Family FAQs

What is the role of women in the Twelve Tribes?

Some are academic teachers. Others teach art or music or apprenticeship courses for our youth. We are writers, bakers, Caféworkers, creators of curriculum, bookkeepers, clothing designers and seamstresses, artist/sign makers, and shopkeepers. Some of us write poetry and set it to music, others choreograph dances. Many of us run household kitchens that are the equivalent of sizeable restaurants, organizing the serving of home-cooked meals at least three times daily, not to mention hospitality for guests and special gatherings and meetings at a moment's notice. Many of us do several things along with being wives and mothers. It is according to the need and what each person is able to do. Finally, all of us are priests, sharing in the work of publicly praying and speaking our Father's word morning and evening, which for us is the highest calling anyone in the Community can aspire to. In reality there is practically nothing that we "can't do", but we choose not to do certain things.

For more information, read Sharon Brosseau's article on the role of women in our community.

Do you spank your children?

Yes, we do. We love our children and consider them precious and wonderful. Because we love them we do spank them. We teach them to listen to what their parents say and to obey their parents and teachers. When they are disobedient or intentionally hurtful to others we spank them with a small reed-like rod, which only inflicts pain and not damage. Desiring to be good parents, we do not hit our children in anger, nor with our hand or fist. And we know that discipline is ineffective unless our child is ready to receive instruction.

We know that some people consider this aspect of our life controversial, but we have seen from experience that discipline keeps a child from becoming mean-spirited and disrespectful of authority. The Columbine tragedy in particular points to the potentially terrible consequences of children left to themselves, who are not held accountable for their actions.

Are your child-rearing practices abusive?

Not at all. We teach that parents are to promptly spank their children whenever they disobey. If a parent is faithful to do this, the child sees that discipline is consistent and fair and based on an objective standard. As a result, the child is secure and learns respect. The parent also does not become frustrated or angry with the child. It is only when a parent is frustrated that abuse is likely to occur. A psychologist who studied these practices in connection with a custody case in 1994 found that they are "based on developmentally sound principles of discipline."

For more information, you can read Dr. Knapp's psychological report from the 1994 Rutland, VT case Lavin v. Lavin.

Are men and women equal in the Twelve Tribes?

Equal, yes. Identical, no. "Man," created in the image of God, is composed of two parts: male and female, as it says in Genesis 1:27. Each has a separate function, like the heart and the head. Both are equally necessary, but they are not interchangable.

Do you use child labor?

If "child labor" means putting children to work in oppressive conditions, as a labor force to secure our income, the answer is explicitly "no." We do include our children (side by side with their parents) in some of our work activities: caring for farm animals, learning carpentry skills, learning how to work on cars, planting and harvesting, learning to work with their hands. We teach our children proper values, such as diligence, thrift, and hard work.

For more information, read and listen to Sharon Brosseau's speech at the Cambridge Press Conference "For Love, Not Money".

Are minors allowed to join your group?

Sometimes parents do allow their children to join us before they turn 18. If parents do not allow this, we tell interested youth that they must wait until they are of legal age.

How are older people cared for within the Community?

Because we live a tribal life (as one large family), older people are always needed. They do not retire, they do not go on welfare, and they do not get stuck in nursing homes. We care for each other within our households.

What role do animals have in the life of the Twelve Tribes?

In our communities, animals live under the rule of human beings, as God intended. On our farms we may keep barn cats to deal with rodents, or workhorses to serve us. There we also have chickens, cows, and goats, because we want to eat organic eggs, drink fresh milk, raise our own beef, and make our own yogurt and cheese. Taking the life of an animal for food is a very serious activity, and not something we do lightly, knowing that we will answer to the Creator for how we treat his Creation. We involve our children in every facet of caring for our animals so they can learn to treat all living creatures with respect and kindness.