This past Sunday I went to Hickory, NC and actually went in a movie theater and viewed “The Help”. For those who have not seen the movie, it is well worth your time. This was only my second trip into a movie theater since leaving Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). The first time was several months ago when I saw “Toy Story 3”. It was in 3D! That movie had a subplot which included several toys breaking away from a toy cult inside a daycare. See clip here.. http://disney.go.com/videos/#/videos/characters/pixar/&content=1715474
Now my second theater adventure was “The Help”. I will provide information about the movie and the give reason for the title of this post. Here is a Review from DreamWorks:
The Help stars Emma Stone as Skeeter, Viola Davis as Aibileen and Octavia Spencer as Minny-three very different, extraordinary women in Mississippi during the 1960s, who build an unlikely friendship around a secret writing project that breaks societal rules and puts them all at risk. From their improbable alliance a remarkable sisterhood emerges, instilling all of them with the courage to transcend the lines that define them, and the realization that sometimes those lines are made to be crossed-even if it means bringing everyone in town face-to-face with the changing times. — (C) DreamWorks
(source link- http://www.rottentomatoes.com/m/the_help/trailers/11146032 )
This film was written and directed by Tate Taylor. I will share a few trailers to give a better feel for the plot. The first trailer is a great overview and introduction.
Next we look at two of the characters.
Now, I will explain the title of this post. This movie shares in detail the struggles of “the Help” in Jackson, MS during the early 1960’s. I was moved during the movie as I could easily sense the struggles. I left that movie shocked at how similar living inside of WOFF was to being “Help” for the white folks in the South. Let me explain both similarities and differences. Jane has church members “Help” her do much of the work around her house and the church. I am not sure any of it is paid labor. So, in that instance living and working inside of WOFF is WORSE than being “Help”. When a regular member is asked to “work for the Lord”, it is often AFTER working a regular job or on the weekends. This was declared as their “ministry”.
Oh, John, you are not telling truth. Well, I have been on the teams of folks doing the weeding-eating on the Whaley estate. That was to “train young folks in the ways of God”. They got trained alright; trained that working for Jane was the same as “working for God”. Young folks would clean Jane’s home and this was a way to test their “submission to God”. So, does Jane clean her own house – not as far as I know. Does she do her own ironing? That was how Douglas McDonald first came to work for Jane- he did her ironing and laundry. So, has that changed and does Jane now do her own housework, laundry or ironing? I don’t live in her house, but, I don’t remember her using this part of her life as a testimony for God. She might do her own laundry, if I am remembering right.
While Jane’s Mom was alive, she had “Help” with the duties of that house. Who did that – BC and other church members. Jane was too busy, just like the white folks in the movie. But, here is what woke me up to the irony of the whole WOFF thing; as WOFF members we paid for the privilege to be her “Help”. As regular WOFF members, we gave tithes and offerings to finance her ability to live as she did. We helped her live on $600 a month and that “Help” allowed her to give Sam $200 of her $600 a month. PLUS we served at her direction and many young folks thought it a privilege to be asked to clean her house.
Another shocker, when at WOFF, we lived in communal housing and never were alone to write our story as the lady did in the movie. In the movie, the maid had her own home, free from the white folks peering eyes. In WOFF, “the Help” has nowhere to go to retreat and take stock of their life and how they live. It is all rolled together and regular members are on call 24/7/365 to be a “Help” to Jane or other leadership when needed. Do I need to mention the free “Help” that takes care of small children while parents go to work? Truly, to be a faithful WOFF member and a “Help” to Jane/God- you lay your life down. Many times you ignore your needs of regular sleep, healthy relationships and boundaries for your family in order to “walk in your call” according to Jane.
I have been told by ex-WOFF “Help” that they would speak out, but, they don’t want their names known. Why? They fear Jane the same way the “Help” in the movie feared the whites. How did that make the whites look? Overbearing, rude, opressive and obnoxious-right? Well, how does it look when the “Help” leaves the religious WOFF plantation life, they are still afraid of “Mama-Jane”? Does that make for a good Christian testimony that so many folks leave Jane’s immediate control and yet she still controls them through ingrained fears?
Now, don’t get me wrong, I have never witnessed Jane to be prejudiced against people of color. She believes folks of all colors can and should work for her. It does not matter what color or nationality you are- all can come work for her in her house, on her estate or in her church. All you have to do is have faith and believe in her gift. Then you can pay your tithes and give your offerings to finance her lifestyle. I know since I did it for years. Oh, did I mention that you will never know how the money you give into WOFF has been spent? But, if you become a faithful regular WOFF member you can be a “Help” to Jane all the time for as long as she needs.
Steven Hassan in his book, “Releasing the Bonds” (Copyright©2000 by Steven Hassan, a Freedom of Mind Press book, ISBN-0-9670688-0-0) writes about “Behavior Control” inside cults. “Cults often impose an oppressive time schedule on their members’ lives to control behavior. When members are not involved in cult rituals and indoctrination activities, they are typically assigned specific goals that restrict their free time and behavior – anything to keep them busy. In a destructive cult, there is always work to be done.” (page 46) This sounds as if other cults have “Help” also.
The end of the movie has Aibileen saying how free she felt after she had told the truth about working for white folks and being their “Help”. Does any of Jane’s “Help” want to tell how it was/is and be free?
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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 344.