Hi DU, I need some help tracking down Exclusive Brethren information....

[althecat]

Hi DU, I need some help...

What's the Exclusive Brethren doing spending $$$ in NZ Elections?

We are having an election down here in NZ. There have been lots of dirty tricks and allegations about American interference in the media. The latest involves the Exclusive Brethren church... which appears to have also been active in the US... they seem to be spending $500k down here which is rather unusual for a congregation of just 2000 (per census)

See...
http://www.scoop.co.nz/stories/PA0509/S00170.htm

I would be very interested in anything anyone can tell me about the Exclusive Brethren's political connections in the US and how they operate.

Cheers
Al

P.S. Another American Name that has come up in recent reports is that of Julian Robertson... he is reportedly a billionaire and owns some golf courses down here.

See also...Wire report just out...NZPA is the NZ Press Association

By Sue Eden of NZPA
Wellington, Sept 7 NZPA - The Exclusive Brethren church has been
backing the National Party, taking out newspaper advertisements and
visiting National Party MPs to discuss election issues, author
Ngaire Thomas says.
Mrs Thomas, a former member of the church who has written the
book Behind Closed Doors about her time there, today said the
Exclusive Brethren had stepped up its efforts to get a change of
government, and had a lot of money to do it.
The Green Party says it has discovered five people behind a
``smear'' leaflet campaign against Labour and the Greens are members
of the secretive Exclusive Brethren church.
Green Party co-leader Jeanette Fitzsimons said she found this
strange, as she understood the church had a strict rule that it did
not get involved in politics and that its members were not even
allowed to vote.
But Mrs Thomas today told NZPA the church had been increasing its
political efforts.
``Up until the last election all they did was hold lots of prayer
meetings to pray the government into power. They've always supported
a conservative government all over the world but this is the first
election where they've become quite so vocal about it.''
The Exclusive Brethren had backed the re-election of United
States President George W Bush and Australian prime minister John
Howard but was now getting involved in getting National into power
in New Zealand, she said.
US newspaper reports in January said the Thanksgiving 2004
Committee, whose members were Exclusive Brethren, spent more than
$US500,000 ($NZ713,500) on newspaper advertisements.

[Canuckistanian]

1. For people who don't use any technology

They're pretty media-savvy.

Follow the money. I say.

[wysi]

2. Russell Brown...

... had some links today (7 Sept.) on his blog.

http://publicaddress.net/default,hardnews.sm

As an American living in NZ, this frightens me. One of the main reasons that I prefer to live overseas is to stay away from the fundie nutcases.

[mzteris]

3. here

http://prodigal.typepad.com/prodigal_kiwi/2005/07/behind_closed_d.html

which leads to here:

http://www.emergentkiwi.org.nz/archives/exclusive_brethren.php

which leads to here:

http://www.bbc.co.uk/religion/religions/christianity/subdivisions/brethren/

and here:

http://www.cults.co.nz/ae.php

[althecat]

4. Thanks... the plot is thickening now

The Exclusive Brethren held a press conference today and said they were not working with anyone in NZ.... which begs the question who are they working with!