Update to Mother's Story

1997

I wrote to you several months ago about our concerns that our daughter was in the Jesus People USA cult in chicago. I just wanted to update you and tell you that things have gone from bad to worse. She has since informed us that in submission to the leadership there, she is getting married to some guy and she's moving into his family now because they are "happening". We have since found out, not through any correspondence from [her] that this gentleman is nearly as old as her father.

We have written to her and [this man] explaining to them, why this courtship is without our blessing. No reply. We have contacted each of the pastors there and her "spiritual mom and dad". No reply. [Our daughter's] aunt contacted her and asked why she isn't addressing anything that concerns us. She told her that she's in submission to them there and they told her to ignore our concerns--keep everything superficial.

I cannot tell you how distressed we are that our sweet [daughter] will soon marry someone who doesn't even have the courtesy to write to us. She has been asked by several [people] (friends, etc.) to tell them about [the man she will soon marry] but she refuses. Everything is very hush hush.

One of our friends whose daughter went there right out of high school, married one of the men in leadership there also old enough to be her father told me not to fight it. I'd have to just jump in and accept it because the real family just can't win. Well...I'm on the grief end of it tonight. I'll find some comfort through scripture and prayer and feel better tomorrow.

Our worst fears have come upon us. Please pray for us concerning this. I fear we really may never get our daughter back.

Note: Since their daughter's first exposure to JPUSA she never did return home--not even for a family visit. Subsequently, she married the JPUSA member in question--without the blessings of her family. They did not attend the wedding. During January 2000 I received a phone message from the daughter mentioned in this story--she phoned from her residence within JPUSA's apartments in Chicago. Subsequently, we spoke by phone and the daughter tried to persuade me to remove her mother's story, but I refused. She then confirmed that for the past two years she had not spoken regularly to her mother and has never met with her family alone since first visiting JPUSA. Finally, she advised that she did not know her mother's phone number, which had been changed some time ago. Since the exodus of many members from the JPUSA community, this couple likewise left, though they are still apparently estranged from the wife's family and remain supportive of JPUSA.