MK forum

Someone asked me today for a link to the Theresa Sidebotham article referenced in D & A's post. This article was written in 2011, and when I read it, I went rather ballistic, and used the word "collusion" to describe what I felt I was seeing, particularly in regard to the scathing 10-point criticism of GRACE's report on Fanda (see pg 18 in the article). Reading those detailed points, I felt with certainty that they must have been fed to the authors of that article by someone who was much closer than they were to NTM. Someone who was angry at GRACE for the Fanda report, and who was looking for a round about way to vicariously vent that anger.

The next time I heard of Theresa Sidebotham was when it was discovered that Scott Ross, NTM's legal counsel, had his own investigative company called The Ross Group International. On their website, I found a glowing recommendation written by Theresa Sidebotham, the author of the article that had shot my blood pressure through the roof. That is when I realized Scott and Theresa were friends. http://therossgroupintl.com/about-us/

And then ... Theresa's name appeared yet again, and this time she had been appointed by NTM to take over IHART (which suddenly was being openly called a "process of NTM", instead of being passed off as an independent group).

Below is a link to the article Theresa co-wrote. The title is incredibly ironic now, seeing as how Ms Sidebotham herself is an attorney who has got a fat cash cow tethered in her stall, and she is milking it for as much and as long as she can get away with. Oh yes, she has most certainly found herself at the front of the line of those profiting from "the new market" ... stepping on the hearts of hundreds of bruised and wounded MKs in the process.

"Are Protestant Ministries a New Market? Lessons Learned from the Catholic Sexual Abuse Scandal"

http://telioslaw.com/pdfversions/new-market.pdf

From what I read I'm a Portuguese news article, it was the Brazilian government that tried to help. Some victims they couldn't identify and match, and they were looked on with confusion by the tribe.

D&A - I rarely come here anymore, for the sake of my emotional health - but I want to thank you so very much for posting your story. It makes me feel like everything we went through to get the truth out there was worth it. Love - B

D & A, I read your story with admiration and I hope that I would be as persistent and brave as you in the same circumstances. I was never a member of NTM/ETHOS360, but have had family and friends in that organization (many still are), and attended part of the training. A few were close to the abuse situations, some were abused themselves (physically, emotionally, and spiritually), and many have only heard the stories and read the reports, as I did.

Those still in the mission don't talk about the abuse anymore, at least to me or anyone outside the mission in my circle. A window briefly opened after Fanda, but it has over time swung shut and if I tried it again, I fear I'd find it bolted from the inside. It doesn't stop me from wondering about their reasons for staying in the organization. I'm sure the reasons are varied and complex.

Some may stay for financial, emotional, relational, and dysfunctionally spiritual reasons. Some because they feel their particular ministry is worthwhile and best continued from within NTM/ETHOS360 and don't see an alternative. There are those who are willfully ignorant and some who just keep working with their heads down, writing off the dysfunction and injustice through myriad platitudes and assuring themselves that "the mission" is "handling the situation" with integrity.

If I could just see a slice of hope! To see more like you that were brave enough to look honestly at the victims, listen to their stories without prejudice, and take a hard look at those they've entrusted to "help the abuse victims" and "investigate the allegations". To raise a voice from within the organization, keep asking questions, weigh the answers, and keep holding the mission accountable from the inside. Perhaps they are afraid that asking too many questions would lead to answers they'd have to deal with. That, looking down at their newly minted ETHOS360 coffee mug and considering if the treatment of abuse victims is consistent with that "vision that represents God’s heart for the world*", they would be forced to utter from trembling lips, like Isaiah's idolatrous man, “Is not this thing in my right hand a lie?”

Again, I applaud your bravery.

Indeed, some may remain because they believe they can best effect change from the inside, and long for the organization to be better, to change and care, whatever the cost. While on one hand I commend their hope and courage, on the other I think at best they're try to steer a Titanic with a rowboat.

* From the ETHOS360 "About Us" page.

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"I think—I don't know—but I think I could be brave enough."

IMG_3306.JPG [ 113.9 KiB | Viewed 8777 times ]

So this is a ETNOS360 Mugshot.

I remember the last NTM Mugshot I saw.




http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2547740/Ex-Christian-missionary-jailed-58-years-sexually-abused-indigenous-girls-child-porn-setting-church-Amazon.html



No amount of name changing is ever going to erase this!

And it's not a "thriving church for EVERYONE". I don't go to church because of my NTM childhood years and I doubt I'd be very welcome at the ETHNOS360 church.

O.k. end of rant. Time for a cup of tea. Anyone got a mug?

No, not that one . . . .

I think NTM may be under the illusion that they have scored the perfect coup. I mean cup.

But what doth the cup runneth over with?

a) Milk and Honey
b) Cash and Money
c) Lawyers
d) Other (please specify in the space below)