TEXAS
WFAA
by WFAA
Below is the complete, unedited statement from Homestead Heritage to WFAA, and below
Statement by Homestead Heritage for WFAA
Though we at Homestead Heritage have given dozens of media interviews in the past on all facets of our community, including our beliefs, our way of life, and even answering criticisms from former members, we chose not to grant an interview for this story. Our decision was due to the known agenda of the former members who instigated this story, the way the reporter approached the story, and our desire to protect the privacy of the innocent victims and families involved.
Though we disagree strongly with the approach of this story and have ample reason to doubt that it will be presented truthfully, we feel no personal animus towards the former members who accuse us or towards the media personnel involved. Our goal with any who may differ with us has always been reconciliation, not polarization. This is one reason why we feel the public media is not an appropriate forum for airing grievances, as that course inevitably tends to drive wedges deeper. Nonetheless, we also feel an obligation to let the truth be known and to do what we can to defend the honor of Jesus Christ and His work on the earth, whether that be in our own community or in any other individual or church expression. Thus we felt it appropriate to offer some explanation of our position in these matters.
First of all, we’ve become all too familiar with the character and agenda of the disgruntled former members that are the source of these slanderous and inflammatory, yet typically subjective and unverifiable, accusations against us. We’ve always discussed with anyone on a personal level any questions on any topic, provided they were asked respectfully and they didn’t become an inquisition. But we were concerned that countering in a public media forum a laundry list of false, sensational accusations and distortions would, at best, simply lend credence to a characterization of our community that was misleading in the very framing of the questions, not to mention as a whole.
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