Yes you may use the first letter I sent you. If I could help anyone else I would love to. So thanks again. I will keep in touch.

December 1, 1997

Subject: I need advice on how to help a friend...

I just want to Thank you for the Web site.  It was well done and it has
helped me a great deal.  I know so much more about this sect now.
	I am writing to ask those ex-two by two's as well as anyone else
who can help me.  A very close friend of mine is a member of this sect.
He does not realize what it all entails.  He has been raised in this
"religion" all his life and he claims this is the "only way".  
	On numerous occasions he has made mention that he is not exactly
sure what he believes, since he has been raised this way.  But he has told
me that he has felt a desire to "rebel" and not attend the weekly
meetings, but there is just something that keeps him wanting to go.  What
he doesn't see, is that it is the control of the group that makes him
want to continue attending.
	At times I get very frustrated with him because he doesn't see
what this group is really about, nor does he have even the slightest clue
as to what they really believe.  I am a Christian, and for me it is very
hard for me to sit by and watch this all happen. I truly feel that God
has placed him in my life for a reason, and that is to show him the person
of Christ.  That is why I am writing this letter, for your advice.  How do
I approach him and show him all that his "religion" is about, and show him
Christianity?  He is at a point in his life where he is looking for the
"truth" for himself and not based on what he has been raised.  So that is
one good sign.  But any advice would be greatly appreciated.  Please
continue to pray for him, and all of those involved with this sect, that
they may too be encouraged and that God will open their hearts and eyes to
the Wonderful person of Christ!!!!
	Thanks,

Dear _______,
	I was raised in the 2x2 church and I can sort of understand how
your friend is feeling.  I would suggest that you encourage him, not to
rebel, but to open his mind to other churches.  Offer to take him to
church with you and be willing to discuss the service and what is taught
with him.  I don't think I ever would have left if I didn't have a good
friend that I could go to church with.  I realized just how alive a
Christian could be after I had attended church with my friend a few times.
I would also suggest that you be willing to go to a meeting or two
(probably not more than that) with him and again discuss what was taught
afterwards.  Always in your discussions have a Bible handy to give
Biblical responses to the questions either of you might have.  Also
encourage him to start asking the workers questions and to keep asking
them until he gets a solid Biblical answer.
	I will be praying for you and your friend.

In Christ,
________
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Hi _______.  With regards to your friend in the 2&2 fellowship, these are
my thoughts.  I professed in the Way at age 16 and left at age 47.  I feel
like I have been truly set free.  

We were reminded recently, they need to learn "HOW to think".  In the
fellowship they learn  "WHAT to think".  Teach him to think, if you can.  

One of the main ways the workers keep their converts is to tell them all
other churches are wrong.  They don't teach them how to figure out if a
church is good or bad, they just assume all are bad.  Maybe take him to
visit a good church and show him they are not bad and why this is so.  Very
important: Show him that YOUR primary focus is on God and Jesus and that
those in the other church have a similar focus, and that it brings true joy.
If it's a comparison between church groups only, he might feel he has the
best one already because there's no collection and no married ministers.  It
could be that the only thing that could prove to him that his is not better
is some bad experiences in there and you probably can't give him that
experience.  Only his honesty can.  He should be able to go to the workers
and ask questions and expect honest answers without criticism. (Like he
probably could in other churches).  If he is brave enough to do that, he may
be amazed.  What impressed me most about other churches was the focus on God
and Jesus, not on their church group.  If your church has a lot of focus on
itself, go somewhere else.  

What must a person do to be saved?  The only answer that can truly set him
free will be one that uses verses such as  Acts 16:31 and John 3:16 and
other similar ones.  The way of salvation must include the thief on the
cross who probably only knew Jesus.  They claim to have the truly simple way
but if he thinks, it will becomes obvious the way preached in other groups
is much simpler.  The only one he answers to is God.

With love and prayer, in Christ.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

Dear ________,
	It's a joy to "meet" you and try to respond to your questions!  The
Lord bless you for caring and praying for this guy!!  First, I'll send
along another response I made recently to another "how to" question:
	
	As to the request for practical advice... I read that with some
frustration and a chuckle, too... how many of us would like to have "the
answer" laid out for us!!  I really think, there is NOT a specific way
to accomplish this task... we can pray that the Spirit will lead us
according to OUR gifts and understanding and according to the needs and
heart condition of the one we wish to speak with... and even when we
fail miserably in following His direction, God's purpose to draw that
person to Him will not be thwarted!  Praise the Lord... it is HIS work,
not ours!!

	Trust the Lord to lead you, _______!  You know He wants to help your
friend, too!

You wrote:

>But he has told me that
> he has felt a desire to "rebel" and not attend the weekly meetings,
but there
> is just something that keeps him wanting to go.  What he doesn't see,
is that
> it is the control of the group that makes him want to continue
attending.

***For me, it was the belief that it was GOD's way and thus His BEST for
me that kept me there so long.  I had a great fear that by walking away
from that group/system, I might also be turning my back on God, too.  
(That was certainly the message I heard from the group from infancy!)
	Then, when I finally was able to recognize that my relationship with
God was an individual heart matter and was not dependent on my
connection to ANY group, I STILL had to deal with the fear of "losing
out" without the "support" of the group... and, then (even harder)
failing to give my children that "support" for THEIR lives.
	Believing (according to the teaching of the group) that all other so-
called "Christians" were confused, misled, deceived, blind, etc and that
all other churches were "false" meant that there was no OTHER option to
pursue for that support and accountability!
	If your friend has a real personal relationship with the Lord (and I
believe *I* did when I was in the group) and that relationship is as
important as it "should" be to a Christian, his problem in leaving the
group may be that he believes his hope of salvation is tied to his
continuing as a part of that group... that IS the general teaching of
the group!  (From a very early age the "goal" of one day raising our own
children with this same "privilege of knowing and being a part of "God's
only way" is also a BIGGIE for many of us born and raised in the group!)

Though your friend may SEEM to have an understanding of the salvation
message, many of the familiar words you may hear him speak may have a
very different meaning to HIM than they do to YOU.  We learned NOTHING
about the GIFT of salvation... nothing of God's grace... nothing of
justification, etc, etc.
	While I recognized Jesus as my Savior, I didn't really understand WHO
He is and I didn't understand His work was FINISHED!!  Though I knew His
work "got me in the door," I thought my "continuing" there depended
solely on MY ability to KEEP myself there!  (The "door" Jesus got me
through, was the entrance into that "narrow way"--known to us to be the
2x2 group.)  We read all verses that address our REWARDS for our deeds
to be speaking of the wishful HOPE of eternal life earned by those works
... we didn't see that eternal life was a GIFT and, though the deeds
could bring reward, they could not give us eternal life nor keep eternal
life for us.
	In my opinion, your friend may have to come to an understanding of God's REAL
plan of salvation, before he'll be able to let go of the group he thinks
is a necessary part of his relationship to God and his hope of eternal
life.
	PRAY!  PRAY!  PRAY!  (And know that many of US are praying right along
with you!)  This will not be an easy task for you... those in the group
generally have VERY little "respect" for the "Christian" understanding
and insight of "outsiders" to the group.  Your friend may well feel that
you couldn't possibly really have ANY understanding of the Bible and
God's plan... like ALL so-called "Christians" outside of his group, you
have just been deceived by the enemy into believing a lie.
	That's why it takes so much prayer... for God to go before and prepare
the way (and your friend's heart)!  We WERE taught to have a healthy
respect for the word of God in the group, though... let GOD's word speak
... don't try to use outside sources to begin with... just show him what
GOD has to say about things.  There are many verses that we never
considered... if we didn't understand, maybe we weren't supposed to...
maybe they were part of the "mystery"; maybe we just didn't have enough
understanding YET.
	One of the ex's in the USA Northwest researched the Wednesday Bible
Study "schedule" over the last 25 years or so... in all that time, those
in the group in this area never ONCE studied through the book of Romans.
.. we were SO ignorant about what God's word really said about God's
plan of salvation and what the REAL "gospel" message is!!!

> I truly feel that God has placed him in my
> life for a reason, and that is to show him the person of Christ.

***I AGREE!!  Thanks for being AVAILABLE!!

Praying with you (and thanking the Lord for people like you!)

Love,

_______ _________

I'm happy for you to use my original e-mail on the VOT site, if you think it's interesting enough. I'm quite happy to have my name and location there too - that seems essential to open, honest communication, though I understand some ae not free/safe to do that.

19 Nov 1997

Dear VOT (Great name!)
I just wanted to say thanks to you and your contributors for you web 
site. It was good to read of others' experiences and views. 
I've been out of that church for 13 years, and left at the tender 
age of 34! I knew most of the historical and sociological
information you report and it rings true from my experience. I'm not 
interested in debating the religious and Christian pros and cons of 
this group or others as I'm non-religious now. I think it's good that 
you are making this information available to people and providing a 
forum for discussion. (Loved the "worker lurker" nick name).

Sincerely,

John Faragher
Melbourne
Australia

You are free to post my letter on your web site or anywhere else. The Gospel is to be freely proclaimed unto every creature in every nation in all of Gods' glorious world, "Faith cometh by hearing and hearing by the Word of God." May He continue to bless his wonderous message of Christs' redeeming Grace. He (Christ) freely proclaimed ALL aspects of his doctrine and teaching to all who would listen.

17/11/97

Dear brothers (and sisters) in Christ:
	Thank you so much for you labors in the Gospel. I had a member of my
small church attending meetings of these 2x2s and the more I questioned
him about their doctirne etc. the more confused and muddled it became.
I'm so thankful for you efforts and labors on this web site. I had no
question that this group was off the wall by their secretive meetings,
vague doctrines and women preaching in public meetings etc. May God
richly bless your labors.

Your brother in Christ
Tim Bell, Pastor
Sovereign Grace Baptist Church
Nevada City, Ca 95959

Wed, 8 Oct 1997 

Dear Administrator

Having only found your site yesterday we are trying very hard to digest all
the information it holds. We are completely amazed at the freedom there is
to talk and discuss issues which have concerned us all our lives.

My husband and I are both ex 2x2's (a new term for us!) and have been for
the last 7 years. Both of us came from families with 4 generations of
"friends". We still have many close FRIENDS amongst them.

Currently we are living in Singapore but we hope to return to Scotland
before too long.  We have no contacts with either 2x2's or ex's here and
miss being able to talk about the important issues - our lives!

We would love to become part of your network of ex's and would like to be
put on any mailing lists. In particular we would like to make contact with
anyone here in Singapore or, certainly anyone from the UK.

Many thanks for reading this

We look forward to a speedy reply

Keith and Karen Fletcher

15 Nov 1997

Subject: ex professing person gives thanks

Thank you for your web page.
I was a "Professing" person for nearly six years.  I began as a teenager
in 1976 and left as an enlightened person in 1981, THANK GOD!  The pain,
submission, oppression, fear, doubt, criticism and lack of joy has been
well described in your entries.  I now belong to an Assemblies of God
church where I help with a worship team.  I can't express what I lost
during those years of professing.  My four sisters were also subjected
to the mind control of the 2x2 faith and  eventually left after I did. 
Thank you for having the courage to expose the real truth; I plan to
continue checking in with your page.  God Bless ALL His Children!

Brenda Hanson

September 8, 1997

Subject: 'Summer 97" letter 

Hi, I'm a practicing and present 2x2er (of course I wouldn't call 
myself that :-) BG). Just to be clear up front where I'm coming from, 
I'm not thinking of becoming an ex- and am very much looking forward 
to conventions this fall. 
My dad and I were driving over to the Menominee convention grounds 
for preps yesterday AM (9/7/97) when he asked if I'd gotten a letter 
telling the history of our sect etc. Seems most of the families in 
his meeting got your "Summer 97" letter mailed anonymously to them 
last wk. Last night he passed it on to me, today I had a chance to 
read part of it and visit the web sites. 
Thank you all for all the information you've pulled together. I'm so 
glad it hasn't been lost. Thanks for the "summer 97" letter too.
I can understand the anger and betrayal expressed by so many, - I've 
been there before and will maybe - probably - be so again.
I couldn't help but notice that I wanted to go to meeting (union 
meeting - this being the 1st wkend of the month) more than usual this 
Sun. morning.
Talked to dad this eve, he mentioned that a no. of people who are not 
often there - all were. Maybe your letter is having a positive effect 
on everyone - the church of the Laodiceans comes to mind.
I can't help but think that your letters and movement can only have a 
positive effect. Unfortunately the forces of dissmiss deride and 
destroy are also present.
I'd like to subscribe to the "List". How?
You have my permission to print this note and my name etc.            
                                                                      
Keith Kleinstick                                                      
           Edgar Wisconsin  USA

August 31, 1997

I just recently found your web site through Yahoo, and I would like to join
your mail list.  As an ex-2x2 (a term, BTW, I don't remember seeing
before), I have enjoyed reading about other people's experiences, both good
and bad, with "The Truth", and would like to contribute some of my own
memories.

My mother professed through Howard Mooney and David Jennings in the early
1950's, and for a few years we were a "divided home".  I professed when I
was seven (7!?) years old, standing on a chair in Special Meeting so the
workers could see me.  My father professed some time later, and my
parents are still devout members today.  All of my siblings (3 brothers and
1 sister) have professed. Only one of my brothers has stayed with it
continuously over the past 25 or so years, while the others have been in
and out.  I quit when I was a senior in high school, and I haven't been
religious at all since then.

What bothered me the most about being in "The Truth" was my own hypocrisy. 
I never did really pray, and most of my testimonies came from Bible verses
chosen at random while riding to meeting in the family car.  Sunday
meetings were very quiet, even somber, and I always watched the clock until
the last hymn.  I learned to look forward to Orick convention as the major
social event of the summer.

Someone else has written here about how this church is defined by what it
does NOT believe in, rather than what it does.  After years of NO TV, NO
movies, NO radio (except classical music), NO dancing, NO after-school
activities, and NO friends while we lived way out in the country, I finally
got to sneak out and try some of these forbidden activities after we moved
back into town.  I still remember the very first movie I saw in a theater
(St. Valentine’s Day Massacre - probably not the best choice for an
innocent like me!). My new "worldly" friends watched TV, went to the
movies, listened to (and played!) rock music, and had FUN.  Some of them
also used drugs, or smoked, or drank, but for some reason I was never
tempted to try any of that.  I can honestly say that my parents, their
basic Christian beliefs, and a natural resistance to peer pressure kept me
out of trouble.

What I was not fully aware of until I started reading your web site was the
"worker worship" that is such an integral part of this church.  Now that I
look back on it, any time the workers showed up at our house (which wasn't
very often when we lived in our ramshackle country house), it was a MAJOR
event and a VERY special privilege.  Workers were the "ultimate authority"
on all things religious, which was a little strange, since none of them
ever had any formal religious training.  The really devout "friends" always
remember the first workers they ever met.  My mother was quite impressed
when I told her I had seen George Walker when I was in the Air Force in
Texas.  She also told me about "The Letter" that George Walker wrote to
allow friends and workers to register as conscientious objectors.  Since I
was no longer active in the church when I joined the Air Force, I didn't
feel that I could properly claim to be a conscientious objector.

I really wasn't paying attention when the workers preached, so I don't
remember much about specific doctrines, other than the nameless church in
the home, the homeless preachers, all other churches going to hell, etc.  I
do remember that I had a real problem with the basic concept of faith. 
Being a reasonably bright kid, I always wanted to know (and still do) the
logical explanation for things.  One time I asked a worker, "How do we know
that Jesus actually lived as a real person in history?"  This should have
been recognized as an honest question from someone who really wanted an
honest answer.  Instead, the glib reply was, "We just have to accept that
on faith."  Now I do admire those who can truly accept things on faith, 
but my lack of faith, plus my insisting on logical explanations for everything,
is why I'm not a religious person now.

When my mother told one of the workers that I was ready to get baptized,
the worker told her that I wasn't ready until I told him myself.  I got
baptized the next year and started taking communion, but I don't believe I
ever truly appreciated the significance of baptism or communion.  

It's always been difficult for me to explain this church to others.  My
mother insisted that my wife-to-be attend gospel meetings, even though by
that time I had not been to any meetings for several years. Our family life
while I was growing up always seemed to revolve around meetings, workers,
planning the annual convention trip, and telling everyone about "The
Truth".  Other kids I knew went to church, but always seemed to have other
interests.  When I had problems with a bully at school, I was told to
invite him to gospel meeting!  I never got a chance to really know my
grandparents until after I was out on my own, because they were turned off
by the way the church was presented to them, and never visited us very
often.  Even today, when I talk to people about my childhood religious
experience, I have trouble describing the church.  Now I can just point
them to this web site!

As for the William Irvine issue and early church history, I always
suspected that this whole thing got started somewhere in the U.K.  I
remember Willie Jamieson as a sweet old man, but it was still surprising to
see his name and picture in a list of some of the "original" workers.  I
saw an article about the church in the LA Times some years ago, and the
Secret Sect book was mentioned.  I've searched for the book in many book
stores, but I've never found it.  I can't really think of this church as a
cult, because I knew and still know many members who are truly sincere in
their beliefs and quietly go about their lives without a lot of fanfare. 
There are others who need the structure and legalisms to keep their lives
in order.  Because everyone is still human and subject to human failures, I
am sure that there are some members with more extreme attitudes.

Overall, I think that I turned out OK, both because of, and in spite of, my
relatively brief time in "The Truth".  Both my wife and I have been happily
married to our first (and only!) spouse for 25 years, and we've raised two
fine daughters.  We don't attend any church on a regular basis, but we have
visited other churches from time to time.  We encourage our daughters to
check out other churches on their own.

Anyway, thanks for putting together a great web site.  I've enjoyed looking
through all the info you've gathered, and I'm looking forward to joining
your mail list.

Sincerely 

Dan Sutton

Woodbridge, California

dsutton@gotnet.net

August 8, 1997

To all of the people who maintain this site,

I am not associated with the 2x2's, I came across your site while
researching another such organization; The Church of Scientology. The
information relating to mind control and recovery have been very helpful
to myself and others who are involved in exposing this very destructive
group. Again, thanks for sharing your information.

Take care and be well

________

July 27, 1997

I'm a former 2x2, out about 25 years. My family is 4th generation now. Many workers, elders and a couple of conventions among my relatives. I've e-mail'd a couple of times about getting on "the List" but I'm not getting replies. Perhaps you can e-mail me with specific instructions on how to subscribe.

I follow this Web site regularly. In my estimation there needs to be more space devoted to helping those people who have been emotionally scarred for life because of their upbringing in The Truth. Keep up the good work.

________

July 31, 1997

Dear _____:

Thanks for your speedy reply re: getting on The List. I haven't gone through the steps just yet, but I'm sure they will work.

Regarding the emotionally abused. This is an interesting issue and the cruxof the whole 2x2 problem for me. As I mentioned before, I spent the first 20+ years of my life in The Truth. My parents had Sunday morning meeting. All the family on my Dad's side has professed since very early in the 1900s. Although I've been out for over 25 years, I'm still exposed to it through my family - particularly my mother. I was very fortunate to figure out in my early 20s that the whole 2x2 organization just didn't make much sense. Too many contradictions. Too many people throughout the World that never run into The Truth, etc. Too many workers have nervous breakdowns. It just didn't add up for me, and luckily, I had the strength to get out.

Through the years I've personally felt the deep scars of the emotional abuse (although its interesting - both my parents were loving people and I'm positive they didn't do it intentionally), and I've continually seen it in those that are still in and in those that have left. Its a tricky issue. While I personally don't much care what consulting adults do with their lives (if they want to believe its the only true way, why should we care if they keep it to themselves?) what I see is the damage done to the children. I see kids growing up in 2x2 homes that are so pre-programmed about how they need to function with the rest of the World, they are destined to become misfits and emotional basket cases. As teenagers and then as adults, these people often have some nasty emotional problems; at least that is my personal experience.

My guess is that short of individual professional counseling, perhaps the best answer to help these people is a group not unlike the 12-step groups for alcoholics, overeaters, etc. I would imagine that is best done in an actual group situation, but perhaps it could be done in a "chat-room" environment on-line. In fact, the "chat-room group" may be an interesting idea.

I'm rambling, so I'll sign off. Unfortunately, I need to stay anonymous to the general public for awhile. My mother is ______ and after years of pain and turmoil, we have finally developed a very good relationship. Need I say more.

Hope I'm not boring you to death. Thanks for the information.

Best wishes,

_____ ____

15 Jul 1997

I found out about the Internet site almost simultaneously from two different sources. 1) My brother-in-law's brother lives somewhere up north, and had told him about the site. However, my brother-in-law does not have internet access, so he just mentioned that it existed. 2) My sister (who also previously professed many years ago) lives in _______, and took my visiting professing grandmother to a meeting there. After that meeting, a woman who professes called my sister, and said she had just found the internet site, and she and her husband wanted help in deciding what to "do" about the information. Of course my sister couldn't presume to give her advice, but told her to continue to search and pray and search her heart for the answer.

I had not heard of William Irvine before I found the site on the Web. I was absolutely amazed at the information I found at that site. I always bought the whole story about "from the beginning," and after I stopped going to meetings it wasn't an issue with me any longer, except that I felt that I had abandoned something that--while not right for me--was stable and unchanging.

I have not read any of the books, but I certainly will order them. About a year ago, I heard that there was one book, and was astounded to find there are so many.

My story is as follows:

I professed when I was nine years old. I am sure it was to please my parents, as I don't remember knowing a whole lot about the beliefs (except what I wasn't allowed to do!) at that time. It had the effect of pleasing my parents, and I never did find out what the beliefs were...as you know, asking questions is not encouraged, and after a certain age, I was "expected" to know what I believed, so was embarrassed to ask too many questions. I now regret this, because I think this inability or unwillingness to question the beliefs and even to question my own faith probably kept me going to meetings several years after I knew it was not for me.

My husband and I were both professing when we married, at the age of 19. He was drafted shortly after that, and we were sent to Germany with the Army. We went to meetings while there, and did all the things we were "supposed" to do, but not with any sense of joy or privilege. I guess this lack of joy characterized the entire time that I professed, and I always felt guilty that I didn't understand what others were talking about when they spoke of the deep joy they felt. It gave me the feeling that something was wrong with me, or I was somehow inferior or un-blessed. After the military, we returned to Virginia, settled down, had a Wednesday night meeting in our home, and had a child. We moved to a different city a couple years later, where our second child was born. It was during this time, when we were 26, that we decided to stop going to meetings.

We had very different perspectives about the decision. My position was that I no longer believed that the Truth was the true way, only way, tc. I felt that, since I didn't believe it, I was being totally hypocritical by going to meetings and taking part, and certainly this was a worse sin than not going to meetings at all. My husband Bill preferred to think that he was not "willing" for the truth at that point in his life, and that even though he felt it was "right," he wouldn't do it then. The difference between us is that he has continued to struggle with his unwillingness throughout the subsequent 18 years, but I have put that decision behind me and moved forward. I will have to say that he seems more at ease about this decision since reading the things I have printed for him from the internet site, so that is a plus.

I won't take more of your time. I am going to subscribe to the list, and eagerly anticipate reading everything that is posted.

Kathy Flippo

June 23, 1997

Veterans of Truth,

I am an ex 2x2 (out 2 1/2 years now) and knew nothing of the origins of the "TRUTH" until after I left. I have been researching this group since leaving and found it extremely difficult to access accurate information. Found a copy of The Secret Sect in a Public Library and slowly moved forward from there. A few weeks ago I obtained Internet access and tried a few search words that led me to your web site. The content is excellent, just what I've been looking for. I would like to subscribe to the list so I can read more of others experiences and contribute my own.

My email address is carndc@chariot.net.au

If you could email me with some information about the list it would be greatly appreciated.

Thanking You.

Dale Carn.

Australia

June 8, 1997

I found your website while looking for something else. When I saw "The church without a name", I immediately became suspicious that it might have something to do with 2x2's as I was told by one 2x2 that the church did not have a name. So I checked it out and sure enough it was all about them and by people who had gotten out of it. I knew my daughter-in-law and others that I know that were hurt by it could benefit by this website!

_______ is FULL of 2x2's. I grew up in _______ and my best friend was a 2x2.We have been close friends since 2nd grade and we are now 43 years old. She is still a 2x2, but because we have such a history she had remained friends with me all these years. I never mention her faith, and she never mentions it to me either. When I was a teenager I would attend meetings with her sometimes, and I did go to gospel meetings with her too, but I wasn't interested in joining. She never pushed it.

We moved to _____ in 1985. My husband works for _______ and his partner turned out to be a 2x2. They became best friends and we were invited to their home often for dinner, and for special occasions. The group there were wonderful people. (Same group that later shunned my daughter-in-law and another couple). They did try and get us interested at first, but I bombarded them with questions, and they didn't like that.

One couple we met that were 2x2's became friends of ours. They began to complain about some of the things they saw that they didn't like. The babies getting spanked hard during meeting, and the way one guy would start bawling at meeting all upset over something he'd said or did. When the workers found out that _____ had been married years and years before a worker came along and scared ______ to death by telling her she was going to hell. Not long after that they quit attending the meetings and were quickly shunned by all their wonderful friends in that group.

Anyway, I am so happy for this website and will pass the address on to my daughter-in-law.

___________

June 1, 1997

Dear Workers and Friends,

You may not feel comfortable to accept the term friend, but you do not realize that this is the first time in our lives that we have truly understood what the word means.

We have prayed for you, fasted on behalf of you, and pleaded with Almighty God to show you Jesus, who He really is. We understand where you are coming from, we were there. We understand how you think, we thought likewise. What you don't understand, is that something took place in our hearts that changed our course in life, made us step out into the great unknown to follow Jesus.

To you it was rebellion, and unbelief, to us it cost us everything we had, our families, our friends an uprooting of our very comfortable nest, and thrown out by those whom we thought were our friends in hostility and cruelty. Granted, some of us were angry, but did it ever occur to you that we were hurting? Thanks be to God, that He took our broken, rejected hearts, healed it, and put a new song in our mouths. He helped us to work through our pain to forgive you for the way you treated us.

Looking back now, we thank God for this soul saving experience. We found Jesus to be all He said He would be to those who would forsake all and follow Him. Not a vague doctrine, a changeable set of rules, a dress code, or moral conduct. We found Christ, and we now know that He came not for all the above things. He came to bring us life, abundant life. Man and his religion is well able to supply the above things, but only Jesus can give Life, for in Him was Life.

We were starved out, hungry beggars sitting by the roadside, who did not know how much God loved and cared about us. We knew all the rules, but nobody told us that we could not keep them without an indwelling Christ. So we had to play the game of "lets pretend" and live with that horrible guilt of knowing deep down in our hearts that we were miserable failures.

We know why you don't show us any love, we've been there too. You can't give something that you have not received from God, for He alone is the Giver of all good gifts. The only solution is Jesus, and it has to be the One who the bible and the Holy Spirit reveals to us Who do men say I am Peter? Are you arguing with others as to who Jesus is? Ask the Holy Spirit He will tell you who He is. It is He that told us about the Deity of Christ. It is He that took the word and revealed Christ as the third person in the trinity. Why do so many lack knowledge? They inquire, but not of Me says the Lord. You have relied on flesh and blood to reveal it unto you.

Dear friend, why do you forsake the counsel of the living God? You say you serve Him, but where is His honour? You say you love Him, then why do you show such hostility to another soul that Jesus died for? You read about the Pharisees, you preach about them and you go out and practice their very behaviour. You stand afar off and say "We are holier than Thou." Jesus loves the sinner, you loathe them. Jesus intercedes for their souls, you ignore them.

Jesus’ heart breaks for them, you despise them. Jesus will come to where they are, you keep a safe distance. How do I know how you think? I was there until the grace of God shone into my darkened heart. I am a new creature in Christ. He has given me a love for His souls that I never had in my life. He filled my sad heart with joy unspeakable. He took away my self-righteousness, and showed me His grace.

I live only to tell a dying world, that Jesus loves them. I still make many mistakes, but you know what? He died for those mistakes and as a guilty sinner, His blood covers my humanness. I know when I bring my sin to the cross in true repentance, that no person or demon in hell can accuse me, I am free by the precious blood of my Savior.

This is not as many would call cheap grace, it cost God heaven's best. It is my only hope of heaven. So to those who have allowed the enemy to lie to you, may God open your eyes to see Jesus, who He is, and to know that He loves you, we love you and pray for you always. If you do not see it in this life you will in the next, for there every heart will be revealed.

May the grace of our Lord Jesus Christ ever be with you,

Sheila Martin

Ontario, Canada

May 15, 1997

Thanks for your quick response and I just want to express my appreciation for your providing such comprehensive coverage on the 2x2's. From the information I have gathered from other sources your materail is very accurate. Keep up the good work!

- Hugh (You are welcome to use my comments and my name if you wish...)

May 13, 1997

Greetings,

I'm truly amazed there are so many "ex2x2's" throwing stones! If the"truth" be known, I suspect many have not been near a meeting.

I guess the main point I want to make is, when the going gets tough, the tough get going and the weak fall away.

I've never heard that I follow the workers, not God and my Lord Jesus Christ, who is my Savior and my redeemer.

I could read only so much of your "stuff" and begin to wonder when and where you had time for the Lord, so I won't bother with your site any further except to see that you've not changed the contents of this letter, which you have permission to publish.

Love to you through Jesus Christ,

R. Dryden

April 30, 1997

Dear Sir-

I am a member of the two-by-two's and would like very much to subscribe to your discussion list. Please let me know how I would go about doing this.

Sincerely,

______

April 28, 1997

I was raised in the "Truth", as a third generation family member of that way of life. As a child, I remember being irritated that I could not do as my school friends, ie.: join the Boy Scouts, play hockey, or other team sports, celebrate Christmas, as other Christians did, have a T.V.(although we did have a radio), go to school dances, or date school girls I liked. I resented the differentness that our family presented to the "world". I professed at 14, and very shortly after began vocally questioning everything that I saw as being hypocritical, getting the standard answer of "the spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak". I drifted away in my late teens, got married in my early twenties to a person brought up in the United Church of Canada, and kept feelings of guilt about associations with "woldly people and things." Finding VOT on the Internet, and reading what has been written, has brought a feeling of closure to the whole issue. I still must have contact with the "Truth", since I have an uncle (Paul Sharp), an aunt (Helen Sharp), and a sister (Ardythe Insco) who are all "workers". Most of the rest of my aunts, uncles and cousins are part of it too, but I don't feel as if I have to justify my lifestyle and style of worship to anyone but God. Thanks for the opportunity to vent.

Yours truly,

Kalven Insco

February 28, 1997

Dear Friend in Christ,

I was very interested, as a protestant pastor, to read your page about the 2x2s. I served as a pastor in Iowa for 6 years, during which time we had a family next door who practiced that faith. I was able to pick up bits and pieces of their beliefs here and there, but never had a comprehensive view until your helpful web site. Keep up the good work of "speaking the truth in love", and lifting up the one true Gospel of Jesus Christ, the Lord and savior--"not by works, lest any man should boast"!

As I think back to our time living in Iowa, I recall other families in our town affiliated with the 2x2s. The neighbors I mentioned became good friends of ours but, probably due to my lack of "boldness", we never got past what I would call "peripheral" issues such as beliefs about Christmas celebrations. This family was, in some ways I think, more "liberal" than another 2x2 couple we knew. This older couple always struck me as very "stern" and without much joy. There was an incident involving one of their sons whose sinful behavior became known in the community. It was interesting to see how the parents only went into further retreat from our small town neighbors. On one or two occasions we actually met two of their "ministers"--one an older woman, while the other was middle-aged. They were rather cold in their reactions to us. God bless you as you continue to proclaim Christ's true Gospel!

In Christ,

David

February 8, 1997

Again thanx for replying so quickly to my note. As I said in my original e-mail--I feel like I have long since moved on from life as it was with the 2x2. However, there were several things that I had not known before seeing the web pages.

I was told by another ex 2x2 who has no computer that I should go look. I had never heard of Wm Irvine as a founder.--What that did was to remove for me the last shred of doubt, (not that it was very strong <very big grin>) that this 2x2 thing was not "the truth". I also was not aware that their given teaching did not include the Trinity -- I guess that I always just assumed that they did. I think that this is an incredibly wonderful thing that has opened up for support.

I have decided not to subscribe to the list at this time -- I no longer have any feelings with regard to this issue, and my life is so full and God has blessed me thru it all, and yes, I am a Christian, and it is a wonderful freedom, to know that HE paid it all!!!

As for what I meant by torment--I grew up in a VERY abusive home. There was naturally what I consider 'spiritual' abuse. Anything that we as children did that was not what parents, particularity maternal, wanted -- the word was either I'll tell the workers, or the workers wouldn't like that. I got so sick of hearing that even as a child. As a teenager it was even worse. There was physical, beating in which we were required to choose weapon of punishment, there was sexual abuse by the maternal parent--I have chosen never to give her the term of mother since she wasn't one. Then there was the emotional blackmail, mainly because I began to refuse to 'take part'. So you see the 'way' was used as a tool for abuse. Now maybe it is wrong of me to say this, but I really did feel then and now, like 'if this were the only way, there would not be that kind of thing happening, without the offenders being confronted, and the abuse stopped. Granted this was in the 50's, but still--.

I came away from that awful time in my life with the promise to my self that I would not look back. Yes, at first I was angry, bitter, had all of those feeling that this sort of thing can produce, but... upon becoming a true Christian, and recognizing the sacrifice that Jesus made for me, I found that all of those things didn't matter anymore.

God Bless you

gentle hugs

_______

January 15, 1997

Hello,

I am an ex. I professed from age 19-25. I am now 40. My parents professed before I was born and mom continues alone as dad died last summer still professing.

I have researched all my life my "spiritual history" and feel great freedom to finally discover the "truth". I have always prayed for truth and peace within myself. It is good to finally feel both.

My big struggle has always been the secrecy and lack of openness and the preaching that if you did not profess you had no hope of salvation. When I quit professing I felt like I would be going to the worst part of hell as I was taught those who quit professing were worse sinners than those who never professed.

I would welcome correspondence. I feel like I have found family members I have not heard from for 15 years. I would like to help keep your site going. You may publish including my E-address.

In God's grace,

John E. O'Keefe known as Ed O'Keefe in Michigan

freejon@aol

January 16, 1997

Dear John,

Thank you very much for Emailing us directly from VOT web site. We certainly WILL add your complete note to the site. Your comment: "I feel like I have found family members I have not heard from for 15 years" is a sentiment we have heard many times before.

You have touched on several important topics as they relate to the sect: history, freedom, truth, peace, struggle, secrecy, lack of openness and no hope of salvation.

It will be good to continue in correspondence with you. YES! As you said: "In God's grace."

VOT EX