As the list similarities between FLDS and WOFF grows, it is evident that the mode of operation used by the two leaders is the same. There is evidence of strong control and autocratic leadership methods in each group. FLDS being patriarchal and WOFF being matriarchal; with one central figure in each group who holds the power. (before Warren Jeffs “retired” with his arrest..)

     Warren Jeffs was reported in “Lost Boy” as thinking of “himself as a singer/songwriter, but from my perspective (Brent Jeffs) he really didn’t qualify as either…His singing was amplified over that of the congregation, and often sounded off-key.” (page 59)

     Jane Whaley also took the position as main songwriter in WOFF. She admittedly had no formal training for music, but that did not stop her. She would write songs often “hearing” them during a service. The whole order of service was predicated on whatever Jane “heard from God”; so we stopped and listened as Jane and her support group would gather around the piano and hammer out another song. The whole congregation was expected to “pull on God” to help “birth in the song of the Lord”.. Not every time was a song finished, it may be shelved until a later time.

     In addition, ALL songs sung during praise and worship or any part of the service had to be Jane approved. If Jane was not in the sanctuary, you can rest assured she would be listening on the monitor in her office. (if she was in town) Occasionally, when she was out of town, she still would be listening to the service. Or she could be called by a lieutenant who suspected something was “not right with the music.” She has called back in on her cell phone and corrected whoever was leading the music. That person got things “off track” and she would call to “get things back in the direction God wanted them to go…”.

      Most services the musical instruments would be a piano, electric keyboard and one guitar. Other instruments were added and taken away from time to time according to “what was working in the musicians” at the time. Jane finally heard from God that children could learn to play instruments. Then, some let the instruments occupy a “bigger place in their heart than Jesus”, so Jane stopped music lessons for a long while. As of late, I hear certain children have begun to play their instruments again, “after getting their breakthroughs…”

     There would be no playing of the instruments at home unless “leadership had a ahold of it”…  Jane did not want the children to “be taken over by the music devil”..

     There were three refugees from the Christian music industry that had taken refuge at WOFF. ( I suppose they are still there..) One had been a recording artist and traveled as a drummer with a rock music “superstar”. He had stories that he mainly kept to himself as he has fought drug addition for years. He has been in and out of the church several times over the years. He would always “find a place of repentance” and Jane would let him back up on stage to sing after who knows how many battles with drugs??…  Another man from a European country was an expert sound mixer or producer. He had helped bring certain music styles from Europe to America several years ago. He also had been part owner in a specialty guitar manufacturing company in Europe. The third “refugee” was a Christian music producer out of Nashville who had worked with several leading Christian recording artists. Each would get up and warn the young people of the horrors of not “submitting to Jesus” while playing or singing the song of the Lord. They would name names of several leading Christian artists who had major messes in their personal lives…

     In “Lost Boy”, Brent Jeffs explains the restrictions on movies and music. “Movies were especially bad and to be avoided… And, of course, radio and tapes and CDs— except for Warren’s hymns and speeches— were blasphemous and could get you in trouble if you were caught with them. Some people would listen to his sermons on tape throughout the day.” (page 103) (emphasis added..)

     In “Stolen Innocence”, Elissa Wall writes, “We were encouraged to listen to tapes of Uncle Warren’s important sermons as frequently as we could. Often in school we would hear these tapes wafting out of the loudspeakers as we went about our day. We also would listen to them at home the way other families would listen to music.. I searched for answers in the tapes… If I didn’t understand something, it was better not to say it aloud than appear to be questioning priesthood principles.” (page 52)

     For years at WOFF, the only approved music tape was a praise and worship tape that WOFF produced. We wore out our copy. Also, like FLDS; we were encouraged to hear every service by coming back to the church and listening to the tape; if we had missed it for some reason. And for those “in discipleship” or on “church discipline” – listening to tapes of Jane’s sermons was an important part of “submitting your heart to find a place of repentance” or find out “where you had missed God.”..

    As with FLDS,  movies were not allowed at WOFF. But, Jane did allow folks to “hear God” if they should go to see “The Passion” a few years ago. It was truly a sight to see all those WOFF members in a movie theatre! It was strange, you were being watched to see if you were “giving over” and liking or lusting after the whole movie thing. We all came back to the church for prayer afterwards. The next service, one lieutenant got up and told everyone how wicked the movie was and we all were encouraged to repent for going. Jane had not gone. But, she knew ahead of time this movie would “test our hearts” to see if we still had the “movie devil” in us…

      Again, the similarities between FLDS and WOFF stare us in the face. I close with a quote from one who was revered at WOFF, Ronald Reagan. His funeral was taped and watched as a church service. No one watched it at home,  since no one but Jane admitted to having a TV in their house. “God told Jane” when to watch television. Many times she would watch “Christian” television. She would come back and update us on who “had truth” and who didn’t. I can’t remember her ever saying she totally agreed with any television preacher. Also, Larry King’s last interviewed with Tammy Faye Baker was taped and shown to the whole church..please, tell me why? We also watched as a church, the History Channel’s documentary on the “Origins of Christmas”. But that is for another day…

Okay, here is the simple quote:

“Facts are stubborn things.” – Ronald Reagan

Has anyone seen a “duck” lately?

Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. It could very well save their life. There are some good readers inside of WOFF. I know for sure.. 🙂

(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. )