…while you discuss this invasion in a committee.

The newspaper article from 1990 is here:
“The Winnipeg Sun” Vol. 10, No.90 Tuesday, April 17, 1990

http://rsqubf.info/documents/external/winnipegsun/

It was the last straw for a then 22 year old Bible study student, who realized the missionary position could take on a new meaning.

She blushes even yet as she recalls how the man she looked to as her spiritual leader abused her trust. She had agreed to go with him to recruit University of Manitoba students to join their Bible study group, but they ended up together on his bed. She never questioned him- she went willingly.

In a lengthy interview with two city police officers, she told them about the ministry and how control over her own life had been taken away – how she was led to believe in the ultimate authority of a man who betrayed it.

“The police wanted to know everything from the beginning to the end. Their main concern was …I never resisted. From a legal point of view, it’s hard to fight.”

A police spokesman says no charges have been laid nor are any contemplated at this time. But for her that’s immaterial. She’s achieved her goal. “if someone else comes forward (with a complaint), it won’t be the first.”

Theresa discovered the truth too late, but she wanted to warn others. It was then the threats began. Word leaked out hse’d spoken to the media. They convinced her to fly to Chicago, headquarters for the fellowship, led by Korean missionary Samuel Lee and American Sarah Berry.

“Won’t accept no”

There, she was told they’d take legal action against her if she dared speak out. It was enough to instill the fear of God.

But last fall, the second year student at Red River Community College knew she could no longer keep her silence after she spotted three Korean missionaries on campus. It could happen all over again – and there could be more victims.

That summer, she moved in with two Korean missionaries and another woman involved with the Winnipeg group of about 20 missionaires and 15 students.

“They said where I was living was not the best environment -that my friends were a bad influence because they were questioning and challenging me. My friends were saying be careful. When I first moved in, I had been dating a guy for two years. They said I had to end it.” All marraiges are arranged.

“They kept making insinuations about my marraige. I didn’t trust (them) to choose my marraige partner.” At first, everyone was “all lovey”, but then they started casting aspersions on her, she says. She became confused.

“You’re always exposing yourself…all your secrets…even your worst thoughts you’d never thought you’d share. Instead of being helped, you’re judged. I was made to feel the problem was with me, yet I couldn’t fully believe that.”

Up to now, by every liberal estimate, UBF has sent 3,000 missionaries in the past 51 years. That leaves 29 years to send out 97,000 more UBF missionaries. Perhaps this is a reachable goal. But what if this all-pervasive goal of 100,000 UBF missionaries is not met? Who will be blamed? What will happen? UBF leaders would do well to learn from recent history and work to avoid the mistakes of other empire-building ministries. I write today’s blog post, not for now, but for future generations. I write this for the year 2041, and I hope I am wrong.

UBF has been described by more than one critic of UBF as a “Moony-lite” organization. This means that UBF displays numerous behaviors that the Unification Church has displayed (such as mass arranged marriages), but on a smaller scale and perhaps in a less harmful way.  Certainly I can testify that UBF has displayed Moony-like behaviors in subtle and not-so-subtle ways over the past decades. One major way that UBF is similar to the Moony organization is its “business mission”, which is called “self-supporting business mission” in UBF. If this teaching becomes full-blown and is pursued by UBF leaders as a valid means of mission, this may be what UBF looks like in the future:

http://freedomofmind.com/Media/blog.php?id=20&title=67_Page_list_of_Entities_Closely_Associated_with_Sun_Myung_Moon

Historically, UBF has planted the seeds of shunning ex members, and even getting lawyers involved with critical websites. One former director told me at breakfast once that UBF would use any means possible to remove anti-UBF material from the internet. If such seeds continue to grow, UBF may look like the Scientology group in the future, with regard to dealing with the ex-members:

http://www.suppressiveperson.org/sp/archives/2274

Can UBF leaders avoid such a future? I think 2012 will be telling. The seeds of lawsuits and mental, spiritual, physical, emotional and sexual abuse have already been planted. These seeds were planted in the midst of a truly Christian organization. UBF missionaries do indeed seek to preach the gospel of Jesus Christ. But far too many UBF leaders, who have the authority to prevent such abuse, have allowed actions such as these to also grow in the ministry:

– Sometime in 2007, a UBF director succeeded in removing a website that was critical of UBF teachings, by legal means.
– Sometime in 2011, the UBF internet committee instructed leaders via email to dislike an article that was critical of UBF.
– Sometime in 2012, a sexual abuse scandal leaked out of the protective covering of UBF leadership.

Such recent actions do not bode well, but thankfully our God is a God of miracles.

This week I made contact with an old friend. He shared with me that he had received a threatening cease-and-desist letter from a UBF lawyer. He had published some articles and documents that revealed a lot of the negative side of UBF’s history.

If anyone else has had to deal with a UBF lawyer recently or in the past, please contact me.

Today I make this post as a public request to UBF leaders and lawyers. Please don’t escalate things into the legal realm! Those of us who have left UBF are actually very reasonable. Some have become very bitter and angry at times. I myself have made mistakes and have not done everything perfectly. However, we have acted out of love for God and love for our neighbor; that is our heart. We want facts and answers, not silence and legal battles.

If you in UBF do want a legal battle, however, you will need to keep in mind that you will be dealing with me. I am not a lawyer in any sense. But I have had quite a bit of experience with the courts. I have experience with handling cease-and-desist letters, evictions and legal arbitration. Once I stood in court listening to a Prosecuting Attorney scream at me. I am poor compared to UBF, but I do have access to lawyers through my business. And the lawyers in Detroit are quite good.

So let’s heed the warnings Apostle Paul gave us and not escalate things into lawsuits:

“1 If any of you has a dispute with another, dare he take it before the ungodly for judgment instead of before the saints? 2 Do you not know that the saints will judge the world? And if you are to judge the world, are you not competent to judge trivial cases? 3 Do you not know that we will judge angels? How much more the things of this life! 4 Therefore, if you have disputes about such matters, appoint as judges even men of little account in the church! 5 I say this to shame you. Is it possible that there is nobody among you wise enough to judge a dispute between believers? 6 But instead, one brother goes to law against another–and this in front of unbelievers! 7 The very fact that you have lawsuits among you means you have been completely defeated already. Why not rather be wronged? Why not rather be cheated?” 1 Corinthians 6:1-7 (NIV)