When it says that Jesus will return as a thief in the night it clearly means that we do not know exactly when that will be and so it is wrong and foolish to predict it too dogmatically. Scriptural prophecy relating to what are called 'The Signs of the Times' are intended to keep us alert and watching for his return and Christadelphians perhaps more than many denominations do place a high priority on Bible prophecy.

AndrewM1-yes it clearly says no one know the time, except the Father-so why are CD's so obsessed, trying to work out when it is going to happen, when Saddam send few scud missiles to Israel, CD's were worked up then as this is the signs, I cannot comprehend why you people are so fanatical. I know christianity has been abused by many believers who have their own version and belief system, but majority accepts that Christ can return tomorrow, so be ready, but don't try to work it out, looks foolish when it fails and your religion looses more credibility. I see some good points in CD's but the religious fanaticism is not what I am after. I think your younger generation might be more understanding then the older ones who say "because we know". I remember one Lady that was sitting nxt to me at a lecture, who said that John Thomas was inspired by God- really: a man who first attacked Elliot, writer of the book "Horia Apocaliptica" and Grenville Penn writer of " The prophesy of Ezekiel concerning Gog", then turn around and copy their writings in His so called original\autentic Eurika- Elpis Israel-Anatolia and so forth, today JT would have been dragged thru courts. JT did not like mainstream christianity with some logical questions, but He was not inspired by God. He plagarized his way- lets say to stardum. Unfortunatly CD's do not question their own views and their founder. They are preached, "don't listen to outsiders" in other words, shut yourself from outside comments. Time to wake up and question yourselfs, are we right all the time as we think we are. There is not one religion on this earth that is 100% correct. But when you claim "we alone got the TRUTH" thats scares the hell out of me. It is the way you interpret the Bible to suit your belief system.

A follow up, since I was part of this thread, almost ten years ago. It took me ten years to get completely separated from this group, and to get deprogrammed from it. It thoroughly destroyed my life, for some of the reasons articulated in this thread by several people. I had to lose all of my friends and all of my relatives to make a complete escape from it. It is very definitely a cult group, in my personal experience, and the only way I would ever return to it would be in a pine coffin.

Many things in life are not what they appear to be on the surface. I have found that nursing homes may appear to be very lovely on the surface, and actually after some examination it can be determined that they are often "storage for old people." I once frequented a garage that had an excellent reputation, and then found out its primary expertise consisted of gouging its customers for car repairs that weren't necessary. I once worked in what appeared to be a very upscale restaurant, and, in reality, the kitchen was not kept clean, much of the food was ersatz, and the chef never remembered to wash his hands.

It was my experience that the Christadelphians, in the same manner, can appear to be something attractive and benign, when in reality they are often something very, very different under surface. And if what they are isn't a cult, then the term "cult" needs to be redefined.

Just in case anyone is looking for info about whether Christadelphians are destructive church, here’s my experience of being born in and still recovering thirty years later. I think its membership is declining in most countries, thank goodness. But sadly there would still be children being hurt today. [medium.com]

If you’ve reached your free reading limit on the Medium platform, the story is also available here for free on substack: [nome.substack.com]



Edited 2 time(s). Last edit at 01/13/2023 03:55PM by NomeBee.

Thank you for posting your story. It is similar to my own, in many ways. It also brought back memories of my childhood, from which I will spend the rest of my life recovering.

On the surface, Christadelphians (hereinafter referred to as "CDs") generally paint a picture of pacifism, kindness, compassion, and other attractive characteristics, to lure in rare converts. In reality, this is often a pretty fraudulent advertisement. One of my brothers used to say, "They only caress us when there is an audience watching, and they only miss us when we run away."

And sometimes we did run away, though running availed us nothing except more suffering once we got returned "home."

I recall refusing to eat oatmeal one morning, and leaving it on our kitchen table. My slovenly mother could not be bothered making anything else, year in and year out. Sometimes it felt like we were living in a Charles Dickens novel. In response to my refusal (in reality, I'd just gotten up from the table without eating the oatmeal and gone to school), she came with a rod to my ninth grade classroom and dragged me out into the hallway to beat me. The other students and teacher were horrified, as they should have been.

We were the regular recipients of very savage and conscienceless beatings. There was no misbehavior on our part, the beatings were administered for their cathartic effect on the person bestowing the beatings, and/or in theory to maintain "discipline." According to the bastards, their 'holy scriptures" made them entirely entitled to administer such violence.


This same parent I've mentioned never made us school lunches. We'd put two pieces of bread together to take to school, and there would be nothing to place between the slices of bread. We'd pretend to our schoolmates to have a sandwich. We received no medical care of any kind, and we wore the same thrift store rags year in and year out.

I recall a parent coming to get child rearing instructions from our "adults." They were impressed by how well-behaved CD children appeared to be. To assist them with a "hands-on experience," my mother began giving me instructions. When I did not respond promptly enough, she walked across the room and punched me in the face with her fist. "That's how you do it," she said to the visiting parent, "except I am usually very careful about striking my children in their faces, as it can cause them to develop a stutter."

The visiting parent got up without another word and walked out our front door. But she and others never sent Child Protective Services to our threshold. That's what should have happened.

We were terribly betrayed by the adults in this cult. We were thoroughly mangled, exploited, and violated, in every manner, physically, sexually, psychologically, and emotionally.


Several relatives tried to get custody of me and my siblings. They failed in the attempt. The adults with custody of us dressed us in new clothing for our courtroom visit, and curled my sisters' hair into curls, and bought us new shoes. They'd never bothered with such things previously. Twenty years later, after escaping the cult, I attempted to contact the judge who had left us in the cult group. I was going to tell him what a monstrous mistake he made. And he was already dead.

I know my experience was not common for most CD children, but it happened, and ours were not the only households and CD churches wherein such nightmarish stories arose. I have refused contact with most of the perpetrators of my suffering for countless years. I will not let them within 100 miles of my own children.

And may there be a special place in Hell for the monstrosities who speak God's name in one breath, and then use little children as stage props, their personal property, or punching bags.