003 Lauren Rohs and The Height of Complicity in the 2x2 Truth Church CSA/SA Scandal

The Hidden Truth: Breaking the Silence

In this episode of The Hidden Truth, we dive deep into the Christian fellowship that has maintained a painful silence for years.

Lauren Rohs joins us as our guest, sharing her experiences growing up in the fellowship and shedding light on its strict beliefs and lack of meaningful friendships.

We explore the evolution of the fellowship from her great-grandparents' era to the present day, and Lauren takes us on her personal journey of questioning and eventually leaving the community.

We delve into the unsettling aspects of control and the fear of asking questions that pervade the community. Lauren also shares her passion for playing the piano and her admiration for Rachmaninoff.

Moving beyond her life within the fellowship, Lauren discusses her experiences as a stripper and the difficult decision to give her child up for adoption. We explore her attempts to reconcile with her family and the shocking revelations she uncovered about her father's abusive behavior.

Throughout the conversation, I stress the importance of storytelling and the urgent need for radical change and reparations within the community. We discuss the fear and avoidance that prevent people from facing the truth and the devastating consequences of maintaining the status quo, particularly in cases of child sex abuse.

As the main speakers, we emphasize the significance of breaking the silence and exposing the harmful behavior that persists within the fellowship. We liken the secrecy to a form of "child sacrifice," as it allows the abuse to continue unchecked.

We express our outrage at those who dismiss these crimes due to their occurrence in the past, highlighting the ignorance and disrespect towards survivors. Drawing parallels to commemoration events like 9/11, we stress that the ongoing impact of these crimes necessitates support for survivors and a refusal to uphold appearances.

Quoting Jesus' teachings on the consequences of harming children, we condemn those who enable and cover up the abuse in the fellowship. We discuss the trauma triangle and the critical step of removing oneself from enabling abusive behavior. We highlight the magnitude of the problem, likening it to the reputation of the Catholic Church for enabling and covering up abuse.

We encourage listeners feeling overwhelmed to recognize their role and take action, promoting awareness and change. Expressing the need to stop being complicit and withdraw support from the system that enables child sex abuse, we acknowledge that making a change will take time but is absolutely possible. We express perplexity over the failure of educated individuals to recognize child sex abuse as a crime, perhaps due to flawed theology or doctrine that prioritizes personal salvation over speaking up against the institution.

As the main speakers, we point out the dangerous dynamics of a system where overseers are complicit with perpetrators. We reflect on our decision to write a letter to the overseers, knowing it wouldn't result in their stepping down but hoping to set a precedent for speaking out against those in power. We acknowledge that while some people may still idolize these individuals, survivors' stories and the accompanying data should be enough to wake people up.

Despite the recognition that survivors shouldn't have to repeatedly share their stories to be taken seriously, we discuss the importance of their narratives in leaving a lasting impact on listeners. We express a willingness to watch the organization implode if it means justice for survivors. As an outsider looking in, we share the mixed response we've received, ranging from praise to vilification, but state that we've become immune to both.

We express frustration at encountering individuals who should know better, such as a lawyer who wants survivors to come to him for information despite being close friends with a perpetrator. We emphasize the need for policy changes in light of the crisis, underscoring the lack of protection for children within the community. Expressing concern for educated individuals who refuse to acknowledge the need for systemic change, I share my personal frustration, particularly within my own family who dismiss my efforts and label me as crazy.

I stress that those who speak out against abuse are not the ones condemned to hell; rather, it is the actions of the child predators themselves. I call on others to focus their anger on the perpetrators and take action by not supporting them financially or granting them authority.

As the main speaker, I urge fence sitters to reckon with the issue and take an active role in the fight against abuse. I emphasize that survivors are not obligated to share their stories, placing the responsibility on the complicit community to take action and disrupt the status quo. In conclusion, we express our gratitude to Lauren for sharing her time and her important work. We stress that the focus should be on the thousands of survivors who need support and justice.

As a community, we owe them our love, support, and assistance. Thank you for tuning in to The Hidden Truth, and please remember to subscribe and share to help us reach and inspire more people. It is crucial that these stories are heard to raise awareness and support the survival of victims.