Vandari

Vandari demon. (ML 3420, p. 17; Art by Tamar)

Vandari transformed to an easily-killed mosquito by the Keys of the Kingdom. (XN 20, p. 25)

The Vandari are a breed of demon The Family International believes influences apostates and others who speak against the cult, including former members of the second generation.

Vandari were introduced in a GN entitled "Pray, Obey and Prepare" (ML 3420), published September 2002. Following are excerpts:

How Do We Pray Against Former Loved Ones Who Are Fighting Us?

39. (Peter:) Amen! As Mama said, and as you'll see in the prophecies that we'll read, the Lord talks a lot about the need for us to pray against these attacks, to pray against those who are seeking to hurt or destroy the Family. But often it's hard to know how to pray against certain people, because sometimes these people are your friends or your children or your parents, and it's really difficult for you to think, “Well, I've got to pray that the Lord will curse them” and that sort of thing. That's been a bother for some people, and understandably so. It's a dilemma to know how to pray the most effective prayers in situations when you're having to pray against people who were once Family members and who are now detractors or apostates who are out to do us serious damage.

41. We asked the Lord how we should pray against those who are fighting against us, and He gave the following instruction:

[Jesus speaking:] 45. I will have mercy, for they are Mine‚ but in some cases mercy would be to take them out of the way before they can hurt others even more. [...]

Increased Enemy Activity

128. (Mama:) [...] I pray that you have noticed‚ as Peter and I have, a definite increase of power and more miraculous answers to prayer when you've prayed against your spiritual adversaries by name, commanding the Lord to rebuke them through the power of the keys.

129. Once again, in order to make our prayers more powerful and to help us understand what we're up against in the spiritual realm, the Lord has seen fit to reveal another important piece of the puzzle of our spiritual warfare. At times I'm concerned that some of you won't relish another graphic vision and explanation about a powerful demon who is assigned to fight the Family. I know it's not pleasant, but this is important. This will help us to pray against our detractors and apostates who fight us in this world by knowing more about what's happening in the spiritual world.

130. It has recently been brought to our attention by some of our faithful media folks that the postings on various ex-member sites are becoming increasingly aggressive and belligerent. There are a number of detractors who are trying to rally those who have left--even those who have been friendly for years--to unite to fight the Family. They're talking about trying to hinder our work through such things as class action lawsuits, requests for law enforcement investigations, personal lawsuits against individuals, criminal complaints, use of the media, production of their stories through documentaries, books, and writings, etc.

131. They're trying to round up as many alleged “abuse” stories as possible to provide investigators with some kind of “ammunition” to justify taking action against us. [...] They're trying to unite, pool their energies and resources, to bring the Family down.

134. Now, understanding that, it's pretty obvious why the Lord would reveal the following at this time:

The Vandari

135. (Vision:) I saw a clean-cut, handsome-looking man, around his early 30s. He looked like a nice guy, well-groomed, together, confident and on top of things. Then all of a sudden he morphed right in front of me into the most grotesque creature! He turned blood red from head to toe, starting from his head down. His clothes were no longer defined once he morphed‚ but rather it looked like he was covered in some type of blood-red cloak that was clinging to his body--it was like a hood over his head, and it covered him like a long cape all the way down to his feet.

136. His eyes look very bloodshot. His red cloak looks somewhat like the traditional cartoon picture you see of a ghost--the typical ghost covered in a sheet-–only this covering is clinging to him and it's blood red. The horrible thing about it is that he seems to be dripping all over with blood. It looks like he's just come up out of a swimming pool or some body of water, like the ocean, and he's dripping wet. Only the outstanding and yucky thing about this is he seems to be dripping not water, but blood--from his eyes, his nose, his lips, his arms, his hands.

137. It's totally grotesque, and if I didn't know the Lord is protecting me, it would be downright frightening. It's horrible, disgusting! One minute he's this handsome-looking fellow, then he's this horrible, red, dripping creature. Then there were rats, of all things-–horrible, big, filthy rats running all around!

138. Now I see a big crowd of people. It's a public place, like a crowded city street, but among the crowds, I zero in on different people. I'm not able to pick or choose where I want to look; it's like I'm being led by a spirit helper to zero in on specific people in the crowd. And as I look at certain ones, they are morphing into these same ugly-looking creatures.

139. I see a woman, about 20, fairly normal looking, not outstandingly gorgeous or anything, but my first impression was that she was sweet looking. And all of a sudden she morphs into the same red-dripping creature‚ a blood-red dripping monster! I see a teen boy, about 16 years old, who looks like your average high school student, and he morphs into the same horrible red creature too! Now I see an elderly couple, a man and woman, white-haired, about in their mid-70s, and they morph into the same thing.

141. (Jesus speaking:) As I have revealed to you before, the emissaries of Satan can often take on many forms. You see them disguised as the innocent, the inviting‚ the average member of society, and I show you that all that meets the eye is not as it appears. I show you what lies beneath, that you might walk circumspectly, that you might continue to raise your guards and walk in vigilance in these dark days. I reveal this to you, My friends, My brides and lovers, so you can watch and pray and not be ignorant of the Devil's devices, so that you will not enter into temptation as those in the world.

142. These repulsive, blood–red creatures you see transformed before your eyes are the Vandari, agents of the netherworld, who infiltrate the world population in the Last Days. [...]

145. The Vandari are let loose upon the Earth. Their mission is to recruit those who will bow down and worship the son of perdition in the appointed day. Likewise, they seek to oppose My truth. Walk in wisdom toward all who are without, for the world is full of demons, sorcerers, and every foul bird.

146. You've seen rats, because these cohabitate with the Vandari. The Vandari populate and dwell in the sewer systems of the world, a fitting place in the physical world for such creatures. In the netherworld, they belong to some of the lowest strata and levels of the spirit world, where they dwell with the dregs of the spirit. They dwell in the darkness in these stinking tunnels and putrid bodies of water‚ where they seep up to the cities and civilizations of man above to do their dirty work.

149. I show you this picture so you can avoid Satan's traps. I want you to open your eyes wide and see the truth about what goes on in the real world. I have revealed to you evil ones, against whom you must take a stand--those who oppose the children of David. I have revealed the identity of these evil demons who oppose you--Oplexicon, Lethargy, the evil Selvegion, Pan, Bacchus, Apotheon, and others--so you will not be ignorant of their devices and can fight to defeat them. Now I reveal to you the identity of the Vandari--not to overwhelm you, but so you can bind their power, as well as catch the full vision.

154. I know your temptation to mull over these truths in your mind, to ponder, “Is it really so?” I know Satan tempts some with thoughts of wondering if this is all too bizarre. “Is this all too much? Are there so many who would fight such little ones as us? Do such strange and odd creatures truly exist? Do such powers really fight to oppose us?”

155. Yes, they do exist. Yes, they are determined to stop you. Even the children of the world at times catch glimpses of the truths of the spirit. Even in the wildest of fiction stories created by modern man and presented to the world through books and popular movies‚ you catch glimpses, albeit small, of the truth. Science fiction portrays stories of aliens infiltrating the Earth and taking on human form to work their wickedness, of heinous creatures bent on destroying the innocent and taking over the world. And these tales are a shadow of the truth, for these netherworld creatures are alien to you and seek to destroy you and to take over this world for their evil master, Satan.

156. The Devil promotes this‚ for it is one approach through which he tries to desensitize the masses, by familiarizing them to a degree with glimpses of his own monstrous cohorts. He tries to inoculate the masses to the workings of the spirit world through making it seem like a fantasy, like child's play, or a figment of the imagination. These books, movies, and things of the world do not show a true picture of the true things of the spirit, for the Enemy mixes a lot of lies with glimpses of the truth--but I show you true pictures through My Spirit.

158. Every dark demon who serves Satan is ultimately out to destroy you, My children, for you represent the greatest threat to their dark kingdom. These of the Vandari, however, target others who would then try to hurt or destroy you, or hinder your work in some way. They are hitchhikers. They cannot travel freely on their own, but they work through vessels who yield to darkness‚ through those who are ignorant of truth and darkened in their understanding. [...]

163. (Mama:) The Lord knows we need this information to combat our enemies' attempts to destroy the Family. We need to pray both against the Enemy using our detractors and apostates, as well as misguided officials, sensationalistic reporters, deluded lawyers or publishers, and against the specific evil spirits, the Vandari, that inspire these people's ungodly actions and stories. Use the keys and the key promises to pray against our enemies, and against these vile, disgusting vandals that live in the filthy, putrid sewers of the depths of the netherworld!

Source: "Pray, Obey and Prepare" (ML 3420, GN 1007)

The following definition is given in XN, an internal publication for Family children:

Van-dar-i [vən da´ar e´e] noun: SPIRIT WORLD: Agents of the netherworld; evil demons; hitchhikers; evil lords of the netherworld; set on preparing the ignorant to worship the son of perdition; bent on destroying what is pure; they seek to mar the truth; dark ones; work through vessels who yield to darkness; vandals of the spirit world [The “van” is derived from the word “vandals,” the “dar” from the word “dark,” the “i” spelling of the last syllable signifies “I,” denoting self or selfishness]

Source: XN 20, "Vandari Repellent—The Word"

Reappropriation

Vandari logo created by a second generation ex-member

There has been a broad trend by second generation ex-members to reappropriate the name Vandari as a term of identity, pride, and humor. Following are several examples:

• The website MovingOn held a Vandari logo contest and sold t-shirts, hoodies, and thongs with the logo that received the most votes.
• Several ex-members have shared photos of their Vandari or Vandari logo tattoos.
• A Facebook discussion group that was temporarily the largest social media gathering for second generation ex-members went by the name Vandari.
• A Flash game called Vandari's Revenge by Johnny Walker (released 2002-12-15) allowed players to "[t]ake on the Family queens and kick some cult ass, Vandari style."

See also

• Praying against enemies
• Apostate
• Enemy
• Demonization

External links

• Vandari on Safari — By Jules, 2002-10-11
• Vandari Pride: The story of how people born into the Family International cult reclaimed a term used to literally demonize them — 2021-07-23
• Vandari store on Zazzle.com
• Vandari definition on UrbanDictionary.com