Tag Archives: Dr. Len Oakes

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“Prophetic Charisma” by Len Oakes (5)

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     This is the fifth post in a series which will highlight insights found in the book by Dr. Len Oakes while comparing his observations and conclusions to my personal experience inside Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). This work by Len Oakes titled, “Prophetic Charisma” – The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities (copyright ©1997 by Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY, ISBN 0-8156-2700-9) helps explain the different aspects of the personality of cult leaders. I have found that the material in this book helps me understand what I saw while in WOFF and the behaviors of Jane Whaley.

    In previous posts, we have covered several the traits Oakes lists that “broadly characterize the prophetic personality type.” (page 12) We ended the last post with the author’s description of the manipulativeness in people with these traits. Today, we begin with Oakes describing how “aloof” these leaders can be. “To the inner circle the prophet may be quite frank about some motives, but to the world beyond and to most of the followers he is aloof. (page16) Here, I must add that I was never in the “inner circle” at WOFF. I did not attend “leadership meetings” or take part in the meetings in Jane’s office before the services. My perspective is that of a regular member. I can attest that there was a caste system with some mystical requirements to move up in the system.  Nothing was ever put in writing that I saw as to how to become “leadership” within the group.  Moving down the ladder was obvious. You could express doubt as to the validity of anything Jane said or did and your status in the group was downgraded. You would be put “in discipleship” or “out of the church” until such time that Jane felt you had “repented” and “made things right”.

    “Prophets are self-contained and autonomous, seeming to need little to nothing from others… The prophet always holds himself slightly apart from others, revealing little of his true feelings and seeming to be something of a mystery even to his long-term followers. This may mean that he is unable to have close friendships… but it can also mean that he doesn’t take conflicts personally. Provided miscreants show contrition, and the cost of the conflict has not been too great, the leader can be very indulgent and forgiving. For he sees himself as above his charges in the way a lion tamer is above his beasts; they may turn on him from time to time in misguided rebellion, but he is not like them.” (page16)

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“Prophetic Charisma” by Len Oakes (4)

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    This is the fourth post in a series which will highlight several insights found in the book by Dr. Len Oakes while comparing his observations and conclusions to my personal experience inside Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). This work by Len Oakes titled, “Prophetic Charisma” – The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities (copyright ©1997 by Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY, ISBN 0-8156-2700-9) has captured my attention. We closed the last post in this series by noting that instead of a vision to spread the WOFF gospel “To The Nations” as the lyrics of a WOFF-song of several years ago proclaimed; I suggested that Jane Whaley has become her own vision. From the previous post, “Has her vision turned inward in order to make her comfortable and let her have the good life? Is this a predictable course when “prophets” age and come to the fall or winter of their ministry? When considering all that is WOFF- could there any other strong or noticeable message besides –Jane?” As I reflect on that line of thought, has Jane retired  thereby limiting her vision or outreach and concentrating on her lifestyle here in Rutherford County? She never advocated allowing her members to “retire”, but, we have to assess her actions and not just here words or restrictions on others. Could the many fine clothes and jewelry be what she feels she deserves after all these years of “ministry”? Is that why she passes the offering plates until she gets what she needs?

    Oakes writes that about David “Moses” Berg as an example of other leaders of the type he studied. “Because of his vision, his followers have suffered greatly, yet he retains their loyalty through his inspirational rhetoric” (page 14) He noted that the followers of Berg suffered because of the vision. I suggest that regular WOFF members endure a suffering because of Jane’s vision however that is defined. Their suffering includes lost years, lost relationships with family and friends as well as not knowing a true one on one Christian relationship with God. In the WOFF design for relationships, Jane is between her members and their personal walk with God. In her zeal and dysfunctional control of them, she keeps them from exactly what she claims the Christian walk is- a walk of “holy righteous living in Jesus”.  

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And What Made You Realize You Needed to Get Out?

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   This past Saturday evening, I was among friends. We were eating, talking and laughing a lot. One person was new to the group and had some questions for me. The questions took the conversation in a totally different direction as they asked about my involvement in the “religious cult”. The previous post explained my answer which was brief. In another venue, I will explain in more detail how I became involved in Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). My time either directly to indirectly affected by the teachings the leader of WOFF, Jane Whaley, totaled 16 years.  Later in the same conversation, this question came up, “And what made you realize you needed to get out?” I began be telling about certain events that happened April 9, 2008 and the meeting at the church in RF’s office. The pivotal understanding came to me when I saw that the others in the meeting considered what was happening as totally NORMAL. The events of the meeting and the display of Jane coming in a screaming at me and pointing her finger in my face were totally acceptable to the others in the room. They seemed to think the gesture was normal and in this case-needed. That one meeting was a catalyst that allowed me to consider that my time at WOFF was coming to close. It was not the total answer, but it did push me forward into unchartered waters of considering that WOFF was “un-normal”. While you are in WOFF, the thinking when a person considers WOFF as NOT God’s will is explained as they “want to keep their devils”. The exit from WOFF is explained in more detail in this post from April 20, 2010 – What Thoughts Helped Me Leave WOFF?? Part 1 – https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=1396  

   In previous posts, I have used the book, “Recovery From Cults” – Help for Victims of Psychological and Spiritual Abuse– Edited by Michael Langone- (copyright © 1993 American Family Foundation – ISBN 0-393-31321-2) as a resource. The author explains in the Introduction some of the findings about those who leave cults. “Obviously, the control cult leaders achieve is not absolute because ultimately most people leave cultic groups (Barker 1984), although a sizeable number remain for many years. In one of the few studies that investigated why people leave cults, in structured interviews of 90 subjects, Wright (1983a, 1983b) identified four main reasons for defection. The first reason is a break with the cult’s social insulation. Only 4 of 12 persons separated from the group for three or more weeks (for example, on an extended visit to family) returned to the group.” (page 9) This makes sense, right? From 1992 until I left in 2008, I never spent time away from the Greenville church or WOFF – with family or any other reason for more than a long weekend. IF I missed a Sunday service, it was a big deal. In WOFF, they don’t use the term vacation. “Who would take a “vacation” from God, God’s will or God’s people?” The term is “time away” to rest or be with family; family in WOFF or who sympathize with WOFF. If there is a way to make the trip seem more spiritual, then that layer was added to excuse Jane and her crew to take a week away to the beach in the house they owned near Charleston, SC. Breaking from the “cult social insulation” was not acceptable at WOFF- for obvious reasons.

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“Prophetic Charisma” by Len Oakes (3)

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    This is the third post in a series which will highlight the insights found in the book by Len Oakes while comparing his observations and conclusions to my personal experience inside Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). This work by Len Oakes titled, “Prophetic Charisma” – The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities (copyright ©1997 by Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY, ISBN 0-8156-2700-9) has captured my attention. We closed the last post in this series promising to review the traits and behaviors learned by Oakes about those who have this “prophetic charisma” and compare them to my understanding, experience and knowledge of Jane Whaley, leader of WOFF.

   It is at this point, I will admit several thoughts and concerns. When I first heard of this book and ordered it, my excitement was off the meter. As I began reading this work, my expectations have been realized and more. Yes, I have been awed at the accuracy of this work by a man, who to my knowledge has never met or heard of Jane Whaley. While at the same time I have felt a degree of validation and/or vindication, even though that comes with a certain and definite note of sadness.  Oakes gives some direction in the Introduction that has led me to realize that this series will not only be about Jane Whaley and how she compares to the observations of Oakes. Oakes writes, “Because we cannot really understand the prophet without understanding something of the followers and the particular bond they share with their leader, discussions are presented in chapters 7 and 8 of the followers and their quest, and also of charismatic rituals.” (page 22) In order to present a more complete picture of my time at WOFF and what I observed, I will be reviewing the insights of Oakes about followers in later posts and comparing to my thoughts, feeling and resulting experience. The thought of doing this gave me some apprehension at first. But, I will attempt to share all as we go through the highlights of this work by Oakes. This attempt coupled with the quandary that there is so much valuable insight in the book; I am realizing there is no way to share all of it. Let me encourage you to find your own copy and read it at your pace. Amazon.com was my source for the book.

    Oakes gives some understanding as to where his observations and analysis led him. The results gave him, “…first, a more finely grained description of the basic behaviors of the leaders—that is, a list of specific traits unlikely o be measured by a standardized psychological test –and , second a developmental sequence of life stages—a kind of “natural history of prophetic development”—that accounts for development of these traits and behaviors.” (page 12) In truth, I am not sure how many posts it will take to cover these traits. But, we will list them and give my experiences within WOFF and see if Jane displayed these traits. Next, we will share about the “life stages” and compare them to what Jane has revealed about herself as she loved/loves to tell her story to her faithful WOFF members. I should be able to recall most of it as I heard it many times.

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“Prophetic Charisma” by Len Oakes (2)

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   This is the second post in a series which will highlight the insights found in the book by Len Oakes while comparing his observations and conclusions to my personal experience inside Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). This work by Len Oakes titled, “Prophetic Charisma” – The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities (copyright ©1997 by Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY, ISBN 0-8156-2700-9) has captured my attention. While I hope to find answers to certain questions which have been generated over the last three or more years, I also am excited about the additional inspiration which I anticipate from studying this material.

   The first post served as an introduction to Dr. Len Oakes, to the concept of “Prophetic Charisma”, the idea of a “prophet” as well as the notion that despite the many differences of those who live as a “prophet”, there are many similarities. Dr. Oakes believes that these similarities can be observed and conclusions drawn to help us not only understand the person as a “prophet”, but the followers and even society as a whole. I must admit that the prospect of learning from this book and the subsequent studies it will lead to, seem very intriguing.

   Dr. Oakes shares that his study involved three phases. “The first began in 1972 when I attended an encounter group run by a charismatic psychotherapist.” (page 3) Oakes “was twenty-four years old” at the time and he was so impressed he moved into the leaders home with a small group of other “followers”. “The relationship ended in 1975 when I moved on…Three years later this leader founded a rural commune. In 1980 I visited this community… At the time, I was enrolled to study psychology at the local university. During my visit, the leader invited me to join his group and to document its history, adding, “This will be the greatest social laboratory in the world. There is enough research to be done here to keep you busy the rest of your life”. (page 3-4) So began a ten year stay inside that group for Oakes. He married there and his children were born inside that group. He counted himself as “an inside outsider in the community.” “There were times when I defended the group passionately to outside critics, and other occasions when I flatly opposed the leader’s directives.” (page 4)

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“Prophetic Charisma” by Len Oakes (1)

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   This work by Len Oakes titled, “Prophetic Charisma” – The Psychology of Revolutionary Religious Personalities (copyright ©1997 by Syracuse University Press, Syracuse, NY, ISBN 0-8156-2700-9) has captured my attention. This book may be the source of several posts as we work through the research and conclusions of Dr. Oakes. The following is a short biography that would have been current as of the date of publishing. As a note, with a little research, I did find an address and telephone number for Dr. Oakes in Australia; however, they have not been verified.

“Len Oakes is a senior consultant psychologist with the Cairnmiller Institute of Melbourne, Australia, and completed his doctoral dissertation on the psychology of charisma at the University of Auckland, New Zealand. He is a member of the Australian Psychology Society, the New Zealand Psychological Society, and the International Society for Hypnosis and has published articles on communal studies, the psychology of religion, and the counseling issues associated with new religious movements. He is the editor of the journal Psychotherapy in Australia.”

   The foreword was written by Sarah Hamilton-Byrne. She wrote a book titled, “Unseen, Unheard, Unknown: My Life Inside the Family of Anne Hamilton-Byrne”. (link to more about the her book- http://www.leavingsiddhayoga.net/unseen.htm )   She explains the purpose and direction of Dr. Oakes’ work and applauds him for taking steps to explain some rather difficult questions. Since her explanation of the book is so precise, I will quote bits and pieces of the foreword with my comments interspersed, in order to set the direction of this series of posts. “In this unique contribution to our understanding of the social phenomenon of charismatic groups and those who lead them, Dr. Len Oakes explores the psychology of charisma and proposes his own theory of the five-stage life cycle of two types of prophets – the messianic and the charismatic – from their primitive narcissistic beginnings to their ultimately inevitable implosion or demise.” (page xi)

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