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Frequently asked Questions - and
answers 2002
Was the woman a bad mother?
No one questions the fact that she was a very good mother during the 1 and a
half years she was the sole custodian, before she fell in love with Grant
Barnato. Since then she hasn't had custody. At that time the father
wanted nothing to do with the boy. When she became pregnant, the father pushed
for abortion - Astrid even recieved a letter from the workers carefully
bringing up the option of abortion, at this time - to protect the "name
of the fellowship" - She was proffessing then.
Was the mother committed for mental problems?
In the extreme family turmoil and strife, when she became interested in Grant,
she voluntarily spent a
few days in the hospital for intensive stress disorder. When she felt it
no longer neccesary, the family somehow or other, through connections, had her
committed to a mental institution by force. A temporary legal desision.
When Astrid contested this desision, she was independantly examined and she
was released on the grounds that was no grounds for being held against her
will. The psykiatrist that treated at this time, testified at the recent court
proceedings, that she had been wrongly diagnosed when she was commited to the
mental hospital at that time - and that there was nothing that would suggest
she would not be a good mother.
Was the child being abused?
NO ONE suggests that the child has ever been physically abused. There
was a far fetched accusation made against Grant in the court proceed, where
Grant had been playing with the boy, and put a mask on that the father
said had scared the boy. None of the others present at this time could
remember that Bragd §Andreas (the boys name) had been frightened at all.
Astrid has been concerned that the proffessing familly mentally abuse the
boy by consistently impying to him that his mother doesn't love him
anymore.
Why did the court not grant the mother full
custody?
In my opinion the reasons were legal technicalities exploited to the maximum
by the legal council of the other side. As well, the father of the boy does
have a reasonable right to certain time with the boy - Astrid accepts this of
course - however she has found the terms unacceptable.
Will we likely ever know what really happened?
Does anyone ever have the complete picture of everything that has contributed
to a conflict of this stature??
As general rule custody actions are part of public
disclosure why was this one closed?
In Norway (and Sweden where we live as well), most often court proceedures
involving minors are closed.
Why would the workers get involved?
You would have to ask them to be sure! I would guess that at this point, the
workers wish they had never gotten involved in this mess. But it isn't easy to
back out when there are so many tracks to cover!! To start with, I guess
that the workers position was established by the simple 2x2 philosofy that you
can trust without question, the so called 'faithful friends and workers',
- wheras the 'wayward folks' such as Astrid , need disciplining,
regardless of the rights or wrongs involved.
I also presume that the workers honestly (but idioticly) believed that any
proffessing person who could fall in love with Grant must be
mentally ill. Once the ball is rolling, things get said, and things get done
that make it very hard to back out.
Why in the wide world, Lars Lund would voluntarily submit
the emails he had (from Reynolds and Hopkins) to the court just to discredit
Grant, is beyond my comprehesion - especially from the senior Norwegian
worker. However I know that Lars is under considerable pressure from Eldon
Knudson (the Swedish senior worker) - and Eldon has exibited an extreme
hate and bitterness towards the whole Barnato family, for a long time. I don't
understand this at all, as the whole Barnato family are very avid pacifists,
and do nothing at all to defend themselves or slander others. I personally
have initiated far more confrontation than they have, but haven't been
publicly cursed half as much as they have.
Is Lloyd Haugen (senior) involved in this
unChristian behavior?
As far as I know Lloyd isn't involved more than
he assosiates himself with the group that is responsible for these atrocities.
Personally I question that anyone voluntarily choosing to be part of the
fellowship that is officially behind these things, and well aware of what is
going on, can free themselves from responsibility. A person has to remember that
in all of the sanctions, and ugly things that have been done against Astrid and
Grant by the fellowship, it has been done in the name of the world wide
fellowship. All these unGodly things are well understood, and sanctioned by the
world wide fellowship. This is NOT just a matter of individuals that have
gone to far, or made mistakes. The cruel and unrighteious tactics used here in
Scandinavia, are internationally initiated, understood and accepted by the entire top
hiearchy.
We are very concerned, can we contact Grant and Astrid personally?
We appreciate VERY VERY much, all the kind thoughts and prayers
that people have for Grant and Astrid - Grant and Astrid are very thankful for
this as well and I know it gives them strength.
However they are in a position of the maximum of pain.
Sometimes this becomes nothing else than 'another case' to some of us - but to
them, every minute is nearly more than they can bear. Days and weeks and
months go by - and Astrids 3 year old son is dangled before her eyes, crying
for her - and she is hindered from doing the only thing a mother wants to do -
to wipe his tears and hold him in her arms. That it is those she has loved
most in her life, that betray her, and taunt and condemm her, makes
the torture nearly more than she can endure.
She works 12-14 hour days in her proffession as a dentist/orthadontist,
because she needs to pay enormous lawyers bills - I am afraid
sometimes that her strength is understandably nearly gone - At these
times she just wants to be left alone. After we saw her and Grant in
Oslo last Friday, I have been very concerned - It is
nearly an impossible load that she and Grant have to bear - but we must
believe that God will give them the strength to make it through the
darkest of nights - and the fiercest of battles.
We convey the kind thoughts and concerns that many have for
them - but at this time, I don't believe they feel up to direct contact with
more people than they already are involved with.
Hope you understand
We are very concerned, what can we do (personally)
about this mess?Of course, the 'what to do' question is very
individual - and can hardly be answered by anyone outside the shoes of the 'doer'.
My advise would be simple -
Practice what you preach - and are preached to about.
Don't trust a system - look for God in unexpected places
Don't trust men - beware of anyone claiming monopoly on truth
Don't look up to men - beware of subtile self-praise - and home-made rules
Trust the leadings of God to your own heart - question EVERYTHING else
Beware of any human organizational planing in connection with your relationship
with God (including organized semi-compulsory meeting systems) Jesus NEVER
suggested or practiced scheduled fellowship.
Be willing to follow the leadings of our master to your heart, even if you must
do it alone - and even if you must do it in the face of misunderstanding and
contempt of those you love!
This site is quite one-sided. Shouldn't we get all
the facts before forming an opinion? It is always wise to weigh the
evidence at hand. I believe that most people with expirence in the fellowship
recognize enough known tendencies to be able to suspect what is true. The fact
that there are different opinions on this matter has not been ignored. However
the suggestion that a person must have a 100% picture of ALL the facts before
bending over to comfort the 'beaten' on the side of the road, is absurd (and
extremely unChristian). Do any of us have a complete picture of ANY issue?
I believe God holds us responsible for the position we take to the information
that he has revealed to us - regardless how little or much this may be.
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