This past week and especially the last 24 hours have been filled with ceremonies, pictorials, memorials to those who died on 9/11/01. It has been ten years since that fateful day. Do you remember where you were when you first found out? I was taking an early morning walk and Mitchell Henderson called me. We both attended Word of Life Church (aka Grace and Truth Fellowship) in Greenville, SC. The church leadership, as directed from the sister church – Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC, did not condone televisions in the homes of regular members. Mitchell had heard about the events on his job and called to let me know. The first plane had hit but not the second one. I asked him if the tower had collapsed yet and then commented that it sounded like terrorists. As far as my work schedule for that day, it fell apart as no one wanted to talk business. Everyone was following the events and the developments across this nation. I did not have a working television in my home and had to catch up-dates elsewhere.  

   The day was a Tuesday. Word of Life Church had Tuesday night fellowship meetings and many of us gathered at the church and watched the events unfolding and videos of the towers collapsing in the school building on “monitors”. I distinctly remember standing behind NB and watching over her shoulder as the scenes were replayed on the screen. I turned away as the scenes were filled with pictures of the jumpers who leapt off the Tower in order not to be burned alive. All of these scenes became part of the story and etched in our memories- probably forever. Who can forget?

   The air waves have been filled with stories of tragic loss. Last night, as I viewed a movie about Flight 93 I was stuck by the many conversations that passengers were able to have with their relatives before the plane was crashed into a field in Pennsylvania. The passengers were able to avert another terrorist victory because they received information from those calls to relatives. That was an interesting piece of the puzzle.

 The alert text I received from CNN.com this morning read as follows:

At a ceremony in New York marking the 10th anniversary of the 9/11 terror attacks, family members of the victims have begun reading the names of those who died.

Silence spread across New York at 8:46 a.m. — the time when American Airlines Flight 11 crashed into the North Tower of the World Trade Center a decade ago.

The city observed another moment of silence at 9:03 a.m., when United Airlines Flight 175 struck the South Tower.

More than 200 miles away in Washington, mourners will observe a moment of silence at 9:37 a.m. — the moment American Airlines Flight 77 struck the Pentagon and killed 184 people.

And at 10:03 a.m., silence will fall on Shanksville, Pennsylvania, where passengers aboard United Airlines Flight 93 thwarted a hijacking plot and crashed the plane into the ground.

The attacks killed 2,977 people.

   The focus was on the families of those who died as they read the names of their lost loved ones. There are many areas and avenues of grief as we reflect on the events of that fateful day. However, the largest concentration of grief is undoubtedly on those who lost loved ones. On 9/11, I did not directly lose a family member. My brother-in-law overslept for his run down into Manhattan and when he was crossing a bridge into the city, he saw the first plane hit and just turned around. Also, on a recent trip to Myrtle Beach, SC, I met a man who had worked in one of the towers. He had stayed home that day to celebrate his child’s birthday and rest from being out of town on business. His entire company of fellow workers perished in the tragedy. He has been dealing with many things since 9/11.

   As others, my life has had tragedy, drama and trauma. No, I cannot say any events exactly mirror the events of 9/11. As I proceed, my intentions are not to cheapen the losses of others, but, to tell of my losses and how I see them through the lens of today’s events. As many know, I attended seminars and services at Word of Faith Fellowship from 1992 until 2002. As of today, the time of being a part of that group has had the results which include me losing my wife to divorce, and my children stopping communication and contact with me since I left in July of 2008. Certainly, I am not alone in my losses. Additionally, those who have made it out of WOFF with their families in tact don’t leave without the emotional struggles that accompany the effects of emotional tragedy and living under mind control.

   As a result of writing this blog, I have been contacted by people literally in many parts of the world who tell me their tragic stories. I listen and many times have been moved to tears as I hear of the exploitation of lives which have many times resulted in broken families and broken lives, all in the name of WOFF and its leader Jane Whaley. Years of peace, joy and happiness have been lost to the tragedy called WOFF. Relatives of those who remain inside ask me their questions, tell me their observations and explain their grief over their lost and destroyed relationships. Even as I write these words and do my best to make them understandable; there is a flow in the background of my thoughts. A flow of scenes filled family events complete with the sweetness that even a religious cult cannot remove, also, scenes of confrontation either with leadership or with family members as the shunning occurred in 2008, scenes of loud discussions and warnings that if I did not repent and talk to Jane, I would lose everything. The emotions and ensuing actions that resulted from those events constitute my decision to leave. The control attempts meant to change me to fit into the WOFF –mold opened my eyes to the true intents and purposes for regular members.  

   The memorial events of today remind me of my losses and the losses of other former members and the relatives of those who remain in the WOFF web. The differences between the families of 9/11 victims and survivor/victims of WOFF are worth noting. Not all, but many of the 9/11 survivors were able to receive some measure of closure when they were able to have a funeral or memorial service to bury the remains of their loved one. With the victims of Jane’s religion called WOFF, many family members inside WOFF remain buried alive, just beyond the veil – yet deep within Jane’s control. As Steven Hassan notes, it is as you were “mourning a living death”. Sometimes there is contact with a family member inside WOFF, but, for the most part family relationships or null and void for those who do not worship Jane and join the religion she has created. Family members of 9/11 victims have pictures of their lost loved ones and can remember the efforts of those who fought to find and rescue the victims. WOFF has a group photographer; he is a very good photographer. But, pictures of WOFF members are rarely sent to those outside. Things began to change as I left and children were allowed cameras. But, for many years, picture taking was monitored and limited even within the family for their own use.

   Family members who lost loved ones on 9/11 have a memorial to their loss in New York. Relatives who lose family members within the confines of WOFF have no central point to go and release their grief, consider their loss and process their emotions. The losses continue and grow as the years move along. For many their hope to end this mourning is slim as Jane’s grip grows with WOFF marriages between members and other moves made to “lock-in” members to WOFF ways.  

   For survivors of the WOFF, the processing of the trauma of lost relationships, lost years of happiness and the emotional and physical exploitation which occurs inside WOFF can take years. Each time I hear another exit story from WOFF, I see the deception used on those that remain inside. Who expects to see this level of relationship trauma and destruction within a church? Many terrorist will claim credit for their deeds. Jane covers her true purposes behind her religious control measures and all her efforts are to be “for the will of God”. She either denies or ignores the results of her deeds. She refuses to acknowledge the destruction which has been the result of her religion.

    As this day unfolds and losses are memorialized, let’s not forget the losses experienced by survivors and relatives of cult members. Most of my experience has been with WOFF, though I have been contacted by survivors of other groups. Their losses have been equally as tragic. In this country, religious cult leaders, many who hide behind perverted Bible teachings, have ruined more lives than were lost in the tragic events of 9/11. As was the key to stopping the terrorist’s purpose for Flight 93, getting vital information into these cult members is one key to averting more destruction on the very fabric of this nation- families.  

   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, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his 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 343.