After decades of obscurity, the FBI has launched an investigation into the secretive ‘ Two by Two’ sect. Nearly every aspect of this religious group is secret. The group was founded in Ireland in 1897 by William Irvine. Known to its members as ‘The Way’ or ‘The Truth,’ the group has long eluded legal oversight. While some leaders have been sentenced to prison, advocates hope this will be a step forward for survivors.
The founder of the sect, railed against organized religion. He believed that the only way to spread the gospel was to do as Christ instructed in the Book of Matthew: to send missionaries out to live among those they sought to convert in pairs. The volunteer preachers, known as workers, go out two by two” to live in the homes of followers.
At its peak, the sect had several million members. Now that number is less than 85,000. While other organizations have faced similar accusations, the ‘Two by Two’ sect has a unique structure that has made it difficult to fight abuse. Workers are supposed to take a vow of poverty and rely on the faithful for shelter and food. This does not mean that the sect lacks assets to pay settlements to abuse victims.
A growing number of public allegations has placed a spotlight on the secretive group. While ministry leaders have publicly condemned the abuse, victims allege the group’s leaders protected abusers. The allegations document more than 900 abusers and survivors in 30 countries. A Hulu documentary has also drawn attention to this secretive group.
One woman, who goes by her last name, expressed her emotions to CBS. She thinks that the attention has created a surprising sense of “strength in numbers.” She went on to say “There are so many who are frustrated and disheartened, but there’s also camaraderie in that, and support.” Webb was abused by a worker who visited her Michigan home when she was 11.
She explained the attitude that creates this abuse. “You have this mindset that they are angels in your home. They can do no wrong, so you don’t have any kind of wall up,” she said. “It was just the perfect storm created, the perfect recipe for this kind of behavior.” Unfortunately, Webb was not the only person to describe her abuse at the hands of the workers.
Another worker Americo Quispe fled Peru in the early 2000s after he was accused of inappropriate behavior. He was relocated to Garland, Texas where he soon found additional victims. He was reported to police but fled back to his home nation. While he was never convicted in Texas, he was jailed for 30 years in Peru on charges of molestation.
In February the Omaha FBI field office launched an investigation. Reaction from the organization has been mixed. Some workers welcome the chance to clean up the sect, while others have been resistant. At a recent convention in Canada, a worker avoided mention of the scandal but instructed the row to abandon “evil speakings.”It’s more easy to be critical than to be correct,” preached a worker from Australia. “If you feed on problems, it will only make more problems. But if you focus on the Lord, it will lead to solutions.”