Barlow Breakaway with Candice

Apr 30, 2025

Candice Curran, a teacher who grew up in the Bob Barlow Group in Queensland, discusses her concerns about the treatment of women and children in high-control groups. She draws striking parallels between the Truth 2x2s and the Barlow Group, emphasizing the risks of creating new sects without addressing old ideologies. The conversation touches on themes of coerced marriage, purity culture, and emotional struggles faced by those leaving such communities. Candice advocates for better support and understanding for individuals trying to break free.

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ANECDOTE

Bob Barlow's Breakaway Group

Bob Barlow started his own breakaway group from the Truth 2x2s around 1980-1982. - He recruited vulnerable families using his strong, charismatic personality and retained many similar beliefs and practices.

INSIGHT

Fear-Based Ideology and Perfectionism

Bob Barlow's teachings fostered fear, gloom, and no joy or encouragement among followers. - The ideology was fear-based, emphasizing perfection and works to earn salvation with no guarantee of entry to heaven.

ANECDOTE

Children's Harsh Meeting Environment

Children were expected to sit quietly without moving or making noise for hours during meetings. - Punishments were given for minor disruptions, creating a fearful environment that forced dissociation in kids.

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We explore the similarities between the Truth 2x2s and a breakaway group, the Barlows, with Candice Curran.

Welcome to Episode 2 of Truth 2x2 Cult Kids Podcast, with guest Candice Curran.

Trigger Warning (TW) that this episode contains reference to sexual abuse, family violence, coercion, spiritual and religious abuse.

Candice was raised in the Bob Barlow Group, a breakaway group of the Truth 2x2s in Queensland Australia.

In this episode we explore the similarities between the two groups, the shared history and theology. We explore how Bob Barlow took a lot of the behaviours and the culture of Truth 2x2s and created a similar group under a different name. This is one of my concerns with the current exodus of Truth 2x2 Friends around the world, post Dean Bruer fall out – that people will leave and create break away groups without deconstructing from Truth 2x2 ideology.

Candice is a teacher and has a deep concern about the treatment of women and children inside high control groups such as the Bob Barlow and Truth 2x2s. We explore themes of pressure to marry (coerced and pressured marriage), comphet and purity culture, physical disciplining of children, shame, guilt.

Show Notes:

Tiktok: https://www.tiktok.com/@truth2x2survivor

Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/lauramc.au/

Website: https://www.lauramcconnell.com.au/

Links to Support:

LBH good trauma informed, cult sensitive therapists and support are hard to find. Please persist and try to find one that works for you. If you’re in a tough spot right now, please know you’re not alone.

Here are some links to AU NZ supports and therapists which might be useful.

https://www.thereligioustraumacollective.com/

As an Australian CSA survivor, the best support I’ve accessed at my lowest points, has been through Survivor Hub - https://www.thesurvivorhub.org.au/

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