Yesterday, I began to consider certain aspects of my time in Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). The group is led by Jane Whaley and has been in the news lately. See the previous post “WOFF Member Sues Clerk of Court (1)” found here.. http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3549  In reflecting back on my many years under the teachings of Jane Whaley, I realized during that time, it did not dawn on me that living the WOFF life could be hurtful to relationships inside or outside of WOFF. Even if the thought had come that living in WOFF may be detrimental to relationships with family and friends outside of WOFF; those thoughts would soon be replaced with thoughts such as “this is the cost of following Jesus”, or “they just are not walking where we are walking where we are in the Spirit,” or “after all, Jesus said – “Who is my mother and my brother?; But, those who do the will of God.” And for sure, I am doing the will of God and this is just what happens, some will follow Him and some will not…  

    Here is another thought that may not be verbalized every time, but for sure is internalized in the hearts and minds of WOFF members. When they shun or ignore or stop seeing or cut off, either a present or former member and/or a family member outside of WOFF- it is for the good of that person. Yes, in WOFF, that is taken from various Scriptures such as this one:

   “For the Lord corrects and disciplines everyone whom He loves, and He punishes, even scourges, every son whom He accepts and welcomes to His heart and cherishes.” Hebrews 12:6

    This is the line of reasoning that allows WOFF members to cut-off ones they love. It is an effort to keep the teachings of Jane Whaley. The effect becomes a closer and tighter knit group of those who agree and never doubt or question anything Jane Whaley says or does. Those who “attack” Jane are the ones that may simply question her authority to do and say some of the things she does and says in whatever area of life it may be. Pick one; there are many areas that Jane regulates in her members’ lives.

  

   Life inside of WOFF is full of conflicting interests that needed to be resolved. After all, it is not that I did not love my family, but to keep interacting with them could endanger my status in the group. In my thinking, to keep company with them would “hurt my walk with God.” Twisted? You tell me. I explained this in a post entitled “What in Common Ground?” here– http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=2356

    The thought that living WOFF-life could be hurtful to others does not even register in the mind of a faithful WOFF member. Why? Because of many factors, the first one is the main focuses of WOFF-life and/or WOFF-conversion which is to disengage you from your past and discount all past efforts, past knowledge, past relationships, past accomplishments, and even many possessions from the past. If a relationship is keeping a WOFF member “in the past” and keeping them from “moving on with God”; it must be severed.

    In the film, “Join Us” which is presented by Interloper Films along with Lusitan and was produced by Ondi Timoner and Vasco Lucas Nunes (copyright© Third Floor Productions, LLC 2007); there is a scene about 18 minutes into the movie which shows an exchange during one the therapy sessions led by Dr. Paul Martin. During this session a lady from the cult- Mountain Rock Church says- “Everything that made you who you were before you came to this church has to be completely obliterated.” Another man says, “He (the leader) used Scripture to say everything within us was evil.” To which Dr. Martin replies, “The doctrine takes precedence over the person’s thoughts, feelings, personality and talents.” Dr. Martin is explaining an aspect of thought reform from Robert Lifton’s work. In a previous post, I explain this aspect. The post is here…. “…Doctrine Over Person” http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3267  Later, in the movie at a little over 20 minutes, this same lady further explains, “So, when you first came to the church, you needed to move, you needed to disassociate with all your friends and relatives you had been close to, you had to change your job, you had to be completely uprooted.” This happens at WOFF and many of my readers have seen and felt the effects. I have experienced these same things while in Greenville and then moving to WOFF.

    I remember a conversation with my brother many years ago during my WOFF-life. He asked me questions like these: “Do you have to think that everything from your past is evil?” “Do you have to distance yourself from your past in order to make the present life better?” What was he noticing? He was seeing the effects of thought reform techniques being used on me and I had no idea what was going on. I am not sure he did at that point. He was feeling the effects and not liking the walls that were being put up between us. Have any readers seen that in their relatives that belong to WOFF?

   Again, in the film “Join Us” at about 22 minutes, a man named Travis is telling about first moving to Anderson, SC to be a part of the “church”, “When we first moved down there, we threw out our furniture, our CDs, everything we pretty much owned besides our clothes, we threw out. My wife, she was fighting it. But, finally, she, I guess, “broke” is what they say. And surrendered who she was…” Later in the film at about 55 minutes, Travis’ wife, Tanya, is shown sharing pictures of relatives with her daughter. The daughter expresses her desire to go see the relatives, since she had never met them. Tanya’s reply to this question, “I have no interest in family any more, I think the church (Mountain Rock Church) killed it, actually.” This is a very sad scene, but one that reveals just how deep the thought reform from the cult leader had affected Tanya. Here is the link to the first post about this film… http://religiouscultsinfo.com/2010/12/join-us-the-movie/

     Still after seeing all these things and events like this take place to your loved ones inside of WOFF, there still may be the unbelief that this could be caused by thought reform or mind control or brainwashing. Let’s look at a passage from “Thought Reform and the Psychology of Totalism” by Robert Jay Lifton (original copyright 1961, later published again in 1989, ISBN 0-8078-4253-2 [alk. Paper])-  that will help explain a little further how all of these things could take place in the lives of seemingly loving, caring folks who claim to be Christian and who claim to love God and love people. This passage is taken from Chapter 22 in the section titled The Demand for Purity; “The philosophical assumption underlying this demand is that absolute purity… is attainable and that anything done to anyone in the name of this purity is ultimately moral.”(page 423) The post explain other aspects of this statement is here – http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3244

    If you are not familiar with extreme black and white thinking or environments and groups of people where this type of thinking prevails, the power of this statement may not be there for you. But, let’s break down the last part. ANYTHING done to ANYONE in the name of this PURITY (or quest for this purity) is ultimately MORAL. If the reasoning behind any action is to accomplish or even just pursue “the purity” that is demanded inside the WOFF group, then that action is justified. Good common sense and human moral standards are set aside in favor of and pursuit of the PURITY. Agreeing to this dangerous reasoning often exists in the minds of the WOFF faithful in order to soothe the gnawing in their consciousness of what they are doing is wrong – at least on some level. Let me give an example I just heard about.

     A WOFF member is under the house of another WOFF member to do some repairs and finds a recording device attached to the phone line underneath the house. He comes out and asks questions as he is shocked. The WOFF owner “gives him truth” which really is a long diatribe and excuse laden speech to convince the man who discovered the device why it was okay and under authority and justified and whatever else you want call it. After all it was his house. Forget the fact that those in his house using the phone probably had no idea they were being recorded. Forget the fact that since it was under the house, he never intended for others to know. The excuse given was that his in-laws were considering moving into WOFF from out of state and he wanted to know what was holding them up and how he could “help” them. So, he places a recording device UNDER his house. Yes, anything done to anyone in the name of this purity is ultimately moral. Now, do you get it? Do you see the level of justified extreme emotional and intellectual intoxication that comes in this type of thought reform environment?  

        Now, I hope you have some better understanding as to why this shunning and cut-off of family and friends takes place with WOFF members. Does it make it easier to deal with and accept? I am not sure. Since I have been on both sides, I see the effects from the outside and knowing the way life evolves on the inside, it still makes the result no more acceptable or pleasant. Can I understand and forgive the result? I hope so. Have I forgiven the driving force behind the whole blob of unacceptable mess called WOFF? I am not sure. I can mentally assent to saying I forgive, but it has not been tested – yet. I am not sure that even if I have forgiven, that I would be able to keep my Christian composure if/when I have the opportunity to be tested. I pray that when I am tested, the result will be acceptable.

   Some may say if you have forgiven then you would stop posting. To that statement, I say this. If I were hit or bumped by a car crossing the street and survived, even after I was healed; I would still caution folks crossing the street. Just because the driver may never charged with hitting me, does not mean I would forgive and forget the danger of crossing the street. While attending different churches, I came upon one in Greenville, SC. Becoming a part of that group led me to many years of involvement in a cult. My life has been forever marked by the events of those years. Healing can and will come, but, I do not plan to stop warning people of “church” leaders who practice thought reform and thus pervert the true gospel of salvation. Becoming a part of a “church” or group that practices thought reform can start as easy as crossing the street.  

    Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog.  Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

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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 240.