Thursday, June 3, 2010

Survivor Stories Part 1

I'll be reformatting this site soon if I'm able, as it's a little hard to follow and doesn't do a good job of explaining who Doug Riggs is and why he's dangerous is its current form.

But for now, here are a few testimonials I've compiled from some survivors of this man's "therapy:"

"I know all too well this so called "church". My now ex-husband followed him (I think he still does from his prison cell) and the group started meeting in our home. Thankfully (although after too many years) I managed to escape along with 7 of my children. I left Tulsa to start a new life, and feel I have finally recovered. I am now have been in a very spiritually healthy situation for going on eleven years. My children have serious scars but are recovering. Also after being pounded with the scripture "wives submit yourselves to your husbands" I came to my senses when I realized that part of that verse had been omitted. "Wives, submit yourselves to your husbands, as to the Lord"I know now that the Lord does not abuse women, molest children, etc."

"I am an elder in the church they first attended here. They were with us for about six months before we came to realize what they were all about and we asked them to leave. They tried to infiltrate another church after that but we found out and warned the pastor. Since then they have been meeting in their own homes. Unfortunately my son and daughter-in-law have gotten caught up with them and their delusions. "

"Having the title of pastor should be one at a higher standard of accountability. My ex-husband trusted him completely & when I questioned it I was accused of having "the spirit of Jezebel". As I look back I shudder to think of the total lack of discernment & common sense he had. Fortunately, after way too many years, I finally was able to escape with my children, but it has taken years to recover. "

One of the more disturbing trends I've noticed through my communications with survivors is their universal recollection of the complete devaluing of women under Riggs and his cult.

It is the strictest and most deluded interpretation of Scripture to force the wife to be completely and utterly subservient to the husband, even as the family is being torn apart by abuse.

The idea of an equal domestic partnership wherein the desires and wants of both partners are equally valued and valid does not seem to exist within the world Riggs builds around his followers, nor does it appear to exist within his own. Rather, this is depicted as a window through which the ever-present spectre of Satanic influence rears its ugly head.

It is an archaic, abusive policy that would make the strictest Sha'ria Islamic mullah smile with approval.