There are few weeks that go by in which I do not talk to or communicate in some way with a survivor of a cult. These contacts are not always survivors of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). Early on in my journey of seeking answers and writing this blog, I came in contact with survivors of other groups and after speaking for a short time, we would most always agree on some common points for methods of recruitment or control of members in our respective groups. On occasion, I have been in conversations where would tell the most extreme characteristic of our group and wait for the other person to try and top it! Laughter would often ensue which we preferred over crying. Common threads would emerge and we often would express our surprise that other groups employed similar measures and had similar results.

Two areas that often receive a lot of attention are how a person went in to the group and how they came out. The coming out usually had more emotional drama than the going in. Who would imagine that? I will never forget the question of a person I worked with when I first explained why my life was changing in 2008. “How could an intelligent person like you get involved in something like that?” My first response was “One lie at a time…” Now, at the time, I was thinking about my believing one lie at a time and ignoring the uncomfortable feeling inside that was trying to get my attention. I can’t say I always could tell a lie from the truth. But, many times, I at least had a faint awareness that something was not right. The part I did not see at the time was the guided planned effort of WOFF and other groups to base their recruitment on those lies and thus count on deception to obtain new members.

All of this has been in the fore front of my thinking these last few days as the week’s events have unfolded. Just this evening, I commented to another survivor, “The longer you are out, the more lies you learn about that were used against you while inside.” And just because you leave, does not mean you are able to instantly tell what was a manufactured lie told you inside and what the actual truth was about a situation. It is odd that once you leave you are instantly called a liar when you try to tell what truthfully happened while inside WOFF. I suppose a person inside needs to label outsiders liars to protect themselves from having to recognize the truth inside their group and cause them even more mental anguish over their own choices.

In the past we have used- “Recovery From Cults”-Help for Victims of Psychological and Spiritual Abuse Edited by Michael Langone. (Copyright©1993 by American Family Foundation, W.W. Norton and Company, Inc., ISBN-0-393-31321-2). This book is a compilation from different authors on different aspects of the cult recovery process. I have found it very helpful and it often confirmed what I experienced myself during the last 20 years or so.

After a recent conversation with a survivor where we both agreed that each person had a process of going in the group and a process of coming out; we also agreed that at any one moment, different folks were in different stages of the process of leaving the group. Afterwards, I considered that newly contacted folks were also in the process of coming into the group, generally. Therein exists the struggle and the conundrum. It is impossible in my opinion for Jane Whaley to say “We are all flowing with God and doing good – right?” The human experience is too complicated to explain away in cut and dry black and white descriptions about a person’s mental state. That mental state can change in an instant – for the good or for the bad, depending on many factors. Thus you get folks who appeared like they would never join WOFF- join. And those that appeared like they would never leave- leave. Jane CANNOT control what goes on in the deep recesses of the conscience. But, that does not stop her from trying and seeking the results she wants.

Let’s use our resource text from the experts to get a better understanding about the whole controlling group/cult process. As I read this text, I believe I have written about it before; but that was such a long time ago, this material bears repeating. Langone begins a section titled –Why Do People Join Cults?- with mentioning some misconceptions.

“Laypersons tend to think that cults are weird groups that attract weird people. Professionals, especially those with some knowledge of psychoanalysis, are more sophisticated but basically same the same thing, akin to the following: People join cults because cults fill the need for believing and belonging and help their members resolve unconscious conflicts regarding their relationship with their parents.

This view is incorrect for several reasons. First, it assumes that people actively seek to join cults, when in fact most cult members, to the degree they were seeking anything, were not seeking anything so deceptive and controlling as the cult they joined. (page 6)

He is saying no one joins a group on purpose which they know will harm them and keep them away from loved ones. I agree and he goes on to explain more. Some on the outside will often express their surprise at so-and-so joining such-and-such group-“Can’t they see that group just wants to control folks?” No, the potential recruit can’t see the downsides of joining a particular group and Langone goes on to explain why.

“Second, it assumes the cults actually fulfill members’ needs, when in reality they exploit needs in order to promote compliance with leadership’s wishes. (page 6)

Yes, I have seen this. Everyone has needs and to the degree WOFF gives something to meet a need, they in turn simultaneously require more back in loyalty and allegiance than the answer to the need was worth. Exploitation- utilization of another person or group for selfish purposes (source- http://www.thefreedictionary.com/exploitation). Some may ask when is a member of WOFF exploited when Jane helps them with food, housing, clothes or a job. It is evident, that there is no free lunch at WOFF, when you receive, you must return you praise and allegiance to Jane or be labeled an ungrateful, lazy attacker. This, my friend, is exploitation in the sneakiest and most diabolical sense. It is especially ruthless when your eternal salvation is called into question or used as a tool against you to cause you to succumb to their “godly love”.

Third, it assumes that people who join cults do so because some fundamental personality deficiency such as unresolved conflicts. Although there is some truth to the statement for some cultists, it greatly overstates the actual situation. Most cultists were relatively normal persons experiencing an unusual level of stress when they encountered a cult. Those who were treated for psychological problems were not necessarily attracted to the cult because of their problems, although their problems may have made them more vulnerable to the cult’s “sales pitch” and control tactics.  (emphasis added page 6)

Even though I had been a part of a religious cult for many years, I have had to contemplate and study how I ended up in WOFF. My answers have evolved as I have read and remembered certain events. Before my wife and I moved to Greenville, SC which eventually led us to Spindale, NC; we were experiencing severe stress from a series of events in another church which left us searching for answers. Gerald and Linda Southerland seemed to have those answers. Since my wife had known them for many years, her trust in them allowed me to trust them more easily. And away we went seeking answers in Greenville totally unknowing what new relationships were in store for us and how we would be affected by them. Gerald and Linda were in an ever increasing relationship with Sam and Jane Whaley and this would affect not only them- but everyone in their family and congregation for YEARS to come.

Langone continues, “People are not always motivated to seek that which they get. Sometimes they are fooled and get what they didn’t bargain for.” Just because you end up being seduced into a course of action or series of events, does NOT mean you went looking for that result in your life. We did not go to Greenville to be a part of a cult; we went looking for “answers.”

More from the resource text, “People join cults, not because they make a rational informed choice. They join because they are duped. The process is a seduction, not a mutually beneficial agreement or the choice of an informed “consumer.” (page 6) We had no idea that the group we became a part of in 1992 would eventually forgo their independence and merge into WOFF in 2002. It was all a very slow process.

Langone goes on explain “the “DDD” syndrome (Farber et al., 1956) which is more commonly known as “brainwashing.” Farber and his colleagues maintained that during the Korean War the Chinese were able to gain a high degree of control over the American POWs through a process of debility, dependency, and dread.” (page 6) In our society, one cannot openly assault another through a debilitating regimen. After all, you can go to jail for “assault”- no matter how simple, right? So, for these groups to gain new members the first “D” has changed to “deception.” “As a result of this deception the systematic use of highly manipulative techniques of influence, recruits become members or converts.” (page 7)

In my opinion and based on my experience, the next few sentences from the author were very accurate in outlining the process that new members encountered inside the church in Greenville and inside of WOFF. This made so much sense to me and helped explain how my wife and I had ended up in Greenville and eventually in Spindale.

“By gradually isolating members from outside influences, establishing unrealistically high, guilt-inducing expectations, punishing any expression of “negativity”, and denigrating independent critical thinking, the group causes members to become extremely dependent on its compliance –oriented expressions of love and support. Once the state of dependency is firmly established, the group’s control over member’s thoughts, feelings, and behavior is strengthened by the member’s growing dread of losing the group’s psychological support, (physical threat occurs in some groups), however much (of) that support may aim at ensuring their compliance with leadership’s often debilitating demands. Thus the new DDD syndrome is one of deception, dependency, and dread.” (emphasis added, page 7)

This is Jane Whaley and the WOFF experience in a nutshell. Who can deny the isolation? Who can deny the unrealistically high, guilt-inducing expectations? This occurs in part by the ever-changing UNWRITTEN RULES that are at Jane’s disposal to control behaviors. Does Jane promote “critical thinking”? Really? And have any other members been so blessed by the compliance –oriented expressions of love and support? If you rebel or “attack” or exhibit “non-compliance”- we cut you off! Jane does not use such fancy terms, but, I can hear her saying words that mean the same thing!

Anyone who has been a member of WOFF for any length of time can identify with the “dread” of incurring Jane’s wrath. Is that true? Every member soon learns that her wrath is worth dreading as it can make your life a publicly embarrassing hell on earth. Her tongue knows no bounds when she wants to humiliate adults AND children in order to prove who she is and will always be inside WOFF. The dread is the fence of fear that keeps folks in the WOFF compound that Jane has chosen for them.

During the recruitment of potential new members, who can deny the “love-bombing” at WOFF? “As recruits lower their defenses in this “loving” climate, intimate and seemingly caring conversations enable recruiters to assess the psychological and social status of the prospects, to learn their needs, fears, dependency potential, and actual possible resistances.” (page 7) Jane calls this “getting ahold of someone” or “getting a feel in the Spirit for where they are walking.” Basically, she wants to know is she can seduce you and rape your soul and eventually- your wallet. She also wants to learn if you have relatives with money who could be recruited.

“Meanwhile, testimonies from group members (who are not averse to lying for the “cause”), credential (whether valid or bogus) of the leaders, attacks on the groups competitors, and prospects’ favorable reaction to members’ seemingly warm and caring attentiveness tend to support the group’s claim of benevolence and superiority, and to convince prospects they will benefit by joining the group.” (page 7)

Who has not experienced testimony and singing nights when visitors would attend WOFF? Actually, even as a member, it was boring and monotonous at times. The same folks were saying the same things to further the same lies and engender the same tears from Karel. She is so consistent, you gotta give her that. Then there were those warm times of fellowship afterwards when you were taxed with talking with your guest (potential recruit), guarding your children from what your guest might say, hoping to get to introduce your guest to someone in leadership (maybe Jane…!) all the while smiling and wondering how long before you could start cleaning up and eventually go home. You had been up since the early morning hours and were so tired and needed some sleep before starting all over again! Oh, who can deny the joy of WOFF meetings labeled as “outreaches”? (Recruitment sessions- no doubt!)

We will close here and look forward to more of the resource text as it explains why people join cults. There is so much quality material in this book; I have to break up the presentation of it into more posts.

At the writing of this book; Michael Langone, PhD., served as the Executive Director of the American Family Foundation and editor of the Culitic Studies Journal, published since 1984. Dr. Langone has been studying cults since 1978. (page X) That is a long time.

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, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his 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 426.