“Leave us alone” - Exclusive Brethren

August 27, 2008

Exclusive Brethren - leave us alone headlineWhat part of Senator Milne’s comments in Australian Parliament yesterday did the Exclusive Brethren not understand? Leaving aside the issue of the Hales-endorsed political smear campaigns, the false names and addresses on the various smear advertisements, the world-wide orchestrated political contributions, the sudden payments into tyre companies that then paid for the printing and/or advertising …

We could even leave aside the trail of broken families, the suicides and wrecked lives that are directly attributable to the Exclusive Brethren.

Senator Milne outlined some basic arithmetic for the Australian people.

It should be looked at by every tax-paying Australian. Read all »

Bob Brown concludes initial statements on Exclusive Brethren in Australian Parliament

August 27th, 2008

COMMITTEES

Community Affairs Committee Reference Debate
resumed from 26 August, on motion by Senator Bob Brown:

That the following matters be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 26 November 2008:

(a) exemptions for the Exclusive Brethren and its members from Australian laws or administrative decisions;

(b) public funding, tax or other arrangements which do or may advantage the Exclusive Brethren over other community organisations;

(c) the activities of the Exclusive Brethren or its members which threaten or harm families, in particular, the best interests of children;

(d) the covert, as against overt, activities of the Exclusive Brethren or its members in the political process in Australia; and (e) any related matters.

Senator MILNE (Tasmania) (6.14 pm)

—I rise in continuance of the debate on Senator Brown’s motion. Last night, in beginning my remarks, I was commenting on the fact that when I was teaching on the northwest coast of Tasmania many years ago I had a very bright and capable young woman in my class who was not allowed to go on to further education because the Exclusive Brethren prohibited it. They prohibit their young people from being able to go to university at all. As a former Meadowbank school principal, David Stewart, an Exclusive Brethren principal said:

We do not go in for higher learning. We gave up universities in the 1960s as the hotbed of atheism. They prove that everything is nothing to their own satisfaction. We have suffered no loss to our knowledge. We particularly recoil from novels and cinemas. Read all »

Daniel Hales tries to apply the lipstick

August 27th, 2008

Daniel Hales, brother to the Exclusive Brethren leader Bruce Hales, would do well to remember who starting throwing mud first!  The Exclusive Brethren spent $Millions in nasty, underhand, anonymous smear tactics that were so repulsive, some commentators state that Exclusive Brethren political interference and stupidity cost two national party leaders their seats and their jobs!

In perspective, Brash (NZ) and Howard (Australia) accepted Exclusive Brethren ‘help’ - and paid the ultimate price for doing so.

So when Bob Brown stands up and gives a factual account of why the Exclusive Brethren should be investigated - and states his case openly and carefully in the Australian Senate - the world can at least see the difference between the Accused and the Accuser.  One uses the sunlight - the other scurries in dark places.

In situations like this, the Exclusive Brethren always prefer to lie - they even have scripture to support doing so! They use blanket generalizations and attempt to wear their threadbare suit of martyrdom.  The attitude does not fit. It is becoming a blatant statement of culpability … similar to the bard “… The Daniel doth protest too much, methinks.”

Bob Brown is helping thousands of people in many countries in his courageous stand for what is right.  It is horrifying that governments and those in authority would protect and subsidize a modern-day cult.  Exclusive Brethren schools are nothing more than Indoctrination Centers. As they do not evangelize or recruit new members, their entire future lies in large families and in keeping them!

The mind-killer is Fear and the creed is Separation. The gates, high walls, padlocks, windowless halls, locked doors … are just as much to keep the trapped inside as to keep the increasingly fascinated out.  As the Trapped grow into adulthood, financial chains are added together with the dependency forced by lack of higher education, working for other Exclusive Brethren and the necessarily tight familial links.

And Daniel Hales is simply the latest applicator of the now familiar lipstick …

Bob Brown ‘vilified’ Exclusive Brethren

The Exclusive Brethren has accused Australian Greens leader Bob Brown of vilifying its church and members.

Senator Brown yesterday urged the Upper House to conduct a wide-ranging inquiry into the activities of the Exclusive Brethren sect, saying it had prevented thousands of young Australians proceeding to tertiary education.

But Exclusive Brethren spokesman Daniel Hales said Senator Brown’s attempt to refer the church to the Senate’s community affairs committee was based on a “fictional account” of the group’s activities.

“Senator Brown’s remarks in the Senate were characterised by many factual inaccuracies,” Mr Hales said in a statement.

The Greens leader suggested the inquiry should examine $10 million in government payments to five Exclusive Brethren schools throughout Australia, even though they had a total of just 2000 students.

Brethren schools received funding in the same way as other non-government schools, Mr Hales said.

“Church members, their businesses and schools are subject to exactly the same regulations, laws and scrutiny by government agencies, tribunals and courts as other Australian individuals, businesses and schools.

“We obey the law scrupulously.”

The Brethren called on Senator Brown to stop vilifying the church and it members.

The sect was embroiled in controversy before last year’s federal election, when it was alleged it was campaigning for then-environment minister Malcolm Turnbull in his marginal seat of Wentworth in Sydney’s east.

AAP

Source: News.Com (AU)

Bob Brown again raises Exclusive Brethren in Australian Parliament

August 26, 2008

From Australian Hansard for proceedings Tuesday, August 26th, 2008

COMMITTEES

Community Affairs Committee Reference

Senator BOB BROWN
(Tasmania—Leader of the Australian Greens) (5.47 pm) —
I move:

That the following matters be referred to the Community Affairs Committee for inquiry and report by 26 November 2008:

(a) exemptions for the Exclusive Brethren and its members from Australian laws or administrative decisions;

(b) public funding, tax or other arrangements which do or may advantage the Exclusive Brethren over other community organisations;

(c) the activities of the Exclusive Brethren or its members which threaten or harm families, in particular, the best interests of children;

(d) the covert, as against overt, activities of the Exclusive Brethren or its members in the political process in Australia; and (e) any related matters.

There has been a great deal of public disquiet about the Exclusive Brethren sect, which now Prime Minister Rudd as shadow foreign affairs minister commented upon back in September 2006 when he called for a review of federal funding of Exclusive Brethren schools. Read all »

‘Behind the Exclusive Brethren’ by Michael Bachelard

Behind the Exclusive Brethren - a shocking and compelling expose by Michael BachelardThe general reaction in the ex-Exclusive Brethren community to the forthcoming ‘Behind the Exclusive Brethren’ is: “it’s about time! “.  Michael Bachelard has used his remarkable investigative and writing abilities to rip back the covers on a cult that has given new meaning to the word Hypocrisy.

If Michael Bachelard is respected as one of the foremost investigative journalists in Australia, David Marr is the other name that immediately comes to mind. Both men have assisted the purpose of this website in ensuring the Truth is told regarding the Exclusive Brethren. Bruce D. Hales, the current leader of the cult, assisted matters brilliantly from 2003 onward by forcing the 45,000 world-wide membership to contribute money for their ‘political’ campaigns in several countries - including USA, Canada, Sweden, UK, New Zealand and Australia.

David Marr is quoted on the proposed cover of this new book, due for publication in October 2008:

‘Shocking and compelling. Michael Bachelard has written an eye-opening account of power and cruelty in a tiny Christian sect that enjoys a privileged existence in Australia.’ - David Marr Read all »

The Exclusive Brethren - a spiral into decay

The Exclusive Brethren - a spiral into decay

Two news items from different sides of the world today, highlight the Exclusive Brethren.  An almost throw-away comment in  New Zealand Parliament a few days ago and a commentary in UK’s The Observer.

New Zealand Parliament
Questions And Answers – Thursday, 31 July 2008

Extract

Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN: The Prime Minister has been assured by the Rt Hon Winston Peters that he has committed no illegality, and the member has yet to demonstrate anything to the reverse.

Sue Bradford: Does the Prime Minister see any similarity between the advertising campaign paid for by leading bloodstock breeder Patrick Hogan, overtly supporting New Zealand First during the 2005 election campaign, and the covert campaign run by the Exclusive Brethren Church in that year, and does she have any concerns about the connection between that campaign and the fact that Mr Winston Peters subsequently became the Minister for Racing?

Hon Dr MICHAEL CULLEN: I think it would be absolutely apparent to everybody that there was no covert campaign on behalf of the racing industry in 2005. There was a very overt campaign; it was overtly against the Labour Party at that time, including signs on horses at racetracks. The Exclusive Brethren, however, decided to follow a biblical injunction, and hide their lights well under any large number of bushels.

New Zealand Parliament Questions And Answers – Thursday, 31 July 2008

A cast-iron case for a secular society
The Observer,
by Nick Cohen
Sunday August 3 2008

Extract

So imbued with discriminatory thinking have politicians and judges become that they are shocked when citizens ask for equality before the law. When the hapless Ed Balls was at the Treasury, the Plymouth Brethren told him that they and their more fundamentalist offshoot - the Exclusive Brethren - were the victims of religious prejudice at the hands of that unlikely source of bigotry, the tax authorities.

Both sects believed that God decides when you died. To their members, compliance with the state’s requirement to take out an annuity at 75 forced them to second-guess God by blasphemously betting on the date of their deaths.

The obliging Balls created an alternative pension scheme and then spluttered when pensioners of all faiths and none saw his generous loophole and shifted large sums of money through it. He seemed to think he could legislate for one group without the law applying equally to everyone.

If he did not have the strength of principle to stand up for equality, he ought to have had the wit to realise that the Plymouth Brethren may not have been as devout as they appeared. If you sincerely believe that an omnipotent God controls every aspect of your life, you place your fate in his hands. You do not ask accountants to lobby ministers for tax-efficient changes to pension law.

The Observer - A cast-iron case for a secular society

The UK press is starting to improve both their history and their accuracy regarding the Exclusive Brethren.  Their confusion is understandable of course.  The UK has known of the Plymouth Brethren since inception in the late 1820’s, or rather when they started to gather together in greater numbers during the 1830’s.  The Exclusive Brethren offshoot commenced in the late 1840’s when J.N. Darby was instrumental in forcing a division.

To call the Exclusive Brethren ‘Plymouth’ is a genus/species error that insults the far larger and evangelically successful Plymouth Brethren.  Indeed, many Plymouth Brethren websites carry a ‘We are not Exclusive Brethren’ disclaimer! Read all »

Clarkson reanimates Exclusive Brethren ghosts

August 2, 2008

In an interesting admission, Bob Clarkson states: “150 Exclusive Brethren helped him” in his 2005 election bid. This is particularly interesting because the EB went to great lengths at the time to state that the ‘Secret Seven’ businessmen of that era were acting solely on their own initiative.

At the time in 2005, this site and others spoke of an international campaign that was coordinated from Sydney, Australia by the leader of the Exclusive Brethren, Bruce Hales. Millions of dollars were raised internationally by the Exclusive Brethren in ’special collections’. This money was then used to fund the various smear advertising and other Exclusive Brethren political activities in New Zealand, Australia, Canada, USA and the UK.

Bob Clarkson is helping the Truth be told - it was not just seven New Zealand businessmen! It was the entire Exclusive Brethren sub-culture - obeying orders as usual from their leader.

The Exclusive Brethren lied about their involvement - quite outrageously. And now, with new allegations of criminal activity hitting New Zealand and Australian headlines, it would be a mistake to assume they are telling the truth.

Thank you Bob for coming clean. Read all »

Exclusive Brethren rejects claims of links to crime

July 31, 2008

Brethren rejects claims of links to crime

Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
July 31, 2008

The Exclusive Brethren says three Indian sisters have failed in an effort to bring criminal action against the sect.

In a statement, the Exclusive Brethren said the High Court in Canberra had refused to accept a writ the women tried to file today.

The writ alleged the controversial group had been involved in fraud and kidnapping.

The women, who yesterday said they were on the run from the Brethren, also claimed it was involved in money laundering and immigration fraud in New Zealand, and bribing police and members of the judiciary in India.
Read all »

Sisters allege Exclusive Brethren involved in immigration fraud in New Zealand

July 30th, 2008

Sisters allege sect involved in immigration fraud in NZ
Channel 3 News, New Zealand
30 Jul 2008

Three sisters from India who live in New Zealand are reportedly seeking a judicial order in Australia’s High Court to address the alleged involvement of the Exclusive Brethren in a variety of crimes, including immigration fraud in New Zealand.
Read all »

Exclusive Brethren accused of kidnapping

July 29, 2008

Exclusive Brethren accused of kidnapping
Sydney Morning Herald, Australia
July 29, 2008

A writ is expected to be filed in the High Court on Wednesday alleging the involvement of the secretive Exclusive Brethren in a variety of crimes, including fraud and kidnapping.

Three sisters, from India, who say they are on the run from the religious sect, allege they can link it to numerous crimes. Read all »