Douglass begins to share what he feels is the major part of slavery that robs those caught in its web. “The physical cruelties are indeed sufficiently harassing and revolting; but they are as a few grains of sand on the seashore, or a few drops of water in the great ocean, compared with the stupendous wrongs which it inflicts upon the mental, moral and religious nature of its hapless victims.”(page 186 emphasis added) This is the one main similarity that slavery from the 1800’s has with WOFF-life. This one key identifies life for WOFF members as a type of slavery. Which survivor will come forward and deny that any part of their mental, moral or religious nature was hurt and/or in many ways crushed, during their time at WOFF? When I consider not only my own experience, but, the experience of other survivors recounted to me personally; I cannot help but weep and wonder at the destruction that Jane Whaley has orchestrated on the lives of so many “hapless victims”. In some other forum, I hope to gather and tell the stories of survivors that would shock the folks in the community surrounding WOFF.

     Jane Whaley, her leaders and members of WOFF treat each other in ways that would astound outsiders. Some would be warmed by the apparent “good” and others would be shocked at the rules of conduct which require absolute loyalty to the authority of Jane. Members are required to be informants against each other and in support of the leader. This façade of trusted mistrust is a false foundation that exposes the true intent of Jane and her leadership. Individuals are absorbed in the identity of the group. Mentally, the stress of keeping the rules and constantly juggling the need for loyalty to Jane and her wishes while attempting to lead a “normal” family life is a great weight on members. In addition, when surveying the list of WOFF casualties over the last few years, one thing becomes clear. Many have emerged full of fears of all types. Some confess of haunting dreams of WOFF-life supposing a return and the fearful circumstances of those events. Some walk away from any moral restraints, do you wonder why? Some never darken the door of another church, do you wonder why? Weary, wounded and full of bewilderment; that sums up many, if not most, of the WOFF survivors. Does this sound like the effects of a healthy, emotionally balanced, spiritually enhancing, and safe place?

    We move on. Douglass continues as he describes the effects of slavery on the man that was made in “the image of God”… “It is such a being that is smitten and blasted…It (slavery) reduces men to a mere machine. (Did that happen at WOFF?) It cuts him off from his maker, it hides him from the laws of God, and leaves him to grope his way from time to eternity in the dark, under the arbitrary and despotic control of a frail, depraved and sinful fellow-man.”  (page 187) The speaker goes on to tell how slavery robs men of their conscience. “It is then the first business of an enslaver of men to blunt, deaden and destroy the central principle of human responsibility.”(page 187) It is here I would clarify the analogy between slavery from the 1800’s and WOFF-life. The effect of WOFF-life is not to destroy the conscience, for that is truly a great task. The effect of WOFFness is to remold the center of one’s conscience to rotate around the edicts of WOFF and its purpose- to serve Jane. Faithful WOFF members live, breath and eat WOFFness. Why? It has been made the pretended-center of their very existence. I know; I felt its effects for years. Do former members have a different view or dispute this statement?

   Douglass goes on to tell about how it was illegal to teach a slave to read. The penalty for doing this was “severe fines and imprisonment, in some instances death itself.” (page 187) Here, I must clarify, again. At WOFF, the children are taught to read. However, there is a great effort to control what they read, when they read, how often they read and why they read. A faithful WOFF member will see nothing wrong with these limitations, since WOFF adults are supposedly censored in the same manner. Everyone is supposed to watch everyone else and monitor what they watch, read, say, and think! “What thoughts have you been giving to?” This was a “fair” question during my years at WOFF.

    Next, Douglass addresses the excuses that slaves must be happy, they dance, sing and make merry at times. “The spirit will rise and walk abroad, despite of whips and chains, and extract from the cup of nature, occasional drops of joy and gladness. No thanks to the slaveholder, nor to slavery, that the vivacious captive may sometimes dance in his chains, his very mirth in such circumstances stands before God, as an accusing angel against the enslaver.” (page 189) Yes, it is evident to visitors at WOFF that there are smiles on the faces and dancing in the aisles of the main meeting room. Many times, there is no need for a microphone when certain WOFF members sing. In my opinion, where the joy is sincere; that is a testimony of God’s goodness and His far reaching love, even in the darkest of controlling circumstances. Is this not what Douglass was saying? He went on to ask which one of the folks that used the “happiness of the slave” as a justification for slavery had indeed lived as a slave. For those that say, WOFF members must be doing well, they seem so happy. Know for sure, you must make your way into the group to live as a “faithful WOFF member” to know the inner workings of that group. All that is seen on the outside does not ring true in the midst of them.

    Lastly, Douglass reviews the argument of those that would continue slavery by saying the conditions for those in Ireland were more deplorable. He says the folks in Ireland may be poor, but they are not slaves. The Irish still had freedoms though they were poor and in need. Irishmen could come and go, choose to work for another or on their own. Irishmen could assemble, read newspapers, speak openly and enjoyed the right to petition. “But, how is it with the American slave? Where may he assemble? Where is his Conciliation Hall? Where are his newspapers? Where is his right to petition? Where is his freedom of speech? his liberty of press? and his right of locomotion? He is said to be happy; happy men can speak.” (freely) (page 190) What do we say to that? It is very evident that life in WOFF has MANY of the same restrictions that the American slave had to live under. Do you find that strange? There is NO free flow of information inside of WOFF; there is no liberty of press, no newspapers among the faithful. Their locomotion or travel is approved of or monitored by Jane or her leadership. WOFF members don’t travel freely to relatives or sporting events or even shopping without “checking it out with authority”….

   The starting question was “Is membership in Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) a type of slavery?”  We learned about slavery from a former slave. As a former WOFF member, I have shared my experiences. From those experiences, what are the obvious conclusions? What parts of WOFF-life and slave-life are the same? What parts are different? Yes, it is a perplexing problem. In my opinion, the outward trappings of WOFF-life are no conciliation for “the stupendous wrongs which it inflicts upon the mental, moral and religious nature of its hapless victims.

     Thank you, for taking time to visit and read this blog.  Please, consume the information on this site responsibly. The author is not a licensed mental health professional and encourages those that need professional help to seek it. The intent of the material is to inform and be a resource. Be sure to tell every member that you know at WOFF about this blog. There are readers at WOFF. Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

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      (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. ) Scripture references are Amplified Version unless otherwise noted. (Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 208.