Dean Bruer, Senior Minister in Two-By-Two Sect Involved in Multiple Sexual Abuse Cases

-

TW: CSA/Sexual Abuse


A worldwide non-denominational church group has just disclosed by way of a letter from the head minister, Doyle Smith in Oregon, that one of their senior ministers, Dean Bruer was found to have raped multiple women and children. Bruer was found deceased in a Government Camp, Oregon hotel room in June 2022, at which time he was the overseeing minister for Oregon. While it isn’t odd that someone died in a hotel room, it is highly unusual for one of this group’s homeless ministers to be staying alone in a hotel when one of the bases of their belief system is that ministers are to stay in the homes of members. Bruer was 67 years old and had been in the ministry for 46 years.





What is shocking about this case is what was disclosed in the letter. Evidence was found on the phone, laptop, and in the records of this minister of his crimes, yet the ministry failed to notify authorities or alert members until this letter was written nine months after the body was discovered, and even then authorities were not notified.





This religious sect doesn’t take a name but is often referred to as The Way or The Truth by members and outsiders refer to them as two-by-twos. The ministers are single, celibate, have no property, and live in the homes of members. Ministers are referred to as workers or servants and members are referred to as saints. 


In her book Preserving the Truth author Cherie Krop states “While the 2x2 Sect does not provide membership statistics, researchers, reporters, and others have come up with a wide range of figures. According to the Wikipedia page, membership for "Two by Twos" ranges from 300,000 to 4 million worldwide. In 2022, however, a more probable rough estimate is 75,000 current members worldwide.”


In full disclosure, I am an ex-member of this church and belong to a Facebook group of about 1K ex-members where this news broke yesterday. Most of us are in shock at the news and are familiar with many past coverups of sexual abuse and child sexual assault by members of the ministry. 


When it came to the attention of the Facebook group members that law enforcement was not informed of the crimes that are referenced in the letter, group members reached out to authorities on March 23, 2023. Since then, and presumably due to this being exposed by ex-members, minister Doyle Smith apparently turned the laptop referenced in his letter of March 20th over to local authorities in Clackamas County, Oregon. 





Due to the nature of the crimes and the possibility there are more victims, I believe this needs to be reported in the news so that victims can get the help they need. Although we were able to get a copy of the letter we have been told that ministers have been directed to read it to elders in the church but aren’t allowed to provide copies to anyone. As this minister worked in Alaska, Washington, Louisiana, Montana, Wyoming, Oregon, and Idaho, and traveled extensively due to his senior position, there could be victims in many places. 


Clackamas County Sheriff's office can be reached at 503-655-8211 for victims or information regarding the case. The case number is 23-006111.


Private Investigator Hotline to report any cases of sexual abuse within the two-by-two sect:

Call the Hotline +1 503-386-4634 to report any tips regarding SA/CSA, money laundering, etc. All calls are confidential and are welcome from anywhere in the world.
All reactions:
Helle Madsen

Wellness Together Canada To connect with a mental health professional one-on-one: call 1-888-668-6810 or text WELLNESS to 686868 for youth. call 1-866-585-0445 or text WELLNESS to 741741 for adults.




Location: Clackamas, OR, USA

Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

The Harmful Stereotype of Queer Men as Predators: How Homophobia Perpetuates Dangerous Narratives

-
Image
In a recent post on X (formerly Twitter), Curtis Stone singled me out by questioning my use of the handle "QueerGranddad" and implying that there’s something questionable about my identity because I am both queer and a grandfather. His rhetoric taps into an insidious stereotype that queer men, especially those who are openly proud of their identity, are somehow a danger to children. This damaging insinuation perpetuates a longstanding and harmful narrative that equates queerness with deviance or criminal behaviour. The Roots of Harmful Stereotypes The association between queer identity and predatory behavior is a harmful stereotype that dates back decades, originating from misinformation, fear, and prejudice. The notion that queer people, particularly gay men, pose a danger to children was heavily popularized during the "Save Our Children" campaign led by Anita Bryant in the 1970s. This campaign equated homosexuality with pedophilia and positioned LGBTQIA+ individua
Read more

Unveiling the Threat to Democracy: Take Back Alberta's Dangerous Game Plan for School Boards

-
Image
Benita Pedersen (left) with David Parker at the United Conservative Party AGM - Facebook "Leaked audio provides details on how Take Back Alberta (TBA), in concert with a loose coalition of far right groups, are meeting monthly and working on building a slate of candidates to take over school boards in the 2025 municipal elections. After they win, TBA founder David Parker and his allies plan to purge the education system of workers and administrators who believe in basic rights, protections and dignity for 2SLGBTQ+ students and workers." --  The Progress Report In a shocking revelation, leaked audio exposes Take Back Alberta's (TBA) clandestine efforts, in collaboration with far-right groups, to manipulate municipal elections and infiltrate school boards. This alarming plan, outlined by TBA founder David Parker, is not just an assault on democracy; it poses a grave danger to the principles of inclusivity, diversity, and the democratic process itself. Undermining the Bedroc
Read more

Announcing Alberta's New Don't Say Gay Bill

-
Image
Imagine you're 10 year old Alex who identifies as part of the 2SLGBTQ+ community, you walk into class and half or more of your classmates aren't there because their parents opted them out... I dub the recently announced educational policy by Premier Smith of Alberta as the "Don’t Say Gay AKA Trans Panic" policy. This initiative appears to draw inspiration from one of Smith's admired figures, Governor Ron DeSantis of Florida. The policy seems tailored to accommodate parents who are hesitant to acknowledge the very existence of 2SLGBTQ+ youth, as if the acknowledgment itself might influence their own children, some of whom may identify as queer, to become part of the LGBTQ+ community simply by learning about the realities of the world. Picture this. As the new policy takes effect, schools across Alberta implement the opt-in requirement for discussions on gender identity, sexual orientation, and human sexuality. A student from the 2SLGBTQ+ community, let's call t
Read more