Hi Rensil, and thank you.

Really appreciate your comments. I have agreed to speak with the BBC but choosing to stay anonymous.

Every story has two sides but one truth. We know the truth. I would also love if the BBC do reach out to others. There are so many stories to share of the truth and what went on and happened to so many innocent victims.

I always did wonder if the truth would come out. I have followed this forum for so many year and didn’t feel brave enough until recently to be able to share.

I am glad I have been able to and grateful to you all for your kindness and understanding.

I have questioned - what is it I / us want to gain from this? I would love to save others from going through the abuse and hell that I went through. The nastiness and unkindness that sadly struthers show to so many.

I would love for children to grow up feeling loved and not being judged for their simple every day choices. I would love for people to feel free and not living in fear that they aren’t good enough.

Sadly the likes of Andrew Jewell and his wife rhian ruined my uni days, and many other peoples. They broke me. Rhian Jewell is a very judgemental individual. I actually remember Alison’s speirs saying that to me. It was in the cedars kitchen area, at the dining room table. And she said ‘that girl is stuck in a bubble in her own head. She has no idea of the damage she is causing to so many’. I remember it vividly. I was shocked but possibly relieved. Maybe I wasn’t crazy for not feeling the overwhelming adoration for her that some seemed to. Very similarly to how I felt about Diana Rutherford.

Hugh Black and Mary Black are now passed. I had many 1-1 conversations with Mary Black. It’s difficult knowing what I want to share as she is no longer here. Is there anything to gain? Am I just clearing my mind so that I can focus on the future. I’m not sure.

I would like to also mention that over the years I have received much support with therapy and counselling. Some Christian/church based and some not. Every single one of them told me that what I had suffered was spiritual abuse. I’ve always shared a very open, truthful story of what I went through.

Could struthers be shut down? Probably not. Will they apologise? Probably not. Will they repent? Probably not. Will it let the local communities know how dangerous they are? I hope so.

I do chuckle a little bit when I realise they will be preaching from the pulpit this weekend and reminding the congregation that this is an assault of the devil, God is about to abundantly bless them all so clearly Satan is at work.

No Struthers - the truth is just catching up with you. God bless you all and I actually do mean that.

I also agree - yes maybe it is good to rant here and I apologise if my words have been misunderstood. I have got slightly paranoid realising the attention this thread has been getting and just keen to keep ourselves right. We are doing that though.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2024 04:50PM by Rainbow.

It's really interesting to read the recent responses and hear the developments. The branch of Struthers I was a part of has since closed down but I was often shipped off to Scotland as a young person and subjected to intense prayer, sometimes one on one, including "deliverance" (for what, I was never told). Adults with little to no training in youth work or safeguarding were placed in positions of power over young people on weekends away, largely because the church still saw anyone under 35 in the same category as teenagers! On top of the intense prayer sessions were worship meetings in small and crowded rooms that went on into the early hours of the morning, public shaming from the pulpit (I remember one young person was accused of witchcraft in front of the whole movement at a July Camp), and dangerous teachings and activity about undermining the role of parents in taking care of their children and looking after their family. I sometimes read in the news about other churches being accused of spiritual abuse and I think wow, that's nothing compared to what the SMC leaders get up to...

Hi anonymousfornow. Yes, similar to you u have enjoyed seeing the recent activity and how things are really moving forward.

Very interested in what you have said. That is the 3rd accusation of witchcraft that I have seen shared on here. The story I shared was of a woman who stayed in cedars and was told to immediately move out as she had been practicing witchcraft in her room. She was (at that time) a key member in the church, appeared very lovely and kind, also quite quiet. Was very good friends with Alison and Elaine. There was never an explanation of what activities she was actually doing. Just that she was practicing witchcraft. Personally, looking back, I don’t believe she was. I guess (my opinion) that Alison or Mary decided they didn’t like her and wanted her out. But no details were ever shared so the truth remains unknown. I did ask my source of gossip (who was very much in the know and happy to share) for more detail but she genuinely didn’t know any more than what I have shared. It’s very sad.

I am interested to hear how others are feeling? I often wanted to share my story or challenge struthers memorial church over the years.

I had no way to do this. No way to have a voice. But I have realised that from when I did leave, they haven’t actually grown. The church is no bigger or smaller than it was back then. That revival that they repeatedly told us was coming. It’s didn’t come.

I have a lot more to my story but some of it is too personal and I don’t know if I ever will share. As I’ve said before I look at the youth of today and it breaks me. It absolutely breaks me that any adult, especially those in a position of trust, could do what they did to me and so many others. They allowed horrific, appalling behaviour to happen time and time again. They allowed bullying, threats, lies and horrific gossip to continually happen to innocent people that were actually striving to be what they believed was the best version of them (dictated by struthers).

They had a close knit group of individuals that they wanted to keep safe. Cross them and your name would be blackened. I wish I could share but I just don’t feel I can.

Diana Rutherford is a very dangerous and toxic person. And I know she will embrace this and the comment will be mentioned in a sermon. That’s what they do. They own it and act proud. And why not? It’s not like they will get arrested for spiritual abuse. They played a clever game.

For those who believe…. We are only accountable to God. So my views and what I have said doesn’t actually matter. As said before. There is one truth. And I think we have established what that is.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 04/26/2024 06:00PM by Rainbow.

Thank you Pretitor for your reply. I’m just catching up Thank you.

Does anyone remember a group called Radical Alternative? I believe they came from the Millport crowd when Alison speirs moved over to mainland.

They were the chosen and up and coming. They could sing, I did enjoy listening. I joined a while after they came about but I heard many a story. Very interesting ones.

Just to clarify my comment about this being "one big rant". The point that I was trying to make is this: in order to be able to dismiss it and not take it seriously, that is likely how SMC and their apologisers see it. It's far easier to do that than actually face what is said here face on. If the leaders were the 'real deal' and genuinely cared for people, that's exactly what they'd do - address the issues face on. But their (lack of) actions speak louder than words.

Rainbow - I'm intrigued by this comment - "I wish I could share but I just don’t feel I can". Are you able to elaborate on why you say this?

Rensil - given your vast contribution to this thread, might I humbly suggest that you email the BBC contact directly and make them aware that you have something to add? They can only be interested to hear from you.

In fact, this applies to anyone that would be willing to contribute.

As to the comment about Struthers being shut down. Of course they're going to play this out as an "attack on satan" etc etc. But it's not - this is the fruits of their labour - these are the seeds they have sown. Perhaps it is the beginning of the end - we've already seen the new dawn go.

Some will buy into the sermonising around this being the work of the devil etc but I imagine there will be parents of pupils unconnected to the church that will want to distance themselves from this. There is simply too vast a catalog of complaints and testimony for this just to be ignored.

Exciting times ahead and I hope, vindication for those that have had a truly harmful experience.

What a brilliant post Blackwatch. I agree with everything you have said. It is now time. I do think we are past the stage of amends being made. Each individual that is part of the ‘struthers’ movement has had their chance to talk it out and apologise. It is now time for the truth to come out.

Also, just to address why there are somethings I feel I can’t talk about. I went through my own horrific situation in the church which involved 2 other individuals. Had I had support and help from leadership it may have been escalated to involve the police because of what one of the people did to me. The leaders were more than aware. It was horribly terrifying and upsetting. I was asked to leave. The other people involved still attend.

I have never spoke about or shared this experience in any detail at all. I don’t plan too. It feels very personal and the problem is actually the other individuals involved. I’m not sure I could hold struthers accountable. I was a child in their care and they know what happened. But I feel it’s a bit of a broken line so not worth putting my full story out there. It would be too hard to re live. And I don’t feel there would be any benefit to it.

Hi rainbow if they were at the church, it is the churches problem. Tell the bbc

Rainbow Wrote:
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> Does anyone remember a group called Radical
> Alternative?

I remember them. It would have been about 1990, 1991.

They were a group of kids who played music on the stage at the Saturday night Greenock meetings.