An Open Letter to Michelle Freeman (Calvary Temple)

An open letter to Michelle Freeman on her departure to South Carolina. A letter cherishing her transparency, and courage as she has stood up to Star Scott for nearly a decade. Also it’s my hope that she will remain in the fight and that she will come back to Loudoun when Star Scott is prosecuted and convicted for the allegations of sexual abuse. And I want to state that I believe that day is coming.

 “I paid good money for my children to be brainwashed and for my marriage to be ruined.”

Michelle in the Washington Post

“If I could give this place no stars at all, I would. Calvary Temple is a very controlling cult. When you first attend everything is so pretty and everyone is so nice. Once you are there and become hooked, so to speak, the “leadership” becomes controlling. I attended from 1995 until December 2007…my family was destroyed by this place. Please google Calvary Temple of Sterling, VA and you will see many articles from The Washington Post, the Loudoun Times-Mirror, many blogs and hundreds of negative posts and accounts. If you value your family, if you value yourself, if you truly want a good church , and there are many around, despite what Calvary Temple states, do not go to Calvary Temple. Please, do no ever go there. “

Michelle Freeman’s Google Review of Calvary Temple posted two weeks ago.

Beware of false prophets who come disguised as harmless sheep but are really vicious wolves.

Matthew 7:15 NLT

Mike Foster’s new sign…I wonder what Star Scott thinks of this?

Michelle Freeman (on right) protesting Calvary Temple

 

Michelle,

I just want to take a few moments and spend some time speaking about you and your situation with Calvary Temple. There is much to say especially as you left the Washington, D.C. area, but while you are physically away –  in spirit you still remain. So with that let me get started.

Michelle I still remember the first time I read about you one Sunday morning in the Washington Post. I recall sitting in my table reading this story, and for some reason saw the headline screaming out at me.  “In Va, a Powerful and Polarizing Pastor,” just glared out from the front page of the Post. For me the headline is jarring, it still is in many ways. I recall your picture in the newspaper. You staring out, in your eyes you could see the pain. You had gone through hell, and it reflected in your face. It took me by surprise to know that this was going on close to where I live. But here is the thing Michelle..back in 2008 I never thought I’d meet or get to know you. Of course I don’t know you as well as Ellen or the Fosters do. But I never thought that our lives would cross in many ways.

Last year I was on my lunch break and I noticed that Dee Parsons had highlighted a new blog called “Against Calvary Temple.” I read that and out of curiosity I Googled Calvary Temple and I was stunned by what I saw. Blog after blog and all these posts that just screamed cult. It disturbed me, and with that I read Dear Calvary Temple and read the story of Molly Fitch and when I saw how Star Scott had turned 4 of her children against  her I was stunned. I felt sick Michelle and wanted to vomit at my desk. That day I couldn’t get much done as this entire mess weighed on me deeply. Plus I was much more sensitive to this issue given what had occurred in my own life through an incident with a former Sovereign Grace Ministries church called Redeemer Arlington that I stayed away from. Michelle, I believe you and others who used to be in Calvary because in my own way I have seen the dark side of religion. I am grateful that Dee Parsons started to write about Calvary Temple and that you guys found another platform to express your concerns and issues with this cult. There are a lot of dark stories and issues in the D.C. metropolitan area but Calvary Temple with all the destroyed lives, shattered families, and torn apart marriages stands out as incredibly evil. I don’t know what pit in hell Star Scott crawled out of, but to be honest he needs to slither back into it.

Your story on The Wartburg Watch was one of the most transparent stories I have read in a long time. You were honest about how you got involved and how the Temple affected your marriage and family. Many people are often in denial about cults, sects and bad churches, but you explored yourself and were very vulnerable in your post. Your honesty and courage really shines. Many people have a hard time saying they were in a cult but you have been open about yourself in many ways Michelle. You are very transparent in your life and it stands in stark contrast to Star Scott. Michelle you have been fierce about wanting to shut down and prevent people from  getting involved in Calvary Temple. You have protested regularly from across the street nearly every Sunday morning. You have been vocal in many ways. Say speaking of protesting how do you like Mike Foster’s new sign? I got a chuckle when I heard about it and thought man…I wonder what Star Scott thinks when he pulls out of the parking lot and faces that banner! But speaking of signs you know what my personal favorite is? It’s the one you guys have done that says, “Stop the B.S. – Bob Scott.” I also get a chuckle out of that one as well.

Michelle those who have known you since you left CT have described you as strong, dedicated, caring, passionate and bold. I was also told when asked to describe your strongest attribute, its your strength especially as you persevere through all you have been through emotionally and psychologically. As Mike told me just being an ex-member is hard enough but you stood outside week after week for nearly a year which is a true testament to your strength and dedication. When I asked Mike Foster about you Michelle, and your effort to expose Star Scott he said the following. “I remember when I was still stuck in the cult, I read for the first time the 2008 Washington Post article by Michelle Boorstein titled ‘In Va., a Powerful and Polarizing Pastor’. I read this statement Michelle was quoted on making: ‘I paid good money for my children to be brainwashed and for my marriage to be ruined,’ and at the time I had no critical thinking skills to analyze what she was saying, I automatically responded with an attitude of: ‘well, she is disobeying God’. I look at that statement now and I understand clearly what she means having been through an almost similar situation myself in my own marriage, no children, but I have a deeper understanding now of the intricacies and complexities of brainwashing.  Her story is one more piece of the puzzle to thoroughly exposing Star R. Scott and his cult Calvary Temple. I know she has been interviewed by Crystal Owens of the Loudoun Times-Mirror as well as Dan Joseph of MRCTV, and I hope to interview her myself in the future, as I truly believe that every detail of every story of ex members is a vital aspect to successfully exposing Star R. Scott and Calvary Temple. Michelle has also been quite active off the protest site in sharing new blog posts from the various blog sites seeking to expose Calvary Temple. She truly has been a caring, passionate, and dedicated person.”

There is one thing I would like to do in the future Michelle as its been on my mind for a while. There are a lot of churches in the area from Tysons Corner to Leesburg. Some of those churches include places like Sterling Park Christian Church, Sterling Park Baptist, Faith Bible Church, Riverside Presbyterian, Reston Bible, New Life Church, and more. Where do they stand on this situation in Sterling? Honestly I have to ask the question…how can a pastor in one of these churches preach on the Good Samaritan parable and then ignore all the former members of Calvary and their families inside? To have all this pain…pouring out of Calvary…are all these pastors acting like the High Priest focused with getting to the temple and ignoring this situation? These are questions that I would like to pursue and take up with some of the pastors who lead these churches. Michelle, we need to stop the pain and we need to allow people to reconcile and become one. There are so many families that are in deep pain, and it needs to come to a close. Its heartbreaking to see and know all this has gone on. And damn-it we need to get Jonathan. Joshua, Sarah and Christina back to Molly. Plus other families that are divided and split need to be re-united again as well. No pastor should steal their children from their mother, that is just sick and outrageous.  

Michelle it was a pleasure to see you at your farewell as you were leaving for South Carolina. I have a couple of thoughts in that area as well.  First you have worked hard at exposing a cult that has caused intense pain. It’s my hope that you take the time to get settled in, explore your new community, and start to find friendships that can nourish and support you. Also…take this time to rest. Rest from all you have done and give yourself the ability to step back for a brief time and relax. Sleep in on a Sunday morning and play with your dog. Do all this because the truth Michelle is that many people need you. Mike Foster needs you, as does Ellen, Molly Fitch and so many more. After you rest please throw yourself back into the fray. You can write, publish, and do a lot on the internet from South Carolina. And that can be just as damning and problematic as well. It’s also my hope that you will come back and visit. When you do please give me notice because I would love to see you and protest Calvary with you. Perhaps you can arrange your next visit to coincide with the upcoming car show.

As I wind this letter down there is one other promise I am asking of you. As you know Star Scott is under investigation for allegations of sexual abuse. The investigation is ongoing and has been written up in the newspaper. Please promise me this Michelle…when the county moves to arrest, and prosecute Star Scott I hope you will be found sitting in a Loudoun County court room, crying to a series of returned guilty verdicts affirming the allegations. I hope you will be back here when it does happen. And Michelle I believe it will happen…it’s just a matter of time. Dictators fall and they fall hard. It doesn’t matter if its someone like Nicole Ceausescu or Star Scott…but at some point they fall. I believe Star Scott will eventually face prosecution and that will be the tipping point and end of Calvary Temple.

Take care Michelle, please know that I and so many others love you. We believe you, just as we believe Mike Foster and the others who have been harmed by this cult. Consider this letter as a long hug!

Very Respectfully,

David Bonner