We pick up here in the third post using the book, “American Exorcism” by Michael Cuneo (copyright 2001, published by DOUBLEDAY, ISBN 0-386-50176-5) as the author is sharing his encounter with Word of Faith Fellowship, (WOFF) led by Jane Whaley. While we go through this chapter, remember we are looking for the reason the author named it- “Carolina Blues”. Cuneo is beginning his efforts to reach RF- “a prominent minister in the Spindale church, a kind of point man for the Whaleys.” He writes, I phoned a dozen times, leaving messages, once having an agreeable chat with RF’s son, JF, but RF himself was always just now away on business, or just now entertaining guests, or just now otherwise occupied. (page 188) The author then decides to take a chance and go to WOFF unannounced. What he encountered was so typical, it made me laugh out loud! His account of the Saturday afternoon encounter so reminded me of WOFF-days and WOFF-ways.
“It was a late Saturday afternoon, and I turned into the empty parking lot with the thought of making a brief reconnaissance swing around the property.” (page 188) This was obviously his first mistake. You do not go onto WOFF property, unapproved or unescorted, if you are not a WOFF member. Even when a WOFF member gets a new car, they could be stopped and mistaken for a “visitor”. Remember- WOFF is a closed shop. He continues, “All at once the church’s internal security system sprang into action. A family that had been playing baseball on the front lawn of the house across the road dropped their bats and balls, the woman ran into the house, and the man headed for the parking lot and intercepted me at the entranceway. “Can we help you?” he said.” This scenario is all so typical and WOFF-normal, if there is such a term. I have seen it and been a part of it – so many times!
Cuneo introduces himself and his purpose and then writes, “By this point there was a parade of minivans on the narrow street, people driving back and forth checking me out.” (page 189) This was/is such a WOFF-signature response. Who doubts this man actually went through this experience? After brief chat with a WOFF couple, RF drove up in a minivan with his son. “RF walked up to me, smiling, amiable, a big smooth-complexion guy in his forties, and shook my hand. “Michael, it’s so nice to meet you,” he said. After shaking hands with RF and his son, JF, they made small talk before RF “took charge, saying he knew I was there to find out about exorcism, but they wouldn’t be able to help me; they had a training session going this weekend and were just “too maxed out”..” (page 189) After reading the phrase –“too maxed out” I had no doubt and no one else should doubt that Cuneo was in the WOFF-zone.
The author requests to meet with Pastor Jane Whaley and/or sit in on a training meeting or a Sunday service. He is met with denials and finally RF “told JF to fire up the golf cart, and we rode about the property for a short while”… JF had done a background check on the author before this encounter.. Does that surprise anyone? It should not. During this ride, “RF’s cell phone ringing every few minutes with various church people wanting to know if everything was under control.” (pages189-190 emphasis added) No, I am not surprised at the use of this term. Shortly, another minister arrived and after a conference with him, RF ended the tour.
Cuneo then takes a tour of Spindale and comes upon a young policeman washing his squad car. He inquires if this man knows anything about WOFF. The man answers frankly that what he knows is mainly from the media, “but, he heard rumors that Pastor Jane Whaley possessed extraordinary powers. “If you ever get a chance to meet her, just be careful she doesn’t get her eyes fixed on you, he said, I’ve heard she can take a man down.” (page 190) Wow.
The author went back to WOFF the next morning in hopes of seeing WOFF folks in the parking lot. He went about 10:00 AM for the 9:30AM service. Another mistake, if you want to see WOFF folks for a 9:30AM service, you go at 9:00AM or slightly before. WOFF members are early for prayer and other WOFF activities before the service, as explained before. Moving on, Cuneo is spotted and then approached by RF and JF, he is then invited into the service which was an impossibility just the day before. Not surprisingly, the author changes clothes in one of the restrooms and emerges to be escorted into the service from the office building into the side door in the front of the sanctuary.
“The service was in full tilt, the congregation loudly singing hymns whose words were projected by an overhead onto the front wall above the stage. … then Pastor Jane Whaley asked a young man named “M” to share his testimony. Standing on the stage, he said that his mother had died recently and his siblings had given her a Catholic funeral. They’d asked him to attend, but he stood his ground. He told them that he no longer had room in his life for Catholic falsehood, and that attending the funeral would be a breach of religious principle.” (page 190-191) Where do I start? First off, when I read this I knew EXACTLY who “M” was. As a point of reference, during this time, I was attending the Greenville church that was under WOFF. We came up for the Sunday night services. I remembered this person sharing this exact testimony in the evening service! “M” continues, “this had been a difficult time for him, and he wanted to thank Pastor Jane for guiding him through it. The congregation applauded.” (page 191)
Cuneo writes that “after the service Pastor Jane comes to his pew (chair), followed closely by her husband, Sam, and five or six other WOFF ministers. He describes her as “an attractive middle-aged woman of medium height with an uncreased helmet of shoulder length blond hair- and large piercing eyes that now fastened on me and remained fastened for the next thirty minutes.” He shares that Jane told him that he could not sit-in on some of her exorcisms. Jane tells Cuneo – “She performed exorcisms for the glory of God, whereas my interest was merely intellectual. Was there really a chance I’d appreciate what was involved?” (page 191)
The next few paragraphs are so critical to understanding Jane and her thinking about WOFF. Cuneo captures the essence well and I will quote extensively in order to present the most complete picture of his observations. I would say that no two people experience WOFF in exactly the same manner, but Cuneo observed a very typical Jane Whaley reaction and presentation of her message. “Just about everyone needed ministry. She herself had received exorcism, and so had her husband. Sam had been afflicted by spirits of lust and fornication and she had ministered to him personally. “That’s right, said Sam, a stocky, gravel-voiced man about ten years his wife’s senior. “I was in rough shape before Jane got in there and cleaned everything out. Did everyone who joined her church receive exorcism? I asked.”
“She said that they did, often involving multiple sessions. Her exorcism ministry was a special gift from God, and she wasn’t stingy with it. And contrary to how it had been portrayed in the media, it wasn’t a screaming ministry. It was a wailing, groaning, and travailing ministry. This was the gift God had given her: exorcism through wailing, groaning, and travailing. (pages 191-192) Let me mention that from my time at WOFF, I heard the phrase- weeping, groaning and travailing. Small point, but it does not change the main meaning of the quote. Jane believes she possesses the “gift from God” for what she does. This should answer a lot of questions for those on the outside. This one belief, I believe, allows Jane to look past the torn lives and torn families from her WOFF church and her WOFF-ways. What is more important to her than those tragedies is exercising and walking in “her gift”- regardless. The outcomes of torn lives are inconsequential and must be where others fall short of being able to receive “her gift”. Does that make “sense” and confirm what others have observed?
The next paragraph shows Jane at her best in exercising “her gift”. I witnessed scenes like this so many times. “And then, suddenly, the tears. Clasping my arm and sobbing, Pastor Jane said she was deeply concerned about my doing research on exorcism. “And do you know why?” she asked. “It’s because you don’t know Jesus. Just standing her with you, I just know that you don’t know Jesus. And it just breaks my heart.” Still weeping, she said she knew I worked at a Jesuit university, and she worried that I was caught up in “that whole Roman Catholic thing.” She promised she would pray for me and that was that.” (page 192, emphasis added) Yes, that is Jane at her best; she was walking in “her gift”. If she says that to enough folks, some will join WOFF and begin to “know Jesus”- Jane’s way and some will not. What present or former WOFF member has not seen Jane Whaley do this very same thing to others or even to them?
Cuneo sums up his WOFF experience with a most telling comparison. This will not have the full effect unless you read the first post in this series or better yet, Chapter 11 in the book about the Hegewisch Baptist Church. “Next to the Word of Faith operation, Pastor Mike’s ministry seemed marked by a kind of proletarian honesty: no health and prosperity mumbo jumbo, no manipulative weeping, no pressure to submit to an authoritarian leader. With Pastor Mike it was a grapple on the floor, a slap on the back, regurgitation, perhaps, into a paper towel- no questions asked, no strings attached, take it or leave it. In the exorcism business one could do a lot worse.” (page 192) The inference was that at WOFF- there is a lot more to the package than just “getting the devils out”. How perceptive is this observation? The author rightly assesses WOFF and Jane Whaley as having several parts to the package that make other churches that practice deliverance seem more attractive and more honest! This author saw right through the sham called WOFF and its leader- Jane Whaley.
The question- why title the chapter “Carolina Blues”? Well, for one its references the color. But, it also could mean the sadness which he sees in WOFF members and the WOFF-life. The total package he viewed concerning WOFF could make someone “blue” for sure. Other comments and thoughts are welcome. As a WOFF member for many years, how come I never knew about Cuneo and his work on WOFF? His protrayal seems accurate to me.
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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. ) Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 177.