Exclusive Brethren intimidation tactics caught on film

The story behind the following Today Tonight Australian news footage is even more dramatic than the high-speed car chases, mindless intimidation and the images of squirming cult members.

The underlying facts here involve the heart-wrenching story of an Exclusive Brethren teenager who is confused as to his sexual identity. In any tolerant and modern social environment, this is a topic for discussion, understanding and above all, caring. It is an opportunity to display love and compassion.

This would be the case in almost any community, Christian or not, but here we deal with the Exclusive Brethren …

Exclusive Brethren @ Yahoo!7 Video
Read all »

Frequently, it is what the Exclusive Brethren do not say that speaks loudest.

Many will recall the first cult smear advertising that first hit the streets in New Zealand in 2005. Later, Australia suffered the same influx of brochures, pamphlets and handouts. They all had one thing in common - the group behind the material was never mentioned.

Rather than provide any normal route to identity, the Exclusive Brethren intentionally obfuscate their publications. When you consider the way they hide their tracks, this is perhaps understandable: false addresses, misleading names, even the business premises of their unsuspecting tenants … One thing is constant, the name of the Taylorite / Symington / Hales Exclusive Brethren never appears.

9/11 and now 'Black Saturday'

And now, in perhaps their most cynical effort todate, they use their own children in an effort to extract money from a public for whom they care nothing and even seemingly entrap a Prime Minister who has publicly declared them an “extremist cult” to assist them. And their public relations lever? The killer bush fires that swept across Victoria in southern Australia during February, less than a year ago.

‘ Firestorm: Black Saturday’s Tragedy‘ is published by Dennis Jones & Associates of Byswater, Victoria, Australia and there is even a website dedicated to the PR cause: http://www.blacksaturdaysfirestorm.com.au

The Glenvale School is an Exclusive Brethren school – one of those campuses that is set to receive some of the over $70 million hand-out authorized by Kevin Rudd over the next two years: Read all »

Answer: these three politicians came into contact with the Exclusive Brethren and have suffered political damage as a result.

Don Brash and John Howard are now history, but Kevin Rudd currently remains the Prime Minister of Australia. Will Rudd manage to retain his role in the next Australian General Election? Time will tell, but the informed media are sharpening their swords over a mounting list of unfathomable decisions that simply do not add up. Of greater import perhaps is the ‘chatter’ from members of the Australian electorate who are the final arbiters in the future of any politician.

For example, consider the voices of those who have objected to the seeming duplicity in Keven Rudd’s decision to allow over $70 million to be paid to the Exclusive Brethren school system in Australia. It is almost mystifying to watch the man who had the courage in late 2007 to call the Exclusive Brethren what they are – “an extremist cult and sect … who break up families” – and then just two years later, to fork out an almost obscenely disproportionate contribution to the school system blatantly designed by the cult for the cult.

These are not schools aimed at producing well-rounded citizens of the countries and communities in which they are located. They serve one main purpose – Read all »

The Exclusive Brethren have been desperate to repair some of the public damage caused to their reputation since their disasterous foray into international politics in 2003. Initially they attempted to handle their own public relations, but their inability to be persuasive in the media forced them to hire a public relations firm.

“In early 2007, senior members of the Exclusive Brethren Christian Fellowship approached Jackson Wells seeking assistance dealing with a sudden and intense increase in media interest…”

“At the heart of Jackson Wells strategy to assist the Brethren was to increase the Church’s engagement with the wider community, mainly through the media.”

“The Brethren Church still has some way to travel in gaining an accurate public understanding of the lifestyle of its members”

Jackson Wells: ‘understanding’ the Exclusive Brethren

The Exclusive Brethren have a track record of hypocrisy. For example, while still maintaining that the Internet was a “pipeline of filth”, they created a website that even today spouts:

“The Exclusive Brethren practice separation from evil, recognising this as God’s principle of unity. They shun the conduits of evil communications: television, the radio, and the Internet…”

The Exclusive Brethren: Who are they?

In an attempt to demonstrate a self-perceived commitment to public good deeds, The Exclusive Brethren used to trumpet the fact that they had offered unspecified assistance in the aftermath of 9/11 on their ‘evil’ website:

“The Exclusive Brethren assisted the rescue efforts at Ground Zero during the aftermath of the tragic attacks on the World Trade Center on September 11, 2001.”

Previous Exclusive Brethren website

This changed following the February 2009 bushfires in Victoria Australia when Jackson Wells co-founder quietly leaked the fact that the Exclusive Brethren had donated $3 million to the Red Cross Appeal. (Source Peter Jackson blog )

Shortly afterward, the Exclusive Brethren website replaced their 9/11 self-congratulation with the Jackson Wells bushfire donation story:

“Members of the Exclusive Brethren donated more than A$3 million to the Red Cross Bushfire Appeal to assist those affected by the devastating Black Saturday blazes in Victoria on February 7, 2009.

Many Brethren live close to areas burned and employ people who lost loved ones and property in the fires.”

Source – The Exclusive Brethren website

To ensure that the public get the message, an Exclusive Brethren school has now published a book labelled as a fund raiser. In a remarkable public relations coup, they even persuaded Kevin Rudd, the Australian Prime Minister to offer support for the enterprise!

The public relations smoke screen follows on the heels of the recent announcement that the Exclusive Brethren schools system have been granted over $70 million (AUS) in Australian federal funds over the next two years.

Brethren schools get $70m in funding
The Australian
by Rick Wallace
January 12, 2010

The Rudd government is handing more than $70 million to schools run by the Exclusive Brethren, a religious sect Kevin Rudd described as an “extremist cult” that breaks up families.

The sect’s schools have secured more than $8.4m under the government’s school building stimulus package and they will share in $62m in recurrent taxpayer funding.

Documents show a Brethren-run school at Swan Hill in northern Victoria was granted $1.2m for a library and $800,000 for a hall when its most recent annual report shows it had just 16 pupils and already had a library.

Grants data released by the commonwealth shows that Brethren schools in every state received funding under the $12.4 billion schools stimulus package. Despite the Brethren’s past disdain for computers, figures show its schools have received more than 300 under the commonwealth computers-in-school initiative.

Source: Brethren schools get $70m in funding

Although it might appear that ‘flying under the radar’ has recently proved beneficial to the secretive cult and their advisors, the confused signals from the Rudd administration have resulted in increased media scrutiny.  Rick Wallace of the Australian continues investigating the outrageous funding:

Exclusive Brethren enjoying $1m taxpayer windfall
The Australian
by Rick Wallace
January 13, 2010

Despite being assessed as wealthy, the Brethren’s mushrooming network of schools is being funded at a higher rate than independent schools in battling regional communities such as Bourke and Longreach.

The secretive but financially savvy sect has taken advantage of a “no-disadvantage” clause put in the funding system by the Howard government, of which the Brethren was a strong supporter.

…

The no-disadvantage clause means that despite the wealth of the Brethren schools’ communities, their funding level is preserved at that awarded to the original campus at Meadowbank in Sydney. Australian Education Union federal president Angelo Gavrielatos said the funding guarantee was costing taxpayers $3.5 billion a year and must be urgently reviewed.

“The over-funding of the Exclusive Brethren’s MET school is a prime example of a corrupted funding system, with half the private schools in the country funded above their entitlement,” Mr Gavrielatos said.

Source: Exclusive Brethren enjoying $1m taxpayer windfall

Now watch for security fences, steel padlocked gates, CCTV and blocked-out windows.

Exactly what persuaded Staffordshire’s Development Control Committee to grant approval for the conversion of a local pub to a very non-public house last week remains unclear. It seems, in a highly controversial decision, that the Lynton Tavern, Bodmin Avenue, Stafford, UK has now passed into the hands of a local cell of the Exclusive Brethren.

The Development Control Committee members cannot complain that they have no idea whom they are dealing with!  There has been excellently-organized community support in attempting to prevent this example of community self-mutilation. As always with the Exclusive Brethren, there are ‘wheels within wheels’ and only time will tell whether the town officials maintain their ‘ostrich-in-the-sand’ posture.

Controversial plan is set to get green light
Staffordshire Post
Jan 12, 2010

Councillors are set to approve controversial plans to convert part of a Stafford pub into a place of worship despite a raft of local objections.

Stafford Gospel Hall Trust members want to convert the Lynton Tavern, Bodmin Avenue, Stafford, into a place of worship for up to 25 people. Read all »

Who says Public Relations firms are ineffectual?

The news that Daniel Hales, brother to the Exclusive Brethren leader Bruce D. Hales, is to present a paper at the ICSA Annual Conference in New York in early July 2010 marks a new step in a carefully choreographed transformation.

Daniel Hales has lived in the shadow of his younger brother since not being selected as a suitable leader of the EB following the death of their father John S. Hales in 2002. Always heavily involved in the business and monetary aspects of the cult, he has nevertheless been carefully groomed over the past several years by Jackson Wells (http://www.jacksonwells.com.au/), the EB’s Public Relations Agency, to act as a spokesman for the group.

Several spokesmen have come and gone since Bruce Hales gained control in 2002. Due to the reluctance (some say inability) of Bruce Hales to face the media, a series of personalities have attempted to divert attention away from what many view as firm evidence of cultic behavior. Indeed, the Exclusive Brethren were recently described by current Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd as “an extremist cult and sect” who went on to state that he believed “they break up families“. Read all »

To be entirely accurate, Clive Petrie was a member of the Exclusive Brethren right up until accusations surfaced of past sexual misconduct. Petrie was then immediately shut up (shunned) by the Exclusive Brethren and was subsequently withdrawn-from (excommunicated).

The Exclusive Brethren sent their then current PR Spokesman, Anthony ‘Tony’ McCorkell to attempt to diffuse the growing scandal in New Zealand. McCorkell failed rather dismally and returned to his Australian employer, Exclusive Brethren leader, Bruce D. Hales. McCorkell’s efforts on behalf of the Exclusive Brethren attracted the attention of some investigative journalists and shortly thereafter he also faded from view.

So the Exclusive Brethren washed their hands of the man who had grown up within them, expelled him and left him to the courts. The law took its course …

Former Brethren jailed for sex crimes
The Nelson Mail
Dec 8th, 2009

An elderly former Exclusive Brethren member has been jailed for 2½ years for sexual crimes against four young girls and will pay them a total of $20,000 in reparations.

Clive Allen Petrie, 74, of Enner Glynn, was sentenced in the Nelson District Court this morning.

He had been found guilty by a Nelson jury in September of nine charges of indecently assaulting girls and one charge of inducing a girl under 12 to do an indecent act on him. Read all »

Craig Hoyle also featured in a December 2009 episode of 60 Minutes on NZ TV

Final Part of the Craig Hoyle story

And immediately, we refute our own heading – no way is this the final instalment in the story of Craig Hoyle! The bubbly infectious personality that Craig enjoys means that this 20 year old man has many more pages to write.

Craig had the courage to publicize his experiences as a young gay male both within and then outside the homophobic Exclusive Brethren cult. The stories he has told of disciplinary measures, ‘chemical castration’ and the manner in which even his own family was forced to disown him has shocked all who have followed his story.

This website has received hate-mail for even reproducing his story! Comments from several Exclusive Brethren members have been so obnoxious that they could not be printed even after editing. How a group that attempts to call themselves ‘christian’ can produce members who offer such hate-filled correspondence is beyond extraordinary, it is perhaps the most compelling argument of all that the Exclusive Brethren are no longer Christian.

They have extensive historical Christian roots and up to 40 years ago, they were well respected in all areas of society. The impact of American James Taylor Junior in the 1960’s and subsequent leaders has been spiritually catastrophic. The Taylor/Symington/Hales branch of the Exclusive Plymouth Brethren is rightly described as a cult by many today.

The story of Craig Hoyle was published in late 2009 by GayNZ.com and it led to Craig’s appearance on NZ’s 60 Minutes. (Click here or the image above to watch the TV3 episode)

Read the three Craig Hoyle Articles:

Part 1 – What is it like to be gay in the Exclusive Brethren?

Part 2 – Excommunication fron the Exclusive Brethren

and Part 3 - After the Exclusive Brethren: Craig looks ahead

Craig Hoyle, NZ

Part 2 of the Craig Hoyle story

If you ever wondered how the Exclusive Brethren treat those who dare to question their rules and lifestyle, Craig Hoyle’s continuing story will tell you far more than you probably want to know.

Craig Hoyle is gay – a ‘mortal sin’ and, as far as the Exclusive Brethren cult are concerned, a sickness that must be suppressed and cured. The way that Craig was treated is both heart-rending and anger-inducing.

How dare these people call themselves ‘Christian’!

We continue Craig’s story below. The first part of his journey can be read here - ‘What is it like to be gay in the Exclusive Brethren’ -

20-year-old Craig Hoyle, who was brought up in the Exclusive Brethren Church, risked losing everything when he told his priests and family he was gay.

After several meetings with church leaders, and a period under hormonal suppressant medication given to him by a Brethren doctor, Craig just couldn’t take it anymore. He was placed into the first stage of ‘excommunication’.

Craig continues his extraordinary story (Part 2).

New Zealander Craig Hoyle

Part 1 of the Craig Hoyle Story

New Zealander Craig Hoyle is hilarious, intelligent, warm, loving … and gay. What is especially remarkable is that 20-year-old Craig Hoyle, like generations of his family, was brought up in the Exclusive Brethren Church – one of the most homophobic of modern-day cults.

As you read Craig’s story, you will begin to understand why his life became unbearable and why he decided he had no choice but to leave the Exclusive Brethren.

It is sad to add that Craig’s story is not unique – not by any means.

The special thing about Craig Hoyle is his courage.

We salute the man Craig Hoyle!

Notoriously isolationist and conservative, the Brethren started in the UK in the 1820s but it only arrived in Invercargill, NZ in December 1992. It now has around 160 members in NZ’s southern-most city.

The eldest in a family of seven children ranging down to nine years old, Craig until recently worked in his dad’s Invercargill tyre shop. His whole life, from his day to day work and leisure through to his lifetime prospects, were mapped out inflexibly, and enforced, by the church.

Perhaps it might have been a bearably conformist life if Craig wasn’t gay.
In his own words Craig, comfortable with being identified by his real name and background, tells his remarkable and inspirational story to GayNZ.com’s Matt Akersten.

Read Part 2 of Craig’s story