Before we turn to our subject of “Illusion(s)”, I must share some thoughts. Today is April 9, 2011. In looking back, April 9, 2008 was a pivotal day in my time at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). That Wednesday evening after a church service, I was summoned into a meeting in a small office on WOFF property. That meeting lasted from just after 9:00PM until around midnight. In attendance were GS, LS, RF, JF, BC, AK, my wife and myself. It also included a cameo appearance from Jane Whaley. Her part was screaming and pointing her finger at me as she proclaimed that I was “full of the unclean”! She then turned to my wife and declared that she “allow(ed) him to be so…” On that cue, my wife turned and took up the screaming fit toward me. At that moment, she took on a piece of the WOFF modus operandi. Results of that meeting included, but, were not limited to me losing my job and the accessories that went along with the position. The relationship with my wife also took a fatal turn that night. It was coincidentally our 20^th wedding anniversary. WOFF members do not celebrate that, so it was not on the discussion list for the evening. One of the biggest shocks of the whole evening was that those in attendance other than me considered the events that transpired as NORMAL! That is what jolted me into doubting that WOFF-ways were God’s ways.

    At this time, my life is in yet another transition. Life issues have come and gone, battles not related to WOFF have come and been won. Some battles have been lost. Other battles are ongoing. (Jane talks a lot about “battles”…) The tone of this blog is in transition, as well. The main subjects have moved from retelling only my experiences to including resource material that helps explain what I went through and how WOFF compares to other groups labeled as cults. I have begun to read material written by cult experts and survivors of other groups. I have found that my experiences are not abnormal compared to other survivors or other groups. Several survivors of other cult groups have contacted me to confirm that their experiences have been very similar. Readers have come, consumed several posts and then moved on to other concerns in their life. Some only read enough to confirm their own suspensions that Jane and her group are “bad” and should be avoided. Others continue to read to learn just why things were/are not healthy.  

  Admittedly, the subject matter of cults has lasting appeal for only a certain group of folks who have been touched in some way by the behaviors, methods and outcomes of either their own involvement or a loved one’s involvement. I would like to think that it is forever settled in my mind and heart that Jane Whaley and her WOFF-ways were/are dangerous. There is nothing else to prove in my thinking. WOFF is what it is and the years I lived in that group cannot be changed or restored. Lives have been forever altered as me and others have lost pieces of our beings to the group called Word of Faith Fellowship in Spindale, NC. How could all this take place? One tool used to accomplish these things was/is by illusions.  

     Recently, I came across a cartoon presentation of the fairy tale “The Emperor’s New Clothes” (Copyright ©2007 Timeless Media Group, Eugene, OR, story adapted from the original by Hans Christian Andersen). It was a bargain for $1.00 at the Mighty Dollar® store! Since I had heard folks reference this story and compare it to things that they believed about WOFF, I had to have my own copy. The paragraph on the back cover includes these words: “A foolish emperor buys new clothes he cannot see, after being told that only stupid people would not see them. Not wanting to be called stupid, everyone goes along with him, pretending to see the new clothes. It takes a child to point out the emperor is wearing nothing but his underwear.”

   That is the basic line of the story. I am so glad I purchased my own copy. See, it had been years since I heard or read the story for myself. In times past, I had misquoted the title as “The King Has No Clothes”. It was good to get the story straight. As I watched it, I began to notice how the whole sham was started.

    The beginning of the film shows that the emperor had been reared by his mother to believe that his clothes were of utmost importance. Several scenes showed Lewis, the young man that would be the emperor being scolded for tearing his clothes or getting them dirty. He was tongue lashed several times and told to go change his clothes and take better care of them and/or make sure to wear the right clothes. In one scene, he was told to make an entrance into the room to show off his clothes. All of this helped set him up for the con played on him in later years.

    Later in his life, Lewis, the emperor, meets a little girl. She tells him of her daddy, the palace gardener. She tells the emperor that her daddy told her that it was the love in one’s heart that was important- not their clothes. She exclaimed that her daddy loved her very much even though he did not have the finest clothes. Lewis admits his mother had not taught him such things.

   Soon after this meeting, Lewis is in preparation for his birthday party. The emperor orders new clothes from two tailors. These two men were depicted and sly and evil looking. They began telling the emperor about their ability to weave magical and beautiful clothes. Clothes made of gold and silver, precious stones and jewels. These materials were ones which the emperor would supply, of course. And these clothes could not been seen by stupid people. This went well with the emperor’s desire to know who he could trust in his court.

    The con was launched and was played out very nicely until the day of the birthday parade. A part of the celebration was a parade in which the king would wear his new clothes in front of the whole kingdom. The subjects were also told that only stupid people could not or would not see the beautiful new clothes. No one wants to be labeled as stupid! So, the adults pretended to see the clothes that were not there. It was not until the little girl who he had met earlier; saw him that she told the emperor she only saw him in his underwear. The pretending adults around her gasped! It was then that the emperor finally admitted he had been fooled and could no longer pretend he saw the clothes. He hailed the little girl as his friend.  

    What were the illusions and who was involved in this story? I saw many, but may have missed some. First, there was the illusion told to Lewis that clothes were the MOST important thing. This consumed Lewis in later years. Next, there was the illusion played by the conmen, the two tailors. They proclaimed their skills at weaving magical clothes. They pretended to be weaving cloth, all the while hoping to steal the gold and silver and jewels donated by the emperor. The illusion was created by saying that only stupid people could not see the clothes, it worked for a while. The right-hand man for the emperor was taken-in and furthered the lie by telling the emperor he saw the clothes. He did not want to be “stupid”! None of the citizens in the kingdom wanted to be called stupid, so they went along with the illusion started by the two conmen. The illusion finally was broken by the child who had met the emperor earlier in the story. She proclaimed she did not see the magical clothes!

    Do these illusions have any resemblance to anything that went on at WOFF? Here are my thoughts on the matter. First, the most obvious illusion—the emperor thought that his clothes were the most important thing. Does Jane Whaley reflect this illusion? She certainly places A LOT of importance on her clothes and the clothes of her members! Is it the most important thing to her? I doubt if she ever would admit that and certainly things could have changed, but I see no evidence of changes. I heard her say in a service that if her clothes were laid out side by side, they would cover two city blocks! I really don’t know if that included shoes and purses. The subject at the time was dresses. Illusion number one is a match.

   What other illusions could be the same? In the story, only “stupid people” could not see the new clothes. At WOFF, anyone “not walking with God” doesn’t understand the WOFF ways of dress and manner of “holy righteous living”. So, who wants to be known as “stupid” or “not walking with God”? To be told you are not walking with God has a far more reaching connotation than being called stupid. “Not walking with God” could mean you are a heathen, a sinner, not saved or even going to hell when you die. So, the illusion of WOFF is deeper in many ways than just clothes. Those inside WOFF are taught that those who are on the outside are less spiritual, not walking in the light God has given Jane and certainly do not have the standing in God’s kingdom that faithful WOFF members have. WOFF members are special; they can see the clothes of the empress – Jane. Now, actually how many WOFF members believe this illusion is hard to tell? I know from experience that you can be a part and not believe in your heart all the parts of the WOFF-illusions. You may not be able to stay long, but, you can exist for a time in the WOFF-zone.

    In the story, the emperor felt pressure to believe the “stupid” illusion because he himself did not want to be seen as stupid. Could Jane be in the same fix? After so many years of telling others how special she was and how God’s gift flows through her to “bless” others; could she be in the same jam? For sure, Jane’s psyche is more complicated than a depiction of a cartoon emperor. And I don’t pretend to know it all. I have to believe that in a great measure she believes what she tells her followers and the validity of her actions. She believes she is the closest person to God on the planet. Well, she acts like it. Her clothes are a minor concern when considering other parts of the illusion(s) of WOFF.

   In a previous post, found here: https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=2771 a NC college professor has this to say about Jane and leaders of similar groups:

   “In the vast majority of cases, leaders of cults, sects, and new religions actually believe everything they preach, and really believe that they are doing the best thing. Jim Jones is an excellent example. He really believed it all. They also really believe that they deserve all the adoration/money/sex/prestige whatever they get from their followers, since they believe themselves to be “special.” And in most cases, the members believe it too. It really does make sense to them, as long as they are still inside it. There are always a few exceptions, of course, of leaders who are intentionally pulling the wool over the eyes of the followers, or followers who really don’t want to be there but are too afraid or codependent to get out.”

     In light of these statements, even if Jane began to understand it was not necessary for her to be the funnel or doorway for all her members in their quest for true relationship with God; could she easily back out or give up the worship that her members bestow upon her? In my opinion, the worship she receives is because of the illusion she has played on others of her “gift”.

   From a previous post in which I quoted a passage in a book written by Mike Cuneo– “American Exorcism” by Michael Cuneo (copyright 2001, published by DOUBLEDAY, ISBN 0-386-50176-5),  he is talking to Jane directly and asking her about deliverance;

“Did everyone who joined her church receive exorcism? I asked. She said that they did, often involving multiple sessions. Her exorcism ministry was a special gift from God, and she wasn’t stingy with it. And contrary to how it had been portrayed in the media, it wasn’t a screaming ministry. It was a wailing, groaning, and travailing ministry. This was the gift God had given her: exorcism through wailing, groaning, and travailing. (pages 191-192) link to post- https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3080  

    I believe if you were to talk at length with Jane, she would admit that her ministry involves much more than deliverance. The WOFF lifestyle is all encompassing and Jane directs it all from stem to stern. From all outward indications, she believes this worship of her to be deserved. IF the illusion(s) in WOFF were ever to break or be undeniably exposed, as it did with the emperor, could Jane be adult enough to admit it and relinquish her place of royalty/worship within WOFF? Would her leadership team even let her relinquish her high place? To where would the WOFF faithful turn? It is hard to say, but if that happened, the very glue which holds the many illusions in place would be gone and WOFF as we know it would collapse. As in the story of the emperor and his new clothes, so it is in WOFF, the illusion(s) were/are many and have great power over Jane and her members.        

    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 281.