Welcome

 
This site relates my recollections of the origins, goals and purposes of an aberrant church named "The Assembly of the Body of Christ", abbreviated "ABC" in these posts.
 
This church, always strictly home based, was first called "The Group" when my father, Ramon A Haas, began this church / denomination in our living room in 1969. I was fourteen. The beginnings of this new denomination were far from peaceable and, over the last five plus decades has evolved into an even less peaceable organization and brought great harm to many people with its spiritually abusive practices.  I will illustrate a few of these abuses in these writings.

The true origins of the ABC, and its doctrines, have been deliberately hidden since the beginning and I too, being young when it all began, was mostly ignorant of the true origins well into my adulthood. I only discovered the truth when I began to diligently research the roots of the church and discovered the doctrines we followed had been established by others many years before I was born and were not the work of my father directly as had been assumed.  
 
It was a painful endeavor to search back through the years but it was necessary for me to search out these roots after my final ouster from the church, having been falsely accused of the spiritual "crime of blasphemy” then "eternally judged". I was compelled to understand how a group which states they are built on love could be so spiritually, and genuinely, cruel. It was therapeutic to understand the origins but, in other ways, also painful. However, I forged on because I needed to understand how my father could create an organization so deeply harmful to people. 
 
While it is reported the ABC sprang spontaneously from a small bible study at the Wilcrest Apartments in Seattle Washington, this is not accurate.




The true roots are buried deep in Pentecostalism, which itself arose, partially at least, from the Azusa Street happenings in Los Angeles California. I will cover this in more detail later. 
 
These Pentecostal roots were fertilized with other major influences, and movements, such as the Shepherding Movement, Bob Larson Ministries, Maranatha and many others. The doctrines of these movements closely intertwine the roots of the ABC and only become visible when one takes time to dig. Once these roots are exposed, the denominational origins of the ABC become quite evident and I will examine these roots in detail. It is important to note the ABC claims to have no name, no denominational doctrinal ties, or leader. This is a falsehood. It indeed has a name, has past denominational ties and has a leader.

For years I accepted what I was told and it is inherent in a spiritually abusive and coercive organization, such as the ABC, to do what you are told or risk serious damage to your life. I have seen this damage happen to many people who questioned and it happened to my entire family. The doctrines of this church cause one to believe the ABC is the only church, the only place with a roadmap to salvation, the only place where God will listen.  One is taught if you leave the ABC it is certain spiritual, and possibly even physical, death. It is a spiritual power play, contrived by men’s ego, to keep hold on members. It is disguised upfront as false love and this is actually a very common tactic found in other aberrant churches like the ABC.

I was a rather immature fourteen when the ABC began in its visible form. Prior to the forming of the ABC our family suffered through several emotional traumas, of which I will illustrate just a few. The worst being when my mother and I were left homeless on an island in the middle of the Puget Sound in Washington state after my father abandoned us in 1968. We were able to leave the island only through the help of my grandmother who lived and worked in a hotel in Bellingham Washington. After leaving the island we then lived in a basement supply closet in the Bellingham Hotel at night and thankfully did not spend any nights on the actual street. More on that later. 
 
For many decades, and to maintain tranquility, I did what I was told. The easiest route to tranquility is often to go along, not question the status quo, no matter how absurd it seems. There were many absurdities. 
 
There is a certain amount of isolation in a cultist church, such as the ABC. Exposure to other perspectives is limited and discouraged through a process of indoctrination and intimidation. Trying to  keep the peace was a fruitless effort on my part however, especially when I was a child, because peace was never maintained in my family, or my life. I would find myself embroiled in many family turmoils as the years rolled along.

In these postings I draw on my recollections of the decades spent within the confines of the ABC and I write this from my perspective alone. I draw this perspective from my personal experiences, as well as more than one thousand hours of research, over a period of several years, studying the origins. My research included using the web, books, court records, e-mails and letters. This research opened my eyes to many things about my father, and the ABC, I did not previously fully understand. I discovered truths I had blocked out for many years . This was sometimes painful to discover and my initial feelings are best summed up by the poem "It Hurts" by Jan Groenveld. 

In my research I discovered various things had been hidden on purpose and these were things I had simply been too young to understand when the ABC was in its seedling stage. There were many blatant issues I chose not to acknowledge as fact for many years, but now  accept them as truth. The more the true roots became visible, the more I began to see the true path and mission of the ABC was not the salvation of men’s souls through love, joy, peace, etc. All those things we usually associate with the Kingdom of God. It was instead intent on capturing souls for it's own purposes and for the monetary gain of a few. 
 
I had mixed emotions about my discoveries. I had hung onto the ABC as my rock for many years and some of these discoveries were jarring. But there was a bit of peace that came from finally realizing, acknowledging really, the truth. There will always be tears for those I had once loved as “friend” or “family" and would likely never see or speak to again. They were not, in the end, true friends or family.  
 
I carry a great many emotional scars from the ABC so this research was much like picking a wound at times. It was as though I had suddenly woken from a slumber and could see with a clear mind the ABC for what it really was. An abusive aberrant church with cultist tendencies and an institution that had fully capitalized my life with lies and deceptions. When I finally put the pieces together, I saw exactly how, and why, things happened the way they did and it suddenly made so much more sense.

After my father's death in October 1985, at age sixty-two, four men took the reins of his church; Gilbert Larson (the Apostle), Andy Atwell (the Evangelist), Bruce Leonard (a “ruling” elder), and David North (the Prophet). (Update: this list has changed some since and a new name, Steve Patton, has come to the forefront. David North's name seems to have disappeared from the church website and it is not clear if he remains a part of the ABC. After the passing of Gilbert Larson's spouse he seems to have taken more of an auxiliary role and is no longer on the corporate record. He has now moved to Red Bluff in Northern California. All movements, such as the ABC, eventually reach a phase where they morph, or simply disappear and the ABC may be in the start of this phase. This will likely accelerate at the passing of Gilbert Larson, the leader.)

Prior to my father's death I, and my entire family, were expelled from this church. I was completely disowned by my father not long before his death. More on that later. After this disowning I remained forever disconnected from my father but this was entirely his choice, not mine. I rely on the report of others for details about this time period between my disowning and my later enticement back into the ABC.

After my father's death it is reported there was a sustained power struggle between three of the current leaders and my stepmother, Yvonne. This struggle, from what I have heard, was full of a great bit of hostility between the many sides. I do know part of this directly because those hostilities were carried to my front door by a messenger sent by Yvonne. Some of this struggle I witnessed from letters Yvonne sent as she  attempted to take the reins of the church. These letters were sent after my fathers disowning and ex-communication, and after his death. 
 
After my fathers death, Yvonne continued to send letters to the entire church under the banner of the “Mexican Ministry” for quite some time. Eventually, I presume to make her go away, she was given a pension from the church tithe for the remainder of her life. In exchange she agreed to abandon the “Mexican Ministry” moniker. She then moved to Central California and joined herself to her brother's  church where he was pastor. 

The ABC teaches all are equal but, as evidenced by the fact the finances are closed to all but the leaders, and are not transparent, this is not true. This is just one facet proving they do in fact have designated leaders. Under these top men (women aren't allowed a leadership role) are those considered as ruling elders. Under these elders, scattered about the various groups, are  designated musicians. The lines are not finely drawn but only the top few men receive pay for their services. The rest are unpaid.

The ABC, as I will show, grew straight out of the intertwined roots of the PentecostalLatter Rain and Branhamism denominational churches and movements. Scattered within the ABC doctrine are shades of these other influences and from various other minor movements as well.  We see only the visible church stem today that pierced the ground as a small gathering in Seattle at the Wilcrest Apartments in 1969. Over the years this stem, an offshoot of these other churches and movements, has grown into a very cruel aberrant denomination. I will show in this blog the doctrines the ABC claim as their own are really just drawn from these men my father had ties to in the sixties. These ties, only visible if one digs a bit to reveal them, show the doctrines espoused as being exclusive to the ABC are not so exclusive at all. 

This new denomination, the ABC, continues to meet in homes across a wide swath of mostly the western United States. Perhaps into Canada as well, but I believe this group disbanded completely. It has never had more than a few hundred active members at any one time, even though over the decades there were thousands that passed through. This is a testament to the abusive nature of this aberrant church and it is standard practice to bring persons in with false love, then later brutally abuse them spiritually. In some cases, abandon them altogether with harsh judgment. Over the years most just drifted away when the burdens placed on them became too heavy to bear. Many were dealt with so unmercifully they became crushed and broken. A few even suffered debilitating mental illness because of the harsh treatment meted out by the ABC.  It is difficult to keep members when the worship of God is a hugely complex system of Greek word studies and a hard line doctrine devoid of any mercy and little substantial truth. This harsh manner of keeping things in line, and questions at bay, destroys any joy one has. This makes for a people who are weakened and unable to easily defend themselves. This is typical of this type of aberrant, cultish, church. (See resources in side column.)

Having lived in the "Assembly of the Body of Christ" (ABC) from the very beginning I know, and have witnessed, many things about the origins of its practices and current leadership. I knew all the current leaders as of this writing, save one, for quite a few decades.  I try to believe that none, except for one, start their day intending to harm others, yet they still cause great harm by the very nature of their ultra-fundamental, unbending and unmerciful doctrine. This doctrine leaves little room for anything but a destruction of men’s souls on a large scale.

When I view the ABC, in retrospect, it is clear they draw persons in with an empty promise of love, and a proposed larger knowledge of scripture through Greek word studies, but they deliver little beyond this. It pains me I was once part of this system of influences that caused so much pain to so many people.

For they bind heavy burdens and grievous to be borne and lay them on men's shoulders; but they themselves will not move them with one of their fingers. Matthew 23:4

Over the years I too “held the coats” while discipline was meted out, but I also began standing against many of the "disciplines" which were  unjust and cruel and this is partially what led to my disowning by my father. It is a shame I carry within me that I was not more verbally defiant against the spiritual, physical and emotional abuses I saw inflicted on others. Even very young children were not spared these harsh disciplines. I was dealt some very harsh treatments as both a teen and as an adult. It is these cruelties to myself and others that prompted me to write this website. It is an effort to warn others away who may think of becoming involved with the ABC, or any similar aberrant church. When one lives much of their formative years in a culture of false oneness, secrecy, silence and blind obedience, silence is the inevitable outcome. Silence is a way of keeping peace with your surroundings, but it is not a true peace; it is a cowardly peace. 

Silence, in the ABC, is taught to be a “righteous” endeavor. Speaking out against abuse is labeled as “rebellious” and “evil”. There were abuses inflicted on me by a man named Bruce Leonard in Vancouver Washington that, in my mind, were nothing short of sadistic. One incident even became life threatening when I, not long after a debilitating accident, was held hostage at this "ruling elder" Bruce Leonard’s home. He insisted on this day I “say something” specific but refused to explain what I was to say. He just kept shouting at me "say it, say it, say it" until another man present finally jumped up, grabbed him and yelled at him to stop. Since I was non-ambulatory at the time, after a serious head on accident not long before, I was unable to leave by foot or by car and so was held hostage despite my many pleas to go home. After this, and a few other spiritual bullying incidents, I began to be vocal about the abuses I was seeing in the church. The local leaders, under Bruce's tutelage and influence, sought to discredit and push me back into a cowardly silence and they were successful for a time, but the worst charge they could find to level against me was to falsely accuse me of blasphemy. More on that story later. They were successful in silencing me for quite a few years after I was thrust out, but when I discovered the ABC was hitting the airwaves, and were about to inflict similar abuses on others across the continent, I could no longer stay silent.

I did not agree to abide by their lifetime eternal “discipline”  and eternal ex-communication. Those who chose to still communicate with me were then told they must decide if they were “in the body” or “out of the body”.  This is a scary scenario to any ABC member since one is taught to achieve salvation you must be “in the body”. The “body” meaning "the ABC church" as they consider all other places to be “in the wilderness” or "Mystery Babylon". If one is "in the wilderness" one is reportedly subject to being disowned by God and will suffer eternal damnation. It's an untruth.

Someone told me the latest ploy to discredit me is to tell those who read these words they are just lies and I made it all up. I can agree one should not just accept my words at face value and, as stated, these words are my perception alone, but there are others who speak similar words and I have submitted some proof of my allegations. Any person reading these words should seek proof independently though and it is all out there to be discovered. I have given some links and resources throughout the site and on the sidebar. Ask many questions of the leadership. Money holds  power. Ask about the money and how it is used. Look for a proper accounting. I assure you this will be perceived as "rebellion", so be prepared to be disciplined should you inquire too diligently. 
 
It is a noble endeavor to seek truth  for oneself.  In doing so  this allows one to look past obvious fallacies and hypocrisies. Believing only the “truth” I was told caused me years of blindness to the abuses around me.  The truth of the origins of the ABC can be found in many documents on the web relating to the Latter Rain, Pentecostal and other movements. Seek out the similarities of the ABC doctrines and the teachings of Derek Prince, James A Watt and the “Shepherding Movement”. I have placed a few of those documents on this site, but there are many more on the web, and in books, for your own research. There are also public documents at the King County courthouse in Seattle WA which prove  the abandonment of our family by my father Ramon A Haas; the founder of the ABC;  in November of 1968 and his subsequent marriage,very shortly thereafter, to his new wife Esther Yvonne Van de Kamp (McMurray) on July 8, 1969.  This marriage followed Yvonne's mirror image divorce from her spouse, John Van de Kamp. Both divorces were concluded before the same judge, the same attorney represented both my father and Yvonne and they dissolved both marriages on the exact same date before the same judge. This directly followed an adulterous relationship. My grandmother confided in me, years later, she witnessed the marriage, and signed the certificate, but only under great duress and pressure from my father.  I lived in Bellingham with my mother at the time and had no contact with my father. They forbade my mother to ever tell me about the marriage, but more on that later.

Since my father believed to start a church one must be married, he did this with the explicit goal of ridding himself of most of his natural family. He could then start this new church as a married man. Why? I wish I knew. I can only assume the “knockdown, drag out” arguments between my parents was likely the reason. Divorce was probably the best solution but abandoning part of your family to the street was not.

Divorcing his family allowed my dad to start “The Group”; which later become known as the “Assembly of the Body of Christ”. It absolved him of the need to explain why he had been expelled from the church; Broadway Tabernacle; in which he previously held a leadership role. It is interesting to note my dad’s divorce was granted by default, since my mom did not appear in court.  This, as I will recount in a later posting, is because my mom and I were living homeless in the basement of the Bellingham hotel in Bellingham Washington in a supply closet on rolling cots with absolutely no money and no way to get to Seattle for the hearing. I was not even made aware of this hearing at the time. I was not ever asked where I wanted to live.  I was not at the wedding, and did not learn about it until much later. Once my dad abandoned us, I did not hear from him again until I was back in Seattle. I ended up in Seattle due to my mom's severe emotional decline, brought on by the stress of the whole situation, and potentially some other underlying issues. 

The remarriage was secret and, since the ABC doctrine taught divorce was a sin, for many decades, it was kept secret. In fact, at a meeting held in 1993 to discuss setting up a retirement pension for Yvonne, most in the room were unaware she was not my natural mother. Some were insisting I pay to take care of her instead of the church tithe since she was a “widow indeed” by scriptural standards. When I balked, and announced she was not my natural mother, there was a shocked silence in the room, many puzzled faces, and Gilbert Larson moved the topic quickly to another matter to avoid explanation.

There are many documents and writings which prove the things I have written here. My goal with these postings is not to be a thorough examining of the many decades. That would require a book, which some have encouraged me to write. These postings are simply to tell a small part of my story, from my perspective, and is quite abbreviated. I have no intent to throw a bunch of family mud as I do not intend this to be a complete exposeSuffice it to say if I wished to throw mud, there is much mud I could throw. Some of it, if I expected to be believed, is quite shocking. 
 
I have amassed a large volume of other documents substantiating the facts I have written here. I have altogether perhaps more than one-thousand hours of research dedicated to these postings.  I once had many more letters and documents produced by the ABC, that showed the many abuses over the years, and was ordered at one time by David North to burn them. I did not. The box containing these documents mysteriously disappeared from my house one day when a man named Robert asked if he could speak to his son in private in my garage after a meeting. I had taken him to that box in the garage once to show him some of the proofs I had of the abuses so he knew precisely where it was stored. It is presumed he took them, since they disappeared that same day. This man, Robert, was once one of the officers of the corporation and showed up at my front door several times when I was "out of fellowship", on orders from Yvonne my stepmother. His orders were to give me a tongue lashing and to forbid me to speak to anyone associated with the ABC. This was not long after I was ex-communicated the first time in San Diego California and had moved to Port Orchard Washington near where he lived. The ABC had great concern I would begin telling others about my experiences in San Diego. I have no doubt he took that box to destroyed the contents at the behest of the ABC leadership. I have no absolute proof, only circumstantial suspicion.

There is much more to the story than I have written here, but not all is worth the telling. Some parts of the story should never be told since my father is deceased and it would serve no purpose. The telling of all could bring hurt to others who have already been hurt so I will not. I  include here only highlights to shed light on the chain of events that caused this new denomination to be born. I expose the roots and, where necessary, throw in a few family details. I have mostly accomplished my goal without malice and with honesty. The proof is out there for the finding, if you doubt my words. I urge you to discover the facts for yourself.  I write from my perspective alone, but the facts are still the facts. They are available to anyone with the inclination to seek them out, as I did.

In my research I discovered the ABC is just one of many similar aberrant churches that do great damage to people and their lives. Here is a good site that explains how aberrant churches work.  I have no affiliation with this site; it is the work of others, but it has some good information.  There are also other books and resources listed in the sidebar of this site and I encourage you to ask questions, research the ABC and  don’t just blindly follow what they say. 
 

23 comments:

  1. Hi Scott. Not sure if you keep up with this blog anymore, but I just wanted to say thank you. Thank you for validating my belief that my family was in a cult and thank you for giving me a place to finally tell my story.

    Born in Klamath Falls, my family was a part of "the body" through many of the struggles you have written about. I assume they left the church shortly after you did, after having some sort of "blasphemy" dispute with Jan and Avi, the details of which I may never know. Although I was very young, I still find myself struggling with what I do remember...mostly our time in the Vancouver area. In that hell, I not only had to endure the pain of sexual molestation by someone outside of the church, I also endured emotional and physical abuse within the church. The most vivid recollection occurred when I was somewhere around four years old, I was stripped of my pants in front of a group of adults and beaten with a belt by my father. Having suffered the humiliation of being stripped of my clothes in front of adults, after being molested, left me completely shattered and unable to trust my parents with that terrible secret. Being so young, not understanding why these things were happening, or how to stop them, I would spend as much time as possible finding ways to physically hurt myself. Four years old and hurting myself…in very weird ways, which my family was never able to detect. In fact I have only ever told my husband, and not even all of the details to him. Since I did not trust my parents, the molestation continued until we moved away from that predator and to the Seattle area.

    I find it very hard to forgive these people and the awful things they made people do to their spouses, children, family, and friends. To know that I endure molestation because these people made me not trust my parents…that rips me apart. To know that this group is still doing this…that infuriates me. To know that this group has made me doubt God...that is something I'm not sure I can ever forgive. To know that I was very hurtful towards my parents later in life, I think in a way to punish them…I know I will never forgive myself for.

    So, here I am in my thirties, still dealing with these issues. At least now when I call it a cult and my father disagrees, I will know I am right. I've found enough evidence here and elsewhere on the internet to know that much. Oh, and I never knew those green "bible in a year" cards came from "the body"…I have one in my bible right now that my husband and I will enjoy burning tomorrow. I think it will feel oddly refreshing.

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  2. Dear Scott

    I understand why you wrote these histories. I wish we can talk one day. I have much to tell you, not in anger but truly to reconcile! I see from this letter you have changed. Owning some of what was done. Reading these accounts also makes me sad you where entangled as we all where only to do G-d will.
    When I came to the “Body” you and I where close at one time very close in San Diego. When in Grants Pass, I was treated as trash by the group Creg and Barb, Lowell and Cindy, and the gang.
    I have moved on and done well in my life, the LORD is much apart of me. And I only seek to reconcile. Yes we need to go to a brother and make amends yes we need to clear histories and take responsibility for what we have done to one another, even if its in the past. I want to help heal you, that is no joke. The lord has shown me your pain and I wish only warm air to clear your life and make you whole. I have forgiven the torture that people who spoke of love and said to my wife and I “trust the elders” then broke us as if glass. Those people in Grants Pass have found no repentance do to their hard hearts.
    I also wish you peace Scott, I really want to talk to you over the phone. I have some things to tell you. important things to tell you. Ray had men married off, girls in the body in quick marriages, as yours was and mine. Remember why we said Heather and my oldist daughter looked like sisters?

    The fig eater

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  3. Ramon and Yvonne may have been loved by the deceived. I was offended at your characterization that Ramon was well intentioned.
    My brother and sister suffered at the hands of the "elders" with their special brand of justice. Every person involved in leadership were demonstrating sadistic tendencies. They freely took food stamps for tithe if that was all you had.

    I was turned over to a reprobate mind when I refused to go back to my abusive husband. (I was beaten over and over and stayed after Yvonne convinced me that it was God's will to stay because he said he was sorry)Yvonne told me at that time that God told her I should move to San Diego. I had a good job and most importantly God had NOT told me I should pack up and move to San Diego. She told me I could be her maid, I told her that when God tells me to move, I will. Yvonne and Ray would come to my house and "find" things and explained they needed to "clean" my house. They left with such things as Hummels, Lladros, and other costly items that were "demon possessed". In retrospect I see that their actions were anti-scripture and they were thieves.

    I am glad you finally recognized the fallacies but at some level you almost seem to defend their actions. You mentioned the excommunications frequently, so it seems you are writing from an injured view. No one will fault you with for that. People DO know you personally and perhaps that is what "Alex" is trying to express. It is difficult to forget the tormentors of your past as you seem to know very well.

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  4. Anonymous, I wrote this blog quite a few years ago and had to search my writings to find where I said my dad was “well intentioned”. I think you are referring to this statement: "I believe my dad meant well when he began the ABC, unfortunately he made the error of translating his family practices into the building of the denomination he started.” If he was "well intentioned” he was also oblivious to the burden he placed on people. Well intentioned does not imply the actions followed were right or in keeping with the intentions. One can start on a path with good intent yet veer from that path and find or cause ruin. I can see where my weak statement could be offensive to someone who took the full brunt of Yvonne and the ABC’s savageries. I too was subject to Yvonne’s sadism, having lived under the same roof with her for four years. She was cruel and abusive to many, especially children. There was a specific episode at Casa Grande in San Diego that bothers me I did not act. I dropped by one afternoon and Yvonne had a four year old girl tied and gagged on a concrete patio, in a pup tent, in eighty degree heat. The girl had been there in that tent all day without food and water. This was intended to “end her rebellion”. She had been left at Casa Grande by a new couple from Monterey that did not know of her ways. I should have untied that child, brought her in the house and made a huge scene. I didn’t make a scene about the sadistic punishments until she tied and gagged my own child, put a paper bag on her head and made her stand in a corner for hours. My child had gone there for just a few hours as a last resort when I was held late at work. There was no other sitter available. The scene I created that day caused me to be labeled as “rebellious”. Within a week I was disowned by my dad completely and thrown out of the ABC with a list of “charges” against me.
    I am aware of the trickery and thievery by my dad and Yvonne. I lost things to them also. One being an irreplaceable glass someone brought back to me from Germany from the Haasenbrau brewery with the Haas crest on it. Yvonne took it from my house when I was moving for “safekeeping” then when I tried to get it back she claimed I had “vowed” to give it to my dad. She used the “vowed” deception frequently. They showed up unexpectedly at my door from out of town once, took nearly all the fresh food from my refrigerator, saying it was for “the ministry”, then left town hours later leaving me with no way to replace it. I was living on part time minimum wage at the time. I observed the taking of food and food stamps from others. All of the things you say are perfectly true. If I had put up a blog recalling these things, without another person providing evidence, my words would simply not have been believed. The current “leaders” of the ABC would say I was an angry son making up stories about his dad to defame him. They already say I made up the stuff on my blog even though I provide ample proof and have additional evidence not listed. Before I ever put up this blog I sent a draft copy to Gilbert Larson. He could not, and did not, rebut anything because he knows it is true. I included more things in my draft that he knows are true. Things such as you have mentioned and Alex 999 implied at the end of his second comment. I did not put these on my blog because my intent was only to show the ABC is not a spiritually safe place to be and the premise that it all began at the Wilcrest Apartments by an act of God through my dad is myth. I put things on my blog I could prove and I only put up this blog when I learned the ABC was hitting the radio waves to drag large numbers of souls in to destroy them. I could not stay silent and see that happen.
    (continued)

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  5. (continued -part 2 re: anonymous)

    If I have any injured view it is this. My dad caused great suffering to many people for many years and I was complicit by my silence. I had no real power in the ABC to stop the injustices and when I tried I was thrust aside. I mention ex-communication frequently because the ABC started with the abandonment of my mom and me literally to the streets and this abandonment doctrine my father exampled would become a major doctrine of the ABC. I watched scores of people condemned on trumped up charges then shunned or ex-communicated. I was silently complicit to my shame. It is this weapon of “in or out” that is primarily used to control people. When you pin your hope of salvation to a man’s doctrine it can be a scary thing to lose. The ABC is only one of many aberrant churches though following the exact same pattern of abuse. Reference the books listed on my site.

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  6. Hi,
    Just found this site today (4/22/14). 2 months ago I began to go to a Bible Study at a Community Center here in Albuquerque, New Mexico. It seems very interesting and is very different from any of the ones I have attended before. The leaders of this group are Bruce Lenard, Gilbert Larson and their wives. I was told that they began in Seattle, Washington over twenty years ago. They had been taught by Ramon Hass. I began to have questions when they did a teaching on a man named Ivan Panin. It involved the book of Isaiah and how the Bible has 66 books and Isaiah has 66 chapters that match (I call it typology) It did not make sense to me and seemed to be lacking as this man died before the Dead Sea Scrolls were discovered and several more books of the Bible have been discovered written in Hebrew. Also Panin had to rearrange over 51 of the books of the Bible to make it come out according to his "theory"---that is long winded I know. But it got me to thinking and I began to research on the internet. Was I shocked when I came upon your blog! Are these the same people your are talking about? Why have they gone underground and now working here in New Mexico? Should I be concerned? Should I tell others in this Bible study?

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  7. Yes...these are the exact same people. Ramon A Haas is my father. He started this group in Seattle at the Wilcrest Apartments in 1969. I have known Gilbert Larson since I was fourteen when his mom Agatha brought him to our apartment at the Wilcrest Apartments in Seattle. I first met Bruce Leonard at age seventeen when he joined "The Group" as it was known at the time. I have been present, mostly, through the progression of this group as it has morphed into various formats but always had at it's core adamant viewpoints "proven" by Ivan Panin and John Stegenga .

    Why have they gone underground and now working here in New Mexico?

    They are not underground, per se, just very secretive unless one is "inside".

    Should I be concerned?

    A strong yes. One should tread carefully and be very concerned about your future hope of peace. Groups like this entice with false love up front but leave a wake of broken individuals years down the road. Only if you do not question can you find a false peace. A few who have been crushed by their tactics have commented on this blog but there are countless others that have not.

    Should I tell others in this Bible study? The ABC uses guilt and other tactics to maintain hold on people. To tell those who are part of the ABC will be fruitless until they have finally reached a breaking point or find themselves to be out of favor. To tell those thinking of joining...absolutely. Examine the fruits. There is no peace and safety there.

    Since the comment box is very limited I have posted a much longer answer to two "anonymous" comments on these postings. It can be found at:

    http://abc-history.blogspot.com/2014/04/answers-to-two-anonymous-comments.html

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  8. Scott, please see this forum link below... I grew up in a similar type of cultic atmosphere. Reading your posts and info gave me eery memories of my past. Thanks for this site, it is very imformative to the possible converts to the ABC. So is the site linked below, for the CFM.

    https://groups.yahoo.com/neo/groups/Escape_from_the_Fellowship/info

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    1. I have a girlfriend I've known about 12 years. She is a sweet and tender hearted person that is always desired to know the truth that comes from the word of God. about a year ago she met a man who was 20 years her senior who was going to this church she started to tell me about some of the things he was saying how if you're not baptized you're going to hell eventually it came out that if you don't go to this church you're not apart of the remnant that goes to heaven. I started to have some red flags and I was concerned about her. Well today I went to her wedding to this man. He is a very kind and sincere man himself but I do not agree with this doctrine. I talked to the Minister but had a very difficult time just having a conversation with him because he kept trying to teach me the entire time. It seem like everybody was in their own world kind of reminded me of the town of Stepford. As soon as I got the name out of him of the exact organisation I looked it up and found this blog. Thank you so much for posting this it helped me to see some things are completely out of order. Another odd thing this couple had a book on his desk that said how to build a pup tent I thought it was kind of odd because they didn't look like the camping type. it makes me shudder to think what you said happened to those children. The older kids seemed very despondent and afraid. They were not social at all. He kept saying how they do everything by the Bible over and over and I kept thinking gosh why does he have to keep saying that.I don't think it would do any good to talk to her about it it would only make things worse. I have prayed that the Lord will just open her eyes as he sees fit. if anyone cares to comment on this blog to me please feel free to do so.

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  9. Hi Scott, I echo the thanks of others for creating this blog. My family was on the outskirts of the Body for years because my parents didn't want me subjected to physical abuse. Even still, I was standing in my house this morning marvelling at the damage Gilbert Larson inflicted not only on my family, yours, others, but also on his own. It's the kind of scar I'm not sure anyone can heal from, but this helps.

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  10. Dear Brother in Christ,

    I commend you both for your courage as well as your willingness to subject yourself to the pain necessary to face the course corrections you have made in your relationship with God as well as your spiritual life.

    I have a very dear friend who is heavily intoxicated by the lies and deceptions practiced by this cult. They currently attend ABC (or BOC as they prefer now) in the Vancouver - Battle Ground WA area.

    Not only are they suffering grievous wounds spiritually, but they are likewise taking a substantial hit financially. I have tried repeatedly to demonstrate solely on the basis of Scripture the errancy in much of what they cling too. As yet the Spirit of the Living God has not been received such that the scales of deception drop from their eyes. I strongly admonish you to continue your good work and encourage on behalf of the Kingdom, to march forward, boldly declaring the truth. Well done good and faithful servant! God richly bless all that you set your hand too.

    Chasing the King
    Pastor Alan Goetsch
    1132ministries@gmail.com

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  11. Hi Scott,

    I found your narrative helpful in validating the details of general opinions I've held about this group since before your father died.

    Are any of the meeting tapes available for download?

    It would be beneficial for those not involved to hear this reprehensible dysfunction in action.

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  12. Anonymous

    One of the last times I was in communication with anyone associated with the tape library I was told it had been destroyed by overuse during duplication. That was quite a few years ago. When making duplicates you reserve the master copy and use it just to make slave tapes which are run through the duplicator to make more copies until the slave tape burns out then a new slave copy is made, etc. The masters were used instead of slaves to make each run after I was disowned by my father and the library was put in other hands. The magnetic coating was burned off the masters in the high speed duplicator making them unusable. That is the long way of saying I have none of the tapes and they were never put up on the web since the masters were destroyed before the web had advanced to the point that mp3's could be uploaded. The only tapes out there are ones people previously bought. I personally did not keep any of the tapes for myself and my dad took the library back from me in San Diego when he sent the teenager to my door to collect anything that belonged to the group. It's a great idea though and if someone has tapes they are willing to convert I could certainly put on a few samples.

    Sorry it took so long for a response. I haven't checked in here for a while.

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    1. That was a lie. The tape library was still in existence. Theu act like a secret society which in my opinion is demonic.

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    2. I am no longer in the so called church after the spiritual abuse among other things that happened in my marriage but unfortunately, my 2 oldest children still are. My son gave me a large portion of the tape library.Theyre casset tapes.
      One day I would like to tell my experiences of the 23 years I was involved in this 501c3 organization and married to an " elder" both of us in music ministry, ant the abuse my youngest son and I endured by my ex and many members is his church that has left me and my son confused, hurt, unwelcomed and definitely not loved by either my ex and son's father, or many of the elite elders and members in this cult.
      I do think that this is a secret society. I was not allowed to go to worship God with my husband because I was in their opinion, an unholy unbeliever be and child of Satan unless I got baptized by a member male so called holy believer in water. Of course a man must give this power to you because God isn't big enough and never filled all those people with the holy spirit in that upper room on the Day of pentecost, right? Anyway, if I see some of these holier than thou in my opinion, elders, they look at me like I have 3 heads. They are NOT hospitable. They have done great damage to my youngest son and I because of this abuse and hate for us and I think this secrecy is not so different than the 33° Freemasons. So did they glean doctrines if demons from them too? Why not? Seems they take doctrines from other churches that fit their narrative ad adopt them as their own and then tell members how to live and dictate control and guilt ppl into tithing to the elite. Yet tell them not to let the left hand know what the right hand is doing. Which, if that's the rules, why do they claim the originazation as a business and claim use tithes as a tax write off? That to me is not truly giving wholeheartedly expecting nothing in return when they know they'll get tax returns from their tithes. Just saying!

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    3. It's a cult for sure. My brother is still a blinded elder there. I left after 10 years, could no longer tolerate how the kids were treated (having kids of my own) among other things. So many unholy acts. It was mind control, not Spirit led. So thankful I am no longer part of this lie.

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  13. I threw away all my tapes except some of the Mystery Babylon tapes that first opened my mind to the fact that MAYBE I needed to come away from practices that enslave and hold bondage. The seed was planted and when I finally had that "aha" moment I knew I was set free. However, Freedom comes at a high price....losing friends, family and everything you "thought" was truth. I'm thankful for my experience now. It has made me grow beyond measure but there are memories and wounds that go deep. Love and forgiveness are the only way to go about it....but this takes time too. I like to think about one of Christ's quotes....forgive them for they know not what they do. But, that doesn't mean you stick around and keep suffering from the abuse, rigidity and false love.

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  14. Anonymous...so true. It took me many years to wake up to the fact I had been led down the wrong road. The poem "It Hurts" By Jan Groenveld (link under Special Posts on this site) sums it all up very well mostly. Unfortunately the ABC is only one of many similar organizations that espouse the bondage of man so our experiences are not isolated. The initial shock of finding freedom can really hurt in the beginning and does leave scars. I once equated that feeling to being that of placing every friend you have on a 747 then losing them all in one moment in a terrible crash. Only later do you realize that a true friend would exhibit, love, peace, gentleness, goodness..., not hatred, torment and party arguments proofed through lies.

    Gilbert Larson once remarked to me about a person who had left the ABC, and stated they had finally found peace and freedom, that this person only felt free because now they were free to live in the flesh and sin. Hmmm...on the surface that sounded reasonable at the time but only if you view a relationship with God as being only through the ABC. God is...he has no earthly franchise such as the ABC believes they are. One can have a relationship with God directly and without human intervention. Those who teach otherwise are not speaking truth. Secondly, only God knows those who are his and we are not to be judges of men's souls. I can make no claim of knowing those who belong to God and those who say they can plain and simply are not speaking truth.

    Still to this day I feel a deep sadness for those still inside the walls of the ABC because the atmosphere is dark and so their vision is obscured. It is difficult to see all that is actually very wrong. Whenever light is cast on all that is wrong there are the few leaders who quickly cover over the exposed ugliness in order to keep the myth and organization alive. If people saw the ABC for what it truly is they would not remain.

    I wish you well and appreciate your comments.

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  15. There are many of us still here in the church Scott.

    Many of us have truly known the power of the Holy Spirit and have seen angels an miracles.
    God has truly changed my life.
    He has answered many times and made his presence known.
    I felt the weight of his sword in a communion meeting and it was sure heavy.
    I couldn't see it but felt it and so did everyone in that room.

    If you are honest you know there is a difference between a Cristian and a Holy Spirit filled son of God.

    The Greek does bear this out factually in disputable.
    This doesn't take away from all the evil revealed by so many.
    The evil done to you I never knew.

    They hid it in secrecy and you have to just trust they are doing the right thing.

    This same thing has happened countless times over the years and it's not right.

    I stopped giving money to them years ago because I don't trust what they do with it.

    Yes they know it and yes they treat you differently.
    I believe God is going to do something powerful.
    He is setting aside, separating and preparing those who are truly seeking him from a pure heart from those of ill gotten gain and motivation.

    God has humbled me but made me wise to the trickery of men some of whom who you have mentioned.

    Praise God most high and the Holy Spirit and Jesus his perfect Son.

    There are many people still here still serving God from a pure heart.
    I stay for them they still bless and edify me even though they are few and once many.

    The spirit cannot move in the presence of corrupt men Scott and the spirit moves very little these days very little.

    I have read your factual information everywhere over the years and find it hard to dispute.

    However I have the Holy Spirit today because a faithful man filled with the spirit from this ministry made sure I repented and was baptized correctly.
    In disputable.
    So I am thankful regardless.

    I shared pie after the yearly gathering with you.
    I hurt for all who were abused by the leaders of the church and maybe still are.

    I shall strive to maintain peace with all men as the scripture says to Scott and your still my brother by the Holy Spirit that will never be taken away by a man.


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    1. You are brainwashed, poor kids.

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  16. Scott, Brian, Marys son, HOME,!!REMEMBER HOME!!???Ya know, everyone in The Body is truly Spirit filled and it says to continue, rather, acts 2:42, THEY continued in theapostles doctorine, prayer..... and thats what The Body does. The Foundation Truths are how people can shake Jesus Christs'hand and isn't salvation and laying your foundation so u can persevere and not let your love grow cold, really the most important part?? So we all get in a beef with someone. All of the people have to go thru their," LOLK AT ME, I KNOW ALL THE ANSWERS N , DAMMIT, IM RIGHT", b.s., ya know??? I left for a while cause three of em ganged up on me n my lady n I couldn't bear watching them DESTROY N SHATTER CORINNES SPIRIT, EVERY SINGLE WEEK, NOT TEACHING OR MENTIONING REPENTANCE, FAITH OR BAPTISM WHEN I BROUGHT MY GRANDSON, HUNTER TO FOUNDATION MEETINGS!!?? WHATS UP WITH THAT?? THE LIKELY HOOD THERE WAS GOING TO BE 2LESS PEOPLE BREATHING ONBTHIS EARTH WAS GETTING TO BE A REAL POSSIBILITY, HAVING ONE OF THEM, WHO STIRRED UP THE OTHER MARRIED COUPLE AGAINST ME,KNOWING I KNEW HE TRIED TO PERFORM ORAL SEX ON MY BEST FRIEND, JAY-PAY-CAMONE WHEN HE, THE ELDER, WAS DRUNK OFFA HIS FAT ASS. NO EARS WERE OPEN TO THE SPIRIT FOR THE WHOLE CROWD TURNED ON MY ASS, INCLUDING MY MOM, BUT, REALLY, BRO, YOU NEED TO TAKE THAT GARBAGE DWN. IT SERVES NOONE AND I DONT LIKE SEEING GILLS NAME GET DRUG THRU THE MUD. WE ALL MAKE MUSTAKES. ILL BE BACK BUT I HAD TO TAKE A BREAK. I WAS GOING TO POUND ROBERT N DANS FACES INTO THE FREEKING GROUND!!!! LOVE YA!! IM OUT! BRIAN "BLAZE" HILL

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  17. Hey Scott, I would like to get in touch with you. Not sure if you are still checking in here, but if you do, please email me at marsha.pyles@gmail.com. I have been with Assembly of the Body of Christ for about 17 years, but I have doubts about them. I would like to speak with you about your experience with them and also how I can get out safely. I didn't know that I was actually a member of a cult, I thought that they were legit. Some of the things that I have experienced are: 1) they say that all churches are false and they are the true religion, 2) that people who go to a church building are not Holy Spirit filled, 3) that I shouldn't go to people, to let them come to me. I would greatly appreciate it if you were to get a hold of me, so we can speak about this and I can get out safely. Thank you for your time and hope to hear from you soon.

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  18. ABC Update:
    I commend you Scott for taking the courage to help yourself and others heal from the mental and spiritual raping of the ABC. Having married the "Prophets" son over 20 years ago in this organization, I have witnessed multiple atrocities all in the name of their professed "God". Having wised up after a large church gathering in Temecula, Ca in 2010.... I have systematically and effectively separated my household from this group. They continue to this day to contact my husband in a attempt to see if our lives have crumbled. This group thrives on the conditioning of individuals. They are no different then all other control seeking organizations. I wish you the best.

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