7he7ruth:

Please stay on topic.

Also, the rules prohibit preaching or proselytizing. Please keep this in mind when posting here.

In the early 1980s I read and studied the Scripture extensively, and ran into a few people in White Robes Proselytizing being vegan which was not a word in the early 80s, refraining from sexual immorality and being non materialistic, the Christ Family.
I also ran into many of the Love Family, which today still runs the Garlic Festable in Arlington Wa..
The Love Family persons I met were not able to stand examination of their doctrine based upon my understanding of Christian Doctrine.
However the Doctrine of the Christ Family of no Killing, no Sex and no Materialism withstood extensive biblical research, it made sense. In fact it is oblivious that those that disagree with those doctrines use and blatantly misinterpret Scripture; an example is using Peter’s vision of the unclean animals to say that proves GOD wants us to eat meat when the vision is clearly talking about taking The WAY to those that are not Jews.
So after many MONTHS of extensive biblical research I came to accept that no Killing, no Sex and no Materialism are SOUND BIBLICAL doctrines.
I still had some problems with Amen is Christ or GOD, and this can be interpreted in many ways, but to Keep it Simple, Jesus said;
Mar 9:38 And John answered him, saying, Master, we saw one casting out devils in thy name, and he followeth not us: and we forbad him, because he followeth not us.
Mar 9:39 But Jesus said, Forbid him not: for there is no man which shall do a miracle in my name, that can lightly speak evil of me.
Mar 9:40 For he that is not against us is on our part.
Mar 9:41 For whosoever shall give you a cup of water to drink in my name, because ye belong to Christ, verily I say unto you, he shall not lose his reward.
So, the claims of coming in Christ name, which he does not do he claims a new name Amen, do not concern me. What concerns me is the Doctrine, and the White Robe, barefoot, vegan, abstaining from sexual immorality and materialistic excess are SOUND Christ Like Doctrine.
Sometime in the early 80s I put on the White Robe, and met a few of the Brothers and Sisters, mostly I flew Solo, from California to Mexico to Florida to Washington, and believe it or not I was a year behind a mass of Brothers and Sister that sold their bus to David Koresh, that is where all the women and children corpses were found, I slept in the Avocado orchard in Homestead Fl. and I met a combination of both very Evil “Christians” that wanted to Crucify me or stick a .357 up my nose and I met people that would come up and tell me “I changed their life” just be seeing me they REMEMBERED GOD.
I have been called everything, by “Christians” every foul thing you can imagine “Christians” have called me. I was there I did not do any of these things they say I did/do.
Funny it is that Muslims, Hindus, Buddhist, and many others, when they see me they KNOW I am a Christian, they are not confused, they do not say Hare Christina, only the “Christians” ACT as if they do not understand, everyone else is like “that is a Christian” they say among themselves.
I never met Amen in person, and I just put the Robe back on, it is The Way, the TRUTH and the Life, and believe me 99.999% of you folks cannot hold a candle next to me in Biblical discussion, but,
For me the Robe is both a Direction and Deflection
I am weak I need to remember GOD in all I do, the robe Helps me, I NEED to remember to say “GOD BLESS YOU” in road rage incidents, I need to eat Vegan, I Need to remember GOD LOVES ME.
You folks are strong you remember to Bless those that curse you, I do not when I am out of the Robe, when I am in the Robe I remember GOD, it is a tool that Helps me that is weak.
I do not care if Amen is the Lord, all I care about is the DOCTRIAN,
Which is the Way, the Truth and the Life.

Taranis:

I don't quite understand what your purpose is in posting here.

Apparently, you want to somehow attempt a defense of the group, which has hurt many people.

Read the entire thread here from the beginning. The harm done is quite serious.

In my opinion the so-called "Christ Family" is little more than a destructive cult.

You seem somewhat confused about this.

But "Amen" fits rather easily within the criteria of a "cult leader."

Jesus warned that many would come in his name, but he would not know them.

The New Testament warns about false prophets, excessively controlling and manipulative leaders (e.g. Galatians) and those that prey upon others like wolves, but appear dressed like sheep.

"Amen" seems to fit well within such descriptions.

To whom it may concern:

Taranis has been banned from this message board.

Hey brothers and sisters,
I am yet another being that fell into Lightnings trap in the mid seventies. So many amazing things happened in the wind that I really did feel that it was like being on a magic carpet ride. Those were troubled years for me, I had lived in a Hare Krsna temple for a year and was seriously in search of a meaningful existence. It took me another year to figure out that there are no short cuts. We have to live in this world, be part of society, and everything else is simply running away from responsibility. It's much harder to face the world, raise a family and contribute to society than to book into the wind without a worry in the world.
Those days in a robe made me part of what I am today, which is a simple person who puts his faith in God before everything else. Even today, 35 years later I still struggle with the harm that Christ Family Cult did to me. Fortunately I found a constructive outlet for my natural spirituality. Many times I saw brothers and sisters i the wind, and watched the evolve with time. We did not wear shoes, carry I.D.'s, they even made me throw my glasses away. This perhaps can explain my lack of vision. As the years passed, the brothers had sandles, sunglasses, cars.campers...and what was really amazing they had explanations for everything.
I lived in the Yuma camp with Lightning, and about 7 others for a spring in 1975. Later I travelled in the wind with Lightning to San Diego , Santa Cruz, L.A. and to northern California. He was a very impressive chap for a young kid, and really quite entertaining. But I saw he was just another old burnt out hippie with a unique spin on an old tale.
The thing is, life is full of mystery, challenges and obstacles. On the road we had the opportunity to surrender to a higher power, putting our lives in harms way. The simple truth is that faith is a powerful weapon, we just have the tendency to believe we are special, or chosen. This is what this cult provides, a sense of exclusivity and power; the very things we need to avoid . There is no substitute for humility and compassion, and the Christ Family was actually cruel, because they taught us how to forget those that love and care for us, by replacing them with this new family. One that was chosen and hand picked to be the soul survivors, condemning the rest of the entire planet.
A few weeks before Amen left, I met some brothers and sisters on the road. I always stop to chat, out of curiosity and some obscured sense of brotherhood, after all I did just what they were doing. I know the inner turmoil and grief one hides behind a vale of illusive realizations. They blew my mind , because Lightning had managed to re invent himself after falling so low into drug and alcohol abuse. Each time I would try to show these people in the wind that I understood and was no longer willing to play that game. I wish there was a way for me to help these poor lost souls.
Today I am a practicing physician, and try to give my patients the real medicine. That is tender loving care, my time and compassion. Somehow I was very fortunate to escape from the firm grip of this crippling self deception.
I pray that all those who believe that the Christ Family is the true way back home, that they hold the keys to the kingdom, I pray that they snap out of this illusion and just become humble servants, not empowered saints.
Love, Hugo

I was once a member of the Christ Family. I was inundated when I was 14 back in '92. My best friends mother was dating a man called Adam and he introduced the family to her and her kid, Stephanie. When I was first inducted I was told not to tell my family that it was a cult, "because it wasn't" is what I was told and it would make my family worry. I was talked into going vegan, no wearing leather shoes or anything made from an animal. I genuinely believed these people loved me because they provided me with things that my mother couldn't afford, like glasses. I was brainwashed, I realize that now.
As a female we were always treated as second class people. We had to wait on the men, wash their clothes, cook their meals, clean their houses, we couldn't eat before they were served food, we couldn't do anything with out approval. I didn't realize this was wrong because I guess I didn't want to see it. Adam once told me and Stephanie that we would attract more brother's to the family than anyone he's ever seen. (He tried inundating our boyfriends) The no sex law was before our time, we weren't prohibited from having sex, I think it was because the boys stayed with us longer and it gave Adam a greater chance of "getting to them". It worked to.
I met Amen just after graduating high school. Me, Steph and 3 of our guy friends went out to Hemet for a couple of weeks. My impression was that everyone revered him, I didn't see why. By the time I graduated I was into drugs (coke, speed and pot)and alcohol and I knew the California group was too. I think we were invited to Cali to see how the other sisters behaved and how well they served. I remember a couple of instances where we were told to love our bodies and not to be ashamed of them because God made them, but being chastised because I went swimming with a girl I met out there and a bunch of boys and not telling her not to where the bikini she had on, apparently she should have worn shorts and a tshirt as I had. I was told I should have corrected her because I was older and knew better.
I stayed in the cult for about 10 years, until I grew up and learned how to think for myself. I slowly started to distance myself until one day I just stopped talking to them altogether. I was the lucky one. My best friend is still with them. I miss her. I tried to get in contact with her after I learned Amen finally died, hoping that she would see that all the crap they would spout out about his second coming never came to fruition. I hope one day she finally "sees the light". I hope that she can get her children out of that lifestyle.
So if any of the "brothers and sisters" that come on here know Stephanie AKA "hannah" and her husband Jerry, Tell them I still love them and it's not to late to unwash their brains.

I am posting this because I wore a robe for a short time but my brother wore one for over 20 years, his name was Barry ( Bartholomew) and I'm sure some of you knew him, I don't know if you know he passed Aug. 17 or 18 2009 in Hemit from liver disease. I met "amen" in either 71 or 72 in Ocean Beach Ca, with my brother and my mother (mums) we had been living in a commune outside of Taos called Morning Star. Toured Co. and when our school bus broke down we hitch-hiked to San Diego where we meet "amen" back then it was just him and Cheri and he called himself Jesus. It was at a place called "The Inbetween" almost immediatly Barry took to "amen" I didn't untill I saw him again at earth peoples park in Vermont and there I put on the robe and travailed across country with Barry( Bartholomew) this was in about 72 or 73, when I got back to San Diego I took off the robe and never put it back on. I was one of the lucky ones. I recently talked to a lady who's brother was a long time member of cf and has recently passed also from liver disease, she has been trying to get admitted to this forum as she would like to connect to past members relatives of cf members, her name is Michelle. Thank you for letting me post, if anyone here knew Barry please leave me a post .

I travelled with Barry from Gainesville to Yuma, than on to the in between in San Diego. This was Spring of 74. He was one of Lightning's really loyal soldiers.
He had acne scars, and a unique preaching style, pretty heavy. He took me to meet Lightning and Cheri at the dessert camp.
Hope he found peace.

Hugo, hi Bro, this is Barry's brother my name is Jerry last time I saw Barry he was headed back to Hemit, which is where he passed. When he left Tennessee (where he was raised) he seemed pretty happy but he was not wearing a robe... after he got to Hemit I don't know if put the robe back on or not but he was living in the house with the brothers and sisters. I hope he was happy. I can't help but wonder why so many of them died from liver disease. Last time I saw lighting was in the 70's in Vermont and none of them was into drugs(Except pot) but I heard they all got into speed after a while and I know Barry had hep c, he told me he got it from a blood transfusion after he got burned in a house fire, I had no reason to doubt him. I know as you say he was one of lighting's loyal soldiers to be true, he was there from the early days. Hope you found peace as well Hugo.

I remember your brother.