briar patch

[steve-in-kville]

Didn't read the entire site obviously, but I do admire their statement of family life:

Children are reared to serve God in stable families where husbands love their wives, wives obey their husbands, and children honour their parents. As we trust God for our needs and do not practise birth control, a married couple may have 12 or more children. This natural increase helps us keep our living standards realistic and prevents us from becoming self-indulgent. Many aspects of our life revolve around managing these large families. The married sisters’ time is organised so they can keep their Community work commitments and still care for their children. The single sisters help married ladies with large families, knowing that when they are married, someone will help them.

[Biblical Anabaptist]

Didn't read the entire site obviously, but I do admire their statement of family life:

Children are reared to serve God in stable families where husbands love their wives, wives obey their husbands, and children honour their parents. As we trust God for our needs and do not practise birth control, a married couple may have 12 or more children. This natural increase helps us keep our living standards realistic and prevents us from becoming self-indulgent. Many aspects of our life revolve around managing these large families. The married sisters’ time is organised so they can keep their Community work commitments and still care for their children. The single sisters help married ladies with large families, knowing that when they are married, someone will help them.

I am not saying they are all bad, few if any groups are so bad that they are all bad. In fact, the danger of deception is that it is so nearly right on so many fronts.I don't know if it is still on the website, but there had been a video of a wedding. Part of their wedding ritual is that after the ceremony the couple is carried off to a "bridal chamber" where the couple consummates the marriage. When they return from that the reception is then held. A little research will lead you to things like this https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/arti ... d=12051901https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IWXC6fqHZI

[Valerie]

Didn't read the entire site obviously, but I do admire their statement of family life:

Children are reared to serve God in stable families where husbands love their wives, wives obey their husbands, and children honour their parents. As we trust God for our needs and do not practise birth control, a married couple may have 12 or more children. This natural increase helps us keep our living standards realistic and prevents us from becoming self-indulgent. Many aspects of our life revolve around managing these large families. The married sisters’ time is organised so they can keep their Community work commitments and still care for their children. The single sisters help married ladies with large families, knowing that when they are married, someone will help them.

I am not saying they are all bad, few if any groups are so bad that they are all bad. In fact, the danger of deception is that it is so nearly right on so many fronts.I don't know if it is still on the website, but there had been a video of a wedding. Part of their wedding ritual is that after the ceremony the couple is carried off to a "bridal chamber" where the couple consummates the marriage. When they return from that the reception is then held. A little research will lead you to things like this https://www.nzherald.co.nz/nz/news/arti ... d=12051901https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3IWXC6fqHZI

Do you have any concerns over many of the Amish courting & wedding rituals? I recognize that many Christians have the perception that Amish & Mennonites are cultish too

[Josh]

Gloriavale is nothing like Amish or Mennonite cultural practices; it's one guy who was running the place (now deceased) who ruled with an iron fist, and prevented people from leaving.

The author of The Secret of the Strength had to escape after being there for a few months.

[Biblical Anabaptist]

Gloriavale is nothing like Amish or Mennonite cultural practices; it's one guy who was running the place (now deceased) who ruled with an iron fist, and prevented people from leaving.

The author of The Secret of the Strength had to escape after being there for a few months.

True, he did escape from there. I don't know the details of that escape. More recently he "escaped" possibly more like was pushed out of the Rocky Cape community which was taking on some cult-like qualities as to the one-man control it was experiencing.

[Heirbyadoption]

I believe there's a briar patch around here somewhere for you last two...

[Moses]

Moses was adopted.

That was God's Plan all along - since before He even created the world or any people.

Was that a tragedy !? (no - it was a perfectly wonderful plan, accomplished by the Father of All Living! )

Who told you I was adopted? Mom?

Were you put in a basket in the Nile River ?

Were you adopted or chosen by Yahweh ?

I was in de nile once.

[Joy]

I got over de nile way back in the spring of 1970 .

[Josh]

Gloriavale is nothing like Amish or Mennonite cultural practices; it's one guy who was running the place (now deceased) who ruled with an iron fist, and prevented people from leaving.

The author of The Secret of the Strength had to escape after being there for a few months.

True, he did escape from there. I don't know the details of that escape. More recently he "escaped" possibly more like was pushed out of the Rocky Cape community which was taking on some cult-like qualities as to the one-man control it was experiencing.

No, that wasn't the case at Gloriavale at all. Originally they planned to visit for a certain amount of time, and then fly home. The airline serving the very remote area went out of business, and Gloriavale's leadership interpreted that as a spiritual sign that the Hoover family should stay.

The entrance/exit was blocked off with a bus each evening so that it would be difficult to get vehicles in or out without permission from the Gloriavale leadership. The area is a many mile walk from the next nearest civilisation. As time went on, the Hoover family became concerned that Gloriavale was going to try to make it difficult for them to leave. They ended up leaving abruptly, before the exit could be blocked. (This was before cell phones made outside communication easy - phone calls had to be arranged in advance to use the community phone, so planning someone to pick you up without getting caught was not an easy task.)

My information above is based on personal conversations with his children and other people at Rocky Cape, including people who are not sympathetic to him.

[MaxPC]

Sounds like it would make a good cautionary tale.