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He theorized founder Blair Adams wrote it. He told me tonights broadcast is explosive stuff.. 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. 388 Halbert Lane, Waco, TX 76705 (254) 754-9604. And I will never forget the first movie I saw, Spiderman. C) they use the bible and their own "literature". Recently I had some major health issues and ended up at the hospital where I died and had to be revived. Did you have any personal interaction with the founder at all? His female victims were 11 and 17 years old. But the truth is Homestead Heritage does not fit that mold, they say. For this story, I spoke to 14 former members of the community. And when you dont find joy in everyday life, you go looking for pleasure elsewhere, anywhere you can find it. . Their storyline as a whole presents a blatantly false and misleading characterization of our non-violent, peace-loving Christian community.. She lived in McKeesport, Allegheny, Pennsylvania, United States in 1910 and Homestead, Dade, Florida, United States in 1935. Hey, that's interesting because so few people in Waco seem to see how creepy they are. Promotional materials distributed by your outlet, including all social media work, must include cites for the Observer and our reporter. Unusual to a huge degree, yes. WFAAs investigation is believed to have found further evidence of abuse what Shipp describes as compelling personal testimony and physical documentation that Elders of Homestead either knew or should have known that children were being sexually and physically abused within the community., In his entire career, Shipp says hes never had to work so hard to corroborate allegations of an important story. She told an elder about the abuse she suffered, who in turn informed other elders in the church. He even sat in on an April 2005 workshop for exes held by Watchman Fellowship, a self-described Christian research ministry devoted to exposing cults and giving voice to those who had escaped their all-controlling influence. Ask me anything! Wheeler and other followers are convinced the driving force behind the attack is Watchman Fellowship researcher Phillip Arnn. Thats why a settlement was reached - not because the group had done anything wrong, they say. It is a terrifying display, as anyone who has witnessed it can attest. And if a member doesnt buckle, he can be officially dis-fellowshipped, he wrote. Homestead Heritage, sexual abuse, lewdness. They would fare so much better if they broke free like I did. If you ever discussed it with other members or your family, how did they handle your questions? The group is led by a contingent of 20 men called ministers who are similar to what other churches call elders. He chooses the elders; they choose the group leaders; the group leaders choose the members. Posted by stripesfordays. Ex-members have posted passages from Homestead Heritage literature, but much is quoted out of context, they say. It has grown to a 140-acre operation. An example of a less serious post is one in which Crow says Homestead Heritage founder Blair Adams lives in a home with luxurious touches such as leather furniture and the best of appliances. 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. I loved that and I became quite a loner. Visit the Homestead at Heritage and witness first hand why so many are calling it home. The motivation behind that attack, members say, is to make Homestead Heritage seem as if it deceptively recruits members, further fitting the mold of a cult. As obedient as I was as a member of Homestead Heritage, I swore to myself I would never do that again. His parents were teenagers when they joined the group, and his dad was a one-time leader. Heritage Acres Homestead Sticker HomesteadMoma (60) $2.50 FREE shipping Organic Onion Chive Live Plants SPRING PLANTING Bare Root Plants Herb Hardy to 30 Below Zero Cuisine Multiplying Perennial plus Self-Seeds AllButTheFarmSink (122) $3.00 Homestead Heritage Pottery/Ceramic/Signed Kelle/Vintage treasuresbyirma (85) $43.15 FREE shipping 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. But I do like the back to basics ideology. Homestead Heritage fights back, disputing claims of deception, abuse What is Homestead Heritage? Nor do we hold any personal animus towards the media personnel involved. 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. He said the leaders attempt to control every aspect of a members life. When my dad said he was leaving they started coming over to our house for hours a day for over a week, calling threats of hell and generally scaring the shit out of me. OK, apparently I had a lot of questions! Although the group was founded by Blair Adams, he has no more authority than the other ministers, they say. Each disclosed their name, together with details of the years they were in Homestead Heritage or one of its earlier incarnations, but some, fearing reprisals, asked to use pseudonyms. Its not fair to them and its not fair to us to have someone who comes in thinking they know and they dont know, Wheeler says. My dads in his 50s now and is still being disciplined., Johns comments echo those of Christina. Sorry if others have asked the same questions (don't worry about answering any that have been already answered) I started typing them up when you said you were planning to do this AMA :). 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. As former member Katherine Beechner said, I dont know of any other church that puts out a book that trains its members how to answer questions from visitors. Thats why the articles remain on the Watchman Fellowship site, he said. Prince William County Executive Chris Shorter proposed major pay increases for county employees and a 5.3-cent real estate tax reduction Tuesday night, all part of his $1.61 billion budget proposal The member who Alexander said abused him is no longer in the church. All I want is for you to love me. They let me do this and didnt have enough concern to take him away, she said. But the specific violation is not the issue. He and the rest of the elders recently tried to get even more money by taking all the members' private businesses and making them part of the church so they would get a tax break but that's when the county stepped in and said no. Were they judgmental of them, envious, suspicious? My requests to interview Ratliff and both DeLongs in prison were turned down, and none of the men replied to letters sent by mail. Because of that reaction, Morgan came to Waco to talk to people on both sides. The organization doesn't consider Homestead Heritage dangerous in a physical or legal sense, he says. 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. Sex is treated as an extremely taboo subject and it leads to a lot of weird behavior. 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. The group does teach that the spirit of Jesus is manifested within the body of Christ. 2021 The Texas Observer. Such treatment might sound harsh, Homestead Heritage members acknowledge. I suggested to him that he should turn himself in and he said he would.. At least 20 people who were critical of the article contacted the magazine, says deputy managing editor Timothy Morgan. It was published in the February 2005 edition of Christianity Today, a magazine distributed throughout North America. The two main distortions, members say, are that the group believes salvation comes through works and that it is imparted to only an elite few. But it does mean people cannot continually commit unrepented sin and enter heaven. The truth is visitors are asked to come to Friday night meetings because they will be more edifying, followers say. And I think thats why some people turned to child abuse. More. Since then, the board has exploded with posts, thrusting the Waco group into an unwanted glare shed mostly by its critics. Outlets must also tag the Observer in all social media posts. Thats the abbreviation for a group called the Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, which says its purpose is to promote independent investigation and public debate and dialog on cult and mind-control issues.. Clinton Elder is a perfect example of how ex-members have tried to blame Homestead Heritage rather than deal with personal failure, members say. Besides ex-members, those posting on the site are Watchman Fellowship officials, a few ex-members who defend Homestead Heritage and interested outsiders. He is driven by a difference of opinion over doctrine, they say. Using pseudonyms, they continue today to post their testimonies on online forums like F.A.C.T.net, a resource for those recovering from the coercive practices of cults and religions, and on Topix.com, a web-based discussion community. The Observer deeply regrets the error. Outlets must also tag the Observer in all social media posts. . Theyve literally called us just about every name in the book, Wheeler says. And by extension, it believes it can discredit the entire body of allegations. For nearly two decades, Homestead Heritage has cultivated the reputation of a quiet Christian community rooted in a picturesque stretch of Central Texas, its disciples devoted to a quaint if curious way of life. DeLong told the officer he was part of a religious community at that time which is called the Heritage Ministries, and that he had had a problem with masturbation since he was young, describing it as one of the biggest problems he ever had to overcome. at Homestead Heritage We're open year-round, Monday through Saturday, 9AM to 5PM. I remember as a kid listening through the door while mom was on the phone to leaders wives. Publications, Forms and Documents. End result: Homestead Heritage became a scapegoat for ex-members. A Homestead Divided: Former Homestead members, anti-cult group accuse sect of deception, controlling lives Life & modern conveniences at Homestead Heritage A Homestead Divided: Local religious group fighting to preserve its image 2021 The Texas Observer. Members would rather talk with people about what they believe than tell them to read a book, they say. Thats why the group does not have a written statement of faith, members say. Whats really going on near Waco? But my dad stayed in town and started speaking out on web forums and to news reporters about what was happening. If, for example, a member was asked whether the children there are allowed to go to college, she said they were taught to say something like: Well, if anyone really felt God leading them to do that, then of course he would be able to. The problem with that, she said, is that what they meant by God leading them actually meant if the leadership tells them God wants them to do that. E) The were having a meeting and screaming at some kids and the kids were crying and I guess that was the last straw for my dad. 5.0 out of 5 stars Right price and product. Homestead Heritage, on the other hand, lets members decide how much, if any, contact to have with family members who leave. But the process doesnt involve screaming or yelling as ex-members claim, they say. 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. Homestead Heritage leaders learned of the site three days after it was launched. A favorite target is any high-demand religious group, Wheeler says. The Shrinking actor talks mental health, being queer, and why the Lone Star State is the perfect home for his new play Silver Foxes. 10/06/2020. I mean, when you live on 60 acres you can always find a place to sneak away to. He also wrote the reason outsiders were forbidden from attending Sunday church meetings was that theyre reserved for disciplining members in front of the entire congregation. The abuse continued until he turned 18. The story served as an introduction to the church to anyone outside Texas. As another former member told me, Who will believe a child over somebody else in the fellowship? When Bill DeLong gave himself up to officers at the McLennan County Sheriffs office in Waco in June 2004, he was in tears. Doesnt it make you mad that your dad, who I believe is an honorable man, was made to shield for someone who does not have the courage to sign his own letter?. However, all of my childhood friends are gone, all my current long term friends are from when I was 16 onward. Crow also has an explanation for his comments about medical care. Homestead Heritage is an intentional community in rural Texas. Making the point that Watchman Fellowship claims to be a truth-discerning ministry, Homestead Heritage officials furnished documents which show that several articles on Watchman Fellowships site about Branch Davidians were written by a man named James Trimm. Crow, who left the group seven years ago, said young men growing up in the community are made to suppress their desires and sex drive. Idaho, The Walk. Sandy says she informed an elder, but instead of taking the matter to police, she says he dis-fellowshipped the individuals she said committed the crimes and forced her to accept responsibility for her part in what they deemed immoral relationships. The Observer urged Sandy to go to the police to report the individuals responsible. This follows Februarys Texas Observer story, Heritage of Abuse in which I exposed accusations of child abuse, beatings and cover-ups leveled at the group. r/AMA 6 yr. ago. A stable is a building in which livestock, especially horses, are kept.It most commonly means a building that is divided into separate stalls for individual animals and livestock. He then said the group would come to the same fiery end that the Branch Davidians met in April 1993. Lt. Clay Perry of the McLennan County Sheriffs office told the Observer that officers decided not to pursue a prosecution against Klingensmith. Photos, illustrations and other art may be available for syndication but must be confirmed. I am a male and all the people who said it happened to them are female, so maybe that has something to do with it. Personal experience and academic study have taught him that people often fear religious sects that are different, he says. My guess is that they somehow talked their way out of it, they can sound pretty convincing. 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. (Everyone always seemed friendly and relatively normal when I visited, so just wondering.). Others dont want to admit they freely made a decision to join a group they later ended up disagreeing with, he says. Such distortion is one reason why Homestead Heritage opts not to post on the F.A.C.T.Net board, members say. He said his parents split up because of what the church did to them; that it leaves a path of broken homes. Anyone who leaves the group, Beechner claimed, is shunned and denounced as being the spirit of the antichrist. I smile on the outside though sometimes I am dying on the inside. More info: http://www.homesteadheritage.com/ https://www.texasobserver.org/heritage-of-abuse/ https://www.texasobserver.org/wfaa-weighs-in-on-homestead-heritages-with-a-two-part-investigation/ https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=elFvLVR0J6w. Or any aspects or values that you think are correct? In an email, one elder, Dan Lancaster, wrote of the groups concern that countering in a public media forum a laundry list of sour grapes accusations and distortions would, at best, simply lend credence to a characterization of our community that is misleading. Instead, Lancaster suggested meeting in person to talk completely off the record. The Observer asked for a telephone interview instead. Press J to jump to the feed. Waco, Texas Contact Suggest edits to improve what we show. Scroll down for video Unreported abuse: Blair Adams, church leader at Homestead Heritage, has been accused of covering up widespread abuse of children and teenagers Sexual exploitation of. Improve this listing Similar Experiences Their literature was mostly books about how we should behave and how we should explain ourselves to outsiders. He was the greatest thing that ever lived. He was furious., Alexander said his mother told a church elder about it, but that the elder in question did nothing. I wanted to see who got cut down; who got berated, he said. And most of the young people that wanted to go to college left the group because they werent allowed anyway. So I guess the county/city won't let them get away with everything! The Dumfries Town Council has passed a resolution to establish a committee to plan a celebration in 2024 to mark the 275th anniversary of the town's charter, according to a news release. The group said those crises and shortcomings help explain the troubled states of mind that spurred some of the accusations. Cult, abuse: these words define a popular community located in Waco, Tx, known to most as Homestead Heritage, with perhaps a thousand or more faithful members. I love answering good questions that make me think about why I am who I am. Once that frame was built around the group, Arnn could introduce the idea of spiritual abuse. 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. If you still express interest and the elders feel like you are into the "vision" (basically you are more likely to agree with them) you can start visiting regularly on Friday nights. But honestly the definition of "cult" seems so open, I'd prefer to just say that they cut off members from outside contact. 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.