Doesnt it make you mad that your dad, who I believe is an honorable man, was made to shield for someone who does not have the courage to sign his own letter?. Did you ever have moments where you knew that it was a cult? Do you think free access to journalism like this is important? I loved that and I became quite a loner. I was planning on leaving the instant I turned 18. . You dont question it., Most members of Homestead Heritage are so closed off from the outside world, ex-members say, that its exceedingly difficult for anyone to alert the authorities if they suspect wrongdoing. Adam Alexander recalls how Adams used to scream and yell at his congregation in church, on one occasion slamming the pulpit and demanding: Never again shall you see my face until you can say: blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord., Professor Janja Lalich said if a leader has convinced his followers that he is a messenger from God, its very hard for people to leave his congregation because their salvation is tied to him. But that doesnt protect it from others who might be stirred to act out of prejudice, Yarden says. So no, no physical threats. I love answering good questions that make me think about why I am who I am. The complete restoration of the "Peck House" (named after Captain Augustus Peck) has been finished. 2021 The Texas Observer. The first posting about Homestead Heritage went up on April 7, 2005. This is the public face of Homestead Heritage, a 500-acre religious community of about 1,000 people seven miles northwest of Waco. Homestead Heritage also notes that some religious groups go even further with discipline. Under Texas law, ministers and clergy are required to report any suspected child abuse sexual or otherwise to authorities within 48 hours of being told, otherwise they too are committing a criminal offense. Please notify us by email that the article will be republished at, Abbott Wants to Deny Undocumented Kids a Public Education, Border Security Is a Financial Black Hole that Will Consume Us All, Two Executions, Many Questions about Mental Health, Innocence, Remembering a Social Justice Lawyer Extraordinaire. I remember being so surprised just watching the intro to CNN News and how the camera feels like it is flying through the letters and being spellbound by all of the sound effects and everything. Like any non-compulsory group, the only way it can preserve itself is through the power of the gate, Wheeler says. A fourth has been charged and will likely soon plead guilty. Thousands of area residents flock to the group's property near Chalk Bluff each year to attend holiday fairs or school field trips. Because of all the crazy things that go on in the world, (people) are a little suspicious, Wheeler says. Well, because i had never really been allowed to watch TV I watched a completely unhealthy amount of television for a while lol. He started getting to know Homestead Heritage members in 1996. . Then hed berate somebody on the spot. But here is the method they use for new members. Thank you for doing this! Church elders failed to promptly inform law enforcement of sexual abuse of children, as required by state law. Local ophthalmologist Scott Smith, 45, says hes all too familiar with the phenomenon. r/AMA 6 yr. ago. That never happened.. Criticism also has been leveled at the groups belief about salvation. The Homestead Acts were several laws in the United States by which an applicant could acquire ownership of government land or the public domain, typically called a homestead.In all, more than 160 million acres (650 thousand km 2; 250 thousand sq mi) of public land, or nearly 10 percent of the total area of the United States, was given away free to 1.6 million homesteaders; most of the . Such treatment might sound harsh, Homestead Heritage members acknowledge. Held in members homes and attended by about 100 people, their size allows visitors to get to know the group more easily, they say. Because there was no context for the truth that he had.. Members believe they would have prevailed in court, too, after Elder brought legal action against them. The charge that Homestead Heritage leaders profess to be Christ in the flesh is a perfect example, he says. Homestead Heritage CULT. His attorney, Darren Obenoskey, told me what the church did or didnt know about his clients crimes never came up. And they preach that they are representatives of God. They were filled with the "elders" screaming and prophesying people dying, diseases spreadiing, etc., people speaking in tongues, falling on the ground in what I guess I would now call seizures-it sounds crazy now but back then it was perfectly normal. Its because of their doctrine. That doesnt mean every time someone sins theyre in danger of going to hell. When my dad said he was leaving they started coming over to our house for hours a day for over a week, calling threats of hell and generally scaring the shit out of me. All of the Texas Observers articles are available for free syndication for news sources under the following conditions: You can chip in for as little as 99 cents a month. All of a sudden they can really start remembering that this place is hell on earth, Wheeler says. Thats all just a lie, Wheeler says. For one thing, some of the writings are works in progress, Wheeler says. The second link mentions there are allegations of child abuse. Then you were put on "Friday night status" for a few months or years until they felt like you were buying into everything again. Was there any special criteria involved with working at the cafe or the various buildings during public hours? Allegations to the contrary are actually self-indicting, group members say. Add in distortions about customs and claims of abuse and even the most wholesome religious group can be branded a cult, he says. We were told sex was strictly for reproduction, she said. Ask me anything! Those most vocal in their criticism of Homestead Heritage have adopted the same techniques, group members say. Anyway, I've got some time and I'm more than open to any questions you have, as long as they don't identify me! There are things I just cant forget.. They call themselves a "nondenominational religious organization" although they are somewhat similar to united Pentecostals in how they dress, etc. One of the things I learned after being in there is how you really can interpret the bible to say almost anything you want it to say with enough of a deceitful bias. Furthermore, the Observer has allegedly "learned from a number of different sources of other cases of sexual abuse within Homestead Heritage. Luckily he still turned himself in but it makes you wonder how many times this doesn't get reported. That causes some people, like the ex-members, to make claims of abuse against those who continue exercising such discipline, they say. So I didn't personally experience that but it did happen and it is surprising to me how many other people I have talked to that have left have told me it happened to them. Heritage School of Woodworking Our Heritage School of Woodworking, located in Central Texas, has successfully taught thousands of aspiring woodworkers over the past 20+ years. Nor do we hold any personal animus towards the media personnel involved. Was your family's safety threatened when you left or was that not a concern? The story served as an introduction to the church to anyone outside Texas. Theologically it therefore is considered to be a cult of Christianity. Theyre existing under enormous psychological pressure., In 2005, Roger Olson, a professor of theology at Baylor University, wrote a gushing piece about Homestead Heritage for Christianity Today, headed: Where Community is No Clich. As for one of the things they are mentioning in the article, recently a member turned himself in for having sex with his 13 year old daughter. I wish you were proud but you are not. This whole process takes years. But yes, they do have great food! Some involve matters of ministerial confidentiality. Its literature stresses simplicity, sustainability, self-sufficiency, cooperation, service and quality craftmanship. A year after that, Bill DeLongs 23-year-old son Andrew was told he would serve 15 years in prison after admitting four counts of sexual assault against two children. What made your family leave the cult? Once that frame was built around the group, Arnn could introduce the idea of spiritual abuse. He got up and walked ou . To Olsons dismay, the article provoked opposition to Homestead Heritage. It has grown to a 140-acre operation. Arnn has shrugged off the criticism, saying he is well aware of Trimms dubious behavior in recent years. They lie and steak and have decieved many. Another former member, Robin Engell, admits she once locked her 7-year-old child in a room for two weeks. I remember as a kid listening through the door while mom was on the phone to leaders wives. He limped for about two weeks after that. Making the point that Watchman Fellowship claims to be a truth-discerning ministry, Homestead Heritage officials furnished documents which show that several articles on Watchman Fellowships site about Branch Davidians were written by a man named James Trimm. Homestead Heritage -- Waco Religious Commune Accused of Masking Abuse Been There Done That 36 subscribers Subscribe Like Share 12K views 6 years ago Part 1 of WFAA's investigation on. They were seperationists who exerted a high . But it does believe the group deceives people and is spiritually abusive. D) I never once would have dreamed of calling it a cult, that was unheard of for members. Wheeler reported the phone call to the McLennan County Sheriffs Office, but officers couldnt trace it. The paperwork indicates her treatment included more than 25 visits to specialists, two major surgeries and other procedures and testing. At Homestead Heritage theres an order to the authority: Blair Adams is at the top. But I've gotten to the point where I've realized that life isn't about running away from something, it's about running towards something better. Others dont want to admit they freely made a decision to join a group they later ended up disagreeing with, he says. I love you, yet you pushed me away. Improve this listing Similar Experiences Thats the anchor thats got you. A Texas Observer investigation has found allegations of child sex abuse involving at least six members of the Homestead Heritage community. Homestead Heritage fights back, disputing claims of deception, abuse What is Homestead Heritage? While the church refused to answer questions about allegations of abuse, it did move aggressively to respond on its own terms, setting up a web page to rebut a story it hadnt seen (the site remained under construction as this story was going to press). Their literature was mostly books about how we should behave and how we should explain ourselves to outsiders. The whole realm of pleasure, which God gave us is held suspect in so many ways by Homestead Heritage., Jeremy Crow, 35, joined Homestead along with his parents when he was 8 years old. But rather than report DeLong to police, as required by law, that elder, George Klingensmith, decided to pray about it with him instead, according to both DeLong and Klingensmiths statements to officers. Perhaps some day those efforts will pay off in the form of shoes produced by members, they say. As the teaser for WFAAs investigation says: Some fear for the children that remain in the community.. Homestead Heritage Discover a selection of 500 vacation rentals near Homestead Heritage that are perfect for your trip. After about a year it was clear to me this act that Bill had done was weighing very heavy on him, Klingensmith wrote in his statement. But if that doesnt work, the church takes a series of increasingly severe steps. My guess is that they somehow talked their way out of it, they can sound pretty convincing. At the crux of those punishments is isolation from the group, with disfellowshipment being more severe. This was no isolated incident. It was dealt with swiftly.. In 2009, another member, 23-year-old Joseph Ratliff, was sentenced to 100 years for aggravated sexual assault and indecency with a child. . I still am to an extent but I love interacting with people now. Even more damning for Arnn, they say, is the fact Arnn commissioned the articles. However, all of my childhood friends are gone, all my current long term friends are from when I was 16 onward. Basically you are agreeing to serve them as representatives of God and that you are going to hell if you break away from them. (Arnn) cant tell a total charlatan.. . Besides ex-members, those posting on the site are Watchman Fellowship officials, a few ex-members who defend Homestead Heritage and interested outsiders. In interviews with the Tribune-Herald, Homestead Heritage members repeatedly described the allegations of their critics and ex-members as incendiary, inflammatory or insidious. Members continually compared the claims to allegations made against persecuted groups, including Anabaptists, blacks and victims of the Salem witch trials. Hey, I meant to ask you this earlieris your username a reference to Monty Python?? One ex-member of Homestead Heritage sent me a copy of commonly asked visitors questions a publication not meant for anyone outside the church. This is a Christian community of farmers and crafters who offer their beautiful, handmade furniture, soaps, home decor, and products from the foods they grow on the farm such as hand-milled flours, mixes, jams, and . That was basically the gist of every 8 hour long Sunday "meeting". - this is the exception and not the norm in Africa's value system and rich heritage. Also a lot of people who leave get real addictions to hardcore porn. And that took a very long time. Women wear long dresses and long sleeves. A Texas Observer investigation has found allegations of child sex abuse involving at least six members of the Homestead Heritage community. Articles must link back to the original article and contain the following attribution at the top of the story: This article was originally published by the, Articles cannot be rewritten, edited or changed beyond alignments with house style books. Did you have any personal interaction with the founder at all? The group does teach that the spirit of Jesus is manifested within the body of Christ. They would fare so much better if they broke free like I did. Its literature stresses simplicity, sustainability, self-sufficiency, cooperation, service and quality craftmanship. Many people feel the same way about whatever religious group theyre part of, he says. Montana, The Walk. B) answered. For this story, I spoke to 14 former members of the community. I was told the leadership was trying to get him counseling and help before they turned him in because they didnt want him to go to jail., Bill DeLongs son Andrew, then an employee of Brazos Walking Sticks, a company affiliated with Homestead Heritage, pleaded guilty to four offenses of child sexual assault, waiving his right to a jury trial and his right to appeal.