Elections are coming and will be upon us soon. After reading of the Information Control for WOFF members, how would a WOFF member know how to vote? With no regular access to media, newspaper or Internet, there was information provided. Here was the way that information was delivered.
One designated member would view websites, call candidates and ask questions and maybe even attend political forums for the candidates in the local and state races. Usually the service right before an election, this person would hold a voluntary meeting for those eligible to vote to go over all the information about the candidates. This meeting could last two or more hours. There was a lot of material to cover. Handouts and sample ballots would be provided. Several times, the Democrat candidates would be covered first and then the Republican candidates. During the reviews, it was obvious this person had conservative views and personally supported many of the Republican candidates. If a candidate did not have a website or just had a page with not much information on their views, that was a negative in this person’s mind. There was a great deal of trust placed in this member to deliver the information to the members in a balanced fashion. This year could be different as this person is now publicly endorsing Ramona Hall a democrat, for Clerk of Court. The mixing of politics and religion often makes for strange bedfellows. Will this person keep that roll this year for this election cycle?
In contrast to the present, this candidate information person also spent time campaigning for and working for Congressman Charles Taylor in years past. Several WOFF members would work the telephones for the Congressman before certain elections. Congressman Taylor visited WOFF at least twice that I remember. (it could have been more often..) The youth of WOFF sang at the prayer breakfast meetings that Congressman Taylor held in years past. I never attended as I was usually working, but I did hear all the details when the group would return to the church.
WOFF in years past, would hold political forums. The early ones I did not attend. However, in more recent years, certain candidates for the local offices would be invited to speak. Some would take the opportunity. I remember one county councilman came to WOFF to explain local issues and that was very informative. Especially since reading the local newspaper was taboo.
Some observations: last year I met and spent some time with a retired couple from Hendersonville. He was retired from a branch of the military service. He and his wife had spent several years working for Congressman Taylor. His admiraton for the Congressman was evident and deeply felt. When I mentioned I knew some other campaign workers, his interest perked up. When I called their names and asked him what he knew about WOFF? He immediately changed as he nor his wife then had much to say. The conversation lightened some when I assured these folks that I did not attend WOFF any longer. Still the subject was closed after a few brief comments in which they both acknowledged they knew the folks I spoke about. This conversation left some unanswered questions for sure. Select “More” to read about a conversation with an elected official.
A more recent conversation with an elected official was just as curious. We exchanged some small talk and then this person was surprised to learn of my relocation and some of the circumstances surrounding my departure from Rutherford County. This person admitted knowing several folks from McDowell county that had attended or still did attend WOFF. He was shocked and made a comment about Congressman Taylor speaking at WOFF and that in essence lent credibility. I mentioned we were all on our “best behavior” when visitors came to speak. A few members would actually be instructed to stay away from visitors because they “could not control their mouth”. This official asked me if Congressman Taylor actually knew what went on at WOFF? I said “How could he?” and then directed him to read this blog. A man of Congressman Taylor’s stature would not have given an appearance of an endorsement of WOFF; if he knew what went on in certain closed door “family” meetings. I reminded this elected official that Rosalyn Carter gave Jim Jones a private audience during her visit to San Francisco in the 70’s. That caused many to wonder then and also at the end of People’s Temple.
Jane Whaley never openly rebuked rebellious or sinful members around visitors. In fact, if you were inviting a visitor, you were expected to make someone in the office aware, so they could get the word to Jane. It was well known that the presence of first time visitors could and many times would, stop the loud prayer before or during the service. If the word of visitors came after the loud prayer started in the prayer room in the fellowship hall; then the lights in the room would flicker and that was the signal to stop praying – visitors were on the property. The whole direction of a service could change. Jane would always make the call, because she was the supreme director of the order and content of the servives at WOFF. Many times the switch because of visitors was to different groups of members singing WOFF songs on the stage. This may include certain folks getting up and giving testimony about how happy they were and grateful to be at WOFF. Some of these meetings were so obviously aimed to present the “best foot forward”. How could a visitor know what really went on at WOFF?
“You may fool all the people some of the time, you can even fool some of the people all of the time, but you cannot fool all of the people all the time.” Abraham Lincoln
Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life. There are readers at WOFF. I hope this is a help to them.
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(Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be. )