Earlier, I admitted that the list of “don’ts” for WOFF was not complete. In the interest of making the list as complete as possible, there are more to add. These “don’ts” are in no particular order. Also, let’s be reminded that the list itself is not the focus of these posts. The “Don’t” List is just an example of the far reaching control that Jane Whaley and other leadership at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC exercise over regular members. True, not all members adhere to the same number of these don’ts at any one time. But, over the years, ALL of these don’ts were advocated in one form or another. As a refresher, here is the original list of 145 :WOFF Don’t list 03 10
After I returned from a recent trip to the gym, I realized that going to the gym was a WOFF “don’t”. WOFF members do not frequent gyms. They were told that the “body building devil”can take you over. One fellow got up to explain how he took steroids and lost his hair. (if my memory serves me correctly..) Think about the “don’ts” that are at the gym. Worldly music, people in shorts and sleeveless tops, TV- to name a few. The trip to the gym would be “don’t” overload for a WOFF member.
While on family getaways or day trips, who has not seen the machines that take pennies and imprints an image on them? Well, some young folks close to me enjoyed collecting those pennies very much. One service, one of the teachers and assistant principal of the school got up to make the new “don’t” known to all. “No more smashing pennies! You are destroying government property.” I am not sure, but she may have been swatting gnats at the same time she was telling us this new don’t. Does this one make sense? Please, comment if you are a penny smasher.
WOFF members in the know about lingo, did not use the word “luck”. We were told “luck” was from the word “Lucifer”. Well, that may not be so true.. see link http://tiny.cc/rEYc1 This explains the myth of saying that “luck” comes from Lucifer. Still, this has to stay on the don’t list, because WOFF members don’t say “luck”.
On that note, WOFF members don’t say “bless you” after someone sneezes. The belief was that saying “bless you” was from an ancient custom that a sneeze expelled demons and you blessed the person before the demons could get back in to them. This belief was spoofed as untrue at WOFF. Read here for more information and options from other cultrues about what happens when a person sneezes. ( http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sneeze ) Scroll down to “Traditional Responses to a Sneeze”.
WOFF members don’t say the word “cool”. I must admit when I first left WOFF, it was a shock to hear folks using that word “cool”. To me, it was very retro. I am old enough to remember the other times it passed through our culture. Words and phrases often do make their rounds. I chuckled the first time I heard a person in their 50’s say something was cool. Okay, I laughed out loud! After several months or so, I found myself saying the word. (only occasionally!) It just did not seem cool for someone of my age to say “cool”. Please, comment below if you are cool with saying “cool”. 🙂
Wrapped up in the “don’t” celebrate holidays for WOFF members is a little caveat. Many “don’ts” exist around the holiday issue. But, one has a particular twist. WOFF members are told not to eat birthday cakes or other traditional foods for any holiday. WOFF members don’t eat holiday candy. (sorta..) You know, the Peeps® and Reeses® peanut butter eggs, candy corn and other candies that are only out during the weeks previous to those certain days. Jane Whaley admitted on more than one occasion she has a weakness for certain types of candy associated with certain holidays. First, she admitted to going to places like Fred’s® (one of her faves!) and buying candy after the holiday in question. “While it was on sale!” Later, there was the admission she may eat the candy before the holiday. Because “It wouldn’t touch me, I am free from the pull of that devil“. Yes, that “don’t” was very conditional. Depended on your perceived condition. Would you be affected by eating candy “offered to demons“? If there was the least little pull to ANYTHING associated with a holiday, you were to run the other direction. Just don’t bump into Jane on your way out of Fred’s®!
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