Main Source: Political MoneyLine - Update Sat Dec 18th, 2004

This purely internal expansion forces the Exclusive Brethren to follow standard local planning application routes - including negotiation with people they consider 'unclean' - not something the EB like to do. To add to their discomforture, Planning Applications are a matter of public record and this is doubtlessly one of the reasons the EB are anxious to remove some of their minuted tactics and statements from the public eye through 'informal contact' (see Written Evidence to Select Committee - News November 29th).

An example of recent Planning Applications involve The Shepherdsmead Trust - an EB Trust in the Guildford, UK area. It would appear that they were unsuccessful(*) on this occasion, based on re-zoning issues.

• Chapter 15 - Community Facilities
• Chapter 10 - Inspectors Report

(* Further information on this application is contained within the Peebs.Net Forums.)

Garrison Keillor is the well-loved personality behind 'A Prairie Home Companion' - a radio show heard by over 4 million listeners each week on over 558 public radio stations, and is heard abroad on America One and the Armed Forces Networks In Europe and the Far East. His weekly monologue - 'The News from Lake Wobegon' - is often fall-on-the-floor funny as he skilfully pokes fun at rural America and the American psyche. He bases his humor around an imaginary community called Lake Wobegone and the local Lutheran church receives frequent attention! Lake Wobegon is a town of about 1200, populated mostly by German-Catholics and Norwegian-Lutherans, both of whom the Sanctified Brethren are "supposed to keep clear of".

Of particular interest to Peebs.Net is the fact that Garrison was obviously brought up in what seems to be an early EB home! The group that he was part of, he refers to as the 'Sanctified Brethren', or occasionally as 'Chosen Remnant of Saints Gathered to the Lord's Name and Faithful to the Literal Meaning of His word' - a title that most of us can close our eyes and remember hearing on numerous occasions. His childhood experiences seem based in the 1930's and 1940's and he even refers to Bethesda in the Nov 27th monologue.

Last week, for the November 27th show, Garrison picked Thanksgiving as his theme in The News from Lake Wobegone and truly excelled himself in describing a family Thanksgiving dinner from his youth. Funny? It's downright hilarious! We would remind some that this show is meant to be humorous and that the ability to laugh at ourselves is a sign of true freedom.

• Click here to view the content of the whole show
• Click here to just hear The News from Lake Wobegone

As a little background, this is the Lutheran view of the 'Sanctified Brethren' as presented by Garrison Keillor.

(Note - You will need RealPlayer to hear the show. Click here to download if you do not already have this free audio player.)

The document, written by one J.R. Shephard, describes The Exclusive Brethren as a 'growing ... charitable organisation', responsible for 'the provision and maintenance of Gospel Halls'. The main thrust of this submission would seem to be that the Exclusive Brethren don't feel they are being fairly treated in some of their various Planning Applications. The Exclusive Brethren want to do something quite unusual - they want to encourage 'informal contact prior to formal submission' of their plans. This language would indicate their intent to create a level of social interaction that is potentially quite remarkable.

The Exclusive Brethren obviously wish to create the opportunity to schmooze with officials and try to explain their 'wider background issues ... which may justify a departure from [existing] policy'.

The document refers to a Model Code of Conduct for UK Local Authorities, which was also provided by our contributor.

Hopefully members of the Select Committee do not assume the promise of 'informal contact' to include an EB invitation to discuss a Planning Application over a pint and a sandwich at a local hostelry.

A recent Exclusive Brethren document has been forwarded to Peebs.Net that outlines current restrictions that are placed on travel. Signed by a selection of 'Leading Men' (Bruce Hales, Mark Steele, Neville Simmons, Cyril Parsons, Don Druckenmiller and Gordon Pollard), the document is dated August 27th, 2004. Peebs.Net has semi-obliterated the signatures to protect against identity theft, but the original scan is available upon request.

Travel Arrangements includes such information as:

• The continuing authority of Travel Coordinators and Attendance Officers;
• No overnight stays in places with no local assembly;
• When traveling, dress should enable airline staff and 'those who meet us' to recognize 'that we are Brethren';
• James Taylor Jnr. (who died in 1970 shortly after being discovered in bed with a married woman in Aberdeen, Scotland) is referred to reverently as 'our Beloved'.

This document and other similar material can be found in the Aberdeen Incident section.

The missing Cover Page and Title have been located and now 'This Great Recovery' - Some Dates of Interest is fully available for viewing both as individual pages or in the Peebs.Net Library.

Peebs.Net anticipate that the missing page 'Q' in the fascinating J.T. Jnr Directives will be posted shortly.

• Brethren: reveal plans to transform local nick into church

The first document is a summary of James Taylor Jnr Directives covering topics ranging from Business Practices to Disciplinary Procedures. So much for the frequent denials that there are any 'Rules and Regulations' within the Exclusive Brethren! As the document was revised as recently as July 2000, it would appear to be as relevant today as it was over 30 years ago when J.T. Jnr was alive.

The second document is currently missing a cover page, but appears to be a carefully constructed chronology of Exclusive Brethren doctrine dating back to the days of J.N. Darby. Although the title is missing, it can be assumed that this is intended to document the so-called 'Recovery and Maintenance of the Truth' (in EB parlance: 'Why we are the only True Church').

When reading these documents, it is important to recall that statements and ministry by any Exclusive Brethren 'Elect Vessel'/'Man of God' (aka Universal EB Leader) is considered equivalent to Scripture and immediately becomes 'EB Law'.

• 'Private school is for Brethren only'

• ' Group backing Bush, Senate candidate includes Knoxvillian'

A Tennessee contact address for the Committee:

The Committee states that their aim is:

"To engage in issue advocacy. Will not make contributions to state or federal candidates and will not engage in express advocacy for state or federal candidates."

• 'Beneath the radar group' behind late pro-GOP ads'

• Low Resolution image of New York Times, November 2nd, 2004 - page A17

The full-page advertisement was paid for by:

(Hewlett, NY is located in the neighboring town to the 'USA EB Headquarters' in Valley Stream, NY)

As usual, we will bring you more confirmed information as it becomes available.

The proclamation is from an officially still-recovering Bruce Hales who stated recently that: "If George Bush and Tony Blair are not returned to office, then the Rapture is very near."

It would appear that the Exclusive Brethren continue to be corporately concerned regarding the possibility of a Rapture occurring short-term. The implicit assumption that the Exclusive Brethren are even to be included in this global event, does not seem to be open to debate. Peebs.Net do not have direct access to Bruce Hales at this time, however we do know that he receives copies of this page and we would therefore like to ask him what we feel is a relevant question:

"Mr Hales, we understand that you teach that the Rapture is the 'Great Hope' for the Church, the Bride of Christ. Why then do you not pray for John Kerry and thus support your own teachings?

As usual, we shall pass this information to the White House - and in the interest of not appearing partisan, to the other main US Presidential candidates as well. It remains unknown as to whether President Bush will consider this Exclusive Brethren action to be a benefit or a threat in the final hours of his campaign.

The Australian Proclamation possibly marks the end of the prescribed 'hiatus' that the EB Leader has maintained since his eventful (see the Forums) trip to New Zealand earlier this year.