Secretive Right Wing organization being investigated over sexual abuse claims

[ck4829]

Police in Nelson are appealing for women to come forward, in connection with an investigation into claims of historic sexual abuse.

Police are looking into a fifth complaint from a woman, claiming to have been molested as a child by a senior member of the Exclusive Brethren.

They are already investigating complaints by four other women, relating to abuse which is alleged to have taken place between the early 1950s and early 1980s.

http://www.tv3.co.nz/PoliceinvestigatingsexualabuseclaimsagainstExclusiveBrethrenmember/tabid/209/articleID/26270/Default.aspx

"In 2004 the Brethren held prayer meetings and took out newspaper ads supporting the re-election of George W. Bush as President of the United States. In this they aligned themselves with the "religious right" of that country. A committee formed by Brethren in Florida raised $530,000 for the ads supporting the re-election of Bush and of United States Senator Mel Martinez of Florida. $377,262 of this amount came from a single donor, Bruce K Hazell."

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Exclusive_Brethren#United_States

[devilgrrl]

1. The "Exclusive Brethren"????

Oh man....:eyes:

[Phredicles]

8. You mean the Supreme Court?

[toddaa]

9. You don't know the half of it

I was born into the Exclusive Brethren cult.

[tcfrogs]

2. They must not have been that secretive

If there's a wiki page about them.

[BOSSHOG]

3. The GOP? Fox News? EIB Network? Heritage Foundation?

Those conservative boys like to cuff their women about. So manly, beats going to war.

[MADem]

4. Wow, you really DO learn something new every day. I'd never heard of these putzes! nt

[Ian David]

5. Maybe Geraldo should have done a story about Ritual Christian Sexual Abuse...

instead of creating that false "Satanic Panic" that was as empty as Al Capone's vault.

[MetaTrope]

6. Half a million dollars for Bush, and he can't even get them off?

This is a president with no honor, obviously.

[madfloridian]

7. BBC article about that worldwide group....also known as Taylorites.

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/exclusivebrethren_1.shtml

"The Exclusive Brethren

The Exclusive Brethren are an Evangelical Protestant Christian church related to the Christian or Open Brethren. Members follow a rigid code of conduct based very strictly on Bible teaching, which provides a firm moral framework and is focussed on a strong family unit.

They keep themselves separate from other people (including other Christians) as far as possible, because they believe the world is a place of wickedness. They regard 'exclusiveness' as the only way to keep away from evil.

The main group of Exclusive Brethren are called 'Taylorites' after James Taylor Senior and Junior who led the church for much of the twentieth century.

Most of the information available about the group comes from people who have left it. As a result the Exclusive Brethren often gets a bad press and is referred to using phrases like "an exclusive and secret religious sect" or "a secretive church".

Article is 5 pages.