The Exclusive Brethren prefer to attempt to silence criticism. Convinced as they are that they represent the only true church in Christendom, they do not believe in ‘turning the other cheek’ or even in attempting to enter into any form of meaningful public discussion as to their beliefs and practices.
The Exclusive Brethren do not attempt to recruit from the ‘outside world’ and prefer to cut themselves off from society quoting a doctrine of ‘Separation from Evil’ as their basis for doing so. The impact of this man-made edict is the vicious and enforced separation of family members should one or more suffer ‘Assembly Discipline’. The offenders are literally ‘cut off’.
The Peebs.Net website is not the first to have attempted to tell the truth regarding the Exclusive Brethren. In the late 1990′s a man called Richard Wyman operated a trail-blazing website that the Exclusive Brethren targeted for closure. A 2003 lawsuit was eventually settled out of court when Wyman realized the financial pressure that the Exclusive Brethren could use as leverage was vastly greater than his own resources. The Exclusive Brethren then took control of the Wyman website and it immediately ceased to exist as a way for family members to attempt to maintain contact.
Peebs.Net commenced operations within weeks of the closure of Richard Wymans site in early 2004. Since that time, the owners and operators have struggled to rebuild content and to recreate an infrastructure that enables thousands of affected people to renew old friendships, find lost family members and generally to stay in touch with events both within and surrounding a group of whom the Australian Prime Minister recently stated: “I believe this is an extremist cult and sect.” Kevin Rudd then stated “I also believe that it breaks up families”. (See http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,22288747-11949,00.html and many other related news items in the Peebs.Net News Archives – http://peebs.net/ExclusiveBrethrenNews/NewsArchives.html)
There have been two SLAPP (Strategic Litigation Against Public Participation) lawsuits aimed at the website owners since the site was formed. A more recent 2007 lawsuit brought by the Exclusive Brethren’s Bible & Gospel Trust achieved its primary objective in forcing the owners to disclose their identity (See Press Release on site home page – http://peebs.net). You can download Background information regarding the law suit here: http://peebs.net/ExclusiveBrethrenNews/Press/Backgrounder-20080220.pdf
The Harvard University / Oxford University affiliated Citizen Media Law Project has labeled the Exclusive Brethren’s attack against Peebs.Net as a Threat and is following the case in detail – see Bible & Gospel Trust . Twinam
The Peebs.Net Community has rallied magnificently since and have managed to support and fund a strong defence to the Exclusive Brethren lawsuit. The daily work of the website continues and the number of people involved with the community continues to grow.
We are asking for financial donations from anyone interested in supporting our right to free speech and our right to gather together and support each other. The level of psychological damage among those who have fallen foul of the Exclusive Brethren is almost overwhelming. As the world media, governments and other authorities continue to press for a deeper investigation of the Exclusive Brethren, we need to ensure that we are able to meet our current legal fees and keep this site operational.
All donations go directly to our lawyers and in the event of costs being found in our favor, all donations will be returned, so please make sure your contact information is accurate.
If you can help, please use the Donation button below to donate via PayPal.
If you prefer to deal direct with us, please write to info@peebs.net with the Subject – Peebs.Net Legal Fund Donation.
Further information about the Exclusive Brethren can now be gleaned from many places outside of this site – a Google Search today produces hundreds of thousands of hits, whereas five years ago this was barely in the hundreds. Peebs.Net view this as proof of both the success of their campaigns and a growing public awareness.
A well-researched book published in late 2008 “Behind the Exclusive Brethren” by Michael Bachelard gives an excellent overview of the cult and its activities. Michael devotes the final chapter of his ground-breaking book to the struggles of Richard Wyman and Tim and Sallie Twinam to tell the truth about the cult.
Should you have any questions, you are able to anonymously post questions onto the public forums on Peebs.Net. Our members are always pleased to give you straight answers as to the impact the Exclusive Brethren have had in their lives.
The reason you cannot see names of the site forum members is simply because the Exclusive Brethren watch this site and harass and threaten anyone they consider vulnerable.
Yeah – they’re that ‘christian’!
Recently, Tim and Sallie were discovered by the Vermont USA press, where the concept of a middle-aged couple fighting a wealthy and vindictive international cult from a log home in the Vermont woods captured the imagination of the rural population.
Burlington Free Press (April 2009) – Secretive worldwide sect battles Vermonter in court
Seven Days, Burlington Vermont (November 2009) – Might vs. Site
A blog hosted by 7 Days is attracting considerable attention by the ex-Exclusive Brethren Community and others. From Log Cabin in Vermont, Couple Fights Reclusive Religious Sect stands as a living indictment against the impact of man-made legalism and heartlessness.
The fight has so far cost Tim and Sallie Twinam their family home, their savings and countless hours at their computers. However with the formidable backing of their supporters and encouraged by growing public opinion, they continue to fight back.
The cause will happily accept your money of course, but will settle for just your good wishes and prayers!
Warmly,
Tim and Sallie Twinam
Vermont, USA
Kevin Rudd has publicly mentioned his beliefs about the Exclusive Brethren family-splitting cult.
I believe he must be an opportunist politician, because he has continued through his government’s schools funding program to subsidise the Exclusive Brethren. That enables them to continue unabated to inflict their noxious habits on the next generation.
Rudd is passing the buck!
When does the buck stop?
I am very confused. You seem to be lumping all Exclusives and branding them as worthy of every man’s hatred. I am not an Exclusive, but I have read and benefited greatly from the early Brethren ministry, much more than the stuff that goes around for Christian literature today. While I understand your efforts to bring out the bad apples – I do believe its very unfair on those innocent brothers and sisters in Christ who feel lumped and labeled this way, and I happen to know a few of them. Agreed, that they may not “break bread with me” – but don’t they have a right to live out their freedom of religion too. All I am saying is, at least be fair. The Exclusives strain on one side, and you guys strain on the other. You are hardly balanced, if that is what you are after.
Disclaimer: I was not paid, cajoled or threatened to write this. I am a free thinking individual, and all I saw here was hate. I don’t expect this comment to remain long on your site, which is fine.
Nothing really confusing here James.
I am a former Exclusive myself.
What I see is some people who have left behaving in the same way they accuse the Exclusives of behaving. With harshness. I have suffered the heartbreak too, but as you say they also have the right to religious freedom.
The more people wallow in the negative and what they have left behind, the harder it is for them to forgive and move on and build a new Christian life.
I am not downplaying the suffering. It is enormous.
However, if those of us who leave consider ourselves to be genuine Christians, then it is our obligation to forgive.
“I can do all things through Christ who strengthens me”
I agree with brother James wrote on October 4, 2010 at 12:42 pm . I think it is too much. A dedicated website to fight against the brethren and asking for donations too. You have a right to share your thought, if it is truth let others agree, but how can you simply condemn a group of people altogether? There is no love, mercy and kindness. Is it true christian spirit.
Hi Nelson,
Thank you for your comments. We wonder how much of the website you have actually read before adding your words?
1. We do not condemn a ‘group of people’, we utterly condemn a system that has brought heartache and damage to thousands.
2. All donations are used for legal costs. In typical cult fashion, the Exclusive Brethren attempted to close down this web site. The EB spent over $1 Million and, as you can see, the site is still here. The Administrators of this website are in process of paying off a lawyers fee of over $25,000.
3. Have you walked a mile in an ex-members shoes? Those who wish to leave the cult have to face leaving their wife and family, their job, their family and friends, their only social group and enter a society for which they have no training, university education, work references or social experience (no restauarants, theater, cinema, hotels, vacations, etc …).
Your words: ‘There is no love, mercy and kindness’ certainly apply to the Exclusive Brethren cult – ask anyone who has left them! When you have truly investigated them and reviewed the evidence, you might also ask: ‘Is it true christian spirit?’.
Although you might view our reaction as defensive, you would understand if you had experienced first-hand the damage caused by the Exclusive Brethren hierarchy in their vindictive and cruel attempts to keep their children behind intellectual and societal barricades. We run this site for the children still trapped in the cult – and for their parents and grandparents – some of whom have been unable to see their children / grandchildren for 40 years!
‘Is that true christian spirit’ Nelson?
Warmly,
Peebs.Net Admin