Author Topic: Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon  (Read 306950 times)

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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« on: April 23, 2003, 04:08:00 PM »
I am a survivor of the Roloff Rebekah Home for Girls in Corpus Christi, Texas.
the place was a cult, They brainwashed and used mindcontrol on us girls, there was no choice to understand reality. You just had to be what they said. There was never a counselor. Windows cememted down, one girl jumped , she had been tied to a bed, her eyes blank, she had been drugged if you ask me... once she got free of the restraints that bound her to the bed, next to comptons apartment in the upstairs dorm, she ran and jumped out the window of the second story window, the alarms went off, and we all were packed into the dorm rooms.... Many things were going on. But they were big on roloff, he was like a god to them, they near worship him, still keep him alive today, via the radio and tapes and old sermons, he is thier hero, not
Christ, he is hailed as the one who had an answer to hurting kids and parents. he became like a god to his followers. he is enshrined and kept alive even today, he died in 1982.
where did all his money come from?... my parents were going on charity. many parents from what i gather, could not afford the costs. where did all that money come from. who are these roloff supporters today?... then?...who paid roloff ?... he had many compounds, throughout texas and beyond texas, he had boats, he took in penniliess kids with some parents not able to provide no more than $50 a month to help pay the costs of living ....he had airplanes, he had buses, and on one site, they proudly claim that 3,000,000. (www.fbbc.com/messages/roloff.htm )....dollars was tied up in the rebekah home alone. wondering who had the money and who was channeling money to the ministry.???
healing has been long and hard, the challenge in learning to interpret reality for ones own self, mindboggling mind games, who else is out there who knows what i am talking about?... where are all the rebekah survivors, why are they not talking?
lets talk, without names if you prefer, just lets open the box and talk.
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Offline Antigen

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #1 on: April 23, 2003, 06:53:00 PM »
I've heard that name before, but I'm not too familiar with the organization or the cult leader. I'd love to hear more. But I think you'll have better luck connecting with others on the "New Info" or "The Teen Help Industry" forums. So I'll leave this thread here for awhile so you'll find it. Then I intend to move it to New Info. If there's a demand for it, I'll be happy to set up a forum for Roloff.

Mean time, I'd just try doing a Google search on the name Roloff and see what comes up.

The clearest way into the Universe is through a forest wilderness.
-- John Muir

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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #2 on: April 24, 2003, 01:08:00 PM »
Thanks!
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #3 on: July 19, 2003, 09:40:00 PM »
I was a Rebekah girl in `82.  I know all of this is true.  We chanted, girls kneeled on salt, no girl had a period for the entire time they were there.  
I can remember a girl being chained to a bed after she ran away.  What a mess!!
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #4 on: December 20, 2003, 07:18:00 PM »
I was there, too.  Many years ago when the Cameron's ran the place.  Speaking about this is like talking about someone else I know, not me.  That place is EVIL.  They practice child abuse and call it biblical.  I don't know what to say except that I'm now almost 40 and I was there when I was 14 and it not only still hurts, it still harms.

We need to have Roloff's homes closed down.
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #5 on: January 23, 2004, 05:36:00 PM »
You asked for it, so here I am.  Another Roloff "survivor" as you call it.  I don't know who you are, but I am sure I was there at the same time you were because I too was there when the girl jumped out of the second story window.  I have two questions for: 1. What is wrong with you?  2.  Why are you lying about the Rebekah Home?  I was there for 2 years and was very happy to be there.  You must have been someone who didn't want to stop your street life and make a future for yourself.  Everything you said is a lie!  And I wish I knew your name so I could expose your behavior during your Rebekah stay, because like I said I must know who you are since you say you were at the home when I was there.  Shame on your wicked, evil self!  And how dare you talk like that about the Camerons!  They showed more parental love to us girls than our own parents.  May God have mercy on your wicked soul for your evil actions.
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #6 on: January 27, 2004, 08:56:00 PM »
I've been reading a lot about the cases brought up against Leseter Roloff and his homes, including several personal testimonies.  I was wondering, did Roloff himself administer the various paddlings, etc., or was it always the "House Parents?"
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #7 on: February 01, 2004, 02:58:00 PM »
I don't know anything about your own parents and your relationship with them but to compare the love of the Camerons with that of our parents is
unfair as everyone's exsperince is different.
I am a survivor of the rebekah home for girls, and
yes I do say survivor because to live with the
abandonment of one's family, to be thrust in to a unknown enviorment, with out coping skills, counseling, or a friend in the world to comfort you it is an achivement to have survived and come out normal, I am not saying that I did not come away with anything positive as I came away with a profound understanding of God's faithfulness and his ability to change a life. I do not belive that Brother Roloff was an evil person, on the contrary I belive he had a dream to help young people, and that dream and its fullfillment were not always shared by the people who worked for him, the Cameron's definately had there favorites who in my opinion were groomed to show a sense of control and acceptance by the flock. These girls showed enthusiasm of the hitler youth in their desire to find wrong in others and pray upon victims of the weaker less excepted youth. In an oragnization as large as Roloff industries it is next to impossible to control everyones actions good or bad and there for there were those who inflicted pain and suffering on a number of girls and wether or not it was done by staff or at the hands of those who roamed the halls handing out demerts seeking to destroy the weaker competition do not think the rest of us didn't notice, and suffering wasn't felt and heard from all around. Wether it was in a lock down room or in silent isolation of one's own quite thoughts. Iwas there and I remember from 1978 till the closing I belive it was in 1980.
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #8 on: February 04, 2004, 01:08:00 PM »
I too am a survivor of the Rebekah Home.  I was sent there by my parents at the age of 14.  I was on drugs and my life was spinning out of control.  At the time i was there in 1971 Granny and Papa Weatherford were the ones running the home.  It was there that I came to know Jesus and turned my life around.  I am now 46 and often wonder where I would be now had i not gone to the home.  I can't say what happened in the following years there but I know while I was there it was a wonderful place.  After I left there I even chose to go back the next year on my own.  I would never have done that if it had been such an awful place.  I am thankful to Granny and Papa and to Br. Roloff for the changes I made in my life because of the home.
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #9 on: February 09, 2004, 02:09:00 PM »
I too am a Rebekah "servivor".  I was in the home is the early 70's.  I have so many good memories and will forever be greatful to Br. Roloff, Granny,Papa and all the others that helped me so much while i was there.  My life was changed because of what i learned while i was there.
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Offline GraceJovian

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #10 on: February 27, 2004, 12:43:00 PM »
::bangin:: For Roloff Homes survivors who want to see a take on him through other eyes, visit my blog, SECRET RADIO, which is focused mostly on an Independent Fundamental Baptist college 20 years ago. The character of Julius Fallows, who advocates raw foods, strict clothing rules, and runs a few "homes" for children, reminds many readers of Lester Roloff.

In this week's series of episodes. Brother Julius Fallows flies his plane into a thunderstorm and crashes. I gathered input from Roloff Homes survivors to give a realistic take on how his own children/inmates would react to his death.

This story is not really ABOUT Lester Roloff. It's about being Independent Baptist Fundamentalist in the 1980's, the last decade of
glory for these people.

 ::read:: The URL for SECRET RADIO is http://secret-radio.blogspot.com

Here are some references to the plane crash section:

radio_archive.html#107473650075803198>First Post (posted Feb 23)
radio_archive.html#107481830047638738>Second Post (posted Feb 24)
radio_archive.html#107522554677833614>Third Post (posted Feb 25)
radio_archive.html#107523301135035976>Fourth Post (posted Feb 26)
radio_archive.html#107524650058523065>Fifth Post (posted Feb 27)
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raceJovian(?)
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #11 on: March 25, 2004, 09:54:00 AM »
I, too, am a Rebekah survivor.  It was a horrible time and yes the place was a brainwashing cult.  Thank God I was only there a few days before my dad heard more information from my aunt and came back to get me.  I was not on drugs, not sexually active, not violent.  I was an A student who had dealt with a mother who left her 9 yr old daughter to take care of a 7 yr old brother every night by herself.  As a teenager, after being independent so long, wanted to do a few things like be in some after school clubs but mom's drinking and bar hopping came first.  Yes, I rebelled and tried to be abel to do what I wanted because I was forced to be independent from an early age and to have that taken away years later was difficult.  I was sent to the Rebekah home for these reasons.  After I got there and had to have my wardrobe sifted through so that only "appropriate" clothing was allowed, I was shocked to hear the non-stop, taped Roloff sermons.  I cried all night the first night and prayed to God that I would be able to last a whole year without being brainwashed.  I tried to keep my fingers in my ears so that forced crap would not be lodged into my brain.  When we came in, the girl giving my parents the tour sounded like a robot giving her rehearsed speech about how much she loved it.  I was a roommate with a girl who killed her family and the other girl I can't remember.  I remember being given chemicals that I was supposed to shower with but I poured them down the drain.  I also remember looking around at the tall fences with the barbed wire over the top and wondering if I could get out of there.  I think I have blocked the details out and I can't remember the dates that I was there but it was after Roloff died.  You are right, they worshipped Roloff instead of God.  I remember having to raise your skirt to prove you had a slip on before going into the church and I also remember getting demerits for bouncing your foot while your legs where crossed and sitting down.  I was warned not to look at the boys.  I also remember the groups sitting down together and saying verses that made me cringe because it was like chanting.  I felt like it was evil and it gave me the creeps.  I remember the crap food that was offered too while I heard stories of the money they were taking in with fish/shrimp boats and all kinds of other industries.  One day that I was there and we were in the exercise yard, a crew from 20/20 came with cameras.  I started trying to get their attention and jumping up and down and yelling info to them but was quickly restrained and pulled back inside and locked up.  I was so scared but God did answer my prayers because shortly after that my dad came to get me.  He said he had a really hard time because the papers that were signed to admit me prevented me from being taken out or from leaving for one year.  It did turn me away from God for a while and I actually recently had a spiritual revelation and feel so new and clean.  I think this recent event in my spiritual life had made me think of this past time.  I had even blocked out Rebekah Home for Wayward Girls and Lester Roloff's name.  I had to search the internet in Corpus Christi, TX for Lighthouse to find it.  It gives me the chills to think about it.  I think it was a cult for sure.  I remember a married couple that was holding hands and teaching us that were talking about how they met through the Rebekah/Lighthouse homes and got married.  They were brainwashed for sure because they came back and they thought it was wondeful.  I'm sure they used the brainwashing technique so that thye would have future followers to continue with their brainwashing and torture.  There were even two male guards that were walking the halls with guns.  You can't be forced to accept Jesus as your savior and Roloff and his followers should know that.  It doesn't count if people just say the words so they can fit in and make through a year of hell.  I'll quit rambling but am open to answer any questions or discuss this more with other survivors.
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Offline Melanie

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #12 on: April 06, 2004, 05:58:00 PM »
WOW! Very interesting. Now, for a lighter side.
Memories from children, true or false? Who's to know? God knows. So why all of the bickering? Why sound so revengeful? I hear this from both sides of this topic of "The Rebekah Home For Girls."( I will address the allegations of abuse near the end, but first, please hear me out..
 Yep, I was there too, the entire year of 1981. I hated it at first. What??? No T.V.?? No cool music?? Dresses? Church, every DAY?  Girls my age telling ME what to do??? No skipping class and sneaking around to drink beer? No sleeping in as late as I wanted to??? I don't think so!!!
 My whole life was altered and there wasn't anything I could do about it.  Well, one thing is for sure, I would have hated it till the end had I not accepted the LORD to live inside my heart. It made ALL the difference in the world.
 This decision had nothing to do with The Rebekah Home or the people in it, though many were inspiring. It was a commitment made between The Lord and me. He had been after me, long before my feet hit Rebekah's grounds.
 I saw everything in a different light from that point on. I still do. I believe that GOD took a cooky situation that I got myself into, (or my parents got me into rather), and turned it into something good, as He always does, when we let HIM. Hence, MY SALVATION!!!  Though I am not sin less, by far, I do mean well and I try to keep my head on straight and my heart open.
It IS nessasary to start over fresh every day. It feels good to wipe the slate clean before going to bed at night.
The same is true to let the past stay where it is, in the past. It's a hard thing to do. I know..I KNOW... But, one must, in order to move on... Fanatics usually mean well too, they just do everything, well, fanatically. Maybe "fanatic's" learned their behavior from their parents before them. Who can say? Then who's the abused? Who gets help first? Who is really to blame? Us? Our parents? fanatic's? The goverment? It just goes on and on.....and on, as we get older and older and ...Stop the maddness!

Don't worry or feel weird anymore if you do. Just use your common sense, thats what it's there for. If you don't feel you have much, read the book of Proberbs. Great wisdom. Hear this: "Get busy living or get busy dying"... Remember, God will judge us ALL in the end anyways. To those who feel pain from personal memories from your time at Rebekah, I wish I could comfort you. Let it pass and just say good bye to that time once and for all. Get out and make a difference in this world. The world needs your passion, don't bottle it all up inside.
 Plant a bunch of flowers everywhere. Plant a tree. Plant yourself. With good watering and loving care, you will see beautiful blooms in your life and all around you. If a storm comes, it too shall pass. Just replant. You can do this.
We can do this!
 Some of you sound so threatened by each others remarks. Where is the love??? It is wise to keep an open mind as well as an open heart. IT IS WISE...
I don't have proof of all of the things some say  happened, I must have been blind. I was probably reading my bible somewhere trying to learn Gods word for it became more and more interesting to me. Maybe I was swinging on the swing set near the school eating a million fresh oranges,(I used to love to do that). Maybe I was tanning my ankles on a blanket on the concrete. Or, I might have been attending a little gathering in the cool shade by the cafateria, listening to a nice southern girl play a good guitar~ She always wore purple glasses. We both loved Lynard Skynard. Of course, we couldn't discuss that, we both just knew. I still do.

HOWEVER, this I do know to be true...Because this happened to me.
First of all, I too didn't have a period for the entire year I lived at the Rebekah Home. I think this happened because our life styles had changed so dramatically and our hormones where affected from this. Also, most of the food that was prepared for us to consume, were very healthy and good for us. Though, I do remember a lot of starchy foods as well, which is full of carbs, and explains why so many of us gained tons of weight. Too much weight gain or loss, can affect a womans/girls cycle. I for one was quite happy for not having to deal with having a period for a year. Who wouldn't be?

YES, THERE WAS A LOCK UP ROOM.
 I spent a week in lock up and I had wackings on my be-hind a few times. Of course it hurt. I think that was the point, but I did not bleed or bruise. I pay attention to detail. Knowing this, it is hard for me to imagine true "abuse" exsisting in that Home. I think I would've noticed. Others would have told me. Wouldn't they?
 My stay in the lock up room, took place the first week that I was in the home. I had a hard time stopping curse words, for they just flew out of my mouth like bees, that is, before I found the LORD. (I still have troubles controlling this when I'm angry), but as a child, this was/is disrespectful and I understand now. I remember hearing the larger girls that had to hold me down say,  that I was the worst and the most rebellious kid they had ever delt with at that point. I probably was, because my much loved freedom, was being threatened and compromized. Yet, even though I was very stubborn and rebellious, I know that the lock up room was not nessasary. It was kinda scary. No, it was scary. The tub didn't work, and I wanted to bathe. That was gross in itself. And, I heard later, that roaches lived in the room and came out at night where we'd sleep on the floor with a single mattress. Yuck. Yuck...There were no windows either. And, when I would sing out loud, (cause I do), "worldly" things,  such as singing popular songs, the lights would be turned off. I had no control over the lights at all. I felt punishment from every direction, and nobody even knew who I was! I thought Rebekah, was a cult, for sure....
BUT, you see, the thing is this. It was in there, in that locked up room where I accepted CHRIST to live forever in my heart. There, in the dark, on my knees, alone, weeping. Just THE LORD and me. The HOLY SPIRIT finally won me over. Instant peace over came my entire being. (a few roaches may have wittnessed this too)
  I, unlike some others, really enjoyed the memorizing of scripture. Some of you refer to it as "chanting". Call it what you like, but listen-
 During very difficult and scary times in my life since I've left Rebekah, some of the Psalms that we had to memorize, would come to me and I'd say them out loud, then total peace would fall over me and I wouldn't be afraid anymore. For REAL. I still do this when I feel the need, and it still works. I think that a lot of scripture is meant to be comforting ~ As well as powerful.

Unfortuantly, I am lacking a good prayer life and bible studies. I don't even attend a church right now, and I haven't for a long, long, time..I guess I'm picky. Maybe I'm not as trusting as I should be. Though, I worship the Lord everyday. He is everywhere and in everyone and everything. HE uses us ALL. In children, the elderly, the rich and the poor, the strong and the weak...In believers and in those who don't believe yet....HE wants us all....Thank goodness.
 Luckly, God doesn't hold this against me. But He does leave the door open, I think I'll go in tonight. Thank you all for the inspiration~

May God Bless and Protect ALL of my Rebekah sisters regardless if you call yourself  "survivors", or my sisters in Christ~
 
Hi friends,
 Margot,Kim,Judy,Heidi and many others, where ever you may now be~ SHALOM ~
miss you~  Love, Melanie (king) [ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-06 21:29 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-06 21:32 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-06 21:38 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-06 21:43 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-06 21:44 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-06 21:49 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-06 21:54 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-06 22:09 ]
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Offline Anonymous

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #13 on: April 07, 2004, 05:29:00 PM »
I am a survivor of Happiness Hills in Mississippi, a branch off of Roloff's homes.  I relate so much to the brainwashing and torture, and it has been over 10 years since my "release."  I have never been able to get over it.  I am interested in contacting others who were there between 1993-1995
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Offline Melanie

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Lester Roloffs Rebekah Home for Girls Survivors-Cult-mindcon
« Reply #14 on: April 08, 2004, 03:27:00 PM »
Hello Rebekah girls and others,
I hope all is well in each of your lives, and that you are finding happiness and contentment~
Rereading over the postings that you have all posted in this Rebekah fora, I realized something that strikes me as odd. None of you have left you names next to your postings.
If you really have something to proclaim and you believe in what you are proclaiming, why then remain anonymous? I totally understand not leaving your last name, but , your first name??
If you are standing up for the Rebekah Homes, and your upset with what others are saying, why seem ashamed or afraid to leave your name?
If you call yourselves a "survivor" of the Rebekah Homes, and your determined for your voice to be heard once and for all, why do you all seem  ashamed or afraid to leave your name?
Why so mysterious? Don't you want people to take you serious? What or who are you hiding from?
Plus, it would be a lot easier to address one of your postings, if we had "a" name to address you with. Just make one up for goodness sake.
Don't you think it would be awesome to recognize a long lost friend from Rebekah!? Who else in your life now, could relate better to your ideas and opinions in this area of discussion?  If anyone regonizes my name, give me a buzz!
Here is my email address if somebody out there remembers me. Chances are, I remember you too, for I considered everyone I met at Rebekah, my friend and my sister. I still do.
[email protected]
There isn't any reason for us to be afraid to talk to one another. We all have a common bond. We lived together. Most of us for our appointed year. We lived like, family, in some respects. We didn't have a choice. We were children. Our choices, were made for us, right or wrong~
I am the curious type as well as a realist, but first, I am a Christian, and with this "tittle", and the many aspects of being a believer, comes the freedom of not having feelings of shame, or else, I'd have something to hide. Do you?
Well, thats all~
May you all have a wonderful Easter~
God Bless,
Melanie
(king)
 
[ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-08 14:12 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-08 14:23 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-12 11:56 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-12 11:59 ][ This Message was edited by: Melanie on 2004-04-12 12:16 ]
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