The Brethren (Jim Roberts group)

The Brethren is one of several informal names for a nameless religious movement created by Jimmy T. "Jim" Roberts. Other names include the Brothers and Sisters and the garbage eaters, after their reputation for eating food from garbage bins. The movements' members shun material things and family, living essentially as vagrants and doing odd jobs to pay their expenses. The movement's way of life has led to accusations that it is a cult.

The Roberts group should not be confused with various other groups that have the word "brethren" in their names, nor with the freegan lifestyle.

Origins

Roberts, a former Pentecostalist, created the movement around 1971, drawing together followers of the Jesus Movement across the United States. At first they adopted a communal lifestyle. After several police raids and arrests in the 1970s, Roberts ordered members to keep their locations secret and not to communicate with their families. The members still fear being arrested or kidnapped at the request of distraught families, with instances reported as recently as 1998.

Beliefs

The movement directs new members to sell their possessions as counseled by Jesus in the Gospels. They do not distribute the proceeds to the poor, but hand them over to a local cell leader, or elder. The Brethren also maintain that there is no actual sacrament of the Eucharist, but that the bread and wine should be understood as only a metaphor for fellowship. They believe in wearing long beards, and in their women wearing long dresses and long hair. They essentially disallow marriages among single group members, maintaining that "the hour is too late."

ee also

* Christian cult

References

Further reading

Books

*cite book|first=Jim|last=Guerra|year=2000|title=From Dean's List to Dumpsters: Why I Left Harvard to Join a Cult|publisher=Dorrance Publishing

News reports

*cite news|first=Cornelius|last=Coleman|date=1998-09-03|title=Member: Life joyless before joining|work=Denver Post|url=http://www.rickross.com/reference/brethren/brethren1.html
*cite news|first=Sandi|last=Dolbee|date=1997-11-13|title=Brothers and Sisters use the Bible to their advantage|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|url=http://www.rickross.com/reference/brethren/brethren3.html
*cite news|author=Staff writer|date=2006-02-10|title=Father receives letter from missing daughter|work=Lawrence Journal-World|url=http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/feb/10/father_receives_letter_missing_daughter/
*cite news|first=Helen|last=Gao|date=2000-12-27|title=Missing Son Seeking God|work=Ventura County Star|url=http://www.rickross.com/reference/brethren/brethren6.html
*cite news|first=Emmy|last=Kondo|date=1998-03-25|title=The Clandestine Brotherhood|work=ABCNEWS.com|url=http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/garbage0324.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20010928230616/http://more.abcnews.go.com/sections/us/DailyNews/garbage0324.html|archivedate=2001-09-28
*cite news|first=Phillip J.|last=Lavelle|coauthors=Sandi Dolbee|date=1997-11-10|title=In the shadows|work=San Diego Union-Tribune|url=http://www.rickross.com/reference/brethren/brethren2.html
*cite news|first=Rebecca|last=Lopez|date=2000-11-28|title=Cult Targets College Students|work=WFAA.com|publisher=WFAA-TV|url=http://www.wfaa.com/wfaa/articledisplay/0,1002,16849,00.html|archiveurl=http://web.archive.org/web/20010208133652/http://www.wfaa.com/wfaa/articledisplay/0,1002,16849,00.html|archivedate=2001-02-08
*cite news|first=Dave|last=Raney|date=2006-02-08|title=Family believes cult lured daughter|work=Lawrence Journal-World|url=http://www2.ljworld.com/news/2006/feb/08/family_believes_cult_lured_daughter/?city_local
*cite news|first=Deanna|last=Richards|date=2006-02-07|title=Missing daughter believed to be with cult|work=6 News Lawrence|url=http://www.6newslawrence.com/news/2006/feb/07/missing_daughter_believed_be_cult/
*cite news|first=Michael|last=Robeson|date=2001-09-07|title=Time spent with the Brethren brings self-reflection and many questions|work=Rocky Mountain Collegian|url=http://media.www.collegian.com/media/storage/paper864/news/2001/09/07/UndefinedSection/Time-Spent.With.The.Brethren.Brings.SelfReflection.And.Many.Questions-1697896.shtml
*cite news|first=Francis|last=Sanzaro|date=2001-09-05|title=Controversy surrounds The Brethren|work=Rocky Mountain Collegian|url=http://media.www.collegian.com/media/storage/paper864/news/2001/09/05/UndefinedSection/Controversy.Surrounds.The.Brethren-1697853.shtml
*cite news|first=Diane|last=Sawyer|date=1998-03-25|title=The Brethren|work=Primetime|publisher=ABC|url=http://www.rickross.com/reference/brethren/brethren4.html
*cite news|first=Bill|last=Sheill|date=1998-05-11|title=Held Captive By A Cult|work=NewsNet5.com|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/321137/detail.html
*cite news|first=Bill|last=Sheill|date=1998-05-11|title=Kidnapped From A Cult|work=NewsNet5.com|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/321079/detail.html
*cite news|first=Bill|last=Sheill|date=1998-05-11|title=Cult Con Men|work=NewsNet5.com|url=http://www.newsnet5.com/news/321233/detail.html
*cite news|first=Allison|last=Sherry|date=1998-09-98|title=Students warned about cults|work=Rocky Mountain Collegian|url=http://media.www.collegian.com/media/storage/paper864/news/1998/09/08/UndefinedSection/Students.Warned.About.Cults-1692844.shtml
*cite news|first=Mary|last=Vorsino|date=2000-10-20|title=U. Hawaii students still missing, possibly in cult|work=Honolulu Star-Bulletin|url=http://www.rickross.com/reference/brethren/brethren5.html

External links

* [http://www.religioustolerance.org/body_chr.htm B.A. Robinson, Religioustolerance.org by the Ontario Consultants on Religious Tolerance, "The Brethren (Jim Roberts) a.k.a. The Brotherhood, Garbage Eaters, etc." March 17, 2006]
* [http://members.tripod.com/~nfishel/index.html The Roberts Group Parents Network]
* [http://www.rickross.com/groups/brethren.html Rick A. Ross Institute, The Brethren: Jim Roberts' Group - aka "The Garbage Eaters"]
* [http://home.dejazzd.com/jszimhart/jim_roberts_cult_ex.htm Joe Szimhart review of From Dean's List To Dumpsters]