An Open Letter to my Grandson on Your 8th Birthday - 2/12/2022
I am writing this Open Letter because I cannot see you today, your 8th birthday. I write it in hopes that someday when you are old enough and able to make your own decisions, you will read these words and hear the truth about me, your Grandfather, and the rest of your family.
The last time I saw you was on June 25, 2020. I will never forget how you cried out, "Bopa!!!" and ran into my arms for a beautiful hug. You said, "I've missed you so much!" It broke my heart. You didn't see it, but tears were running down my cheeks because I knew that it would be a long time before I would see you again.
I am the pastor and Grandfather who baptized you many years ago. At the time, God affirmed His covenant with you in Christ, and I believe He will bring the promise of salvation to you through faith in Jesus Christ. In the end, that's all that really matters in this life.
I do not know what lies you may have been told about me, hopefully, none. But I assure you, if anyone has, with God as my witness, anything negative spoken about me are lies from the pit of hell, and those who told them or did not contradict them will stand before God and give an answer for this evil. I pray daily for the light of God's truth to shine forth to expose all falsehoods and lies.
The reality is that I love you more than you can know, and I grieve for our mutual loss and the time that cannot be recovered. I hope that we can come to know one another when you are older. Perhaps you will want to learn chess, juggling, or how to collect yellow jackets.
I want you to know that I often think of you and pray for you. But, I am not the only one who misses and prays for you. I know for a fact that others in your family miss and pray for you as well. Not seeing you is not our choice, and I know I speak for many others in your family when I say you are loved.
Perhaps, someday when you read these words, they will help you understand why we are not celebrating your birthday with you in person. Perhaps, this letter will help heal any grief and confusion caused by this loss.
Since I have been slandered on social media, I feel compelled to comment. No, we did not raise our kids in a cult. We believed and still believe in the Bible. The church I pastored had no association with Advanced Training Institute (ATI). We did, and I still do, believe in the theology put forth in the Westminster Confession of Faith (1647) that affirms a literal six-day creation, as well as the theology of the Reformed faith. If that is anyone's definition of a cult, they are deeply confused and deceived.
I pray that the breach of relationship will be healed before you grow into a man. By the way, I have for you several hours of home videos of your mom and her siblings from her baptism, well into her teens. So you can see for yourself that my children grew up in a good, healthy, godly, and nurturing home raised by two loving and attentive parents. Of course, we do not claim perfection. What parent can? But we raised our children in the Lord, in the Church, homeschooled them, and took time for daily prayer, fun family weekly outings, and yearly family vacations.
If I am dead and gone by the time you read this, I encourage you to seek out, talk to, and get to know the rest of your family. No one has shunned you or your parents. However, others have broken with the rest of the family by believing and spreading pernicious lies about me to the rest of the family. The videos I wrote about above testify to the truth of what I am saying. Your aunts and grandmother have copies for you to see for yourself.
It is sad for me to write these words knowing that you will not read them or understand them on your birthday. But I take comfort that you will someday have the opportunity to find out for yourself what is real and what is delusional fiction.
I love you, my dear Grandson. The entire family loves you as well. I trust God will rectify the injustice done to you and the rest of us and that those who have participated in the lies, deception, and delusion will repent of their sin and come into the Truth found in Christ alone.
Happy Birthday
With Love,
Grandpa Patterson, a.k.a "Bopa"
2/12/2022
P.S.
I hope those surrounding him will read this. I call upon you to repent of your sin. The Bible clearly states that God will harshly judge those who sin against children. (Matthew 18:6) I pray anyone involved will repent while you have time and before it is too late.
