Category Archives: Cult Leader News

Cult Leader News, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Jane Whaley Featured in the New York Times? Really?

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On Sunday, I received a text saying Jane Whaley had her picture on page 16 of the New York Times. What? Details were not forthcoming and my efforts to find the treasure online proved fruitless. I refused to become a subscriber in order to possibly see Jane’s picture. Nope. This treasure will have to wait.

Monday, my search efforts were rewarded differently. There it was in an article titled- “Electoral Map Gives Donald Trump Few Places to Go.” by Alexander Burns and Maggie Haberman. The picture shows Jane Whaley, Leigh Valentine, Sam Whaley easily recognized. Also, with additional examination you see Frank Webster behind Sam and Josh Farmer to Sam’s right with his head down. I wonder if Robin Webster is standing to Frank’s left. Were there other members of the Trump groupies from WOFF? The caption did not list the names of course and it was taken a few days ago at a Trump Rally in Winston Salem, NC.

And yet my thoughts raced. What? Jane is not the center piece of the article? I was confused. There was not even mention of her efforts to promote Holocaust education with her traveling “Holocaust Museum”? No mention of her thriving Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC; a growing, loving, caring group of non-denominational Christians who endure “persecution” for exercising their religious freedoms? No mention. Not even a speck of ink about her Word of Faith Christian School and their academic superiority which every student exhibits (with a little help).
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Books, Resources, Cult Leader News, Uncategorized

Sun Myong Moon Dies at 92 (Videos)

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On Sunday, I received a text message from CNN® saying: The Rev. Sun Myung Moon — founder of the church colloquially known as the Moonies — died early Monday in South Korea, according to the Washington Times, a newspaper that he founded, citing Unification Church leaders.

This is part one of a video of a mass wedding officiated by Moon in 1992

Admittedly, I do not have expert knowledge of Moon, but, even with what I do know; I found it hard to mourn his passing. I would venture that many of the readers of this blog may be as unlearned about Moon and his organization as I have been. This post will share some sources that will reveal things about Moon, his “religious beliefs”, his MASSIVE organization and his political power.

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Cult Leader News, FLDS, FLDS vs WOFF

Update – FLDS/Warren Jeffs- Videos

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   In previous posts, we have outlined the similarities between certain practices within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). My basis for these comparisons comes from documented accounts of survivors of FLDS and my own experiences from attending meetings and eventually moving inside WOFF. The time span for my experiences is 1992 until 2008. One of the first posts on this comparison topic was written January 19, 2010 and can be found here- FLDS vs. WOFF – The Similarities – Part 1– http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=86  . I have learned much more since writing that post, but still agree with my conclusions at that time.

   During this last week, Warren Jeffs, the leader of FLDS, has been in the news again as he is facing additional charges in Texas stemming from his practices within the FLDS. Frankly, I have been quite surprised at the coverage Jeffs has received from mainstream news sources. The first article tells how Jeffs fired his legal team on Thursday and the judge allowed him to represent himself.

Polygamist leader to represent self in sex assault case –

Source link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/28/us-texas-polygamist-trial-idUSTRE76R5ND20110728
By Jim Forsyth     – SAN ANTONIO | Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:04pm EDT

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) – Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs threw his child sexual assault trial into disarray on Thursday when he fired his defense lawyers and demanded the right to represent himself, which the judge then granted.  “It’s not as easy as it looks on TV, Mr. Jeffs,” State District Judge Barbara Walther told him. “You’re on your own.”

    Then on Friday, the trial took another strange turn as Jeffs objected to the testimony of a witness and then proceeded for  50 minutes. The following article quotes Elissa Wall, a survivor of the group, and has video. There is also some concise background information that helps answer questions. (second video later in the post. It is cute.)

 Ex-FLDS member: Warren Jeffs “partially crazy”

Source link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/30/earlyshow/saturday/main20085807.shtml

 

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Cult Leader News, Uncategorized

Cult Leader Ordered Released From Prison

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   A New Mexico State Appeals court has ordered Wayne Bent, aka Michael Travesser, to be released from prison. In short, the court ruled that the term of the grand jury that indicted Mr. Bent had been extended and that was outside of State statute. Therefore the indictment was void and there were no grounds to prosecute and sentence Mr. Bent.     “Judge Rod Kennedy wrote the opinion for a unanimous three-judge panel, saying the grand jury’s term had expired but then was arbitrarily extended by the district court. “Legally speaking, there was no grand jury convened in this case. Therefore, there was no indictment under the law…” Kennedy wrote. He said the state was free to retry Bent if it chooses. From a news release found here: http://www.daily-times.com/ci_18378400 . We certainly hope the State of New Mexico decides to retry the case.

   For a little background, Wayne Bent is now 70 years old and has been the leader of a small religious cult in New Mexico called “Strong City”. We have referred to his group in previous posts and have shared about one survivor of that group named Prudence Welch. Though there have been no recent updates, her blog is found here: http://www.travesser.info/ . From the National Geographic® site: “Doomsday cult leader Michael Travesser prophesied that the world would end October 31, 2007 — but what happened?” National Geographic® has also done a video series and has a page on their website about this group.  Here is the link: http://channel.nationalgeographic.com/episode/inside-a-cult-3401/Overview#tab-Overview

The video is below. Within the first 20 seconds, Wayne Bent is shown saying, “I am the embodiment of God. I am divinity and humanity combined.” As mentioned before, it is the deed and not the creed. He can believe that all he wants. But, when Wayne Bent encourages young girls who were/are minors to lay naked in his bed and then hold them; I have a problem with that.

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Cult Leader News, Uncategorized

Update on Black Hebrews Cult and More

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   In April of this year, we reported on a religious cult in Durham, NC. The group is called the “Black Hebrews” and their leader is Peter Lucas Moses, Jr. The original post is found here: “Search for Missing Members of Black Hebrews Cult in Durham, NC” resource link- http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=4018 . A few days ago, there was an update in the case. The title is:  “Seven Charged in Alleged Cult Murder of Woman, Child in North Carolina” the link is here- http://abcnews.go.com/US/charged-bodies-found-north-carolina-cult-murder-case/story?id=13811420

   A short quote:

By CHRISTINA NG and JESSICA HOPPER    June 10, 2011

“The leader of an alleged cult appeared in court today to answer charges in the deaths of a woman and child found buried in the backyard of a house in Durham, N.C. Six other people who police say are members of the alleged cult were also charged with murder.

Pete Lucas Moses, Jr., 27, is believed to be the leader of a cult called the “Black Hebrew Israelites,” ABC affiliate WTVD in Durham reported. He was charged with the murders of Antoinetta McKoy, 28, and 5-year-old Jadon Higganbothan. McKoy was reported missing in February and was last seen in December 2010. Higganbothan had been missing since October.”

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Cult Leader News, Uncategorized

Update: Raimund Melz – Mountain Rock Church – Pictures

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   In previous posts, we have drawn from the movie “Join Us”. We have provided several posts reviewing material in the movie. The film is presented by Interloper Films along with Lusitan and was produced by Ondi Timoner and Vasco Lucas Nunes. (Copyright© Third Floor Productions, LLC 2007). The film has a dedicated website with supporting information. The site is www.joinusthemovie.co . One of the posts was titled: Join Us – Reflections and Comparisons (3) link: http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3511

    Toward the end of the movie, I found several points of interest I believed worthy of mention. My point of reference was/is comparing and contrasting the material found in this documentary of members of a religious cult in South Carolina to my time of involvement with Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC. We have noted several comparisons in previous posts, but yet I have found more.

   Near the end of the film, Patrick Provost-Smith a Professor of the History of Christianity at Harvard Divinity School was shown saying these words: “Anyone can claim to be a pastor, if they have a following… What one can look at in terms of a warning sign for realizing one is involved in an extreme group is that one can no longer account for one’s self as a human being as a person with thoughts, with ambitions… if only your pastor can tell you who you are to the extent that you have no story left of your own – leave.”  Does this happen at WOFF? Do any of the faithful regular members have their own story or does Jane Whaley tell them who they are – either directly or indirectly through the use of religious mind control? Quite frankly, while I was in the group, I did not have see how much control WOFF/Jane and her leadership had over my life. I was under the illusion until the last few months of my time there that I was in control of my life and “walk with God”. What a joke! That was the major part of the deception.  In my opinion, WOFF members do not see or are even allowed to admit to themselves or others that there is a problem with WOFF-life. WOFF members are required to check their religious freedoms, as well as other freedoms that others in this country enjoy- check them at the door give them up for the faux promise of “fulfilling their call” and making it into heaven. It is no wonder people leave that group in emotional turmoil and upheaval. There is such an adjustment to make when exiting any religious control group. “Join Us” documents some of the struggles.  

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Cult Leader News, Uncategorized

Search for Missing Members of Black Hebrews Cult in Durham, NC

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Update posted here April 16, 2011:

Police check computers, phones in search for Durham boy, woman

Posted: 4:13 p.m. yesterday  (April 15, 2011)
Updated: 7:03 p.m. yesterday –  link: http://www.wral.com/news/local/story/9449518/

 Durham, N.C. — Police are examining laptop computers and cellphones for evidence in the disappearances of a Durham boy and woman, according to search warrants released Friday. Jadon Higganbothan, 5, hasn’t been seen since October, and Antoinetta Yvonne McKoy, 28, has been missing since December. Investigators said in a previous search warrant that Jadon’s mother, Vania Rae Sisk, and her boyfriend, Peter Lucas Moses, were “directly involved” in their deaths.

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Ex-Springs residents arrested in N.C.  – by Jaryd Wilson– Posted: 04.13.2011 at 9:15 AM

 “DURHAM, N.C. — Two people who were arrested in connection with a murder in Durham, N.C. Tuesday night are former residents of Colorado Springs. Durham Police officers arrested 25-year-old Vania Sisk and her 27-year-old boyfriend Peter Moses Jr. Tuesday night in connection with the death of a woman and a 5-year-old boy. Authorities said they have not filed murder charges but were able to arrest the two on other charges. They are charging Sisk with failure to appear in court and an earlier misdemeanor marijuana possession charge, and Moses Jr. faces second degree kidnapping and assault on a female charges.”

resource link: http://www.coloradoconnection.com/news/story.aspx?id=604965

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While in Durham, NC today, (April 12, 2011)  this story came to my attention. It took me a few minutes to realize just what I was seeing and hearing. The word “cult” grabbed my attention.

 From abc11.com– here is the latest report filed this evening. I saw a report around noon today that included some of this footage. My hopes are that Peter Moses and/or whoever is responsible for the crimes will be brought to justice – quickly.

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