Report abuse. Each disclosed their name, together with details of the years they were in Homestead Heritage or one of its earlier incarnations, but some, fearing reprisals, asked to use pseudonyms. Why would it open itself up for discussions with local theology professors and students? The group practices nonviolence. The Texas Observer is known for its fiercely independent, uncompromising work which we are pleased to provide to the public at no charge in this space. Church policy, according to internal documents, states that religious matters within the community are not the proper province, of the corporate State and its investigative, police and judicial services. In fact, our investigation has exposed a litany of tragedy: families broken apart, child abuse and allegations of mind control, cover-ups and secrecy. South Africa's relationship to Zimbabwe, is not ANC-ZANU PF, but South Africans-Zimbabweans. Adams, now in his mid-60s, taught that the end times were near and his followers needed to learn to live off the land. You went to group functions and then as a guy I would have had to go to one of the lower elders and tell them God had told me I should marry a certain girl and then that process would have begun. Thats the abbreviation for a group called the Fight Against Coercive Tactics Network, which says its purpose is to promote independent investigation and public debate and dialog on cult and mind-control issues.. Theyve literally called us just about every name in the book, Wheeler says. Correction: In an earlier version of this story, we incorrectly reported a detail of the child sexual abuse at Homestead Heritage. More importantly, though, Homestead Heritage wants its beliefs to be imparted in a more personal manner. Or any aspects or values that you think are correct? We wondered if something was up, it seemed a little off. This story has been corrected (see below). He theorized founder Blair Adams wrote it. Another accusation that troubles the group is that members dont lead the lifestyle they claim to. An example of a less serious post is one in which Crow says Homestead Heritage founder Blair Adams lives in a home with luxurious touches such as leather furniture and the best of appliances. Others dont want to admit they freely made a decision to join a group they later ended up disagreeing with, he says. . Homestead Heritage fights back, disputing claims of deception, abuse What is Homestead Heritage? But Homestead Heritage also believes there are other Christians every bit as sincere as they are. If Africans "enjoy" abuse as part of . Basically you were allowed to work in the public faces of the organization unless you showed signs of rebellion. Theyd talk about different implements to use that wouldnt leave marks., Once he got too old for beatings, John said he had to endure being berated by the elders for two or three hours at a time. Articles must link back to the original article and contain the following attribution at the top of the story: This article was originally published by the, Articles cannot be rewritten, edited or changed beyond alignments with house style books. Crow, who left the group seven years ago, said young men growing up in the community are made to suppress their desires and sex drive. When we are walking by faith, everything is covered under the blood of Jesus, Wheeler says. The group does teach that the spirit of Jesus is manifested within the body of Christ. Church elders failed to promptly inform law enforcement of sexual abuse of children, as required by state law. And yea, I love their ideas of being a more self-sustaining community and getting close to nature and all that so they definitely have some great values. It's funny because they believed the world was going to end in y2k and people spent a fortune on huge water resivoires and all sorts of stuff like that but my dad didn't buy into it. Pasture-raised beef, fresh breads, award-winning local cheese, and house-made sauces and condiments; these are a few of the things that help make Cafe Homestead one of Waco's most-loved restaurants since 1994. After this you are off "Friday Night Status" and can come to the Sunday meetings and various other prayer meetings, etc. Yikes. If Homestead Heritage didnt insist on people following certain rules and customs, it would lose that identity, members say. The motivation behind that attack, members say, is to make Homestead Heritage seem as if it deceptively recruits members, further fitting the mold of a cult. The festival is scheduled for April 22, beginning at 4 p.m. at the Andy Griffith Playhouse in Mount Airy, featuring a performance by Jeff and Sheri Easter. Homestead Heritage is a 1,000 member congregation located on a 500-acre, gated commune north of Waco, where God and family come first. It just blew my mind, he said. Or not allowed to have any time alone? Today, she said, some of the kids of group leaders do online college what she refers to as their cameo students.. What started out at a lone complaint from a former member (who later decided it was too risky to continue providing me with information) evolved into a laborious quest to track down and authenticate allegations of abuse. he says. All rights reserved. Thats all just a lie, Wheeler says. If there is one thing on which most ex-members agree, it is the level of control the leaders of the group exert on their followers. Day after day, half-truths and outright lies designed to poison people against the group have been posted on the Internet, he says. This public condemnation from the pulpit can escalate, he wrote, until the leaders are shouting and pounding the lectern. Its true that violations of the groups patterns can result in discipline, members say. If the group really had something to hide, Wheeler says, why would it host so many public events? Basically, did you see or hear anything that corroborates that? Alex Hannaford writes about the death penalty, crime, prisons, religion and human interest issues for the Telegraph, Times and Guardian in the UK, and to GQ, The Nation and the Texas Observer. Interestingly, though, the Texas Administrative Code on minimum standards for discipline in child-care homes says corporal punishment, which includes hitting a child with a hand or instrument and placing a child in a locked or dark room with the door closed, constitutes harsh, cruel or unusual treatment., Adam Alexander grew up in Homestead Heritage. As another former member told me, Who will believe a child over somebody else in the fellowship? Only now it is worse. Besides ex-members, those posting on the site are Watchman Fellowship officials, a few ex-members who defend Homestead Heritage and interested outsiders. Then came a so-called recovery workshop in April 2005, a forum for ex-members to discuss their experiences. A spokesperson for Child Protective Services said that every case is different, but using something other than your hand, leaving marks or bruises, or hitting in the face could constitute abuse. Homestead Heritage is an agrarian- and craft-based intentional Christian community. Prince William County Executive Chris Shorter proposed major pay increases for county employees and a 5.3-cent real estate tax reduction Tuesday night, all part of his $1.61 billion budget proposal He started getting to know Homestead Heritage members in 1996. Homestead Heritage is one such group and is especially easy to single out, Wheeler says, because its beliefs are fundamentally at odds with the prevailing mores of todays Western society. He pleaded guilty and didnt offer up anything in mitigation. Some Anabaptists, for example, practice familial shunning. PDF Media. I'm a former member of Homestead Heritage, a cult located in Waco, TX. Partners must notify. He was furious., Alexander said his mother told a church elder about it, but that the elder in question did nothing. Photos, illustrations and other art may be available for syndication but must be confirmed. Even when people break the rules, the discipline is not as some Homestead Heritage ex-members claim, the group says. It was published in the February 2005 edition of Christianity Today, a magazine distributed throughout North America. As obedient as I was as a member of Homestead Heritage, I swore to myself I would never do that again. . 3rd Annual Law Day Art Contest Rules and Information: The Circuit Court Clerk, Jacqueline Smith, is calling for artwork from all local students enrolled in the 2022-2023 school year in the County of Prince William and the Cities of Manassas and Manassas Park, including private, home based, and public schools. But the alleged victims refused to speak publicly, and the details of their stories couldn't be independently confirmed." 8b. Former members say Sunday meetings began at 10 a.m. and often lasted until after 3 p.m. Then hed berate somebody on the spot. This is the public face of Homestead Heritage, a 500-acre religious community of about 1,000 people seven miles northwest of Waco. There are many different types of stables in use today; the American-style barn, for instance, is a large barn with a door at each end and individual stalls inside or free-standing stables with top and bottom-opening . In fact, one of their members from the Arizona branch ended up torching her house and burning herself and her kids in it. Still, Alexander said, his family was eventually dis-fellowshipped. Driving up to the pretty caf, built of log and stone and nestled among cedars at the side of a single-track road, you would think youd stepped into another era. We would hope that local and state authorities would begin to understand that the long-standing allegations of child endangerment need to be more carefully considered.. They are trying to buy out the town, they've terrorized ppl who've left the group, and now they're trying to build a large housing area in town. Once that frame was built around the group, Arnn could introduce the idea of spiritual abuse. Modern culture prizes individual rights beyond all else, so groups such as Homestead Heritage that set different priorities are suspect in the minds of many, he says. At Homestead Heritage theres an order to the authority: Blair Adams is at the top. The truth, however, is that Homestead Heritage members live a simple, self-sufficient lifestyle as much as possible, the group says. It was seen as lustful. Rooted in Oneness Pentecostalism, it denies the doctrine of the Trinity and teaches an anti-grace message denying salvation by grace alone. Characteristics of such groups include not quickly admitting people into the group and not allowing people to stay if they dont follow group rules. And when you dont find joy in everyday life, you go looking for pleasure elsewhere, anywhere you can find it. All a member must do in such a scenario is explain the situation and the group will gladly understand, they say. The Waco Convention and Visitors Bureau includes Homestead Heritage on its list of recommended attractions for schools groups. It is the same group. According to court papers, his victim was an 8-year-old boy. (Everyone always seemed friendly and relatively normal when I visited, so just wondering.). Every accusation so far has been false, he says. tony trotter. The program is a cooperative partnership with Heritage, the Department of Human Services, law enforcement, health and human service providers and others in the community. The woman he was referring to in the Internet post, he says, was not the woman the church provided documentation on. They lived it to the core. Lt. Clay Perry of the McLennan County Sheriffs office told the Observer that officers decided not to pursue a prosecution against Klingensmith. In the case of Bill DeLong, the fact that George Klingensmith, the church elder, knew about his child sex abuse a year before DeLong turned himself in, meant he too may have committed a crime under Texas law. To disprove Crows assertions about Adams living situation, for example, the group provided photos of his purported vehicle a Toyota 4 Runner, not a Land Cruiser as well as his home, decked out with cloth couches and run-of-the-mill appliances. The Internet postings are a perfect example of that phenomenon, followers say. The complete restoration of the "Peck House" (named after Captain Augustus Peck) has been finished. A Texas Observer investigation has found allegations of child sex abuse involving at least six members of the Homestead Heritage community. With this kind of story, it becomes extremely difficult for any individual a reporter, historian, scholar, anyone to sort out all of the complicated claims, Morgan said in a recent telephone interview. Anyway after that we did have several weird instances of people following us and coming up to our house in the middle of the night but I can't really prove it was them and honestly I don't care. So I guess the county/city won't let them get away with everything! And I will never forget the first movie I saw, Spiderman. After weighing his options and talking over his qualms with Homestead Heritage leaders, Olson decided to go ahead with the article. The format is akin to that of Sunday services at most churches, plus the meetings are more intimate. Three members have been convicted of sexually assaulting minors. Search results for "Heritage" at Rakuten Kobo. My legs, everywhere. Sandy says she informed an elder, but instead of taking the matter to police, she says he dis-fellowshipped the individuals she said committed the crimes and forced her to accept responsibility for her part in what they deemed immoral relationships. The Observer urged Sandy to go to the police to report the individuals responsible. He said his parents split up because of what the church did to them; that it leaves a path of broken homes. 04/06/2021. If he walked by and patted you on the shoulder, it was as if God shined down on you. The two main distortions, members say, are that the group believes salvation comes through works and that it is imparted to only an elite few. The Observer deeply regrets the error. I had plenty of privacy growing up. Yes! For this story, I spoke to 14 former members of the community. My children could have grandparents., One particularly poignant reminder of just how devastating the impact of leaving a closed religious group like Homestead Heritage can have on an individual can be found in an excerpt from an open letter one ex-member wrote to her mother and father who are still in the group. The group is led by a contingent of 20 men called ministers who are similar to what other churches call elders. The group is still learning and members simply dont have the skills to be self-sufficient in all areas yet, they say. In 2007, the Waco Herald-Tribune ran a feature that voiced some of those concerns of spiritual abuse but after its publication, ex-members claimed the story didnt go nearly far enough. It would go on and on like this. It was, he said, an intense mix of Pentecostal preacher with fire-and-brimstone judgment. John said his father was a leader one minute and demoted the next. We literally had meetings in which we were trained to memorize these., Beechner said they were trained to answer in a way that deflected the question. Rather, Homestead Heritage teaches that every member receives a piece of it. It had to be, because they were terrified of being berated by the elders. . Members produce much of their own food, whether from individual efforts such as home gardens or group projects such as Homestead Heritages cattle ranch. Crow also has an explanation for his comments about medical care. Such people are generally shunned, at least partially, because theyre breaking a commitment to God to live out their Christian walk in the context of that specific body, members say. My mother and I would go out there sometimes when driving through from Fort Worth between 2007-2010; it never occurred to us that it was a cult. But instead of taking the matter to police, Sandy said, the elders dis-fellowshipped the individuals she said were culpable and forced her to accept responsibility for her part in what they deemed immoral relationships. The Observer has urged Sandy to go to the police to report the individuals responsible. Such treatment might sound harsh, Homestead Heritage members acknowledge. For a year and a half, they have deluged us, Wheeler says. In Internet posts, for example, the group and its leadership have been compared to Nazis, Jim Jones and Warren Jeffs. If children at Homestead Heritage misbehave, many parents practice corporal punishment. Outlets must also tag the Observer in all social media posts. Thats not to say nonmembers never come to Sunday meetings. B) answered. Furthermore, the Observer has allegedly "learned from a number of different sources of other cases of sexual abuse within Homestead Heritage. Years later, he asked her about it, but she denied it had ever happened. DeLong then told the officer that sometime around March 2003, he sexually assaulted a 6-year-old girl, according to his statement. The Town has declared parking bans for the purpose of snow removal on Monday, March 6 and Tuesday, March 7 from 7 a.m. to 7 p.m. along the following maintenance routes (weather dependent): March 6: Cimarron Boulevard from 32nd Street to Cimarron Drive. It is a community that former members say represses sexuality, tries to deal with crimes in house and is controlled by an authoritarian regime; a community, former members say, that operates very much like a cult. Members also supplied documents showing that the ranch is owned by the church, not Adams. They used to get pissed at me when I would climb the fence to fish this pond. The only times Homestead Heritage has refused to give or sell its literature to someone was when members concluded a persons motive was to attack, not learn. John, too, said he was beaten as a child until he had bruises on his skin. This is a Christian community of farmers and crafters who offer their beautiful, handmade furniture, soaps, home decor, and products from the foods they grow on the farm such as hand-milled flours, mixes, jams, and . The basic principles are still taught; they have just been incorporated into other documents. Three members have been convicted of sexually. Homestead Heritage is an intentional community in rural Texas. For many of us who know history and see how it works, its pretty concerning.. If you ever discussed it with other members or your family, how did they handle your questions? Partners must notify. Adam Alexander recalls how Adams used to scream and yell at his congregation in church, on one occasion slamming the pulpit and demanding: Never again shall you see my face until you can say: blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord., Professor Janja Lalich said if a leader has convinced his followers that he is a messenger from God, its very hard for people to leave his congregation because their salvation is tied to him. Shop eBooks and audiobooks at Rakuten Kobo. They call themselves a "nondenominational religious organization" although they are somewhat similar to united Pentecostals in how they dress, etc. Over the years, the church has been called, variously, New Life Fellowship, Fellowship of Christ, Emmaeus Fellowship, Koinonia and Heritage Ministries. While the church refused to answer questions about allegations of abuse, it did move aggressively to respond on its own terms, setting up a web page to rebut a story it hadnt seen (the site remained under construction as this story was going to press). Im going to hurt other people emotionally if I dont, she said. She told an elder about the abuse she suffered, who in turn informed other elders in the church. The Observer has learned from a number of different sources of other cases of sexual abuse within Homestead Heritage. Trying to think of a question to ask, I guess is there anything you miss from that time in your life? I wanted to see who got cut down; who got berated, he said. Whats really going on near Waco? He first got to know Homestead Heritage in 1999 and since then has visited its property near Chalk Bluff numerous times, often bringing along his students. He intends to plead guilty, according to the McLennan County DAs office. . It would seem to me that most people would think that such a man is one of low character, even a coward. Ex-members are making the sensational claim because one characteristic of a cult is having a charismatic leader or group of leaders, members say. Unusual to a huge degree, yes. We were told sex was strictly for reproduction, she said. Most people in there buy into the fact that Homestead is the only route to heaven and while they are miserable they would never leave. The station's veteran investigative journalist Brett Shipp has been working on corroborating and documenting allegations of physical, emotional and sexual abuse of children at Waco religious. But we incorrectly reported the timeline that DeLong gave to police. Here, a small but ever-growing group of believers came together from many different ethnic and cultural backgrounds to worship and share their lives . Another false allegation is that Homestead Heritage is not conducive to a healthy family, members say. The editors note explained to Christianity Today readers that Beechners thoughts had been echoed by others and that Homestead Heritage elders deny the charges of coercion, abusive discipline or teaching non-biblical doctrine. It then encouraged readers to contact both Homestead Heritage and Watchman Fellowship for more information. From age 5, Sandy said she was sexually abused by two different men. People who dont continue walking in a relationship with God can jeopardize their salvation, they say. He described the food served in the caf as heavenly., I was given a copy of a letter sent to Christianity Today in response to Olsons piece by ex- member Bob Beechner, Katherines husband, of which the magazine chose to publish a very small extract. Its literature stresses simplicity, sustainability, self-sufficiency, cooperation, service and quality craftmanship. Requiring members to adhere to group patterns is no different than a football coach requiring players to meet certain standards of conduct, Wheeler says. Leaving you said it was difficult to leave, did many people come and go or was it more of a closed society? Ex-members have posted passages from Homestead Heritage literature, but much is quoted out of context, they say. Attorney Jeff Blackburn, a crusader for the innocent, fought injustices across Texas in his improbable, utterly original, and often profane life. But it took me a lot longer to get past the belief I was going to hell. Its the persons attitude. In interviews with the Tribune-Herald, Homestead Heritage members repeatedly described the allegations of their critics and ex-members as incendiary, inflammatory or insidious. Members continually compared the claims to allegations made against persecuted groups, including Anabaptists, blacks and victims of the Salem witch trials. Although the group was founded by Blair Adams, he has no more authority than the other ministers, they say. However, the group doesnt believe in salvation as a phenomenon that happens at just one moment in time. Get our latest in-depth reporting straight to your inbox. At the crux of those punishments is isolation from the group, with disfellowshipment being more severe. I would have gone to hell rather than do that again.. Alexander said the man snapped it in half. Services are held every Friday night and Sunday, but for its members and they currently number about 1,000 Homestead Heritage is a way of life. Sex is treated as an extremely taboo subject and it leads to a lot of weird behavior. Because there was no context for the truth that he had.. According to several ex-members I spoke to, the only person who has never fallen from grace in this way is Blair Adams. All rights reserved. My requests to interview Ratliff and both DeLongs in prison were turned down, and none of the men replied to letters sent by mail. In my story on Homestead Heritage for the Observer, I interviewed Sandy (not her real name) who told me that she was abused by two different men in the church from the age of five. The other elders are beneath him. A child is defined as anyone under the age of 18. Homestead has been around since the 80s and have moved and changed names many times. Idaho, The Walk. So glad you were able to escape! Some involve matters of ministerial confidentiality. At the family level, fathers are above wives and children. . I also used to get super emotional in movies, I would cry when the actors did, laugh with themman, that was awesome. Others boil down to a he said/she said contest. Three members have been convicted of sexually assaulting minors. A Texas Observer investigation has found allegations of child sex abuse involving at least six members of the Homestead Heritage community. Homestead Heritage is an intentional community in rural Texas. I loved that and I became quite a loner. But dig a little below the surface, and the idyllic veneer of this place begins to peel and crumble. If you express interest in joining the elders have to talk to you which I guess is part of the vetting process. Scroll down for video Unreported abuse: Blair Adams, church leader at Homestead Heritage, has been accused of covering up widespread abuse of children and teenagers Sexual exploitation of. It was to set the record straight, especially for those outside the group to whom Elder had given his epistle. I had some substance abuse issues for a while because it was the first time I realized I could actually control the way I felt and I'd been depressed just about my entire life lol. They strictly enforce dress codes (I remember an elder yelling at me for wearing a T-shirt). In accordance with . Only then did he give himself up. Site made in collaboration with CMYK. Homestead Heritage, on the other hand, lets members decide how much, if any, contact to have with family members who leave. In response to my story, the church published an extensive rebuttal in the form of text and video. You murder their reputation and cause people to fear them, Yarden says. The organization doesn't consider Homestead Heritage dangerous in a physical or legal sense, he says. Others were affiliated with anti-cult groups or those that defend Christian doctrine. You didn't date. As for the invitation to meet with the broader group, Arnn says he didnt take Owen up on it because he felt it would prove a waste of time. Were they judgmental of them, envious, suspicious? Theologically it therefore is considered to be a cult of Christianity. It also leads into the supposed teaching that people who leave the group are damned, they say. According to Christina, who asked that her surname be redacted, Blair Adams began preaching about corporal punishment shortly after the group first moved from the East Coast to Colorado. Its forcing people not to be human., Janja Lalich, a sociology professor at California State University and author of two books on recovering from cults and abusive relationships, said sexual repression is one of most powerful ways that a group can exert control.
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