Late Breaking TT News - More Members Leave 02/13/08

You listened to Noah Jones and Zeb Wiseman's testimonies. They left the TT years ago. Wouldn't it be good to hear from some more recent defectors?

I have heard from some internal TT sources that more senior level elder's children have chosen to leave the Twelve Tribes. My sources say that Arthur Nunnally's son (Tom) and his wife (Sarah) who is the daughter of Tom Wall have left along with one of Wall's younger daughters. Maybe they would be willing to give a video testimony once they get settled?

If you guys see my site, contact me at voocitd@gmail.com when you are ready to talk.


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A Pattern of Lies and a Path of Destruction

We have seen a pattern when it comes to the leadership of the Twelve Tribes. It goes like this:

1. Yoneq (Spriggs) writes and distributes a teaching (these are either made up, twisted from scripture or plagiarized from other religions)
2. Hakam (Wiseman) demonstrates and enforces this teaching to his elders and apostolic workers.
3. This is then passed down to heads-of-households and then
   
4. The members start to practice the teaching (emphasis on practice).
5. If negative press is received, the blame is placed on the members for misunderstanding or abusing the teaching.
6. If a great amount of negative press is received as in the case of the TT’s practice of child abuse, then the teachings are toned down or changed or just forgotten
7. All the blame is left with the ignorant members and history is rewritten retold by TT leaders.

This pattern was evident in my article on TT child abuse. It is also consistent with the TT’s teaching on lying. So let’s look at another case study using the teaching on lying.

Step 1: Yoneq writes and distributes a teaching:

“Our definition of lying means the intentional deception of those who had a right to know.” – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

“There is a difference between telling a lie and loving and practicing lying.” – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

“There is a vast difference between bearing false witness and concealing the truth.” – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

“There is a difference between bearing false witness and concealing a matter (not telling the truth) that others have forfeited their right to know because of their hostile and evil attitude toward God.” – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

“The court would say it was a lie because they would think they had a right to know”. – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

“Sometimes we make a stand with the truth by not revealing the truth or by our answers that are or are not true.” – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

“Lying is more than intentional deception. Telling the truth may cause serious harm to an innocent party. Such intentional deception may be moral and must be determined by judging if someone has a moral right to know the truth for justice sake” - Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

“It is the glory of YHWH to conceal a matter. Prov. 25:2 This adds discretion and wisdom to our life and the apostolic teaching.” .” – Yoneq, “Phase 2 – Lying” 11/29/1988

Step 2 – Eddie demonstrates and enforces the teaching

Video 1 – Jeane Swantko states emphatically “I don’t know where Stephen Wooten is….I don’t have a clue where Stephen is”

Video 2 - Eddie Wiseman states, “I don’t know where Stephen Wooten is…..We do not know where he is” He also says, “There is a moral problem here….a moral disagreement” He was right the first time. The moral problem is he and his new wife are lying.

Video 3 – In the following video Eddie Wiseman says “I do not know where he is…I can’t find him, I do not know where he is…”

Video 4 - In the following video, notice how agitated Jeanne and Eddie get when Eddie is once again accused of beating Darlyn Church for seven hours. Jeanne frantically attempts to change the subject and Eddie denies it ever happened and claims the father has been brainwashed. If you want to see an example of brainwashed, watch the daughter who talks to her father next:



Video 5 - The Wooten boys have sworn affidavits stating what Jeanne and Eddie have said is not true.



Video 6 - Furthermore here is Nathan Wooten's video testimony stating that his father lied about whether or not the Twelve Tribes leaders knew where he, his father and his brother were:

Eddie - To answer your question, "What is the responsibility of the Church?" Well for one, it is to tell the truth. Stop your lies!!!!!

Video 7 - What have other high level leaders who have left the Twelve Tribes say about Eddie Wiseman and Jeane Swantko's lying about Stephen Wooten and the Darlyn Church beating by Eddie:

Step 3 – TT Leaders practice

In the next video, notice the look of sarcasm and joy this man (Jonathan) has as he watches this mother suffer the loss of her children. This is all a big game for these guys. Look at the smirky red-head sitting in the bottom left hand side of the screen and the facial expressions he makes. They are enjoying Laurie Johnson's pain. Is this the compassion of the Messiah?

Step 4 – Members start to practice it

In the following video it is obvious Laurie's sister is lying about not knowing where Stephen Wooten and his children are. Although they have bought into the teaching and are starting to practice it, they aren't very good at it.

Steps 5-7 – These steps have yet to be seen as they have not received enough publicity on their practice of lying. Starting with this article, let’s see if we can get the word out about this practice.

When a group is willing to lie about hiding children and abusing children, what else are they willing to lie about? How about lying about who they are and what they believe in order to gain more recruits? Surely this is a Godly act because it builds up the kingdom? How about lying to the law about child molestation by their members and leaders? Surely God would not want the community to have a bad “witness” to the “worldly” people around them. How about lying concerning debts and taxes they owe? Does the government have the right to take money that otherwise could be used to build His kingdom? I list these as questions because I do not know if they are telling the truth or lying about such things. That is the problem, once you open the door up to allow your integrity to be corrupted based on faulty thinking, you lose trust. Your word is no good. Many long time TT members have chosen to leave the communities due to this issue of integrity. Is God living among a people who practice outright lying and twisting the truth or selectively disclosing information for the purpose of presenting a false truth?

James Howell, once third in command of the Twelve Tribes and good friend of Eddie Wiseman (Hakam) testified that Eddie has admitted to lying on national TV "for the cause". He explains why Eddie was comfortable and felt justified lying on TV:

The Twelve Tribes Leadership and the entire Edah need to repent of the sin of lying. How can God love and bless a body of people who have lies on their lips. The only justification the TT gives for these lies is they wanted to avoid persecution and or jail sentences. The true apostles did not lie to stay out of jail or avoid persecution. They told the truth and if the truth meant they could be whipped, thrown in jail or even stoned to death, they still told the truth. But the Twelve Tribes hides child abductors, child abusers, child molesters and their leaders lie on public TV and on the internet to millions of people.

If Eddie Wiseman and Jeanne Swantko would have gone on TV and said, “We believe the Wooten children should stay with their father. We know where they are but we will not tell you because we believe it is better to go to jail than to allow these children to be released to their mother.” You could at least respect them for standing for their convictions and telling the truth.

They did not do this, because they do not have the courage to truly be persecuted for their beliefs. Instead, they take the path of cowards and liars and they destroy their testimony to the world. Will God bless this? Is this why their elders, members and children are leaving in droves each year? After 30 years of being the only people on earth who supposedly have the Holy Spirit of God, they still have a meager 2,500 members. If God wanted to build up a kingdom on earth and chose a people to do it and blessed them with his power and Spirit, don’t you think there would be more than 2,500 or 3,000 or 7,000 after 30 years? I can almost hear Yoneq’s answer floating in my head, “It is because the sheep are not following God. It is the sheep’s fault”. Could it possibly be due to a false leader with a false message who does not have the blessing or anointing of God?

Voice

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Michael Painter & James Howell - Video's 18-23

The continued video testimonies from Michael Painter and James Howell.

Michael Painter was in the Communities for 18 years and started many of the Communities’ "cottage industries," and James Howell was Spriggs personal secretary and third in command for over a decade.

Video #18



Video #19



Video #20



Video #21



Video #22



Video #23






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Ex-Testimonies Part IV - David Pike (Nabashalam)

This video was created around November of 2004. If you are an ex-member of the TT you may see some friends or family in this video. There are two men I consider very dear friends and brothers.



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Ex-Testimonies Part III - Children of the Elders – Noah Jones and Zeb Wiseman Video Testimonies

The Twelve Tribes can continue to spin the truth (or more accurately, their lies) about child abuse and the “great and happy life of children in the community”. Attached below are two testimonies of children of high level leaders in the Twelve Tribes who were born and raised and “escaped” the “life” that they describe as far different than the picture portrayed by the Twelve Tribes propaganda machine.

Noah Jones and Zeb Wiseman - Part I

Zeb Wiseman who is featured in these videos is one of Eddie Wiseman’s children who had to face the slander and lies told about his mother Mary after she died of cancer within the communities. Yoneq (Spriggs) felt the reputation and character of this loving, God fearing woman was worth trashing in order to maintain control of his flock and strengthen his own position and power. Furthermore, the mental wellbeing of Mary’s children were also an acceptable cost to maintaining control and power. The lesson he effectively communicated was "if you speak against the “anointed” (Spriggs) you will die".

Noah Jones and Zeb Wiseman - Part II

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The Twelve Tribe leaders will tell you the proof they are God's chosen people is the "life" they are leading. They can't tell you why other communal religious groups who live the same "life' the same way, are also not "saved".

It is their belief that they are going to raise 144,000 virgin young men who will go into the world to preach "the Gospel". Yoneq (Spriggs) claimed that he had come to "turn the hearts of the sons towards their fathers and the hearts of the fathers towards their sons" However, the evidence above is just a small glimpse of the horrible truth. The Twelve Tribes are effectively destroying the basic structure of the family and driving their sons to the point they feel the need to "escape" the oppression of the "life" within the Twelve Tribes.

The leaders of the Twelve Tribe are held up as examples for their followers to emulate. Here are two examples of leaders who instead of turning their hearts towards their sons, have cut them off as if they were dead. They are so headstrong on living out the dogma of their doctrine and following their "anointed" leader above all, they have allowed their own children to be abused, abandoned and slandered just like anyone else who chooses to leave the Twelve Tribes. In Eddie's case, he was willing to allow his wife to be openly slandered in front of her children immediately following her death. No wonder Noah can say, "I realized, this is not where God lives."

I still hear the little children of the Twelve Tribes singing, "Do you wonder if life has something more to offer? Ask yourself if you belong where you are?" At least two children raised within the Twelve Tribes have asked themselves this question and the answer was an emphatic "NO".

Voice

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Personal Testimonies of Ex-Members - Part II

The following Testimony is from a member who left about 10 years ago but was only able to get the TT out of his mind around 2 years ago due to the devastating affect of the thought reform tactics the TT employs.

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The last time I lived with the TT was 10yrs ago. I went back and forth several times over the years. I probably only actually lived with them for a total of about 4yrs over all. In my head I was always living with them. I finally gave up the notion of having to go back only about 2yrs ago.

It all started for me around 1980 while I was studying bible in a local college in my home town. During summer vacation of the first year I volunteered to work at a Christian summer camp. It was one of the best experiences of my life. I was totally unfamiliar with the idea of living in community until I worked at this summer camp. Living with about 100 children and maybe 30 adults in such close proximity for 6 weeks was my introduction to that kind of life. I went back to school in the fall and felt like something was missing. I was trying to understand the harsh reality of Christian living in comparison with what i had experienced over the summer. Loving one another was a way of life at camp. The Christian experience was empty compared to that. I longed for more.

So here I was, not even knowing there was any such thing as people living together in community, thinking there must be more to this whole experience.
It was while I was in my church history class one day that that all changed for me. One sentence in my Church history book grabbed my attention. It mentioned a people called the Anabaptists. These people didn't think that Martin Luther had gone far enough with just nailing nine thesis' to the door of the local Catholic church. They believed that the Catholic church was beyond reform and that it was time for a complete separation. It was exactly what i was beginning to think concerning all of Christendom..

Just a little side note...
If you ever get a few minutes you should read the story of the Anabaptists.
Start here: Anabaptists
You will then know that the idea that the Holy Spirit has not been on the earth for 2000yrs is categorically false.

I am amazed by that teaching by the way. If anyone was wondering about whether Yoneq is delusional or not they ought to really consider the full ramifications of what that teaching means.

Back to my story...
Of course when I would bring these ideas up to my fellow students they thought I was a bit crazy. "It was just summer camp" they would say.
"People don't live like that in the real world." I would point out the example of the Anabaptists and I would just be told; " that was the middle ages, we know better now." It just didn't sit right with me. It seemed to me if people really had the Holy Spirit then love would be overflowing everywhere. It was not, as many of you are painfully aware. I met one person there however that listened to what I had to say. He was about 20yrs my senior and was very familiar with community life. He had been searching for something more substantial himself for most of his life. He had thus far come up empty. He had researched many communities all over the U.S.. He had even lived with a few for a time.

I wanted to know more. Once the 2yr bible program was over we were off and running. We traveled all over the northeast U.S. so that I could get a taste of what community life was all about. After living and working with several different groups ( all along the way hitting every college library I was near to continue studying this phenomenon) I too was coming up empty. I never seemed to be satisfied. Finally I went back to my friend ( who had since left me to my own devices because he had a family to take care of) and told him that I was not finding what I was looking for. Nearly 7yrs had gone by. He told me that he knew of one other group that might interest me. He said he never mentioned them because he just saw them as a hippy commune. Off to Island Pond VT we went. It was my last hope. When we arrived I thought I had found heaven on earth. My friend left at the end of the day, I did not.

Thus began my relationship with the TT. It didn't take long before I began to be dissatisfied with life there as well. What I was looking for just didn't seem to exist. I have spent most of my life thinking that it must exist, that the problem must be me.

What I was looking for I was eventually to realize was inside of me not outside of me. That is what we are all looking for, the love of God. We do not need to get it from anyone but Him. Everyone around us could be wanting to kill us (sound familiar? our brother Stephen comes to mind) and we could still be "perfectly" content with the love that God gives us. Yes, we would all like to be surrounded by loving people all of the time. That is not reality however.
We have already been told this by Yahshua. I must have missed that one in bible class.
The crucible that is called the TT is just a microcosm of the world. Take all of the "evil" thoughts in the world and put them under one roof, there you have a description of community living. If you can bear that kind of test then living in community is for you. If you are just looking for the love of God, then look inside. When you are certain that you are loved by God then you can stand under any pressure. The problem I had was I was looking for God in those communities, not inside myself.

The world is full of false beliefs and delusional people. It is full of people searching outside of themselves for what can only be found within. The desire that draws us to want to live in a community is a desire for something that we all have available to us where ever we find ourselves. It is the desire to experience oneness with God and his creation. Pray for this experience where you are here and now. It is the desire of God's heart for us to have it. It is a prayer that if sincere, will never go unanswered.

Ex-Member


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Personal Testimonies of Ex-Members

The following story is from an ex-member:

I thought I would share a little of my story. It took me along time to accept that I didn't need to live as a member of the TT before I could be accepted by God.

It took a lot longer than 4 years. I was still defending them on Factnet not more than two yrs ago. I Have grown up you might say since that time.

It takes courage to face the truth of one's beliefs. When put to the test some of them come up empty or even ugly. It is hard to accept but accept it we must if we are going to do what we all set out to do in the first place, meet God face to face. On His terms not ours. God is Truth, should we not seek truth with all our effort? If our beliefs are found to be false or ugly we should abandon them. As difficult as it is to abandon one's beliefs it is much less painful than turning our backs on God.

I have associated with the TT for nearly 25yrs. It could have been any group like them. I lived with several throughout those years. They all had people who were clearly lovers of the truth. Most of them were Amish and or Mennonite background. There is still life deep within those traditions as well. I think I liked the TT because of the culture as well as the message.

I remember when the first three eternal destinies paper was published. It was in Island Pond VT. For a Christian that teaching was an answer to prayer. It was hard not to find a denomination that wasn't condemning another denomination to hell, without trying to find one that thought anyone that didn't go to church on Sunday in America could ever please God.

The three eternal destinies answered the question of what was going to happen to everyone else but me and few select others on the earth that were lucky enough to figure this out.

The spirit of God is everywhere. We should be content with our lot in life and spend our time trying to make sure that everyone less fortunate than ourselves is cared for to the best of our ability. The more you give, the more you are given. That is God's work.

• The widows and orphans are his priority.
• The homeless living in the woods.
• The wounded soldiers that sacrificed there lives for their country.
• The starving children all over the world.

Those are the people that God cares for the most. They are the most needy, it would only make sense. Should it not be our most pressing need? Groups like the TT wouldn't even need to exist if we had the moral will to change some things in this world.

When I really exited the TT was when I grew up.

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