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Last updated Jan. 9, 2010 |
| Backstrom's Blog re: The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission Just the facts, ma'am, just the facts... |
(1/9/10) Huh?
In mid-December on a Friday night, Marilyn Vogt left a two-minute voice
message on my work phone. I know she has checked my voice messages in
the past to see when I’d be out of the office, etc. But this time, she left a
message, probably inadvertently. Dick Vogt was with her, and they were
chatting on and on, probably not realizing they were being recorded.
Now here’s my question: Why does she call my work phone to hear my
messages? I know. So do you. Only someone extremely paranoid would be
so concerned with – and worried about - my actions. Very interesting,
indeed…
I think a road trip is in my future.
Donna
madonnajb@gmail.com
(12/25/09) Merry Christmas
Separation of loved ones always is difficult but especially so at the holidays.
This is the fifth Christmas my sister and brother-in-law have been denied
access to their daughter who is part of The Love Holy Trinity Blessed
Mission, a cult founded by Agnes Kyo McDonald. So many families – many
from the Dubuque area – have been separated because of LHTBM. My
heart goes out to all of them: the parents who cannot talk to their children;
the adult children whose parents in LHTBM won’t talk to them. There are
many – in fact, the majority has ties to the Dubuque area.
I continue to receive e-mails from other families that have been affected by
this cult. It is by no means a Spielman/Vogt family problem; it’s much more
widespread than that. There’s a tremendous disconnect between what this
group says and what this group does. The higher ups are some of the most
selfish, self-centered and self-focused people I've ever met. Familial
alienation and secrecy are a pattern with this group as true with all high-
demand groups. A simple prayer group? I think not. That's pure,
unadulterated BS. Shame on anyone who believes that nonsense!
My primary concern remains: LHTBM is contrary to the core Christian belief
that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is not
about how many rosaries we do or do not say, nor is it about the ritual of
saying certain prayers 12 times daily.
My holiday wish is that each affected family will one day become whole again.
Kyo - you selfish, selfish woman: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@gmail.com (note the new e-mail address)
(11/29/09) Happy Thanksgiving…
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I know I was with my
children so it was awesome, as always. Please remember in your thoughts
and prayers those families who have been torn apart because of LHTBM.
This was Joanne and Jim’s fifth Thanksgiving without Juanita; words fail me
as a parent how that would impact my life. Not to see or speak to your child
for almost five years….well, it’s unconscionable. Many other families were
not whole this holiday, either, because of this cult. I have faith one day
families will be reunited. Until then, Kyo: you know.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(11/10/09) Happy Birthday
Today is Marilyn Vogt’s birthday. I share fond memories of our lives together
and hope we can have a relationship again one day. She had a heart of
gold and was a very special sister. So Happy Birthday, Marilyn... I love you
and always will.
Madonna
(11/01/09) Too bad, so sad, I’m glad…
Major news this week out of France: “Church of Scientology hits rough
patch: On Monday, a French court convicted the Church of Scientology on
fraud charges stemming from complaints by two women. The judge in the
case levied massive fines as punishment, fueling a long-running battle
between Scientology and France, which considers the group a "sect" rather
than a religion.” Read the full story here: http://news.yahoo.
com/s/ynews/ynews_ts956.
A sect? Really? Imagine that! That’s one of my biggest beefs with all
religious-based cults: they claim to be a “religion” so they can become a
nonprofit organization and not pay taxes like the rest of us do. These cults
are not religious groups – not in any way, shape or form! They should be
made to pay taxes like the rest of us.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story follows: “He also chastised
Davis' recent public denial of Scientology's mandate of "disconnecting,"
which allegedly requires members to cut ties with disapproving friends and
family members. In the letter, Haggis said that his wife went so far as to
disown her parents, despite his protestations.” What? A cult requiring
members to cut ties with disapproving friends and family
members..? Imagine that! Indeed, as I have said from the beginning, that’s
the very first red flag people should see. If a group – any group – causes
familial alienation, it’s not a group you want to join.
Look at LHTBM and how many families have been destroyed because of this
cult! How many people in this cult have cut ties with their parents and/or their
children – any family member? You know the answer. We all know the
answer. And that makes this entire situation untenable. So to Kyo, to all
the culties, I say: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(9/03/09) Today’s Dubuque Telegraph-Herald…
My letter to the editor appeared in today’s TH. See http://www.thonline.
com/article.cfm?o=1&id=255430 to read it. If you can’t get it, e-mail me and
I’ll e-mail the letter. Also, below is the full letter but of course, it had to be cut
down to 250 words.
Most Rev. Jerome Hanus, O.S.B., archbishop of Dubuque, issued a
statement Sept. 14, 2005, re: The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission. In it,
the Bishop stated that “… no undertaking is to claim the name Catholic
without the consent of ecclesiastical authority in the local church (cf. Canon
216).” Yet LHTBM still claims – on their radio program and elsewhere – to be
Catholic. The Bishop also stated concern about “a lack of balance in the
group's spirituality, the authoritarian approach of the leader, secretiveness,
characteristics of a cult, harmful impact on families, and the questionable
quality of the understanding of the Scripture” and that the group “continues
to be very guarded and secretive about itself. “ True to this day – all very
true… So why, then, are some members of LHTBM allowed to hold positions
of authority within the Catholic Church? If the Bishop does “not consider it
qualified to offer acceptable Catholic programs or activities in the
Archdiocese of Dubuque” then why are some LHTBM members allowed to
teach CCD, be Eucharist ministers, etc.?
“All Catholic faithful are cautioned against participation in and association
with this group. Clergy and others in Church leadership are not to support or
endorse LHTBM.” Catholics are cautioned against participating and
associating with this group yet the group consists of members, and some
members are in positions of authority in several Dubuque Catholic
churches!!! There also are priests still involved with this cult; the Bishop
knows this, but…
When I – and others – have asked the archdiocese about this, the response
is that this group is cult-like but they must be cautious with individual
members. Again, I have no problem with these cult members attending Mass.
But I have VERY SERIOUS issues with them being in a position of authority.
This clearly is sending a mixed message to everyone. It gives the cult
members an element of legitimacy (“What can be wrong with our group if the
Catholic Church allows us to maintain positions of authority and remain on
the altar?”). It sends other parish members a very mixed message; what they
see is not consistent with the Church’s statement about LHTBM. It tells me
the Archdiocese of Dubuque doesn’t have the guts to deal with this.
The Bishop needs to show some courage and stop being so wishy-washy. I
assure you if the fear is a schism, that’s already a done deal. The Church
needs to be realistic and deal with this situation. Some cult members preach
that these are “bad” bishops (Hanus, George, et al) and therefore do not
represent the true pre-Vatican II Catholic Church. Are you getting the
picture here? They have no intention of giving up their little cult and its
leaders. LHTBM won’t go away by magic nor will members turn their backs
on it. At a minimum, they need to be removed from positions of authority.
Action by the Bishop is long overdue.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(9/01/09) It is what it is…
I’m sure most people have read about the missing girl who was found 18
years after being kidnapped by a sex offender. There’s no question the two
perverts became family to the young girl. She was raped and eventually
gave birth to two daughters of her own. But at some point, this way of life
was all she knew. It had become her reality. The same is true in the
Elizabeth Smart case. Indeed, she could have run away but by the time she
*could* have done that, she was deeply bonded with her kidnappers. The
“unknown” at that point was her real family.
I’m equally certain many of you noticed the similarities between that story
and some of our stories. Before the culties freak out, I’m not inferring Juanita
and others were kidnapped. (Ah, no, the cult made certain everyone was of
age, even though some still were young girls.) They were indeed
brainwashed, however, into thinking they didn’t need their God-given
families and that other cult members are their true families. I saw a very
recent photo of Juanita and she looks well. Now, Dick Vogt has said many
times these “girls could leave anytime.” But they’ve been so brainwashed
into thinking their real families are evil, worthless and unimportant, why
WOULD they leave?! Some will leave one day when that pre-cult personality
buried deep within questions one too many things in his or her life. Until
then, the bonding has taken place and Kyo has them under her power. But I
know one who is all powerful and He is God. Kyo is no match for Him and
those working for Him.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(7/25/09) One down, many more to go…
From http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/24/arkansas.evangelist.trial/index.
html:
Evangelist Tony Alamo of Tony Alamo Ministries was found guilty of 10
federal counts Friday. A jury in Arkansas convicted him of taking minors
across state lines for sex. Alamo, whose real name is Bernie Hoffman, had
denied all wrongdoing. In a phone interview last year with CNN, he called the
accusations a hoax. "They're just trying to make our church look evil ... by
saying I'm a pornographer. Saying that I rape little children. ... I love children.
I don't abuse them. Never have. Never will." Asked why authorities were
searching the property, Alamo compared himself to Christ. "Why were they
after Jesus," he asked. "It's the same reason. Jesus is living within me."
I am gratified every time a cult leader is taken down. Each has the same
lingo: “They’re trying to make us look evil, blah, blah, blah.” In reality, cults
do this to themselves because they *are* evil and we all must strive to take
them down as best we can. Your role might be prayer or something more
active, but we each do have a role. Have you also noticed culties always
compare themselves to the persecution Jesus suffered or the persecution
legitimate organizations encountered? Oh, yeah. Heavens, Dick Vogt
compared his cult’s work – LHTBM – to Mother Teresa’s work. Seriously?
C’mon Dick. Work with me here. Kyo is nothing but a kept woman. A very
wealthy kept woman… She couldn’t be more different from Mother Teresa.
There. I said it. I wrote it. I know it. So does everyone else reading this page
sans the cult members. Oh, and they DO read this page.
I’ll keep fighting the fight, as always. My message to Kyo is the same as
always: This is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(05/27/09) Insanity Defined
Two of my sisters (Joanne and Ginger) went to Chicago with me yesterday. I
learned some time ago that my niece (Juanita – Joanne’s daughter) was
working as an RN at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, so we decided
to take a road trip. Joanne wanted just a glimpse of her daughter whom she
hasn’t seen in over four years. We wanted a glimpse of our niece. That was
it. We were going to try to see her – not talk to her or bother her at work –
and leave.
We arrived at the hospital around 11:50 a.m. Tuesday, May 26. We walked
inside the hospital and there was a guy at a podium who asked, “May I help
you ladies?” We asked where the bathroom was and he pointed us to it. I
thought it was odd he would ask if he could help since it’s a hospital and
people freely come and go all the time. Anyway, when we left the bathroom,
there was a sea of black (uniforms) outside the door. A guard asked “Do you
have business in the hospital today?” I responded we wanted to see my
niece on 3 North (the truth, of course). He asked if we had an appointment
and I said, “Well, no.” He said we could stay only if we had an appointment
or were a patient. He asked us to leave the premises. “I need you to leave
now.” We were shocked at the length this cult would go to just to keep us
from Juanita. When we got outside (escorted by several guards!), I asked
“May I ask why we can’t stay?” He responded, “There are restrictions on you
three. You’re not allowed here.” Imagine our surprise and shock when we
heard that! We were stunned. We walked to the end of the building to review
what had just occurred. Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. We regrouped in
the car and decided we were ready for lunch so opted to eat at the hospital
cafeteria as we were right there. We drove around to the main building
parking lot and walked into the main building. There was a young black man
who saw us and we watched as he did something with his cell phone and
then picked up the receiver of a phone on the counter nearby. We pretty
much knew he was watching us so we chose to sit down in the lobby area
just down the hallway, in order to mitigate the embarrassment. Sure enough,
after a couple of minutes, a guard approached us and asked what we were
doing in the hospital. I responded we were going to have lunch (again, the
truth, a novel concept to the culties). He then started his spiel that “You
three were told 10-15 minutes ago to leave the campus.” I responded that
we were told to leave the Anderson Pavilion (where Juanita works). He said
we were not allowed on the entire campus. We got up and walked toward the
main entrance. Clearly we were not there to do anything illegal, immoral or
amoral. As we walked, the security guard walked and talked behind us,
spewing some nonsense like “This is the second time we’ve asked you to
leave. There won’t be a third time. We’ll lock you up.” One of my sisters
heard him say something about trespassing, also. C’mon! Another of my
sisters heard the guy radio that he made it “clearer and they seem to
understand now.”
What does this say about the cult? They’re afraid of three middle-aged
women? Seriously? C’mon!!! Joanne wanted a glimpse of her daughter and
Ginger and I wanted a glimpse of our niece. Period. That was it. Yet they
(culties) are so fearful of us they resorted to this? Talk about paranoia!!!
Clearly they intentionally misled authorities at the hospital but that’s another
story and that will be dealt with in the near future. In the words of Abraham
Lincoln, “Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.” Amen.
That the cult would go to this extreme to keep Juanita from being near us
says WAY more about the cult than it does about us. To the average person
in the real world, it’s clear they’re (culties) paranoid and live fearfully. There
is no freedom or peace in that life. But it is indicative of cults and how cult
members live. What are they hiding? What do they fear? Why the secrecy? I
know and most of this Web site’s readers know. Joanne, Ginger and I are
law-abiding citizens and merely wanted a glimpse of our family member. To
be denied that is unconscionable. To be treated like we would cause trouble
or harm our loved one is insane, cold and calculated. My sisters and I were
physically sick at the way we were treated by the security guards. None of
the three of us slept well and we remain upset and disturbed at the lengths
the cult went to just to keep us from seeing our loved one. That, too, will be
dealt with in the near future.
Kyo: This is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(04/21/09) My kind of town, Chicago is…
Saturday was my niece’s birthday. It was a bittersweet day as I took another
road trip to Chicago. My, my. It appears the cult members have sandblasted
Kyo’s mansion (yes, this is the woman who filed bankruptcy in 1993) and
that part actually looks quite nice. (Time out: Is that house and property not
of this world? Oh, yeah, baby. But I digress.) My goodness – the
trees/greenery! How pitiful. How absolutely pitiful. Clearly they’re trying to
build a fortress where Kyo and Lenny and their culties can live without being
seen by the outside world. As you can see in the below photos, the trees are
planted several deep and the yard looks horrible. One can only imagine
what goes on behind those closed doors.
(Click on pictures to enlarge.)
Please remember all families that have been devastated as a result of this
cult and keep them in your prayers. Also remember God has empowered us
to change things – that’s amazing and we must continue to act against this
cult. I know I will.
Kyo: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
___
(04/18/09) Happy Birthday, Juanita. We all love and miss you.
___
(04/12/09) The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the
opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.
~Robert Flatt
Today is Easter Sunday, offering us the Good News that we are saved by
the death and resurrection of Jesus! We are saved not by saying the rosary
or by going to daily Mass but by the grace of God. Not that these are bad
things; they’re simply not things that will save us.
Many families will spend yet another Easter without their loved ones because
of this cult, LHTBM. How very sad and inexcusable that any family is
separated in the name of Kyo and Lenny. As always, my primary concern is
that this group is contrary to the core Christian belief that we are saved by
grace through faith in Christ Jesus and that scares me for my niece and
others being led astray. Imagine the power Kyo and Lenny must have;
imagine how they portray themselves as some sort of god. Imagine how they
thrive on that power and having their followers “keep” them financially.
Imagine all of this and you’ll get close to the truth.
Please remember all families that have been devastated as a result of this
cult and keep them in your prayers. Also remember God has empowered us
to change things – that’s more amazing good news.
Kyo: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(04/05/09) Irony
You know – the culties continue to talk about following God’s word, but as
always, there’s a tremendous disconnect between what they say and what
they do. One of the Ten Commandments is to honor they father and mother,
yet some of them have no contact whatsoever with their mother or father.
There also are many parents who have nothing to do with their children. In
my heart of hearts, it is this very alienation that is both heartbreaking and
sickening. This is not of God. This is of Kyo and her followers.
Kyo: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
In mid-December on a Friday night, Marilyn Vogt left a two-minute voice
message on my work phone. I know she has checked my voice messages in
the past to see when I’d be out of the office, etc. But this time, she left a
message, probably inadvertently. Dick Vogt was with her, and they were
chatting on and on, probably not realizing they were being recorded.
Now here’s my question: Why does she call my work phone to hear my
messages? I know. So do you. Only someone extremely paranoid would be
so concerned with – and worried about - my actions. Very interesting,
indeed…
I think a road trip is in my future.
Donna
madonnajb@gmail.com
(12/25/09) Merry Christmas
Separation of loved ones always is difficult but especially so at the holidays.
This is the fifth Christmas my sister and brother-in-law have been denied
access to their daughter who is part of The Love Holy Trinity Blessed
Mission, a cult founded by Agnes Kyo McDonald. So many families – many
from the Dubuque area – have been separated because of LHTBM. My
heart goes out to all of them: the parents who cannot talk to their children;
the adult children whose parents in LHTBM won’t talk to them. There are
many – in fact, the majority has ties to the Dubuque area.
I continue to receive e-mails from other families that have been affected by
this cult. It is by no means a Spielman/Vogt family problem; it’s much more
widespread than that. There’s a tremendous disconnect between what this
group says and what this group does. The higher ups are some of the most
selfish, self-centered and self-focused people I've ever met. Familial
alienation and secrecy are a pattern with this group as true with all high-
demand groups. A simple prayer group? I think not. That's pure,
unadulterated BS. Shame on anyone who believes that nonsense!
My primary concern remains: LHTBM is contrary to the core Christian belief
that we are saved by grace through faith in Christ Jesus. Salvation is not
about how many rosaries we do or do not say, nor is it about the ritual of
saying certain prayers 12 times daily.
My holiday wish is that each affected family will one day become whole again.
Kyo - you selfish, selfish woman: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@gmail.com (note the new e-mail address)
(11/29/09) Happy Thanksgiving…
I hope everyone had a wonderful Thanksgiving holiday. I know I was with my
children so it was awesome, as always. Please remember in your thoughts
and prayers those families who have been torn apart because of LHTBM.
This was Joanne and Jim’s fifth Thanksgiving without Juanita; words fail me
as a parent how that would impact my life. Not to see or speak to your child
for almost five years….well, it’s unconscionable. Many other families were
not whole this holiday, either, because of this cult. I have faith one day
families will be reunited. Until then, Kyo: you know.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(11/10/09) Happy Birthday
Today is Marilyn Vogt’s birthday. I share fond memories of our lives together
and hope we can have a relationship again one day. She had a heart of
gold and was a very special sister. So Happy Birthday, Marilyn... I love you
and always will.
Madonna
(11/01/09) Too bad, so sad, I’m glad…
Major news this week out of France: “Church of Scientology hits rough
patch: On Monday, a French court convicted the Church of Scientology on
fraud charges stemming from complaints by two women. The judge in the
case levied massive fines as punishment, fueling a long-running battle
between Scientology and France, which considers the group a "sect" rather
than a religion.” Read the full story here: http://news.yahoo.
com/s/ynews/ynews_ts956.
A sect? Really? Imagine that! That’s one of my biggest beefs with all
religious-based cults: they claim to be a “religion” so they can become a
nonprofit organization and not pay taxes like the rest of us do. These cults
are not religious groups – not in any way, shape or form! They should be
made to pay taxes like the rest of us.
Perhaps the most intriguing part of this story follows: “He also chastised
Davis' recent public denial of Scientology's mandate of "disconnecting,"
which allegedly requires members to cut ties with disapproving friends and
family members. In the letter, Haggis said that his wife went so far as to
disown her parents, despite his protestations.” What? A cult requiring
members to cut ties with disapproving friends and family
members..? Imagine that! Indeed, as I have said from the beginning, that’s
the very first red flag people should see. If a group – any group – causes
familial alienation, it’s not a group you want to join.
Look at LHTBM and how many families have been destroyed because of this
cult! How many people in this cult have cut ties with their parents and/or their
children – any family member? You know the answer. We all know the
answer. And that makes this entire situation untenable. So to Kyo, to all
the culties, I say: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(9/03/09) Today’s Dubuque Telegraph-Herald…
My letter to the editor appeared in today’s TH. See http://www.thonline.
com/article.cfm?o=1&id=255430 to read it. If you can’t get it, e-mail me and
I’ll e-mail the letter. Also, below is the full letter but of course, it had to be cut
down to 250 words.
Most Rev. Jerome Hanus, O.S.B., archbishop of Dubuque, issued a
statement Sept. 14, 2005, re: The Love Holy Trinity Blessed Mission. In it,
the Bishop stated that “… no undertaking is to claim the name Catholic
without the consent of ecclesiastical authority in the local church (cf. Canon
216).” Yet LHTBM still claims – on their radio program and elsewhere – to be
Catholic. The Bishop also stated concern about “a lack of balance in the
group's spirituality, the authoritarian approach of the leader, secretiveness,
characteristics of a cult, harmful impact on families, and the questionable
quality of the understanding of the Scripture” and that the group “continues
to be very guarded and secretive about itself. “ True to this day – all very
true… So why, then, are some members of LHTBM allowed to hold positions
of authority within the Catholic Church? If the Bishop does “not consider it
qualified to offer acceptable Catholic programs or activities in the
Archdiocese of Dubuque” then why are some LHTBM members allowed to
teach CCD, be Eucharist ministers, etc.?
“All Catholic faithful are cautioned against participation in and association
with this group. Clergy and others in Church leadership are not to support or
endorse LHTBM.” Catholics are cautioned against participating and
associating with this group yet the group consists of members, and some
members are in positions of authority in several Dubuque Catholic
churches!!! There also are priests still involved with this cult; the Bishop
knows this, but…
When I – and others – have asked the archdiocese about this, the response
is that this group is cult-like but they must be cautious with individual
members. Again, I have no problem with these cult members attending Mass.
But I have VERY SERIOUS issues with them being in a position of authority.
This clearly is sending a mixed message to everyone. It gives the cult
members an element of legitimacy (“What can be wrong with our group if the
Catholic Church allows us to maintain positions of authority and remain on
the altar?”). It sends other parish members a very mixed message; what they
see is not consistent with the Church’s statement about LHTBM. It tells me
the Archdiocese of Dubuque doesn’t have the guts to deal with this.
The Bishop needs to show some courage and stop being so wishy-washy. I
assure you if the fear is a schism, that’s already a done deal. The Church
needs to be realistic and deal with this situation. Some cult members preach
that these are “bad” bishops (Hanus, George, et al) and therefore do not
represent the true pre-Vatican II Catholic Church. Are you getting the
picture here? They have no intention of giving up their little cult and its
leaders. LHTBM won’t go away by magic nor will members turn their backs
on it. At a minimum, they need to be removed from positions of authority.
Action by the Bishop is long overdue.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(9/01/09) It is what it is…
I’m sure most people have read about the missing girl who was found 18
years after being kidnapped by a sex offender. There’s no question the two
perverts became family to the young girl. She was raped and eventually
gave birth to two daughters of her own. But at some point, this way of life
was all she knew. It had become her reality. The same is true in the
Elizabeth Smart case. Indeed, she could have run away but by the time she
*could* have done that, she was deeply bonded with her kidnappers. The
“unknown” at that point was her real family.
I’m equally certain many of you noticed the similarities between that story
and some of our stories. Before the culties freak out, I’m not inferring Juanita
and others were kidnapped. (Ah, no, the cult made certain everyone was of
age, even though some still were young girls.) They were indeed
brainwashed, however, into thinking they didn’t need their God-given
families and that other cult members are their true families. I saw a very
recent photo of Juanita and she looks well. Now, Dick Vogt has said many
times these “girls could leave anytime.” But they’ve been so brainwashed
into thinking their real families are evil, worthless and unimportant, why
WOULD they leave?! Some will leave one day when that pre-cult personality
buried deep within questions one too many things in his or her life. Until
then, the bonding has taken place and Kyo has them under her power. But I
know one who is all powerful and He is God. Kyo is no match for Him and
those working for Him.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(7/25/09) One down, many more to go…
From http://www.cnn.com/2009/CRIME/07/24/arkansas.evangelist.trial/index.
html:
Evangelist Tony Alamo of Tony Alamo Ministries was found guilty of 10
federal counts Friday. A jury in Arkansas convicted him of taking minors
across state lines for sex. Alamo, whose real name is Bernie Hoffman, had
denied all wrongdoing. In a phone interview last year with CNN, he called the
accusations a hoax. "They're just trying to make our church look evil ... by
saying I'm a pornographer. Saying that I rape little children. ... I love children.
I don't abuse them. Never have. Never will." Asked why authorities were
searching the property, Alamo compared himself to Christ. "Why were they
after Jesus," he asked. "It's the same reason. Jesus is living within me."
I am gratified every time a cult leader is taken down. Each has the same
lingo: “They’re trying to make us look evil, blah, blah, blah.” In reality, cults
do this to themselves because they *are* evil and we all must strive to take
them down as best we can. Your role might be prayer or something more
active, but we each do have a role. Have you also noticed culties always
compare themselves to the persecution Jesus suffered or the persecution
legitimate organizations encountered? Oh, yeah. Heavens, Dick Vogt
compared his cult’s work – LHTBM – to Mother Teresa’s work. Seriously?
C’mon Dick. Work with me here. Kyo is nothing but a kept woman. A very
wealthy kept woman… She couldn’t be more different from Mother Teresa.
There. I said it. I wrote it. I know it. So does everyone else reading this page
sans the cult members. Oh, and they DO read this page.
I’ll keep fighting the fight, as always. My message to Kyo is the same as
always: This is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(05/27/09) Insanity Defined
Two of my sisters (Joanne and Ginger) went to Chicago with me yesterday. I
learned some time ago that my niece (Juanita – Joanne’s daughter) was
working as an RN at Swedish Covenant Hospital in Chicago, so we decided
to take a road trip. Joanne wanted just a glimpse of her daughter whom she
hasn’t seen in over four years. We wanted a glimpse of our niece. That was
it. We were going to try to see her – not talk to her or bother her at work –
and leave.
We arrived at the hospital around 11:50 a.m. Tuesday, May 26. We walked
inside the hospital and there was a guy at a podium who asked, “May I help
you ladies?” We asked where the bathroom was and he pointed us to it. I
thought it was odd he would ask if he could help since it’s a hospital and
people freely come and go all the time. Anyway, when we left the bathroom,
there was a sea of black (uniforms) outside the door. A guard asked “Do you
have business in the hospital today?” I responded we wanted to see my
niece on 3 North (the truth, of course). He asked if we had an appointment
and I said, “Well, no.” He said we could stay only if we had an appointment
or were a patient. He asked us to leave the premises. “I need you to leave
now.” We were shocked at the length this cult would go to just to keep us
from Juanita. When we got outside (escorted by several guards!), I asked
“May I ask why we can’t stay?” He responded, “There are restrictions on you
three. You’re not allowed here.” Imagine our surprise and shock when we
heard that! We were stunned. We walked to the end of the building to review
what had just occurred. Unbelievable. Just unbelievable. We regrouped in
the car and decided we were ready for lunch so opted to eat at the hospital
cafeteria as we were right there. We drove around to the main building
parking lot and walked into the main building. There was a young black man
who saw us and we watched as he did something with his cell phone and
then picked up the receiver of a phone on the counter nearby. We pretty
much knew he was watching us so we chose to sit down in the lobby area
just down the hallway, in order to mitigate the embarrassment. Sure enough,
after a couple of minutes, a guard approached us and asked what we were
doing in the hospital. I responded we were going to have lunch (again, the
truth, a novel concept to the culties). He then started his spiel that “You
three were told 10-15 minutes ago to leave the campus.” I responded that
we were told to leave the Anderson Pavilion (where Juanita works). He said
we were not allowed on the entire campus. We got up and walked toward the
main entrance. Clearly we were not there to do anything illegal, immoral or
amoral. As we walked, the security guard walked and talked behind us,
spewing some nonsense like “This is the second time we’ve asked you to
leave. There won’t be a third time. We’ll lock you up.” One of my sisters
heard him say something about trespassing, also. C’mon! Another of my
sisters heard the guy radio that he made it “clearer and they seem to
understand now.”
What does this say about the cult? They’re afraid of three middle-aged
women? Seriously? C’mon!!! Joanne wanted a glimpse of her daughter and
Ginger and I wanted a glimpse of our niece. Period. That was it. Yet they
(culties) are so fearful of us they resorted to this? Talk about paranoia!!!
Clearly they intentionally misled authorities at the hospital but that’s another
story and that will be dealt with in the near future. In the words of Abraham
Lincoln, “Truth is generally the best vindication against slander.” Amen.
That the cult would go to this extreme to keep Juanita from being near us
says WAY more about the cult than it does about us. To the average person
in the real world, it’s clear they’re (culties) paranoid and live fearfully. There
is no freedom or peace in that life. But it is indicative of cults and how cult
members live. What are they hiding? What do they fear? Why the secrecy? I
know and most of this Web site’s readers know. Joanne, Ginger and I are
law-abiding citizens and merely wanted a glimpse of our family member. To
be denied that is unconscionable. To be treated like we would cause trouble
or harm our loved one is insane, cold and calculated. My sisters and I were
physically sick at the way we were treated by the security guards. None of
the three of us slept well and we remain upset and disturbed at the lengths
the cult went to just to keep us from seeing our loved one. That, too, will be
dealt with in the near future.
Kyo: This is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(04/21/09) My kind of town, Chicago is…
Saturday was my niece’s birthday. It was a bittersweet day as I took another
road trip to Chicago. My, my. It appears the cult members have sandblasted
Kyo’s mansion (yes, this is the woman who filed bankruptcy in 1993) and
that part actually looks quite nice. (Time out: Is that house and property not
of this world? Oh, yeah, baby. But I digress.) My goodness – the
trees/greenery! How pitiful. How absolutely pitiful. Clearly they’re trying to
build a fortress where Kyo and Lenny and their culties can live without being
seen by the outside world. As you can see in the below photos, the trees are
planted several deep and the yard looks horrible. One can only imagine
what goes on behind those closed doors.
(Click on pictures to enlarge.)
Please remember all families that have been devastated as a result of this
cult and keep them in your prayers. Also remember God has empowered us
to change things – that’s amazing and we must continue to act against this
cult. I know I will.
Kyo: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
___
(04/18/09) Happy Birthday, Juanita. We all love and miss you.
___
(04/12/09) The resurrection gives my life meaning and direction and the
opportunity to start over no matter what my circumstances.
~Robert Flatt
Today is Easter Sunday, offering us the Good News that we are saved by
the death and resurrection of Jesus! We are saved not by saying the rosary
or by going to daily Mass but by the grace of God. Not that these are bad
things; they’re simply not things that will save us.
Many families will spend yet another Easter without their loved ones because
of this cult, LHTBM. How very sad and inexcusable that any family is
separated in the name of Kyo and Lenny. As always, my primary concern is
that this group is contrary to the core Christian belief that we are saved by
grace through faith in Christ Jesus and that scares me for my niece and
others being led astray. Imagine the power Kyo and Lenny must have;
imagine how they portray themselves as some sort of god. Imagine how they
thrive on that power and having their followers “keep” them financially.
Imagine all of this and you’ll get close to the truth.
Please remember all families that have been devastated as a result of this
cult and keep them in your prayers. Also remember God has empowered us
to change things – that’s more amazing good news.
Kyo: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
(04/05/09) Irony
You know – the culties continue to talk about following God’s word, but as
always, there’s a tremendous disconnect between what they say and what
they do. One of the Ten Commandments is to honor they father and mother,
yet some of them have no contact whatsoever with their mother or father.
There also are many parents who have nothing to do with their children. In
my heart of hearts, it is this very alienation that is both heartbreaking and
sickening. This is not of God. This is of Kyo and her followers.
Kyo: this is far from over.
Donna
madonnajb@mchsi.com
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A Cult in our Midst
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