Read this site...and the JWs think THEY have the troof?
http://w3.ime.net/~wchesley/bruderhof/our_experiences.html
sample quotes:
As a visitor or guest, you are told, "We are not perfect" and "If you find something lacking in us, let us know." But if what you perceive as wrong in the community is different than what the community feels is wrong, then you are as likely as not to be asked to not visit again. One recent visitor who asked about the lawsuits the Bruderhof had filed told me that he was asked: "What are you really seeking?". He was then told that it would be best if he not visit again until he decides. He was devastated because he, like so many others, loves the ideals of the Bruderhof. Experiencing some of the reality of the Bruderhof was shaking to him. "
"A brotherhood member takes a vow to speak up when he sees something wrong in the community. But if, as a member, you don't criticize what the leadership criticizes and praise what the leadership praises you are likely to be considered "of the wrong Spirit" and "not in unity with the Church" (which according to the theology of the Bruderhof means you are disconnected from God himself). If you're not in unity with the church you are not allowed in the brotherhood meetings (the decision making assembly), and so you are disenfranchised. Of course that means you won't have an opportunity to upset a unanimous decision of the church. So while it seems miraculous to the outside observer that the brothers and sisters can be "of one heart and one mind", making their decisions unanimously, when one realizes that dissenters can be removed from the decision making body it looks less like a miracle and more like group think and power politics. "
""Bless those who persecute you"? The Bruderhof and its enemies.
One of the most amazing things we learned and experienced as a brotherhood member in the Bruderhof was the attitude and relationship of the Bruderhof toward its "enemies". If you read the "Plough" (the Bruderhof's periodical) you might almost think that the Bruderhof has no enemies. You wouldn't realize from casual contact with the Bruderhof how much emotional energy is spent by the members on their enemies. Sometimes brotherhood meetings (open to members only) are taken up with little more than denunciations of one enemy or another. But the only encounter the visitor or seeker at the Bruderhof is likely to have with this is to be told that there are people who oppose the Bruderhof, "As long as we follow Christ", or one might be warned away from certain organizations or people (We were good friends of the Bruderhof before we went there, we avoided its enemies and saw little contrary opinion of the Bruderhof). If a visitor should have contact with one of the Bruderhof's enemies he may himself become an enemy. This has been especially tragic for families which are divided between inside of and outside of the communities. They can be denied visiting privileges because of the contacts the outsiders have with the Bruderhof's "enemies". This is all the more so for a member -even if that supposed enemy is one of your own siblings or children. To have any contact with particular enemies can result in your being quickly expelled and barred from even seeing your family again, until such a a time as the brotherhood feels you may come back"