6. Russell Kirk and Mike Mattlage Tear Apart Noahide Group in Waco, TX.
As you will see Mike Mattlage and Russell Kirk will attempt to discredit and even destroy the reputations of anyone who disagrees with them or gets in the way of their agenda. Here we see Russell's admission to splitting the Waco Noahide Group and next to that a letter I received from one of George's students telling me about the reality of what was done to George Brock and this Noahide Waco Group.
Dear Ray,
My name is and I am a proud member of Noahide Nations and George Brock's group in Waco Texas. It has been brought to my attention through an e-mail composed by Russell Kirk and Mike Mattledge, allegations made against George Brock.
That George said:
1) Rabbi Brody made some sort of 'black list'.
2) People can damage and lose their soul.
3) Misinterpretation on 'Ger' definitions.
I felt compelled to write this letter to not only to defend George and Rabbi Brody, but also to clarify a few points and explain the underlining circumstances that have led up to this.
About 6-8 years ago Mike and Russell were students of George Brock, and a discord developed between Mike and Russell's position and George's position on 3 points:
1) Are Noahides under the Kosher Laws?
2) Is Noahism a stepping stone Religion to convert to Judaism?
3) Should beginner Noahides learn the Zohar?
Mike and Russell's position;
1. Noahides are under the Jewish Kosher Laws.
2. Noahism is a stepping stone Religion to convert to Judaism.
3. Beginning students should learn the Zohar.
George's position;
1. Noahides are not under the Jewish Kosher laws, We should bless our food, and find out what we can and can't do.
2. Noahism is a separate Religion under the umbrella of Judaism.
3. Beginning students should be concerned with reading the weekly Torah portion (parsha), recite the 'Shema' in the morning and at night and bless your food before and after eating. That it is not a good idea to study the Zohar until one can understand it.
The result of this discord:
1.Mike and Russell separated from George's group and Noahide Nations and started teaching groups of their own.
2. Mike and Russell attached themselves to Rabbi Richmond, Rabbi Baskt, and Rabbi Schwartz.
3. George continued his group teaching his positions and attached our group to the teachings of the Sages, Ramban and Rambam and the guidance of Shalom Arush,Rabbi Brody and recently Rabbi Bloomsteil. Some of George's students also attended Mike's classes.
Recently a course by Rabbi Bloomsteil started and George and I are students of this wonderful course. After a few courses, a few things came to light for us, such as;
1. What the definitions of the 'Ger Tzaddik and Ger Toshav' were.
2. Noahism is a separate Religion attached to the reaffirmation of the 7 Noahide laws at Sinai.
3. We should not do blessings with the words 'commanded Israel' in them.
4. That we were misled by some people when we performed our 'Beit Din'.
5. That the mainstream Rabbinical community is the Authority that we were looking for.
George contacted Brandon (the longest student of the Friday night classes) and explained that we were going to follow the mainstream authority and explained that we have made the right choices over the years attaching ourselves to Nachman and Rabbi Brody and now Rabbi Bloomsteil. Brandon immediately called me and asked me about Rabbi Bloomsteil and I expressed the excitement I felt. And I made a statement that we are living in a time when one should be more concerned with the Spiritual and the Soul than the physical and the body. And I feel that if we follow the Authority that we will receive more truth and light. I believe that my conversation and George's conversation became combined when it was transmitted through Chaviar to Mike and then Russell. Mike called George and informed George that in the next class that Mike was going to give, he was informing the students of his class that they could no longer learn from Himself and George at the same time. They were no longer welcome if they continued to learn from George.
George was upset and held a meeting with the students and explained why we were following Nachman, Brody and Bloomsteil, because we have grown so much from learning about the importance of 'Emuna'- 'T'shuvah' and 'Hitbodidut' from Nachman and Brody that the thing we were lacking was structure and guidelines on what we can and can't do. Rabbi Bloomsteil is that missing piece, we are finally being heard from the mainstream authority and we are going to receive guidance in the area we need it the most. George explained to the students that they were going to be forced to make a choice by Mike. Regardless of what choice they were going to make, they are loved and welcome to attend class anytime, that there is no animosity towards them at all, sadly to say they were becoming collateral damage and we are sorry for that.
The result of these slanderous accusations is an attack on;
1) George personally.
2) George's character.
3) The mentors and Rabbi Brody.
4) The core of the teachings of George's class.
5) The students being torn apart in the process.
6) The credibility of George in the Jewish community and the Noahide community.
7) The respect of a former teacher.
8) The relationship between George and Rabbi Brody.
9) The mainstream authority.
10) Noahide Nations.
After understanding the underlining root of the problem one can see why this resurfaced at this time. With the teachings of Rabbi Bloomsteil, situations have come to light, some of us are willing to adhere to the guidance of the mainstream authority regardless of what adjustments we need to make in order to have a structure and unity. And some of us choose not to, and rifts like this occur. What is unsettling is that this became a personal attack on George, off of a grapevine of 5th hand news. Instead of going to the source to verify the comments. By taking information off a chain of 5 private conversations and compiling your own conclusions can cause the truth to get lost in the process.
George did not make any derogatory statements against Rabbi Brody, Quite the contrary; He stated that we owe Rabbi Brody an insurmountable debt and we are grateful and honored to attach ourselves to such a great Rabbi. In actuality, by sending that e-mail, Russell was the one who accused Rabbi Brody and said it was on George's behalf. And the e-mail attacked the definitions we learned from Rabbi Bloomsteil on the 'Ger'. Which is ironic that the subject under attack was a subject involving the root problem with the difference on opinions concerning conversion. I take responsibility for the conversation I had with Brandon and the statement I made about Souls, which turned into the opposite of what I said when it came out in the e-mail.
In conclusion;
As I stated earlier I felt compelled to write this letter because I do not feel it is right to slander George when anyone who knows him, knows that is not at all the kind of man he is. And to try to pit George against his Mentor is wrong. Someone needs to stop this travesty and keep it from happening again. There is enough division between the Noahides we do not need to create falsified personal attacks to add fuel to the fire. George is my instructor, teacher, Spiritual guide, mentor and most important, my friend. Please help stop the unjust accusations.
Sincerely,