emeq telling her that they must confess and repent and get forgiven no matter the cost. He told her she must expose it to Yoneq or he would have to do it! Ha-emeq wrote back saying it was ok, all was forgiven.
Yadutan continued under the impression Ha-emeq had exposed herself.
Years later, it is uncovered that Ha-emeq had NEVER TOLD THE TRUTH.

[Mary's Little Lamb]

[SIZE=3]Jack, all you can expect for dumping out your dirty laundry is one of two things: Forgiveness, or to possibly be sent away. In this case you are getting more than what you can expect. You are getting both. First you are forgiven. And that isn’t good enough. And then you leave. And that isn’t good enough. What more can you ask for? You’ve been given more than could be expected.[/SIZE]
The greater your sacrifice, mercy, and forgiveness is, the greater your reward of sacrifice, mercy, and forgiveness is. Obviously, Yadutan’s building in the community (sacrifice, mercy, and forgiveness) did not go without consideration as he was met with an equal degree of respect, compassion, and forgiveness.
In response to your quote -“My faith has been undermined by the reality of what the twelve tribes has really become!”- You’re totally disregarding the fact that the Tribes have to ‘become’ something different from what they have been in the past. Repentance is to change. To change, to increase, to grow; obviously, would mandate that the subject (in this case, the Twelve Tribes) would become something different. ‘A brighter light’ is the connotation by the former sentence. It is like the fact that a butterfly has no resemblance to a caterpillar. The change will not be any less when we have become just like our Master. I’m sorry that you don’t see the increase in the Tribes in the fact that it is being restored from its religiosity. The restoration of damage in this case brings truity to the word: ‘the restoration of the damage that the locusts have done’. The locusts in this case would be ‘The Bible Belt’ in the southern U.S. The damage done in this case would be, the Religiosity inherent here. Come along now. The spirit in your writings here is very religious. I understand your hurt in your concern for others. I appreciate your heart. But hurt doesn’t go without mention when you’re dealing with salvation. You mentioned ‘your faith’. In reference to your faith, apparently, it was not founded upon a rock because the house fell and it is no longer standing. Go ahead and read that whole chapter, would you? Trust me, it won’t be religious if you just read it and consider it.
Jack, rebellion in your heart is as sure as the day is bright. And so is your death…one way or another. Maybe your name will be changed to ‘Job’, and then you will become the ‘Real’ Twelve Tribes of Israel. If you are ‘Right’, then you can expect nothing less.
If you think that it should always be the way it was when you came into the community, then you are being nostalgic. You now have a cause to forget the past and look to what lies ahead. Let me give you something to be nostalgic about:
Forgiveness is like a load taken off you
A sentence fallen through, a stain washed away
Another chance to live a fresh new start, a new beginning
A new breath of life with the power to forgive
You are the healer of our maladies
You put an end to all hostilities
You are the way for us to be in love
You are forgiveness – you are our gladness, and our life

Originally Posted by Jack russel terrier

She has continued on in her role judging and mentoring, representing God on the earth, and whatever else you might describe her role to be, with a very very bad conscience the whole time.
When Yadutan began to see that the tribes were “falling apart” on so many levels , he began to consider the problems , why they never get fixed and the hypocrisy that had risen to the sky.
He called for a meeting with Yoneq. He confessed to his own wife what had happened before they had met, and they went to Hiddenite to have the big meeting. When he got there he was met with what he felt was an attempt to sweep it all under the rug . Yoneq said that he had just recently learned about the whole matter. He questioned them both concerning what had happened and then he forgave them both, and he told them that our Father forgave them! That’s it!
Yadutan wondered why there was no body meeting , discipline, nothing! How could a husband judge his own wife like this with no counsel? Others had been sent away for years , forced to marry, or worse, over less! Should Yacob and Qetsiayah know about this, after suffering over what their daughters went through for committing sins of a far less serious nature? Should Hur know about how Ha-emeq was judged for 14 YEARS of deceit after seeing his boys judged for sins far less serious. The list could go on for quite some time. Should all those cooks meetings be disregarded because Ha- emeq was “in the flesh” when she taught and led them? THE IMPLICATIONS ARE FAR REACHING! Think about it…. And what about Yoneq’s response? How many times I have sat and waited to hear from Yoneq concerning our Father’s judgment for someone, whether they should be sent away from the body or not. And this was only after several kahals and fact finding meetings. All the while, those who committed the sins are being held in custody.
He was asked time and again to be discreet and just forgive and “have wisdom and conceal the matter” Scriptures were sent to him encouraging him to keep the matter to himself. Yadutan was unable to obtain a good conscience this way and all his experience in the tribes was now in doubt for him and his wife. Even his own position seemed fraudulent to him as he felt “bought” so to speak. He insisted more men be brought in and so Yoneq agreed and told Nahaliel and Nun.
After expressing their grave concern with the seriousness of the matter, investigating, and finding the whole story to be exactly true as Yadutan had described in lurid detail, they both began a letter writing campaign to get Yadutan to just “move on” in the tribes. Yadutan was increasingly distressed by these “elders” inability to grasp the gravity of this hypocrisy. He wrote to them about “the emperors new clothes”, and the MEN BEHIND THE EMPEROR and the foundations of the community (teachings, tribes, minchahs) being formed all by those who were living a lie while harshly judging others for their lack of purity. He does not feel innocent of all this himself, but when he tried to do the right thing , he saw that it wasn’t really in the hearts of the leaders to deal fairly with the truth but to hide it in order to continue their charade. I have had a lot to do with many people joining or remaining in the tribes. I feel for conscience sake, they are all deserving of the truth and deserve to know ALL the information that I now have and also to know why Yadutan and his wife had to leave.
This is just a very brief version of a much deeper and more involved story.
Please everyone know that Yadutan and his wife Emunah loved and gave their lives to the building of the community, as did my wife and I, but I can not stand by while my friends unwittingly go on trusting their lives, believing that they are building on something solid. My faith has been undermined by the reality of what the twelve tribes has really become! I did not easily come to these decisions.
It has been very painful for everyone involved and I know for a fact that Yadutan has no joy in having to live with this. BUT NEVER THE LESS IT IS THE TRUTH. People can try and contact him if they need to know or verify anything.
There are those who will say this is a lie from people who listen to liars, but there pages and pages and pages of emails and letters concerning this matter.
There are those who won’t care anyways and will continue on in the community.
This letter isn’t for those people. This letter is for the people who still care about the truth. For those who have been on the edge, and even for those who haven’t. It’s a wake up call to our friends in the Twelve Tribes.




[LEFT] [/LEFT]

[Jack russel terrier]

1. Elbert Eugene Spriggs is the leader of the twelve tribes and claims to be an "Apostle" and "the prophet Elijah." Spriggs says of himself, "I must begin by saying that the only authority I have to be called an apostle is my fruit. Of course authority comes from God, but is recognized by men according to its fruit its practicality". (Apostolic Role)

2. Elbert Spriggs also claims a "direct pipeline to God", and that he is a special messenger with a unique revelation! "Yoneq (Spriggs) expressed how there have been several things which our Father has spoken to him which have kept us on course." (Letter from Yoceph to Jonathan and Caleb).
3. Only Elbert Spriggs is allowed to give original teaching, and his writings are the final authority within the communities. Elbert Eugene Spriggs has no real accountability.

4. Community members must obey the teachings of Spriggs or risk shunning or excommunication. "Everything we hear in the teachings we are required to obey." (Repentance 4/2/91). "If an elder questioned Spriggs' teachings he could lose his place of authority. Michael Painter - former member

5. Every person must submit to the elders who are in submission to the leader (Spriggs). Demand absolute obedience.

6. Inhibits critical thinking so that a "group think" predominates. Followers give up the right to make value judgments of their own. (They cannot reason).

7. There is intense control over community members in the areas of dress, and the regulation of where one lives. "When we are in the Body we have no independent action or movement. AWM 6/12/88) [SIZE=2]

A. All men must wear their hair in short ponytails wit a long, trimmed beard. All women wear long dresses, skirts or “Sus” pants. Women also have long hair. Unity with the “church” is heavily stressed, usually to the point where it becomes the chief doctrine. Unity is considered to be more important than “Doctrine".

B. Food restrictions are also tightly regulated. This is not only in regards to what a member can eat but even his enjoyment of food and how fast he eats. "If it is not a need it is an act of the flesh - like eating when you don't need to. Eating for pleasure is greed. No one who does this will enter the Kingdom, also no one who eats fast- even when you are alone - will enter the kingdom... If we eat hurriedly it means we don't know God or our brothers and sisters.'

C. Twelve tribes’ members live communally where their movement, thoughts and actions are monitored.

8. Emotion control is also practiced within the communities, narrowing a person's emotional responses. The gray areas of life are slowly eliminated, and everything progressively becomes black and white. This manipulation and narrowing of emotions occurs in three ways with the use of guilt, anger and fear.

9. The Twelve Tribes Community practices brutal information control. Community members are not permitted to read newspapers, books, listen to the radio or connect to the Internet. This causes the individual member to become highly dependent on the group.

10. The community claims a special exalted status for itself. "We are the light and the hope of the world. We are the only ones who can reclaim this earth for its Maker. We are the only ones whose lives of love and pure devotion, like a bride for her groom, can bring heaven to earth all other attempts to do so are not merely futile, they are evil..”

11. Members are encouraged (strongly) to break ties with family and friends and society. The Community becomes a replacement family and society.
Restricts the ability to leave the group with the use of phobia indoctrinatiation.

ex. "You will become a homosexual if you leave the community."

[Mary's Little Lamb]

Jack, you are on a rampage. You do not have good feelings about Mr. Spriggs or the Community. Please, tell me who it was that hurt you so badly. I want to talk to that person.
I remember when I first met Eugene Spriggs. I had a bag full of dirty laundry. I brought my dirty clothes to Eugene and told him that I needed them washed. In the middle of the day I walked through the house and noticed him taking my clothes out of the washer and putting them into the dryer. At the end of the day all of my clothes were in a basket, clean and neatly folded. Needless to say, by my experience, I do not have any fear or "control" coming to me from Elbert Eugene Spriggs; quite the contrary. I have very good feelings about Mr. Spriggs and the community.
I was previously a Hotel/Restaurant manager in a hotel for celebrities and high profile political figures. My sister is in the U.S. Government. My mother is one of the top ballroom dancers in the world. My father is a U.S. Diplomat. I come from a pretty sophisticated background. Perhaps there is somebody less sophisticated who needs to wake up as a member of the Twelve Tribes from what is really going on here according to what you have previously stated, Jack. As far as I'm concerned, between me, the people that I live with, and my family and friends there is an overwhelming air of peace, comfort, and security in regards to the Community here. When ever my mother or sister is feeling down or stressed this is the first place that they come to, to find solace, peace, and rejuvenation. I'm thankful that I'm here and that this is here for them to come to.
As for Mr. Spriggs' teachings. Everything that he comes up with is based around loving God and your neighbor as yourself with all your heart. And it's not just him, but all of us come up with similar teachings everyday.
You know, Jack, Eugene is going into his eighties soon. He won't be around too much longer. When Eugene is gone, I wonder whose face you're going to pin up on the wall next.
Tell me who hurt you, Jack. I want to talk to that person.

Originally Posted by Jack russel terrier

1. Elbert Eugene Spriggs is the leader of the twelve tribes and claims to be an "Apostle" and "the prophet Elijah." Spriggs says of himself, "I must begin by saying that the only authority I have to be called an apostle is my fruit. Of course authority comes from God, but is recognized by men according to its fruit its practicality". (Apostolic Role)

2. Elbert Spriggs also claims a "direct pipeline to God", and that he is a special messenger with a unique revelation! "Yoneq (Spriggs) expressed how there have been several things which our Father has spoken to him which have kept us on course." (Letter from Yoceph to Jonathan and Caleb).
3. Only Elbert Spriggs is allowed to give original teaching, and his writings are the final authority within the communities. Elbert Eugene Spriggs has no real accountability.

4. Community members must obey the teachings of Spriggs or risk shunning or excommunication. "Everything we hear in the teachings we are required to obey." (Repentance 4/2/91). "If an elder questioned Spriggs' teachings he could lose his place of authority. Michael Painter - former member

5. Every person must submit to the elders who are in submission to the leader (Spriggs). Demand absolute obedience.

6. Inhibits critical thinking so that a "group think" predominates. Followers give up the right to make value judgments of their own. (They cannot reason).

7. There is intense control over community members in the areas of dress, and the regulation of where one lives. "When we are in the Body we have no independent action or movement. AWM 6/12/88) [SIZE=2]

A. All men must wear their hair in short ponytails wit a long, trimmed beard. All women wear long dresses, skirts or “Sus” pants. Women also have long hair. Unity with the “church” is heavily stressed, usually to the point where it becomes the chief doctrine. Unity is considered to be more important than “Doctrine".

B. Food restrictions are also tightly regulated. This is not only in regards to what a member can eat but even his enjoyment of food and how fast he eats. "If it is not a need it is an act of the flesh - like eating when you don't need to. Eating for pleasure is greed. No one who does this will enter the Kingdom, also no one who eats fast- even when you are alone - will enter the kingdom... If we eat hurriedly it means we don't know God or our brothers and sisters.'

C. Twelve tribes’ members live communally where their movement, thoughts and actions are monitored.

8. Emotion control is also practiced within the communities, narrowing a person's emotional responses. The gray areas of life are slowly eliminated, and everything progressively becomes black and white. This manipulation and narrowing of emotions occurs in three ways with the use of guilt, anger and fear.

9. The Twelve Tribes Community practices brutal information control. Community members are not permitted to read newspapers, books, listen to the radio or connect to the Internet. This causes the individual member to become highly dependent on the group.

10. The community claims a special exalted status for itself. "We are the light and the hope of the world. We are the only ones who can reclaim this earth for its Maker. We are the only ones whose lives of love and pure devotion, like a bride for her groom, can bring heaven to earth all other attempts to do so are not merely futile, they are evil..”

11. Members are encouraged (strongly) to break ties with family and friends and society. The Community becomes a replacement family and society.
Restricts the ability to leave the group with the use of phobia indoctrinatiation.

ex. "You will become a homosexual if you leave the community."

[Jack russel terrier]

Thank goodness for freed of of speech! I should add there is no freedom of speech in the commununity and that group think mentality prevails!

[vter]

ok...this has strayed to a religious discussion. Please take it yo the religion forum. Thanks.