Kevin Rudd’s Reply to the February 2008 ex-Exclusive Brethren Submission
Office of the Prime Minister
Canberra
30 April 2008
Mr Peter Flinn
[Address]
Dear Mr Flinn
The Prime Minister has asked me to acknowledge and respond to your letter dated 25 February 2008 written for and behalf of 33 ex-members of the Exclusive Brethren.
I acknowledge, in particular, the moving personal accounts contained in the 13 ‘life stories’ appended to the letter.
The Prime Minister does not resile from the views he expressed last year about the Exclusive Brethren. In particular, the Prime Minister remains concerned about the reported imposition of doctrines that weaken family bonds. He also remains concerned about reported doctrines that prevent children accessing online learning tools.
I note your observations on the role played by Exclusive Brethren members in recent Australian election campaigns. The Government is committed to enhancing transparency in our electoral system and has recently announced reforms related to the disclosure and sources of donations. A green Paper on electoral reform will be released for comment later this year.
While appreciating your deeply held concerns, the Prime Minister cannot agree to your request for a wide-ranging inquiry into the Exclusive Brethren. The Government believes that such an inquiry could unreasonably interfere with the capacity of members of the Exclusive Brethren to practise their faith freely and openly.
Religious observance should not be regarded as a shield behind which breaches of the law can be hidden. Any alleged breaches of the law by members of the Exclusive Brethren, or any other member of the community, should be brought to the attention of appropriate agencies for investigation.
Thank you for writing to the Prime Minister about this matter.
Yours sincerely
[signed]
David Epstein
Chief of Staff
The TAYLOR-HALES Exclusive Brethren sect is punitive and a form of emotional oppression and blackmail, imprisoned by a misled leadership and fearfully imposed upon blind followers. Prima facie they may just avoid censure under national law. Nonetheless they violate the Law of God and while assuming an inferred superiority secrete the source of their own dissolution-speed the day Oh Lord of the Church.
[...] Read Epstein’s Reply [...]
The appellation ‘Man of God’ applied by Sydney and other sect members is a further indication of their perversion of Scripture where the term is applied to all Christians as men/women of God, owned by God, following Christ as their model.It is specifically not a title for one indvidual and if so applied a text taken out of context, a pretext!!!
In that the Exclusives claim that their God has only 40,000 followers they again deny the fact the God is the Lord of unnumbered hosts (se Psalms and Revelation) and cast blaphemous aspertions on the work of Christ on Golgotha’s hill. AWAKE out of sleep you Brethren people, admit your guilt and God will shine upon you.