Exclusive Brethren under the microscope

BY ALEX MCDONALD
Most religious groups have “appalling” methods of coping with allegations of physical, mental or sexual abuse, claims a recent Canberra Times article. The writer also argued that the once obscure evangelical group known as the Exclusive Brethren are: “by no means alone in devising inbred and complacent ways of thinking.”
But Melbourne Age journalist Michael Bachelard, who penned the recently published Behind the Exclusive Brethren, disputes this idea that the Exclusive Brethren are simply another Christian denomination with a familiar set of quirks and foibles.
Bachelard believes the secretive Christian sect deserves greater public scrutiny and must be held accountable for a series of transgressions that have been kept out of the limelight until now.
Michael Bachelard began pursuing the Brethren story two years ago. “It was around the time that there was a really big story in New Zealand,” he said. “[The Brethren] had just hired a private detective to tale the New Zealand Prime Minister [Helen Clark] and her husband. It was part of a campaign to spread rumours that he was gay.
“This was breaking in New Zealand at the time, as was their role in the 2005 New Zealand election and their role in the Tasmanian election of 2006. It was in that context that we asked the question: ‘well are they going to involve themselves in the Victorian election of 2006” And it turned out they were.”
An important trait of the Exclusive Brethren is their so-called doctrine of separation, an attempt by the group to shield their members from the perceived sinfulness of secular culture. Subsequently, eating or socialising with non-members are forbidden, as are TV, radio, tertiary education and internet access.
“The doctrine of separation is predicated on control,” Bachelard said. “This is part of a broader attempt to control the amount of information and free thought and lateral thinking that their members can have access to. It’s an attempt to keep them within the sect and following the rules and strictures of the organisation.”
The Exclusive Brethren first emerged in Dublin in 1829, after breaking away from a wider evangelical movement. The group has now spread as far a field as Canada, Sweden and the US.
Bachelard writes that the Brethren’s current leader, West Ryde businessman Bruce Hales, actively encouraged the flock to become politically active in 2004. This, despite the fact that Brethren members are not allowed to vote.
“It’s a really interesting contradiction,” Bachelard said. “They have for a long time sought to have political influence through lobbying. In recent years this has been through directly funding advertising, political campaigns and donations. That tends to bring them into conflict with their idea that they don’t vote, that they don’t directly participate in democracy and they don’t like being exposed.
“So what they have tried to do is, as much as possible, circumvent electoral disclosure laws and keep themselves underneath the radar.”
When Michael Bachelard first wrote about the Brethren’s political manoeuvring in 2006, he was inundated with calls from former members who had either left the group, or had been excommunicated for what were often “capricious” reasons.
For those who leave, the doctrine of separation becomes more acute, and they lose all contact with family and friends who remain in the sect.
“The doctrine of separation remains as firm today as ever,” said Bachelard. “It’s still causing human suffering among people who have left.”
One of the central stories within Michael Bachelard’s book is that of the Alderton family. Alison Alderton is described as a Brethren “blue blood”, having come from a family of high achievers which even included a former Sydney lord mayor. Despite her pedigree, Alison Alderton was cut out of the group in 1980 ‘ leaving four of her children behind.
“The Brethren say all this happened decades ago and that it’s irrelevant. But that’s just not true. It is relevant today because these people are being denied access to their children and grandchildren.
“Alison Alderton has four children still within the sect, 18 grandchildren and a number of great children who she’s never met. She has no way of contacting them and doesn’t know who they are.”
Bachlard said the legal system has proved totally inadequate for those who leave the sect.
“The legal system presumes that people will have contact and time with both parents and that’s not happening where a court awards time with a non-Brethren parent,” he said. “Very often the children are simply never delivered for contact or if they are it’s grudging and the children are rude and obstructive to their non-Brethren parents because they’re [considered] evil.”
Another legal tool favoured by the Brethren are Apprehended Violence Orders.
When the Brethren splits a family apart, Bachelard said that non-Brethren parents often receive an AVO.
“These are very easy to get, and will have the effect of having this separation enforced legally.”
Michael Bachelard is particularly critical of the sects political ambitions. Given their ruthless attack on families, Bachelard struggles to see why Bruce Hales should have been granted access to the former prime minister, John Howard.
“Howard was reluctant to talk in any detail about the Australian association of the Exclusive Brethren,” he said. “All he said was that they are constituents and I met plenty of [them]. But the correspondence that I’ve noted in the book between them shows a very deep level of contact over many years.
Over the years John Howard had given them very good help, without anybody really knowing about it.”
The Exclusive Brethren have threatened Michael Bachelard with legal action on several occasions over numerous stories he has written about the group. Yet he is unrepentant. He also denies that they broader media has treated the sect prejudicially.
“When the Roman Catholics speak about a subject, George Pell will come out with some statement’ Bruce Hales has never been interviewed by anyone. He’s never been photographed by anyone or certainly not in recent years.