Exclusive Brethren
Is it just me or is everyone interested in finding out more about extremist religious groups?
A small religious sect, the Exclusive Brethren is making headlines again.
The Exclusive Brethren apparently donated three hundred and seventy thousand dollars to John Howard's last election campaign. No one knows what they’ll donate this time.
I think there are a few Exclusive Brethren who live on the Sunshine Coast, they can usually be spotted by their very conservative dress…women and girls always in long skirts with scarves in their hair.
A lot of the press Exclusive Brethren get is regarding family court disputes. If a member of the Brethren falls out of favour, they become a so called ‘leper’, completely ostracised and banned from meeting, speaking with or communicating in any way with members of their family. That means a parent who leaves the sect is told they can never see their children again.
Hence the family court battles.
Brethren are basically Christian, but they’re not much fun. Among the things they ban are television, radio, cinema, mobile phones, university education, health insurance, life insurance, membership of any union or professional association or sports club, they ban short hair for women, and long hair for men. Members are forbidden to vote, even pets are reportedly banned, because of some obscure verse in the book of Revelation.
Exclusive Brethren cannot eat or drink with non-members. That alone, I guess, is enough to ensure we don't know much about them…and similarly, they don’t know much about us either.
The bible is a complex little sucker. I read an article recently that described it as 66 books written by dozens of authors over some 1500 years. I guess you can get it to say whatever you want….including that university education, the muppet movie and labradoodles are evil…
If that’s what Exclusive Brethren want to believe, I say, good luck to them. That doesn't mean I buy what their selling…ABSOLUTELY NOT....but I could say that about a lot of groups….
As long as the Exclusive Brethren are not a threat to the wider community, as long as they operate within the law, then I think they are just part of the rich multi cultural tapestry of Australia…and I’m happy to live amongst them.
A small religious sect, the Exclusive Brethren is making headlines again.
The Exclusive Brethren apparently donated three hundred and seventy thousand dollars to John Howard's last election campaign. No one knows what they’ll donate this time.
I think there are a few Exclusive Brethren who live on the Sunshine Coast, they can usually be spotted by their very conservative dress…women and girls always in long skirts with scarves in their hair.
A lot of the press Exclusive Brethren get is regarding family court disputes. If a member of the Brethren falls out of favour, they become a so called ‘leper’, completely ostracised and banned from meeting, speaking with or communicating in any way with members of their family. That means a parent who leaves the sect is told they can never see their children again.
Hence the family court battles.
Brethren are basically Christian, but they’re not much fun. Among the things they ban are television, radio, cinema, mobile phones, university education, health insurance, life insurance, membership of any union or professional association or sports club, they ban short hair for women, and long hair for men. Members are forbidden to vote, even pets are reportedly banned, because of some obscure verse in the book of Revelation.
Exclusive Brethren cannot eat or drink with non-members. That alone, I guess, is enough to ensure we don't know much about them…and similarly, they don’t know much about us either.
The bible is a complex little sucker. I read an article recently that described it as 66 books written by dozens of authors over some 1500 years. I guess you can get it to say whatever you want….including that university education, the muppet movie and labradoodles are evil…
If that’s what Exclusive Brethren want to believe, I say, good luck to them. That doesn't mean I buy what their selling…ABSOLUTELY NOT....but I could say that about a lot of groups….
As long as the Exclusive Brethren are not a threat to the wider community, as long as they operate within the law, then I think they are just part of the rich multi cultural tapestry of Australia…and I’m happy to live amongst them.
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