MK forum

Again - this forum is not "safe" and is not required to be, much in the same way Aslan who represents Christ isn't safe.

'If there's anyone who can appear before Aslan without their knees knocking, they're either braver than me or else just silly.'
'Then he isn't safe?' asked Lucy.
'Safe?' said Mr. Beaver. 'Don't you hear what Mrs. Beaver tells you? Who said anything about safe? 'Course he isn't safe. But he's good. He's the King, I tell you.'

This forum is a place to uncover TRUTH which is GOOD and seek justice, and I started it specifically to understand the truth about how NTM covered up my sexual abuse that took place when I was a small child and it turns out, many many more abuses of other children.

We have had an amazing amount of graciousness shown here. We have also had a lot of anger. Good! Anger is the only healthy response to hearing about the abuse of children. Jesus got angry, why are 'christians' so afraid of it? This topic should make people angry. And this is a place where they can express that. You can also express your opinions and when people disagree, that is what they are free to do.

that's great kari.

additionally i would caution people about making this forum, "about" something specifically. it's absolutely not about anything specifically in that sense. further, i would almost encourage someone to think about what that means...

l

@Kari and JDG - great responses

I don't understand the people who come here and claim that we are bashing NTM. I would define bashing as unwarranted or untrue criticism. If they would like to point out anything that was said here about NTM that is either, I would certainly be willing to reconsider.

I'm sorry, last bit, I have to say this:

RE: bashing NTM on the internet.

1. Yeah, um, internet? Have you seen, say, any given photoshop of, say Obama? And that's a person, a creature of God. This is, like, a company. Gird up your loins folks.

2. I was, in some small way, in the same place, years ago, as those of you who are cautious of bashing NTM. I would like to say to you now, as I wish I could say to myself, lo those years ago:

WHAT ARE YOU TALKING ABOUT?

It is an admitted fact that this organization employed people to work overseas, after which they strongly encouraged these employees to place their children in their own boarding schools, in-country, absolutely maximizing their isolation. Some of these children were then abused by *other employees*. After this, the organization then became complicit in covering up these abuses, in many ways: lack of vigor in investigation, lack of application to law enforcement, lack of termination or other punishment of abusive employees, relocation of abusive employees, lack of vigor or transparency in response to abusees. And so on.

What, precisely, in any of your minds, is "bash proof" about this organization? I'm telling you, BP got KILLED on these same internets for their transgressions. And all they ruined was the Gulf of Mexico.

These were people ruined here--no, CHILDREN. The same people we were expressly, vividly charged to protect by Our Lord.

In addition, I can't help but notice the flavor of the mathematics of salvation here--sure, there was fallout, collateral damage, but the work!! Think of all of the souls.

Stop doing math. The Shepherd stopped doing math as soon as he noticed one sheep was missing.

GREAT response, jd!

And does some of our defensiveness and inability at times to have a discussion that does not end in agreement also point back to our roots, where everyone had to think the same things and agree? Where disagreement with authority was not permitted? Where we feel threatened by emotions that we don't see as "spiritual" or acceptable?

And/or is part of the trauma of abuse the fear of not being valued and seeing the world as against us-- the need to be accepted now to prove I'm worthy of something better than I received as an innocent child?

@MK4Life
I really don't want to get sidetracked by a personal argument with you, as I do not know where you are in your life and your road to recovery and I want to be sensitive to what you are dealing with. You have just as much of a right to your opinions as the rest of us, even if they appear to back up NTM's historically legalistic theology about protecting "God's work," safeguarding the good name of "the Mission" at the cost of its MKs. Let me just quote your own words back to you: "So, the next time someone posts something you don't agree with, maybe take a step back first & evaluate whether what you have to say is necessary or true before you reply. Then you won't be judging while you are accusing them of being judgmental." Back atcha, friend. Genuinely glad you are here and partaking in the dialogue.

@jdg
Brilliant response! And the Gulf of Mexico bit made me chuckle - thanks for that.

@The Rest
The cool thing about this thread, so cleverly entitled "What's the point?" kind of shows what the point is. We are discussing and bringing things into the light. We are engaging in meaningful dialogue and opening up to each other about difficult things that are dear to our hearts. We are refusing to allow ourselves to be silenced by uncomfortable subjects or guilt-trips. I feel very honored to be a part of it.

Glad to have been able to facilitate such a thread... (thank you "verily")
...but for awhile there I felt like throwing in the towel, pulling out my white flag...and cautiously stepping down from my soap-box... but instead I have found a renewed source of courage -- thank you Lord for showing me that .....
.... I don't know where everyone's at either in their healing process....

I just want to know that I'm a part of something that is God-Honoring -- today. (please don't try to convince me that I'm not -- or that I've been fooled)

I believe NTM is already desiring to be above-reproach and has had that desire ever since the very beginning -- but I think NTM got side-tracked for several years ..decades ...and God is using the tragedy of our youth to bring a new level of awareness and accountability that was never there in the past....

I have no right to tell you not to be angry ... but before the Lord we all have to ask ourselves ..are we?...and is He ok with our anger. There's a time for everything under the sun.... but it's God who knows the time-frame ....then "when" and the "how long"

This song and it's lyrics have been an encouragement to me .... hope they are to you too... the first verse reminds me of the pressure that we faced as MK's to look good ...to look like we had it together....but the paper-thiness of our exterior .. the fragility that we masked as flexibility, courage, ______... you fill in the blank... ...let it all fall down, cause there's freedom waiting in the sound...

"Healing Begins" by - Tenth Avenue North

So you thought you had to keep this up
All the work that you do
So we think that you're good
And you can't believe it's not enough
All the walls you built up
Are just glass on the outside

So let 'em fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Afraid to let your secrets out
Everything that you hide
Can come crashing through the door now
But too scared to face all your fear
So you hide but you find
That the shame won't disappear

So let it fall down
There's freedom waiting in the sound
When you let your walls fall to the ground
We're here now
We're here now, oh

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark

Sparks will fly as grace collides
With the dark inside of us
So please don't fight
This coming light
Let this blood come cover us
His blood can cover us

This is where the healing begins, oh
This is where the healing starts
When you come to where you're broken within
The light meets the dark
The light meets the dark