Reflections
Liz Gregory spoke to a few adult male and female Gloriavale leavers over lunch after the Escaping Utopia Series had aired the week prior. They couldn’t believe how amazing the scenes were reconstructed. She then asked if she could capture their comments on camera. She passed these on to the
Jean Edwards RNZ Interview with Virginia Courage after her brother John Ready’s court sentencing for physical assault of two minors while managing a diary herd at Gloriavale in 2015. Jean: What did you think about what Judge Savage had to say? Virginia: I was amazed and very grateful for his insight into
John Readys interview with Jean Edwards after his court sentencing for physical assault of two minors while managing a diary herd at Gloriavale in 2015. Jean: how did you feel when the judge said you’d believed you’d lived in chains for long enough? John: I thought it was a very considerate
Poem from a leaver written during the Girl’s Employment Court Case: You tricked us You tried to say it was words of Jesus When we worked for days with no pay “Love is a sacrifice”, you’d say. Sometimes the truth of love was enough, But so often even when
These are the musings of a Gloriavale Leaver after a series of blog posts was written by Liz Gregory in 2022. Cult Dynamics Cult dynamics and indicators are everywhere. But they can thrive and flourish in certain environments. Because of our corruption there is a desire for power and control.
Should victims just keep quiet and move on? I lived with the effects of the abuse every day in Gloriavale. It wasn’t something I just realised when I walked away from the community. But it was only something I could verbalise once I had walked away. People inside Gloriavale might
You’re on a journey Forgive yourself For taking a step back after two steps forwards. Forgive yourself But still take responsibility and keep going. Take a break But don’t give up. You are worthy… You are someone’s reason to get up And try another day But also do it for
Some reflections on Gloriavale’s Origins. Several recent Gloriavale leavers, born and raised there, have expressed an interest in hearing about the origins...
At Gloriavale you do have a choice – the choice is to side with the robbers and avoid the pain they will inflict on you, and possibly even get promoted and spend the rest of your life trying to justify yourself to appease the still small voice calling from inside.
The Moss Business – collection of recollections from ex-Moss workers. Collated by Liz Gregory. Gloriavale was always looking for economic opportunities to support their self-sustaining community. A feature of the newly purchased West Coast property in the early 1990’s was the swamp where hoards of moss grew. From then until
I am a man who grew up in Gloriavale. Growing up you were always told that Gloriavale was a safe place to live and the best place to raise your kids. Out in the world there was drugs, alcohol, girls were getting pregnant in early teens and in school. They
Anonymous letter written to Howard Temple on 26 August 2019 from a struggling mum in Gloriavale: Dear Howard After you talked to the married people the other night, I felt brave enough to write down some thoughts, concerns and troubles that I have and have been seeking the Lord very
Gloriavale – just that word stirs so many opinions and so much emotion. Warring ambivalence describes it best Of love ones still trapped in a system of false beliefs but still loved in spite of it all Nothing is simple and no truth is just straight Memories of childhood lived
The stark choice was put to John Ready in cross-examination during the recent Gloriavale Employment Hearing Feb 2022. He responded: “So I think of a boat and there’s a whole lot of layers and there is a whole lot of oarsmen, on those layers in the boat. And you are
Virginia wrote this poem about the terrible abuse inside Gloriavale, and the complete lack of care shown to victims. Broken, bruised and bleeding, I’m hiding in my corner, crying, weeping. Fear, terror, and pain, wondering if God see me, or remembers my name. I want to speak; I want to
Coercive control really is hard to grasp If you’ve never experienced it. It’s hard to describe the holistic control you are under, but I assume if spells were real then it would be like that. You don’t really understand you’re being controlled until you break away from that environment. Some
Many people don’t understand the power of religious duress and how it works. It is the reason that Catholic Priests often got away with their crimes for many years before victims found the courage to speak out. It captivates people through fear and cultivates an environment where offending goes unpunished.
Our parents did not join the community, they were recruited. Neville Cooper targeted a demographic that was vulnerable to his charms. They were young, many of them teenagers but usually between the ages of 15 – 25. Some were far from home, wandering the world, disillusioned and lonely. Others were
Bad news everybody. For those of you who don’t know this is yet, I’d advise you to sit down. And to those who were close to the parties involved I send my heartfelt sympathy. Although the details are a little sketchy coming out of Gloriavale, it would seem that when