Cultic Studies Review, Vol. 4, No. 2, 2005, Page 123
Twelve Tribes
Concerned Over Group’s Proposed Coffee House
Some residents of Oneonta, NY, are concerned about the Twelve Tribes‘ plan to open a
coffee shop at the Body and Soul Lifestyle Centre, on Main Street, because of allegations
that the group is racist, uses child labor, and otherwise abuses children. ―What worries me
most, says a local resident who has researched the Twelve Tribes on the Internet, ―is that
they target the community. I feel our community has to take a very clear stand that they
don‘t want this in our community.‖
A Twelve Tribes representative in Oneonta says that while the group believes in corporal
punishment, ―We don‘t harm our children or hurt our children. We train them. We just don‘t
leave our children to themselves.‖ A local professor of religion, remarking on the fact that
members don‘t watch TV or movies, said: ― ‗We‘re insulated, not isolated,‘ is the way they
like to put it.‖ (Amy L. Asbridge, Daily Star, NY, Internet, 5/15/05)
Assault on Member Stimulates Local Support
The attack in Plymouth, MA, on a 14-year-old member of the Twelve Tribes indicates that
some hostility still exists toward the group, said by some to be a brainwashing cult that
abuses children through harsh discipline, which Twelve Tribes promotes as a sign of love.
But declarations of support from other residents in the wake of the incident suggest that the
Twelve Tribes has made friends since its arrival four years ago. The local commune — there
are 35 in the U.S. and elsewhere — now consists of about 65 members living in three
houses. They own a furniture store and food store employing both adults and children, and
plan to open a café. In 1984, police raided the Twelve Tribes‘ Island Pond, VT, community
and removed 112 children, whom a judge soon ordered returned to their parents.
Following the recent attack, Twelve Tribes organized a public meeting in Plymouth and
screened a video that depicted the Vermont raid. The video included interviews with
individuals who were among the children removed from the commune. (Karen Eschbacher,
Patriot Ledger, Internet, 6/4/05 Dennis Tatz, Patriot Ledger, Internet, 6/14/05)
Northeast Kingdom Community Church (Island Pond) Remembers Raid
Members of the Twelve Tribes commune in Island Pond, VT — formerly called the
Northeast Kingdom Community Church — joined by members of other Twelve Tribes
communities, and some local non-church members, recently presented a program
memorializing the state‘s raid on their settlement in 1984 that temporarily removed 121 of
the group‘s children on suspicion that they were being abused through corporal punishment.
The video they screened, entitled ―The Children of the Island Pond Raid: An Emerging
Culture,‖ reveals what local public defender — now group member — Jean Wiseman calls
the illegal, unconstitutional actions of the raid and the anti-cult scheming behind it. (Robin
Smith, Caledonian-Record News, Internet, 6/23/05)
Witchcraft/Exorcism
Suspected Child Abuse
London police, investigating five cases in which children were abused after being accused by
their families of being witches, have reportedly uncovered a ―trade‖ in young African boys
brought to the city to become human sacrifices. Also in London, Sita Kisanga, 35, was
recently convicted of torturing an 8-year-old girl whom she accused of being a witch. In
addition, many London churches whose members are mainly West Africans, sanction
aggressive forms of exorcism. (Richard Edwards, Evening Standard, Internet, 6/17/05)
Twelve Tribes
Concerned Over Group’s Proposed Coffee House
Some residents of Oneonta, NY, are concerned about the Twelve Tribes‘ plan to open a
coffee shop at the Body and Soul Lifestyle Centre, on Main Street, because of allegations
that the group is racist, uses child labor, and otherwise abuses children. ―What worries me
most, says a local resident who has researched the Twelve Tribes on the Internet, ―is that
they target the community. I feel our community has to take a very clear stand that they
don‘t want this in our community.‖
A Twelve Tribes representative in Oneonta says that while the group believes in corporal
punishment, ―We don‘t harm our children or hurt our children. We train them. We just don‘t
leave our children to themselves.‖ A local professor of religion, remarking on the fact that
members don‘t watch TV or movies, said: ― ‗We‘re insulated, not isolated,‘ is the way they
like to put it.‖ (Amy L. Asbridge, Daily Star, NY, Internet, 5/15/05)
Assault on Member Stimulates Local Support
The attack in Plymouth, MA, on a 14-year-old member of the Twelve Tribes indicates that
some hostility still exists toward the group, said by some to be a brainwashing cult that
abuses children through harsh discipline, which Twelve Tribes promotes as a sign of love.
But declarations of support from other residents in the wake of the incident suggest that the
Twelve Tribes has made friends since its arrival four years ago. The local commune — there
are 35 in the U.S. and elsewhere — now consists of about 65 members living in three
houses. They own a furniture store and food store employing both adults and children, and
plan to open a café. In 1984, police raided the Twelve Tribes‘ Island Pond, VT, community
and removed 112 children, whom a judge soon ordered returned to their parents.
Following the recent attack, Twelve Tribes organized a public meeting in Plymouth and
screened a video that depicted the Vermont raid. The video included interviews with
individuals who were among the children removed from the commune. (Karen Eschbacher,
Patriot Ledger, Internet, 6/4/05 Dennis Tatz, Patriot Ledger, Internet, 6/14/05)
Northeast Kingdom Community Church (Island Pond) Remembers Raid
Members of the Twelve Tribes commune in Island Pond, VT — formerly called the
Northeast Kingdom Community Church — joined by members of other Twelve Tribes
communities, and some local non-church members, recently presented a program
memorializing the state‘s raid on their settlement in 1984 that temporarily removed 121 of
the group‘s children on suspicion that they were being abused through corporal punishment.
The video they screened, entitled ―The Children of the Island Pond Raid: An Emerging
Culture,‖ reveals what local public defender — now group member — Jean Wiseman calls
the illegal, unconstitutional actions of the raid and the anti-cult scheming behind it. (Robin
Smith, Caledonian-Record News, Internet, 6/23/05)
Witchcraft/Exorcism
Suspected Child Abuse
London police, investigating five cases in which children were abused after being accused by
their families of being witches, have reportedly uncovered a ―trade‖ in young African boys
brought to the city to become human sacrifices. Also in London, Sita Kisanga, 35, was
recently convicted of torturing an 8-year-old girl whom she accused of being a witch. In
addition, many London churches whose members are mainly West Africans, sanction
aggressive forms of exorcism. (Richard Edwards, Evening Standard, Internet, 6/17/05)
