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.
Aftermath - The Bruce Hales Review
I promised earlier in this story, to explain why I have exposed some EB leaders and priests by name, after some returned in the ‘review’ (2004), to apologise for what they had done to us while we were ‘shut-up’. Here is why -
In or about 2003, the ‘world leader’, Bruce D. Hales decided to ‘review’ previous assembly judgements, right around the world, by decreeing that there was to be a ‘review’. This was orchestrated in view of getting us all back into the fellowship, then ‘shutting-us-up’ again within the fellowship so that we would never go public and expose the Holocaust that has been deceitfully buried by the leadership since 1965, of which Pip and I are victims. The ‘war- cabinet’ had contrived that if we came back into the fellowship, but then started to speak out, they could then threaten us with being ‘shut-up’ again, cast us into isolation from the fellowship, and who would ever want to go through that experience again.
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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.
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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 sometimes hilarious human drama which is presented by peebs.net as a multi-part serialization.
Will Neville's strategy result in a Yamaha victory?
Will Neville's strategy result in a Yamaha victory?
ROUND 6
-125cc farm bike (Concluded) -
This visit starts as usual, with the long pause, head swayings etc. For this visit I had a plan, but I was a little worried that maybe they had lost interest in my evil little bike, which would have rendered my plan null and void; but no, luck was on my side…
Merv - “we were just wondering, with more time with the lord, how are you feeling about your position over the use of your bike?”
I noticed that sometimes in their opening salvo, the Lord’s name would be mentioned, but then it would be forgotten. I think this was to try and pretend that they had some special connection with the Christian faith, or a church, and so have a spiritual advantage over their victims. For all I know of course they could have been referring to that Neche butcher again. Hearing the Lord’s name had been used, I thought that any type of a war-cry or haka would be frowned on, so I put on the face of one who had been deep in exercise, a face that was staring defeat in that same face. This diversion worked, because they reacted to it. I still had my plan intact, and during the evening they increased the pressure on me to quit my bike.
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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 sometimes hilarious human drama which is presented by peebs.net as a multi-part serialization.
Neville's Yamaha decides to fight back
Neville's Yamaha decides to fight back
ROUND 5
-125cc farm bike (Continued) -
This round will not take long to record, it was all bike, bike, bike, and more bike, and nothing else but bike, including the usual long pauses. In one of these pauses, the deathly silence was broken by several stomachs deciding to squeak out simultaneously, a rumble in B flat, a squeak in F sharp and a chirrrrp in C major, with the chiming clock ending with the chorus, we almost had an orchestra. They almost harmonized ! I would take a peep at Pip as the old clock boomed out the hour (took about a minute when it got to 12pm), and she would be trying not to laugh and I would suddenly have to do a P. Fisher and hide my face, down between my knees.
Continue reading »
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 sometimes hilarious human drama which is presented by peebs.net as a multi-part serialization.
“We feel you are a bad influence on the young people”
“We feel you are a bad influence on the young people”
ROUND 4
-125cc farm bike -
The next visit was about five months later. We were to be treated to another interesting turn of events. These priestlies were full of surprises!
M. Hamilton was nowhere to be seen and Merv Johnson walks in followed by his new ‘wet nurse’, Paul Fisher. M. Hamilton had been demoted (‘shut-up’ I think) for arguing with my brother-in-law over bulldozing rights in certain areas of Marlborough.
Paul Fisher was my age, and after several years of out-squirming us reprobates, he was near to achieving his goal of becoming an ‘ordained’ priest, so here he was eyeball to eyeball with me at my door. One trait that had enhanced his rise to Levitical glory was his ability to produce two faces on the same head. He had one face for outside the meeting room (quite normal as faces go), and another for when preforming a religious roll either inside during the meetings or when preforming as a priest while on official duties away from the meeting room. This trait I detested, and was not about to enjoy.
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 deep, insightful, personal human drama which is presented by peebs.net as a multi-part serialization.
ROUND 3
- Trusteeship – Caravanning -
Seven months on and the phone rings: we were not excommunicated after all, because the priests want to visit us again.
In thirteen months of being ‘shut-up’ (other than at my work place and Pip buying supplies), we had only spoken to two brethren members, which were T. Deck and M. Hamilton at our first priestly. Trying to hold a young family together for 13 months was a long time. To our amazement our tormentors were now M. Hamilton and Merv Johnson. Where was the Chief of the Gestapo (T. Deck)? Hadn’t he recovered from his belly flop in our lounge?
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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 deep, insightful, shocking and sometimes hilarious human drama which is presented by peebs.net as a multi-part serialization.
ROUND 2
Keith Dartnell v Phillip Malcolm
After six months, the first visit is booked for our interrogation. We dress like brethren, check the magazine rack, kick the new cat outside (we weren’t allowed cats), dust and realign the Exclusive Brethren pedigree photo of the – five pure men of god – and peer out into the darkness to see how many are coming.
Would they smile, perhaps shake our hands, ask how work is going, tell us some Peeb gossip, have a whiskey, maybe forgive me on the spot? We were in for a shock, but so were they. This was to be the War Cabinet’s belly flop number two, but this time in private.
Continue reading »
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 deep, insightful and often shocking human drama which is presented by peebs.net as a multi-part serialization.
ROUND 1
One law for the rich and another law for the poor
Background to our last meeting amongst the brethren in Blenheim.
Dave Fisher sold his bakery business in 1979 to a non-member, but retained the exclusive right to use a certain recipe. The new owner dishonoured this agreement regarding the recipe, by using this recipe, which goaded the local War Cabinet (Terry Deck and Malcolm Hamilton) into leading the charge to interrogate this new owner by visiting him, using a tape recorder during these visits, etc.
The above interference by these priests then spilled over into the meetings in a dramatic way. Almost every meeting was coloured by this issue, to the point where M. Hamilton finally threatened all of us in a ministry meeting, that if we did not join in the fight, for Dave Fisher’s recipe rights, then we were going to be in trouble. None of us were asked if we wanted to fight for Dave Fisher’s recipe problems, we were forced to join this ill-fated battle.
Two points were not adding up to me –
1 - Why was the assembly being forced into doing battle with something that was none of our business in the first place? It was a Fisher problem, and Fisher only.
2 - As JHS (James Symington, world leader) was being asked for his opinion, despite it being none of his business either, why did we not wait for his reply before threatening the brethren into making further decisions?
Continue reading »
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 deep, insightful and often shocking human drama which is presented by peebs.net as a multi-part serialization.
Cast Outside The Camp by Neville and Philippa McCallum (2008)
CAST OUTSIDE THE CAMP
1095 DAYS (1979 – 1981)
REVIEWED (2000-2004)
by Neville and Philippa McCallum
Blenheim, NZ
WRITTEN 2008
AUTHOR’S EXPLANATORY NOTE
The motivation for this writing is explained in the text. A further inspiration for writing was the words of Bruce D Hales in a letter to the author.
“As to the truth coming out, let it, one is never afraid of the ‘truth’ and can never do anything against it.” – Bruce D Hales
If this was followed through with diligence and sincerity I could only expect that a happy restoration of relationships is inevitable. Fear of truth is preventing this. I hope this record brings healing and laughter rather than hardening.
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by Tim Twinam
Let the Priestly Visits Begin was first published in 1998 on the ‘Wyman Website‘ – a website forced to close in 2003 due to Exclusive Brethren litigation.
I was probably the only member of the Brethren who fantasized over the benefits of being ‘shut up’: no meetings; no noisy meals with five sisters; treated like royalty with meals on a tray; I’d be able to read with every meal! As a teenage boy, I could only think of advantages.
Sure, I’d miss my friends, but it wasn’t as though it was for ever, was it? I didn’t know anyone who had not been allowed back in eventually. It was just the thought of all that time to myself. I once calculated that travelling to the meetings and the meetings themselves occupied more than 22 hours in a 7 day week. It would be like being given an extra day each week!
I knew that the ‘holiday’ could not last too long. There would be the standard series of visits by the priests – two, maybe three brothers from the local assembly. They would come and visit to check on the state of my ‘leprosy’ to see if I was feeling repentant yet. I would imagine mentally checking the calendar … I would be shaking my head slowly at them if it was any time during the long summer vacation. I’d plan to start nodding by mid-September.
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