Talismans In Textbooks

Homestead Heritage not only writes their own homeschool curriculum, they've also selected books and other materials that they deem somewhat appropriate for their members' use. These books and materials are then sold by Homestead, with caveats, to the members with school aged children. Edit sheets are provided with books for parents to alter pictures or text that Homestead finds objectionable.

Controlling The Worship

Woe be unto the person who doesn't worship in the prescribed way in a Homestead Heritage Sunday meeting. Situations like this are the reason Sunday meetings are not open to visitors. On the rare occasion that a visitor was present, things like this didn't happen. At least not publicly. 

WFAA Investigates Homestead Heritage

WFAA has recently purged some material from their website. The original links to the stories on Homestead Heritage here and here now give a 404 error. Fortunately, I have the videos available on YouTube. I'll consolidate the videos and the text articles taken from another website here.

On Intellectual Property Rights

Homestead's Intellectual Property Assignment

In 2007, Homestead Heritage distributed an Intellectual Property Assignment to its members. This ensures "the transfer of an owner’s property rights in copyrights, trademarks, patents, trade secrets, or other intangible creations." (Source) These assets would now become the sole property of Homestead Heritage. This applies to all members of the community, and not just those employed in some way by the community. 

An Association

Jared Wayman and Homestead Heritage in 

Kimbolton, New Zealand

(Source)

Homestead Heritage has a small community in Kimbolton, New Zealand headed by a man named Jared Wayman. Jared submits to the leadership of Asahel Adams who is the son of Homestead Heritage founder, Blair Adams. Jared was heard saying he "accepts everything that comes down from Homestead Heritage without question." 

The group consists of about five families who moved to Kimbolton after they weren't very well received in the South. They have been "working together to takeover and upgrade Hansen's Cafe & Store." (Source) 

Be aware that the same doctrines and practices at Homestead Heritage in Waco, TX will be practiced by this group in Kimbolton, New Zealand. 

Milieu Control

Controlling the Communication

Milieu control is one of the eight criteria for thought reform outlined by Robert J. Lifton. Milieu control "includes other techniques to restrict members' contact with the outside world and to be able to make critical, rational, judgments about information." (Source)  Cindy Kunsman states that "if any info is allowed to permeate the group, it has to come from a pre-approved source." (Source)

One of the ways that Homestead Heritage exerts milieu control is by restricting members' access to the internet. In 2010 they developed a pattern for "Cell Phones and Mobile Internet Use." 

Child Training

"Spank Until You Draw Blood"

WFAA did a good job bringing attention to the physical abuse of children in Homestead Heritage. The group actually had child training classes instructing parents on how to discipline their children. Following are some notes taken during these training classes: