MK forum

I agree with number 1. And number 3 I think there that apart from those who actually carried out abuse, other NTMers probably often feel some guilt for having been involved with an organisation that had these matters occur within its jurisdiction.
I'll think about the other two some more.

I am not sure that I would classify no. 2 as brainwashing per se. I was not brought up in the NTM system but was challenged to the task of reaching tribal people with the gospel. In the training, I was further challenged with the idea that I could be a part. When I look at the instructors that I had in the training, a good number had field experience and had to return to the States, most due to health issues. I have not heard one negative word here about any of those. To this day, I have a high regard for them. That is why I find it difficult to call it "brainwashing". There was a fervency and commitment for the task, and some of those guys paid a high price. I do not think that what NTM evolved into is anything what Paul Fleming even in his wildest dreams could have imagined. This is about the only evolution that I believe in. It is an insult to animals to believe that some of these guys could have evolved from lower life forms. It is nothing more than the old Adamic nature. Power corrupts, and absolute power corrupts absolutely. The nepotism and cronyism in NTM was a breeding ground for a lot of what we are reading about on these forums. The FC and EC chose those for leadership who held to their ideals. Joe Blow Missionary had no voice in who was appointed. "Do not be deceived, God is not mocked. Whatsoever a man soweth, that shall he also reap." NTM is reaping what the leaders have sown for the past 70 years.

I resonate with what you are saying, BbnB. A lot of truth there.

Thanks for your insight, Raz. I find all of this completely mind boggling. It is more than my feeble mind can take in. I remember when the abuse in the RC Church started to break, and all these people came forward to name their abusers. At least they have had the courage to acknowledge what has happened and many of the guilty are paying a price. I cannot begin to imagine what a Roman Catholic must feel like, knowing that the church protected the perps. Betrayed, disallusioned, disheartened, deceived. A slew of adjectives come to mind. I am irate at what I read and am all in favor of bringing back Old Testament justice. Stone 'em! I am not talking vengence or revenge. Just plain old fashioned justice. And don't quote OUT OF CONTEXT Jesus' words "He who is without sin, let him cast the first stone." A text without context is a pretext.

These are good thought provoking posts, thank you. My own view of the matter (as is most peoples) is shaped by what and who was around me, namely my own father. I realise most people had decent men for fathers, alas some of us obviously didn't and my lot has been to fall into the latter catergory.

Just curious. In PNG and no doubt on other fields, there was a lot of "beating" of MKs and one or two teachers or dormparents participated in the practise more than others.

What I'm wondering is, did these people beat their own children, or was it just reserved for other peoples children? From what I understand, discipline was not always related to the "crime", but could be motivated by other factors, so that while some children were singled out for discipline for minor infringements (or nothing at all) others were allowed to have a discipline free existance.

Existance probably sums up the childhood for many, it wasn't really living at all, it was just surviving long enough to get to adulthood, or just existing.

On a field with which I am familiar, there was a dorm father and mother who were well liked by most kids and most parents. These dorm parents had their own kids in the dorm, as well as looking after quite a few other kids of varying ages and both sexes.

A field leader confided to a missionary - a missionary who had no kids in the boarding school - that the dorm father "had it in" for one of his female charges. It so happened that this young lady "had issues" that tended to override her otherwise attractive attributes. Someone has to be at the bottom of the heap. . . It was her misfortune to land there.

Evidently, since this dorm father liked and was liked by most of the children in the dorm and their parents, his unjust actions towards this girl were tolerated. Even her parents were silent, a situation perhaps explained in part by the fact that her father was hot to get on the Field Committee himself. No point in alienating the powers that be.

The missionary who became privy to this bit of news was silent, too. It wasn't his business; he had no kids in the school. He had noticed that behavior that was not tolerated in this poor girl was considered acceptable for the dorm father's own kids, but he still kept silent. I don't think he liked confrontation. And, no point in alienating the powers that be. And, of course, they were already aware of the problem. Just trust the Lord to work through them.

It is such small, seemingly insignificant decisions that contribute to a culture of abuse. I am not making excuses for any of these spineless people, but "it just happened" really does explain a part of it. And, of course, the fear of what making a fuss over things that are not one's own business contributes a LOT.

Gossip, too, was an important part of the mix. Gossip is poison, but it's a tasty one! It solves nothing, complicates everything and deceives those who participate in it into believing they are "doing something." I guess they ARE doing something, just nothing helpful. And a whole lot hurtful.

Sin soon snowballs into crimes. Crimes are hidden, lest "innocent" people be hurt, and the pollution gets deeper and deeper. This "trivial question" by Bemused is spot on. The fact that examples could be multiplied from every school on every field should make our skin crawl.