So I'm thinking about the first post for this blog, and I decided to write about something that has been bothering me for the last month or so. A man (I won't use his real name) who used to be very involved with the church, a man who had information regarding possible financial misdeeds of the church, took his own life after a series of personal financial setbacks became too much for him to bear. After reading many of his posts on the NACBoard, it was somewhat of a shock to learn that he'd done himself in, but I guess we never know all the burdens others might carry.
I pity him. I wonder what happened to his faith in God that he decided death was a better alternative for him than waiting to see what else life had in store for him. He used to preach about how great God was, how God would sort everything out, all the misdeeds and financial monkey business of the men wielding power in the church would somehow make the church stronger, because wrongs would be righted. I pity him because other than getting a half-hearted apology from the church that he loved for the things he had to endure due to the actions of evil men, nothing has ever come to light regarding Michael Kraus and his dirty dealings with the church finances. Not one scrap of evidence, not even any real accusations. It's all ancient hushed history.
To his dying day, this man professed his love and wide-eyed devotion for the worldwide figurehead of the New Apostolic Church, the "Chief Apostle". He had been told what would happen by a Chief Apostle, how the whole scenario would play out, and even though 2 other Chief Apostles would take control of the church since the day he got that word, nothing ever came of it. And when all was said and done, not one "Chief Apostle" could be bothered to tell the truth about what happened during the iron-fisted reign of Michael Kraus, District Apostle for North America. Not one of these phonies could stand up and say "This man knows the truth about what happened." And more importantly, not one Chief Apostle could give this man financial help in his time of need, especially after knowing the burden of silence he'd agreed to carry, all so these men could continue living their good, prosperous lives.
I don't know what to make of all of it. And like the financial dealings of the New Apostolic Church, perhaps I never will.
Tuesday, March 17, 2009
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It's such a tragedy when someone takes their own life and it makes one wonder what drives them to it.There have also been those in the New Apostolic Church in Canada that have done likewise, I hope it's not a growing trend.
ReplyDeleteIt is a fundamentalist church with policies and a family hierarchy that make it difficult to balance with our independent thoughts.
I've seen the effects the New Apostolic Church has had on many families, friends and individuals. I've also had my share of problems with the New Apostolic Church but it's definitely not worth killing myself over, of coarse I may have a thicker skin than some, lol!
Some can't continually turn their cheeks so instead of getting mad...they just get even and there's a saying that fits in this regard, what goes around comes around.
Hi and yes it is a tragedy and pity. Just a question, who is this dirty dealing Kraus character, is he someone like Madoff? He sounds like Hitler!
ReplyDeleteKraus was the North American leader of the NAC from about 1957 until his retirement in the early 90's. It is interesting to note that he didn't become a millionaire entrepreneur until after he gained control of the finances of the church - one year after becoming "District Apostle", he was suddenly a huge success. A brief Wikipedia article about Kraus can be found here, even more information can be found on the NACBoard in various places.
ReplyDeleteRich said:
ReplyDelete"To his dying day, this man professed his love and wide-eyed devotion for the worldwide figure head of the New Apostolic Church, the "Chief" Apostle."
Here we have yet another sad example of a person of influence within the New Apostolic Church who's seemingly sincere and influential words are not consistent with his actions. One may conclude that this individual's reasons were entirely personal and in no way connected with the church. One may assume this was an isolated event not reflective of the whole.
I see something else...I see patterns of behavior that transcend the particular details involved.In other words, how often are the words supposedly inspired by the holy spirit, in fact completely inconsistent with the behavior of that same individual?
Is this to be "excused" merely as human failings, or is there a pattern of hypocritical behavior indoctrinated and ultimately programmed into the membership from the top down?
Is this the ultimate price paid for losing the ability to think and reason for oneself?
Interesting - NOPRONAC wrote: "There have also been those in the New Apostolic Church in Canada that have done likewise, I hope it's not a growing trend." It certainly makes me wonder if suicide is the "ultimate price paid for losing the ability to think and reason" - NACs are indoctrinated from the day they're born, and when they're older and reality comes crashing down around them, I can only imagine the stress it causes them.
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the suicide rate for New Apostolics is higher than the worldwide average of 15 per 100,000?
I am sick of the NAC and their bullshit phonies like the new Kraus, Len Kolb. He is no different, he is a phony and will drive that church the rest of the way into the ground. They steal your money, extort free work from professionals, and discard you like a piece of shit when they are done with you. Those who can no longer take it, kill themselves or leave the church. Sad, truly sad!
ReplyDeleteI wonder how the NAC handled a funeral service for someone who had committed suicide. Was this public knowledge at the time or, like so may other situations, was it hushed up?
ReplyDeleteThe irony of this situation doesn't escape me...
For decades this individual chose to hush up the full disclosure of the financial misdeeds of the NAC under Kraus. Mind you...enough information was leaked and dangled before NACBoard readers to make us realize something horribly unethical, if not outright illegal, had occurred. Yet, open and honest full disclosure was never broached. Why? What was any of that about? Does it make sense to anyone? I too am a survivor of the Kraus era and I need to know.I NEED to understand.
Does the indoctrination not only cause members to experience atrophy in their ability to think and reason, but also lead to irrational justifications? Does indoctrination ultimately lead to the ability to be in a perpetual state of denial?
How exactly does one condone and defend a religious organization that engages in financially unethical behavior of this magnitude? How exactly does a member rationalize that the god they profess to believe in sanction this abuse?
If such behavior continues to be hushed up, how can there ever be the possibility for real and meaningful change.
I lost all hope for this church when I realized that the very foundation of this organization is rooted in lies and deceit that existed before Kraus gained power.
Anonymous asked, "Does the indoctrination not only cause members to experience atrophy in their ability to think and reason, but also lead to irrational justifications? Does indoctrination ultimately lead to the ability to be in a perpetual state of denial?"
ReplyDeleteIn a word, YES.
Rich wonders..
ReplyDeleteI wonder if the suicide rate for New Apostolics is higher than the worldwide average of 15 per 100,000?
I'm not sure what it is world wide but I'm sure the average is higher in western civilization or at least in Canada where based on the membership would come to (that I'm aware of) 7 per 10,000and pro-rated to 70 per 100,000 or 4.7 times higher than the world average.
Very interesting! I checked the World Health Organization's website for suicide stats by country/region, and Canada comes in at around 25 per 100,000. So even allowing for the fact that Canada (and the U.S., btw) have higher suicide rates than the global average, that number is high. And disturbing.
ReplyDeleteRich informs..
ReplyDeleteSo even allowing for the fact that Canada (and the U.S., btw) have higher suicide rates than the global average, that number is high. And disturbing.
So that makes suicides in the New Apostolic Church over 2.8 times higher than the national average, I wonder if there are more I don't know of and also the stats of suicides in cults.
Thinking back I can remember at least 3 confirmed suicides within the local area I attended. One occurred right across the street from me, one was someone I knew from YP, and another was someone in the congregation I attended.
ReplyDeleteThe first occurred when I was a preteen, the second when I was newly married and recently out of YP, and the third when I was in my 20's. All were during the Kraus era and spanned a period of about 15-20 years.
Small and limited sampling but something to think about. Is the suicide rate higher amongst the NAC? Is the suicide rate higher amongst cults in general?
Factoid alert: worldwide, men are 3 to 4 times more likely to commit suicide than women. Except in China, where women are more likely to commit suicide by a margin of more than 2 to 1.
ReplyDeletePhoenix asked: Is the suicide rate higher amongst the NAC? Is the suicide rate higher amongst cults in general?
Part of the problem I've had researching this is that when I search on suicide and cults, the engines generally assume you mean "mass suicides", like the Jim Jones KoolAid deaths or the Heaven's Gate suicides.
Also, the NAC isn't recognized as a cult, and most information about member suicides isn't available to the general public in any form (such as newspaper articles) so it's hard to get or even develop any meaningful statistics.
Interesting articles on suicide cults:
ReplyDeletehttp://www.skepticreport.com/general/index.htm
"In 1998, Erwin Meier-Widmer, a retired Priest of the New Apostolic Church, requested the Swiss Parliament to investigate the financial affairs of the church. This followed alleged misappropriation of funds earmarked for humanitarian aid for members in Third World countries. The accountant of the New Apostolic Church in Switzerland committed suicide soon afterwards, leaving only a farewell note to his District Apostle."
ReplyDeletefrom http://www.geocities.com/Athens/Cyprus/4172/finances.htm
The "man" that committed suicide (referred to in the original post) told me had gathered information re. the church's financial dealings. Apparently, this was done with the Chief Apostle's "blessing". It is beyond me how this individual -- who had held onto words of hope from CA Urwyler since 1985 -- now failed to find hope in Leber's ministry... enough so to take his own life.
Gayle said: The "man" that committed suicide (referred to in the original post) told me had gathered information re. the church's financial dealings. Apparently, this was done with the Chief Apostle's "blessing".
ReplyDeleteI can't help but wonder...
If one sincerely believes in the existence of God, then how does one rationalize that an organization tainted with such pervasive corruption at its highest level could possibly be blessed by God and be a path leading to salvation?
How do those who "know the truth" justify this behavior and cover it up? What sort of mental mind games does one play with oneself to rationalize participating in a cover-up?
I was able to find good info from your content.
ReplyDeleteIts like you read my mind!
ReplyDelete