The Hidden Truth: Breaking the Silence

Hod is a longtime friend, and a former worker (2x2 minister). As a part of his story, he shares the very significant toll that being an itinerant minister takes on an individual.

Chapters: 00:00:32 Megan's Remarkable Story and Hiatus Recovery 00:05:38 Manipulation and Control: Unhealthy Aspects of Cults 00:06:36 The Complexity of Positive and Negative Experiences in Cults 00:11:07 The Corrupting Power of Leadership Positions in Religious Organizations 00:13:52 Maintaining a Pristine Image and Covering up Abuse in Religious Organizations 00:16:35 Tylenol Scandal: A Lesson in Crisis Management 00:21:45 Generational Mormonism and the Fear of Questioning 00:27:23 Indoctrination and the Difficulty of Breaking Free 00:30:53 The psychological impact of childhood indoctrination and abuse 00:34:01 Parents' awareness of the abuse and their response 00:37:26 Understanding the low rate of false reporting 00:40:34 The Devastating Impact of False Accusations 00:49:51 Struggle with Church's Treatment of LGBTQ Community 00:53:15 COVID as a Catalyst for Leaving the Church 00:59:08 A gradual separation from the church 00:59:57 Recent and rapid disconnection from the church in February 01:05:08 Making peace with our past and self-perception 01:05:45 Beginning of an Intense Discussion 01:05:47 Embracing the Shadow and Warrior Within

Dale believes his initial profession of faith was more out of obligation than genuine belief. He mentions that at a young age, he didn't have a deep connection with God. Jonathan explores the pressure and expectations placed on young individuals to profess within the fellowship. He notes that Dale also experienced abuse from Herb Erickson, a predator who had been moved around due to his actions. Dale continues his story by sharing that the abuse started when Herb began grooming his family. The abuse deeply impacted Dale, who was introverted and bashful as a child, with speaking and meeting being terrifying experiences for him. He expresses his frustration at the lack of individual conversations within his family and wonders if predators know how to pick their victims. Dale shares about the long-lasting impact of abuse. In 2023, Dale felt prompted to write his own story and release the burden of the secret, highlighting the healing process that comes with sharing stories publicly and acknowledging the wrongdoing.

In this episode of "The Hidden Truth," Rhonda shares her personal history, being raised in the fellowship and professing her faith at a young age. She also opens up about her traumatic experiences as a victim, including incidents of abuse by a babysitter and an elder in the fellowship. Rhonda explains that she had initially minimized the impact of these experiences due to her abusive childhood with her father. However, after learning about other survivors through recent revelations, she has come to recognize the widespread nature of the issue within the fellowship. The conversation delves into the challenges of addressing these traumas and the importance of support for survivors. Rhonda discusses her research on how childhood sexual abuse affects the brain and one's overall life. She reveals that she suffered from chronic diseases at a young age and struggled to find healing. They share the importance of setting boundaries and the struggles of trust and forgiveness that arise from abusive relationships.

On this episode of "The Hidden Truth, Breaking the Silence," our guest today is Cherie Kropp, author of "Preserving the Truth," who shares her personal journey within the fellowship and her extensive research on the subject. Cherie, a third-generation member, grew up on convention grounds in Mississippi, providing her with a unique perspective on the inner workings of the fellowship. Leaving home, Cherie got married and lived in Dallas for a while. As she did not have a university education, questions started to form in her mind regarding the strict rules enforced within the fellowship. These questions, along with a desire for personal freedom, eventually led her to leave the fellowship. Cherie explains that she began questioning the teachings of the church and sought scriptural support, but could not find any. She recalls asking a worker about the biblical basis for there being only one way to heaven, but the worker was unable to provide any scripture to support the claim. This realization made her question the true nature of the church. Cherie's research on the fellowship led her to start a website called tellingthetruth.info, where she collected documents and photos related to the fellowship. Eventually, she decided to turn her research into a book, spending 30 years on her research, including trips to the UK to gather more documents. Cherie sent an exit letter to many friends and family during her journey and received few responses, feeling somewhat shunned. During the conversation, Cherie and the host discuss their ongoing research into the origins and growth of the fellowship. They touch upon interesting documents and court cases related to allegations of human trafficking and child sexual abuse within the fellowship. Cherie's passion for preserving historical information drives her to continue her work, as she believes that everyone associated with the church has the right to know the truth and make informed decisions about their involvement. I encourage our listeners to read Cherie's book, "Preserving the Truth," for a deeper understanding of the fellowship. Until next time, thank you for joining us on "The Hidden Truth, Breaking the Silence."

In this episode of The Hidden Truth, we dive deep into the Christian fellowship that has maintained a painful silence for years. Lauren Rohs joins us as our guest, sharing her experiences growing up in the fellowship and shedding light on its strict beliefs and lack of meaningful friendships. We explore the evolution of the fellowship from her great-grandparents' era to the present day, and Lauren takes us on her personal journey of questioning and eventually leaving the community. We delve into the unsettling aspects of control and the fear of asking questions that pervade the community. Lauren also shares her passion for playing the piano and her admiration for Rachmaninoff. Moving beyond her life within the fellowship, Lauren discusses her experiences as a stripper and the difficult decision to give her child up for adoption. We explore her attempts to reconcile with her family and the shocking revelations she uncovered about her father's abusive behavior. Throughout the conversation, I stress the importance of storytelling and the urgent need for radical change and reparations within the community. We discuss the fear and avoidance that prevent people from facing the truth and the devastating consequences of maintaining the status quo, particularly in cases of child sex abuse. As the main speakers, we emphasize the significance of breaking the silence and exposing the harmful behavior that persists within the fellowship. We liken the secrecy to a form of "child sacrifice," as it allows the abuse to continue unchecked. We express our outrage at those who dismiss these crimes due to their occurrence in the past, highlighting the ignorance and disrespect towards survivors. Drawing parallels to commemoration events like 9/11, we stress that the ongoing impact of these crimes necessitates support for survivors and a refusal to uphold appearances. Quoting Jesus' teachings on the consequences of harming children, we condemn those who enable and cover up the abuse in the fellowship. We discuss the trauma triangle and the critical step of removing oneself from enabling abusive behavior. We highlight the magnitude of the problem, likening it to the reputation of the Catholic Church for enabling and covering up abuse. We encourage listeners feeling overwhelmed to recognize their role and take action, promoting awareness and change. Expressing the need to stop being complicit and withdraw support from the system that enables child sex abuse, we acknowledge that making a change will take time but is absolutely possible. We express perplexity over the failure of educated individuals to recognize child sex abuse as a crime, perhaps due to flawed theology or doctrine that prioritizes personal salvation over speaking up against the institution. As the main speakers, we point out the dangerous dynamics of a system where overseers are complicit with perpetrators. We reflect on our decision to write a letter to the overseers, knowing it wouldn't result in their stepping down but hoping to set a precedent for speaking out against those in power. We acknowledge that while some people may still idolize these individuals, survivors' stories and the accompanying data should be enough to wake people up. Despite the recognition that survivors shouldn't have to repeatedly share their stories to be taken seriously, we discuss the importance of their narratives in leaving a lasting impact on listeners. We express a willingness to watch the organization implode if it means justice for survivors. As an outsider looking in, we share the mixed response we've received, ranging from praise to vilification, but state that we've become immune to both. We express frustration at encountering individuals who should know better, such as a lawyer who wants survivors to come to him for information despite being close friends with a perpetrator. We emphasize the need for policy changes in light of the crisis, underscoring the lack of protection for...

Cynthia Liles is a private investigator spearheading efforts to address sexual abuse within a Christian fellowship. They discuss Institutional protection preventing open discussion about abuse and the importance of making information about perpetrators public for safety, highlighting the difficulties faced by those trying to report abuse within religious institutions. Why do those in authority in religious organizations cover up these crimes instead of pursuing justice?

In this episode we welcome Sheri as the guest. Sheri, a former member of the Christian fellowship that Jonathan is currently a part of, shares her experiences and her work as one of the co-founders of Advocates for the Truth. Sherry reveals that she has been on a path of exposing the abuse she suffered 40 years ago. The conversation between Jonathan and Sheri sheds light on the experiences of an abuse survivor and their journey towards healing, justice, and advocacy.

As a member of this Christian fellowship for most of my life, I never really questioned things until (9 months) after the death of DB, in March 2023, the floodgates opened. And now, I'm looking for answers which aren't forthcoming from "the inside" so I'll be interviewing ex-members and ex-ministers to learn about their experiences and what led them to where they are today. This docuseries may discuss potentially triggering topics of an adult nature, so be forewarned