Shamed, Blamed, & Silenced | EP010 | Interview with Lauren Beckman
Lauren Beckman was born and raised in The LIving Word Fellowship, her early life spent in San Diego where she was separated from her mother as a teenager and sent to be a live-in servant for her shepherd where she was physically, emotionally and mentally abused. In early adulthood, she moved to the Church of The Living Word in Los Angeles, where the abuse only escalated. Not only was Lauren regularly abused by Rick Holbrook, but she shares with us a traumatic sexual assault perpetrated by a member of the Fellowship, which was covered up by church leadership, including Marilyn and Gary Hargrave. Through all of the abuses she endured, Lauren was instructed not to tell her mother, report abuses to authorities, or seek professional help. She tells us about the lasting effects these experiences have on her and how she continues to work toward healing.
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Scott and Charity are former members, born and raised in The Living Word Fellowship. They are investigating this organization, founded by John Robert Stevens in 1951, that branded itself as a Christian church for over seventy years but turned out to be just another cult. Stevens demanded full submission of his followers until his death in 1983 and when his successors, Gary & Marilyn Hargrave took over, the beliefs and practices became even more extreme as they levied control over the congregants for the next three decades.
In 2018 a former member finally spoke up after Marilyn's death accusing her son of abuse. There are five active lawsuits. The organization is a shadow of what it once was, but some remain believers of John Robert Stevens' teachings and many maintain loyalty to Gary Hargrave. Gary has a new following on social media and an active "ministry".
If you or someone you know has a mental illness, is struggling emotionally, or has concerns about their mental health, there are ways to get help. Use these resources to find help for you, a friend, or a family member:
https://988lifeline.org/
https://www.nimh.nih.gov/health/find-help
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