Category Archives: Emotional Control

Behavior Control, Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Emotional Control, Information control, Thought Reform, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Mind Control Forum Review – “This is what I want to see!”

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Saturday, May 24th a forum was held at the Spindale House and the subjects included information about mind control and testimonies from Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) survivors. The lead up to the meeting was intense for many of those involved. Materials were put together, videos were reviewed, meetings were held and in the end the general consensus was that it was a success. Admittedly, there is no way to recap all of what was said since I do not have a recording. The pictures taken will be added here at a later date. My goal for this post is to just hit what few highlights I remember and to give enough for those who did not attend to get the flavor and direction of the meeting.

There were no decorations, but we placed information and candy in the seats for the guests. We had waters for the taking on a table to the side. There were three tables up front for the panel and the large screen television. The attendees filed in and in that group were two WOFF members, Greg and Rita Burgeson. Several other WOFF members were spotted circling through the parking area, some waving and blowing their horns. We were prepared for more WOFF members, but they only sent two inside.

We began the forum a little late after experiencing technical difficulties with the PowerPoint® we were given from another advocacy group. This was just “warfare”, right? We had a back-up plan and were able to use printouts of the presentation. Mr. Rape began the session in prayer encouraging all that it was possible to be deceived and we would learn how that could happen through the material revealed tonight. He delivered an encouraging prayer as well.

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Emotional Control, Information control, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Abuse is Abuse is Abuse….There is No Excuse

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The rccatalyst.com write up on the event on Saturday said this… “The crowd waited quietly even as they stood divided into two camps…” After I read that, I pondered- What were the two camps? Was it those who were against abuse and those who were for it? No, I am sure that would not be admitted. In a simplified explanation, it was those who had left Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and those who were still there. There was a third camp of concerned citizens who may or may not have been aware of the drama that surrounded them. If the ensuing outburst of flailing arms and shouts at the speaker did not pique their curiosity then, okay. But, there were at least two “camps” and a third group of supporters.

It is the group of WOFF members who attended the event to whom I address this post. Many of you either soon will be or are already of child bearing age. Some were carrying unborn babies at the event. It is to that group this post is focused. In order to make my case, let me share a series of events relayed to me by a former WOFF member concerning a child who attends Word of Faith Christian School (WFCS).

Continue reading Abuse is Abuse is Abuse….There is No Excuse →

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Emotional Control, Thought Reform, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Is Simple Assault a Vital Part of the Word of Faith Fellowship Practices? (1)

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Recently, I obtained some very disturbing information about new discipline practices that have evolved at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). If my source is accurate, and I have no reason to think that their knowledge is less than up close and personal; then it appears that Simple Assault has become a consistent tool for “correction” inside WOFF.

Before I give the account, let me say that after I left in 2008, it took a while to decompress and as it were- begin to assimilate and process that experiences over the last 16 years. I was in denial for a long time as to the intensity with which Jane Whaley’s edicts were carried out. After all, didn’t she speak for “God?” While I was inside, I wrestled with that required basic belief which faces every WOFF member. Does Jane speak for God? For some to deny it would mean they would soon “meet the authority of God in Jane Whaley.” That translates into her making a show of how much she owns you and has the power to direct your life at ALL levels. Many times, this revelation was accompanied with loud shouting, shrills of “prayer” and in some cases- physical restraint until you bowed your knee to her. When it was happening to others, there was in me a disengagement and denial that I would ever be required to do that. Oh, I was wrong and therein was the beginning of my exit story- previously told on this blog.

Why do I insert these musings here? For this reason, for outsiders it is next to impossible to convey the level of power, influence, control and fear-hold that Jane has over her members. Honestly, not everyone is controlled to the exact same degree, but, everyone is controlled at some level or they don’t stay. As I tell of the new discipline measures which have developed, do not think for an instant that the intense interactions have not been allowed or even prompted – at the minimum – APRROVED by Jane Whaley herself. NOTHING happens twice inside that group without Jane’s approval. So, here we go…

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Behavior Control, Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Emotional Control, Information control, Thought Reform, Uncategorized

“It is never too late to wake-up and leave…” Steve Hassan (video)

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Over the last few weeks, there has been a major increase in the supply of material that is fitting for this blog. It has been hard to focus on what to post next. Today, I received notice of this video and stopped everything to watch it. The speaker is Steve Hassan, a leading author and expert in mind control techniques and an ever-giving resource of help for those wanting to understand cults and their nuances. We have featured his work on this blog before; however, this video has some timely comments on current events surrounding the subject of cults and mind control. We will review a few excerpts and tie them back to subjects discussed previously on this blog.

The video is less than twenty-five minutes long. He recently spoke at the Society for  Ethical Culture in NY and apparently he has many friends there.

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Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Emotional Control, Thought Reform, Uncategorized

Former WOFF Member Files Report of Assault

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Before I begin with the content of this post, let me acknowledge there will be some who disagree with my position to present this information in this forum. Some survivors of WOFF choose to “forgive and forget” and attempt to put everything that happened to them as far away from them as possible. That is a choice each is free to make, but, I don’t recommend it. Privacy prevents me from sharing the emails I receive on a regular basis from survivors of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and other groups. Many of these emails contain regrets for waiting so long to process the events that happened to them in years of being involved in a controlling group. Trying to ignore the injuries, the injustices, the hurts, the confusion and the emotional trauma will not prove helpful in the long run. The emails I receive with these aches and hurts are from survivors who were in WOFF and relatives of those who are now or have been in WOFF. It is with that understanding that I proceed to share the ongoing story of a survivor of 21 years of involvement in WOFF.

In a previous post titled, “Another Exit Drama Unfolds …” found here: http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=4782 . In that post, we did not name the survivor for various reasons. As of a few days ago, by his choice, his name was put into public record and therefore we will mention it here. Michael Lowry was born in 1990 in Rutherford County while his family was a part of WOFF. The family was from Michigan and have lived in the area every since his birth. He grew up in WOFF as his only social environment. In the previous post, we recounted his experiences in the “fourth building”. Those experiences had been traumatic to say the least and were a major part of his decision to leave his family and the only group of “friends” he had ever known. Today, we will give you excerpts from an incident report he filed with the Rutherford County Sheriff’s department outlining some of the events in the fourth building.

  Remember, this report is listed as “Further Investigation” needed. The people listed in this report are innocent until proven guilty.  No event or claim in this report has been proven in a court of law and no person in this report has been convicted of any crime(s). This is an incident report that is in public records that anyone can obtain a copy of from the Rutherford County Sheriff’s department.

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Emotional Control, Uncategorized

Is it the Love of God or Jane-Love?

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    During my time inside Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF), I witnessed many things. I heard Jane Whaley preach many “strange and wonderful things”- or so I thought.  During my last few months there and especially after I left I began to experience some of the things Jane had taught and encouraged her members to believe and act upon. One of those things was the shunning of friends and family. As the months have passed and I have written about WOFF practices, none has been so devastating to me and the many other folks who find themselves on the receiving end of such behaviors. I have been contacted by many fathers as well as brothers, parents, grandparents, uncles, aunts and other relatives who recount the same or very similar stories. They have been cut-off from contact either gradually over time or over one incident. It could have been as simple as the television or as drastic as wearing shorts or jeans. But, in every case at least that I am aware of the cut-off and shunning of a relative was in order for the WOFF member to show loyalty to and love for Jane Whaley and her rules. The WOFF-spin was that the person who left did not “love God” or was “attacking Jane” by leaving or how they acted or what they had said. For those who live in the surrounding community and see the well groomed WOFF-life being lived before them, let me give more details. For all that shines is not gold.

    The WOFF-dramas that tear apart families are not hashed out in the view of public – well, except those child custody cases seen in the courts. Those follow a script and for the most part end up in the parent that leaves getting very little actual visitation with children still in WOFF. A few WOFF-children have chosen the non-WOFF parent and have left. But, they did so facing the cost of losing WOFF friends, WOFF School, and regular contact with the WOFF-parent that stayed inside the supposed “Christian” church known as WOFF.

   The scenario I am more familiar with both from being inside and now being outside for three years, includes the family members who stay, refusing any contact with those who have left WOFF. This part of the WOFF-drama is hard to explain even to one who has seen it from both sides. Why? I believe that many that see the glitter and glamour of WOFF-life do not actually see the trauma and drama for those inside and those that make their way out.  So, for those in the community, appearances can be deceiving. The price to pay to stay and play is high for sure. I saw it in other lives before it came to be a part of mine. I saw other families being torn apart but, not one day before it began to happen to me, did I think I would be a victim of Jane-love. 

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Emotional Control, Thought Reform, Uncategorized

If WOFF is SO Safe, Then Why the Constant Drama?

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   During my years at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF), I never considered the group “unsafe”. Why? Well, at first glance, it appears to be a “Christian” church group that may take certain beliefs to an extreme application. For most of the beliefs, I went along and did not question. What about the constant drama scenes that occurred? How did that affect the morale or outlook of regular members? From my memory, during my time inside the group, I believed many of the explanations put forth to justify the drama of those inside the group and the major exit dramas of those who left or were put out. Many of the years while inside the group, I was not looking for a way out or alternative explanations for the nagging questions or very repetitive drama scenes.

   But, the drama scenes continued to occur and after a while even a very faithful WOFF member has to wonder – Why? So, what were some of the reasons put forth for the emotional upheavals and seemingly dramatic exits for what some considered as “faithful” WOFF members? Yes, I know we have discussed this here before on the blog, but, I have an additional point to make today.

WOFF is UNSAFE
Near the End of the Walk

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