F E A R

Someone else also wrote that they thought that if they "messed up" in some
way that God would immediately punish them--with a disease or an accident, 
or some other misfortune.  They lived in fear of this.

It has also been mentioned, that many of us were threatened with illness,
great bodily harm, even death--if we didn't "come back to God's one true
way."  I have heard the workers tell "stories" of terrible things happening
to people just after they stopped going to meetings--now I wonder why they
would share such a story????  You don't have to be much of mind reader to
figure that one out!
    Rosalie from Washington    July 99

I believe that fear is a tool that Satan uses through his realm of demons to render us useless and paralyze us. My whole 2X2 experience was governed by fear. Fear of the workers, fear of my father, fear of God, fear of hell, fear of death, fear of not measuring up, fear of not having an approved testimony, fear of not measuring up to the dress and hair code, fear of not instilling 2X2 VALUES in my children, and the list is endless. Is it ANY wonder that the Workers now use the tactic of FEAR to keep people away from information and off the Internet ? Is it any wonder that people are lurking [on the List ] and AFRAID to come forward ? Is it any wonder that some are keeping silent about their convictions regarding the 2X2 doctrine being wrong and are AFRAID to come out of the CLOSET. FEAR was our constant companion. Our wardrobe was full of FEAR GARMENTS that we wore constantly. "FREEDOM FROM DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF". SAY THAT AGAIN: "FREEDOM FROM, DOES NOT ALWAYS MEAN THE DISAPPEARANCE OF" ! ! ! ! ! ! Just because some of us have got out of the bondage and fear, does not necessarily mean that FEAR is going to disappear. " FEAR NOT " DOES NOT MEAN YOU WILL NOT FEEL FEAR, IT MEANS DO NOT RUN. We must CONFRONT FEAR. It is so very important that we do not run from fear, but we confront it. GOD does not give us a spirit of fear, it comes directly from Satan. God gives a spirit of LOVE and a sound mind. With God’s help we can rid ourselves of the spirit of fear. Feeling fear is a NORMAL EMOTION, *staying in fear*, IS NOT NORMAL.

LOVE TO ALL, MARGE REYNOLDS July 99

There are three basic beliefs: the homeless ministry, meetings in the home and this teaching that "The Way" is the only way to heaven. This third one, in my opinion, is the most dangerous... it is the one which entraps people and leaves them vulnerable to abuse by the system and, then, KEEPS them entrapped regardless of the abuse they endure.

I.E... ________ stated her feelings of fear in leaving (tho she was enduring quite a bit of abuse)... "What if this really IS the ONLY way to heaven?"

I, too, remember dealing with similar fears... "Will God consider that I am turning my back on HIM if I leave this group?"... Could I possibly lose my hope of eternal life if I leave?... What about my children?...What about my "unprofessing" husband?... We're supposed to be willing to endure persecution that comes at us from ANY direction (even if it's from our brothers and sisters in "The Way")...Are "they" right? Am I wrong to even consider leaving?

Even tho I came to the belief that there were other people saved outside of the group before I left the group, I still struggled with this issue... I believe this fear in me that "The Way" MIGHT really be God's chosen way, was one of the issues that made the struggle and final decision to leave the group so very, very difficult to make.

These three (above mentioned) beliefs are also directly connected tothe philosophy that all other churches and all other ministers are"false." This also keeps people entrapped because it closes the door to visiting other churches, listening to Christian radio, reading Christian literature or engaging in fellowship and Bible study with OTHER Christians. All of these activities would open up the opportunity for exposure to "orthodox" Christian thought and doctrine... they would give 2&2's the chance to see the Bible through other eyes and to make up their OWN minds about what they think is "the truth" from the Bible and ALL the discussion and messages they read and hear about it.

(Personal experience: Even AFTER _____ and I had left the group; even AFTER we were quite confident there were other people outside of the group who loved the Lord and were seeking to serve Him... it was still one of the more traumatic experiences of our lives to walk into one of those "evil, satanic church buildings.")

I believe, generally speaking, MOST 2&2's ARE in bondage (in one way or another) to "the only way" message. Tho, some in the system believe there MAY be people outside of their group who are saved, there are VERY few who don't still believe (or fear) that the system MIGHT be the "only way." They, therefore, believe they must remain in the group; that they must encourage others to stay in (or GET in), and that those who are not "in" are either ignorant of "the truth" or "in rebellion" or, at the least, missing out on the best God has for them.

(Many who have left continue to be plagued with the guilt brought on by this belief. 2&2's love to tell the stories of those who left... then, maybe even many, many YEARS later have returned. "They" use those examples as proof that there is nothing of value outside of their system. I believe it is proof of the bondage in the "only way" message. When God draws these people to a relationship with Him, they know of no other way to connect with Him than to reconnect with the system that is "God's only way.")

With a little further questioning of some who claim to believe there may be/are some saved outside the group, they have told us they don't believe, however, that there is true Christian FELLOWSHIP outside of their group... that someone with a real desire to serve God WILL be drawn in to the group if/when they come in contact with it. (And, conversely,_____ and I have been told on more than one occasion that we are headed for hell because we have stepped out of the guidance of God's "chosen ministry".)

The 2&2 system is not the only group that makes the claim, to be "the only way"... in my opinion, ALL groups that make this claim are cultic. I believe it is part of Satan's strategy to keep people from hearing the truth... Why would people look elsewhere (especially into "false"systems) if they understand that they are connected to the only group with "truth" and everyone else is blinded and confused?!

The CHOICE of a person to remain in the system even tho he believes there is salvation outside of the system is one thing. It is, however, a completely different issue from the entrapment of one who believes to leave the system would be turning their back on God and, therefore, painfully remains "in" because of "NECESSITY."

I have not lost the fear of God, but the fear of the ‘workers.’

It's incredible, too, how "the only right way" mentality lingers through so many years. An uncle did the very same thing - left it for at least 40, maybe 50 years, before coming back to it when he became very ill with cancer. Fear. And guilt.

I suppose it is fair to say that from a 2x2s point of view one would never know "when the other shoe was about to drop" and of course it would be the shoe of a worker that one would fear.

I had periods of professing, just going to meeting without taking part, and not going at all. (The last time I reprofessed, I actually told a friend who was in, I was miserable in or out, so I might as well be miserable in. Wonderful attitude.) I spent most of my time feeling guilty because I couldn't seem to get it right, what ever that meant. And when I wasn't professing I was scared because I knew if I died I would go to hell.

My wife grew up in a household out East where George [Walker] frequently was a guest. I think part of her "fear" of leaving relates to the constant exposure in her childhood to this wolf in sheep’s clothing.

I told the worker that I stayed in out of fear—fear that if the workers were right, and I left, I would go to hell! To this the worker responded: "You should feel fear, if I were in YOUR shoes I would be afraid!"

I told her that I'm not against truth but I am against people who use fear, guilt, intimidation and manipulation to keep people controlled and "in."

In cults, desired behavioral changes are accomplished in small incremental steps. Cults use manipulation, deception, exploitive persuasion and control to induce dependency, compliance, rigid obedience, stunted thinking and childlike behavior in their members. The group, or leaders, are presented as always right. Cults convey phobic messages: "You will lose out if you leave." "If you leave this church, you are leaving God." "If you leave you will have no support system."

I suffered with FEAR for eight months after leaving. "What if the workers are right?"

How did the fear manifest itself in me? Trigger words, that's how. Meeting, convention, worker, were some of the tigger words for me. I left in April and in May conv. preps began. If I thought of preps/conv. I got a pressing and release feeling in my chest. If I overheard someone say "See you tomorrow, I am off to a meeting tonight" I got that press/release feeling in my chest. Just that WORD brought on this feeling. It didn't even have to be about the 2x2 meeting! I might be watching TV and hear the announcer say "The workers of ABC company are going on strike!" Immediate FEAR (physical pressing/release on my chest) at hearing the word WORKERS!!!!!

At first when I left I got this every HOUR!!!! Slowly it started to diminish and I would get it a few times a day, then once a day, then every week, then every month until after 8 months it was gone! And that was the BEGINNING of my recovery!

12/98