by Neville and Philippa McCallum
Neville McCallum experienced the full wrath of the Exclusive Brethren in New Zealand during the notorious reign of James H Symington (cult leader through the 1970′s until his death in 1987). In Cast Outside The Camp, Neville and his wife Philippa recount how it felt to be pursued, interrogated and eventually cast-out of the Exclusive Brethren. They pull no punches in this often deep, always insightful and sinister human drama which is presented by peebs.net as a multi-part serialization.
Nev and Pip grew to hate the ominous sound of the priests shoes on the path as they approached the front-door
Nev and Pip grew to hate the ominous sound of the priests shoes on the path as they approached the front-door
ROUND 14 (Part 1)
- Business -
The trouble makers are returning, the click-click-click of their approaching heels on the concrete was like (other ‘outs’ have also stated this) listening to the high-boots of the Gestapo echoing louder and louder in the corridors as they approach the front-door.
We are sick of their faces. They arrive at the same time; they knock the same way every time; they glide across the lounge with no difference; they sit in the same chairs; the long silences are the same; heads bowed and curving spines the same as before; slobbery mouths still spitting venom and unintelligent crap; they rise up to leave the same; they would depart the same with a nod and identical movement of the mouth…
We were now looking for a change, we wanted to go forward in life. That was was perhaps closer than we knew, but there would still be some more surprises.
I am now certain that their attacks were orchestrated because most of their attacks to-date had failed. They would have been particularly angry that their attack on Pip had not netted them a trophy. In 3 years of interrogation, there was not one single outstanding issue to be investigated, and we had repented for eating/drinking with our kind neighbour and for showing off my sexy knees.
They have one last torpedo.
We sit as usual, with all heads bowed in silence, I pray again for a set of ‘straight barrels’. A throat clears and here it comes:
PRIEST - “We feel you are not being ‘righteous’ in your business”.
My giddy-aunt! What’s coming next! At least it’s not that ‘position-feeling’ garbage again! Due to my total distrust in these raving jackals I allowed a long long pause. In this long pause I looked back over the last three years on the vineyard and came to the usual conclusion.
N. McC – “I do not know what you mean”. (‘… you darlings’)
PRIEST - “Well, it’s come to our attention that you are ‘unrighteously’ employing an eighteen year old girl”.
This was a new direction, but why? I paid her above the minimum wage, provided good working conditions, she seemed happy, she got herself to and from work each day, and had no intention of leaving. Then the penny dropped, I’ve got it! They think I’m bonking her in the grape vines, whore No 2! Not another 12 month sex scandal … perhaps they think I’m the Exclusive Brethren’s most experienced shagger! To end the agony, I thought of being a fibber and saying, “I DID!”, which would have them out the door, and invited to that Bristol conference, because after 3 years of probing they finally would have thought that they had exposed my root problem.
N. McC – “I do not know what you mean”
PRIEST - “It is unlawful for you to employ a person that has reached the age 18 years if they do not belong to a union, and you know it is also wrong for the brethren to employ anyone who does belong to a union, so you are in an unrighteous position”.
Oops, I got the UNIONS mixed up, nearly put my foot right in it … close shave that one!
N. McC – “I employed this honest hardworking girl after her mother approached me because her daughter was struggling at school, to see if I would help her. She has worked faithfully for 3 years, and when I was bedridden (neck injury) off and on for over a year, she needed no supervision. I can not afford to start someone under 18 again. You mean that I have to sack her for no reason?”
PRIEST - “Well, because it’s breaking the law to employ anyone 18 years or older who does not belong to a union, you should not be involved in this unrighteousness, and the ‘man of god’ says that the brethren do not employ ‘union’ labour, so it’s about harkening to the current word of ‘the lord’s servant’”
N. McC – “It would be unrighteous of me to sack an employee for doing nothing wrong. I cannot face doing this. This would mean that I cannot employ anyone ever again who reaches the age of 18 years!”
I am realizing by now that it was not only sinful to: challenge a set of rules that favoured the rich over the poor; beat the Rev Deck to his microphone; be trustee of my Father’s will; own a farm bike; have a girlfriend; show off naked knees; run into an Exclusive’s tent for safety; help a ‘shuter-uppera’ across a dangerous road with his bulldozer; have a still-born child … but now I could not even employ anyone of sensible age! Are we all going completely nuts?
No! Wait just a moment, because ‘Mr Intelligence‘ has the answer to this hypocritical scam:
PRIEST - “Well there is a way through this matter which has been set on by the ‘lord’s servant’. To avoid being unrighteous in this matter, you need to employ a manager, who can in turn, employs your 18 year old employee, which would relinquish your responsibility of employing someone unlawfully, or having to join her with a union, because the manager is now responsible for all this. You would then be righteous.”
Right!
This was the first time in our ‘shut-up’ saga that I decided I was now going to do some questioning. These idiots were nuts and we did not want to participate.
To Be Continued
The next installment of Cast Outside The Camp will be: Cast Ouside The Camp – Round 14 (Part 2)
Read all published installments of the McCallum story.
Neville McCallum and his wife Philippa tell their often harrowing story of experiencing Exclusive Brethren Assembly discipline in a series of installments. Neville and Philippa live in New Zealand with their family. If you would like to be alerted when another installment is published in this series, please subscribe to Peebs.Net » Personal Stories by email for Cast Outside The Camp or any other Personal Story in the future.
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