Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 2, No. 2, 2003, Page 40
members of the JRG via speakerphone. We created an e-mail communication network. We
discussed various options for getting members out of the JRG and agreed that under no
circumstances should any of our families kidnap their children.
In 1998, 40 people representing 19 families met at an airport hotel in Chicago, IL. For the
first time, a former member of the JRG, Jim Guerra, participated in our meeting. The father
of a member, who had been searching for his daughter for four years, discovered that she
was in the JRG a few weeks before our meeting, and he came. He persuaded the parents
group that we needed a Web site, and he had it set up and running two weeks after the
meeting (http://members.tripod.com/~nfishel/index.html). We had a heated discussion
about whether we should assist ABC Prime Time Live in airing a segment about the JRG. In
the end, a few families decided to participate.
In 1999, 46 people representing 17 families met at a religious retreat center near Orlando,
FL. Dr. Michael Langone, Executive Director of the American Family Foundation, did a
presentation about cults. Six former members of the JRG participated, including 3 who had
left the group that year. The ABC Prime Time Live segment had aired, and it included
photos of unknown members of the JRG and links to the AFF and Parents Group Web Sites.
Fifteen families contacted us after discovering through that program that their loved one
was alive and a member of the JRG.
In 2000, 44 people representing 19 families met in a religious retreat center near Denver,
Colorado. Six former members of the JRG participated, including three of the four members
who had left the group that year. Six families had visits and seven received letters from
their JRG member. TRGPN was mentioned in several media articles and programs all
around the U.S. Through contacts made on the Parents Group Web site, we were able to
intervene and prevent two new recruits from joining the JRG. As a result of the extensive
media coverage of the JRG and TRGPN, strangers began to contact the Web Site and report
sightings of JRG members.
In 2001, 49 people representing 20 families met at a religious retreat center near Seattle,
Washington. Ten former members of the JRG participated, six of whom had left that year!
A total of 11 members left the JRG, and we prevented one new recruitment. TRGPN was
mentioned in several new media presentations. The ABC Prime Time Live segment
continues to air several times each year on ABC 20/20, the Discovery Channel, and A&E.
In 2002, 33 people representing 17 families and 2 former members met at a retreat center
on Lake Geneva in Williams Bay, WI. Six members left the JRG that year, and a total of 17
have left since May, 2001! Four families had visits and two received loving phone calls.
Some 42 people contacted the TRGPN Web site with information about JRG sightings.
Our support group is now called The Roberts Group Parents Network (TRGPN). The mission
of TRGPN is: ―Release the members from the control of the Roberts Group and establish
two-way communication and an open and loving relationship between the members and
their families.‖
The TRGPN Web site includes the following information:
a profile of the JRG
information on JRG recruiting
quotes from scripture which they use
pictures of unidentified members of the JRG
a letter from a former member to the current members
letters from parents to their children
members of the JRG via speakerphone. We created an e-mail communication network. We
discussed various options for getting members out of the JRG and agreed that under no
circumstances should any of our families kidnap their children.
In 1998, 40 people representing 19 families met at an airport hotel in Chicago, IL. For the
first time, a former member of the JRG, Jim Guerra, participated in our meeting. The father
of a member, who had been searching for his daughter for four years, discovered that she
was in the JRG a few weeks before our meeting, and he came. He persuaded the parents
group that we needed a Web site, and he had it set up and running two weeks after the
meeting (http://members.tripod.com/~nfishel/index.html). We had a heated discussion
about whether we should assist ABC Prime Time Live in airing a segment about the JRG. In
the end, a few families decided to participate.
In 1999, 46 people representing 17 families met at a religious retreat center near Orlando,
FL. Dr. Michael Langone, Executive Director of the American Family Foundation, did a
presentation about cults. Six former members of the JRG participated, including 3 who had
left the group that year. The ABC Prime Time Live segment had aired, and it included
photos of unknown members of the JRG and links to the AFF and Parents Group Web Sites.
Fifteen families contacted us after discovering through that program that their loved one
was alive and a member of the JRG.
In 2000, 44 people representing 19 families met in a religious retreat center near Denver,
Colorado. Six former members of the JRG participated, including three of the four members
who had left the group that year. Six families had visits and seven received letters from
their JRG member. TRGPN was mentioned in several media articles and programs all
around the U.S. Through contacts made on the Parents Group Web site, we were able to
intervene and prevent two new recruits from joining the JRG. As a result of the extensive
media coverage of the JRG and TRGPN, strangers began to contact the Web Site and report
sightings of JRG members.
In 2001, 49 people representing 20 families met at a religious retreat center near Seattle,
Washington. Ten former members of the JRG participated, six of whom had left that year!
A total of 11 members left the JRG, and we prevented one new recruitment. TRGPN was
mentioned in several new media presentations. The ABC Prime Time Live segment
continues to air several times each year on ABC 20/20, the Discovery Channel, and A&E.
In 2002, 33 people representing 17 families and 2 former members met at a retreat center
on Lake Geneva in Williams Bay, WI. Six members left the JRG that year, and a total of 17
have left since May, 2001! Four families had visits and two received loving phone calls.
Some 42 people contacted the TRGPN Web site with information about JRG sightings.
Our support group is now called The Roberts Group Parents Network (TRGPN). The mission
of TRGPN is: ―Release the members from the control of the Roberts Group and establish
two-way communication and an open and loving relationship between the members and
their families.‖
The TRGPN Web site includes the following information:
a profile of the JRG
information on JRG recruiting
quotes from scripture which they use
pictures of unidentified members of the JRG
a letter from a former member to the current members
letters from parents to their children
