richardmgreen:

This thread is specifically about the Hickman group.

If you want to comment about Chabad or other groups go to that relevant thread and/or start a new thread about that topic.

This board is not here for you to attack various individuals by name.

Accordingly your posts have been edited.

Last warning.

The Ross Institute does not consider "Jews for Jesus" a cult, but rather a controversial group.

See [www.culteducation.com]

This disclaimer regarding groups included within the archives is linked from every page.

Being aware that current members may peek in at this site I am addressing this post to Richie Walsh.

Dear Richie,

I came upon this site two years ago. I would have thought the whole "Community" thing would have been dissolved long ago. Instead, not only am I reading of all the hurt, disillusionment, and shattered lives; but now I read that a new generation has been spawned to endure a life of futility pursuing an imaginary doctrine dreamed up by the now deceased Jack Hickman.
In March of 1982 I attended a meeting where Nancy Boles spoke. She told of a conversation in which you informed her of immorality behind the scenes going on with Lou Ramu. When Nancy came upon other information that would directly impact her family she contacted you for a further explanation as to what was going on. You and Nancy went to see your brother Dennis who revealed to a great extent the chicanery of Jack Hickman. What sticks out in my mind was how Nancy related that on the way home that night you were lamenting that after all was said and done at the end of the day you had to face the realization that you were just an ordinary 26 year old social worker. Apparently living out Jack Hickman's imagination was the only life you knew from when you were in your teens. One thing is for sure. In your heart of hearts you know this whole thing is a lie.
I want to tell you where I am coming from. In October of 1976 I was informed that I was to participate in a winter survival trip. I was just short of 21 years old, very naive, had never been on a camping trip and did not particularly like cold weather. There were seven of us plus you and Larry. Having been given a list of items to bring in order to be prepared for the trip it seemed odd that you specifically requested that we each bring a pair of shorts and a tee shirt. Well on December 26, 1976 we all met in Southold and spent the day learning about cross country skiing. It was after sunset that you brought us outside to the lake behind the house. We had all stripped down to shorts and a tee shirt. The lake was frozen over. A hole was cut in the ice and each of us was lowered into the water up to our necks for approximately twenty seconds or so. The purpose being that in the case of an accident in the wildernes we would know to control our body temperature.
Before dinner as we were preparing our backpacks I pulled you aside and asked you for my keys and my wallet as I decided I had to be out of my mind to be going on this trip. You responded by telling me that we would talk about it later on in the evening. Little did I know that in the middle of dinner you would tell everyone that I had something to share with the group. After I explained to everyone my misgivings about going on the trip there was a short discussion and then a vote. It was unanimously decided that I was going on the trip. The trip was somewhere in the mountains upstate. The first night in the tent I flipped out and had to be calmed down by my tent mate. I did not know at the time that I alarmed everyone in the camp as they all heard what was going on. However, by the third night you had expressed amazement at how I pulled myself together; how I owned up to something that I had to go through. That was a trip that changed me in many ways and I will never forget it.
When Jack Hickman announced on January 16, 1982 a reappraisal of the community I was frantic and completely devastated over the thought of being excluded from the community. I hardly knew what life was apart from the community as I became invovled shortly after high school. He played a very dangerous game with people's emotions. Over the next few weeks I learned the concept of the community was built on a top to bottom lie. I slowly learned to move on. It was only then that I began to grow up. Life has over the years been filled with many hard providences that I have learned I could not run from or side-step, however hard I might have tried. Nevertheless, the God of heaven and earth has sustained me through many trials all of these years.
I leave you with this. On December 26, 1976 you made me stand up and face the music; I told everyone how I wanted to sneak out and go home that night. I challenge you this day Richie Walsh to stand up and tell everyone including yourself that the whole Hickman thing is a lie.
I would have liked to reveal my name but I am honoring the wishes of the modreator of this site.

In a recent pm I was informed that I was mistaken in my understanding that I was to remain anonymous as I stated in my first posting. Let me just say it is my hope that I will someday hear of the community being dissolved once and for all; and perhaps many could begin that moving on adventure.

Frank Marrero

I just emailed JOHN HOVE and encouraged him to read the comments on this site. I found his bio at the YOUNG ISRAEL site.They were also part of the leadership.

There was a mistake here ....I mentioned that , I encouraged Hove and Smestad to look in on the Jack Hickmam site at RICK ROSS...The two of them were also leaders and responsible for the ''the goings on''in the community. They were'' enablers''.I didn't mean to imply that YOUNG ISRAEL has anything to do with the community.Iwanted them to be aware of how, the teachings have affected many lives.

Isn't it a bit ironic that people who left the community are on rickross being anonymous while those who are still in the community are out in the open on facebook?

To Simply Organic.......The people who wish to be anonymous, may have family or friends still in the CULT and may be still afraid of threats.Jack Hickman told me ....all that was left for me was DEATH and HELL when I left with my family.He has , Iwould think threatend others. and this may the policy still. I don't believe he could decide my future, therefor I am not afraid and can sign my full name. Why are you anonymous ?????
Nancy Westerberg

Simplyorganic,
I'm trying to follow your unique form of logic. Are saying that if a person involved in the community is on facebook then....they are not ''anonymous'' on the Rick Ross site? So then what if a non-involved member of the community is on facebook? Do they then also lose their anonyminity(however spelled) on this site???

Also, what does ''out in the open'' mean???? Is it like the game we used to play on the beach where some people had to ''hide'' out in the open by changing the way they walk and dress while others had to try and identify them???
Remember that game??? We didn't have to change our names, just our mannerisms and how we walked and talked. Hide and seek on the beach.
It is my understanding for example, that the ''Heck'' clan is quite out in the ''open'' in Maine. Facebook, phonebook, playing the piano in a Lutheran church where they are esteemed members.......out in the open......wearing masks.....or...should I say...masquerading in the open.
Does anything on John Hove's facebook mention Gary Coons or princes passing the seed or the Rick Ross site?

Quote
SimplyOrganic
Isn't it a bit ironic that people who left the community are on rickross being anonymous while those who are still in the community are out in the open on facebook?

I do not think there is anyone involved actively in this cult who is "out in the open" on facebook. They may have a facebook page but it would never mention a word about JH or any of his teachings on it. Their names on there have nothing at all to do with being here anonymously in order to process and recover from cult abuse. People who are on here anonymously may have a facebook page too.

I also believe people on here are anonymous because of fears of various threats.