During this last week, I heard the term “Stockholm Syndrome”. Though I had a vague idea what the term meant, I took some time to read more and found a very informative resource article titled: “Love and Stockholm Syndrome: The Mystery of Loving an Abuser” The article was four separate pages with the link to the first page found here- http://counsellingresource.com/lib/therapy/self-help/stockholm/ .

The article was written by Dr. Joseph M. Carver, PhD. The website was labeled as “Counseling Resource”.

For this series of posts, I will review the parts of the article that help explain how and/or why many members of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) act as they do toward and in defense of the leader, Jane Whaley. We will review the characteristics of the Stockholm Syndrome and also hopefully gain some insight as to why many WOFF members cut-off and walk away from their family members and friends.

   As the author introduces the subject, he begins by remarking when people make changes away from certain behaviors or destructive relationships, they sometimes look back and find it hard to believe they once had dark thoughts. They may even miss those negative controlling relationships. Why would this be? Socially it makes no sense to long for that which was destructive in your life. The answer may be found in understanding the Stockholm Syndrome.

   In order to bring the question closer, how many times have WOFF members heard Jane brag that former members longed to fellowship with present members?  She announced as some sort of endorsement or badge of validity that she must be doing something right! Ex-members still want to be around her as long as she didn’t “hit their sin”. Again, I believe the answers don’t validate Jane and her practices, but in truth, the answers point out just how destructive WOFF-life has been on many folks. Let’s continue.

“On August 23rd, 1973 two machine-gun carrying criminals entered a bank in Stockholm, Sweden. Blasting their guns, one prison escapee named Jan-Erik Olsson announced to the terrified bank employees “The party has just begun!” The two bank robbers held four hostages, three women and one man, for the next 131 hours. The hostages were strapped with dynamite and held in a bank vault until finally rescued on August 28th.

After their rescue, the hostages exhibited a shocking attitude considering they were threatened, abused, and feared for their lives for over five days. In their media interviews, it was clear that they supported their captors and actually feared law enforcement personnel who came to their rescue. The hostages had begun to feel the captors were actually protecting them from the police. One woman later became engaged to one of the criminals and another developed a legal defense fund to aid in their criminal defense fees. Clearly, the hostages had “bonded” emotionally with their captors.”

   There we have the background for the term. The author goes on to explain the term Stockholm Syndrome was a new label for what had been noted as emotional bonding with captors. “It had been recognized many years before and was found in studies of other hostage, prisoner, or abusive situations such as:

• Abused Children
• Battered/Abused Women
• Prisoners of War
• Cult Members
• Incest Victims
• Criminal Hostage Situations
• Concentration Camp Prisoners
• Controlling/Intimidating Relationships”

When I read this list, I saw I had begun down the right path to get some questions answered! The next statement gave one of the first answers to our question about WOFF-member behavior. I was a WOFF-member and while there did not understand my actions as well as the actions/reactions of other members. Here is one key: “In the final analysis, emotionally bonding with an abuser is actually a strategy for survival for victims of abuse and intimidation.”

   After reading this statement, it began to make sense. I have written before how members including myself would go along to get along. We were seeking strategies for survival as well as hoping to keep intact those relationships that were near and dear to us. This will make more sense as we continue.

“Every syndrome has symptoms or behaviors, and Stockholm Syndrome is no exception. While a clear-cut list has not been established due to varying opinions by researchers and experts, several of these features will be present:

• Positive feelings by the victim toward the abuser/controller
• Negative feelings by the victim toward family, friends, or authorities trying to rescue/support them or win their release
• Support of the abuser’s reasons and behaviors
• Positive feelings by the abuser toward the victim
• Supportive behaviors by the victim, at times helping the abuser
• Inability to engage in behaviors that may assist in their release or detachment”

Before we move on, let’s discuss a few of these symptoms. Also, it is worth noting that not every person inside WOFF is affected in the same manner by the beliefs and practices of the group. All are under the controls, but each is affected to different degrees according to where they are in the pyramidal structure and their individual make-up and personality.

“Positive feelings by the victim toward the abuser/controller” There is no doubt that positive feelings exist in many members toward Jane. This helps explain their ability to over look Jane’s outbursts of anger and/or other failings that are excused in some way as to avoid actually holding Jane accountable for her actions. Jane claims perfection. Only blind zeal would allow members to co-exist with such a fallacy.

“Negative feelings by the victim toward family, friends, or authorities trying to rescue/support them or win their release” Unless there is a break in the WOFF-controlled reality that many members live in, they do not see their release as something to strive for but something to avoid. Once WOFF members succumb to the WOFFness, their desire to leave is negligible. We will learn why as we review the meaning and characteristics of Stockholm Syndrome.

 “Support of the abuser’s reasons and behaviors” Faithful WOFF members not only support Jane’s reasoning and behavior- many try to imitate Jane and take on her persona. It is sad to see. Also, the support of Jane is shown by the thousands of dollars WOFF members give to finance the WOFF-kingdom.

“Positive feelings by the abuser toward the victim” I have no doubt Jane has positive feelings towards her WOFF victims. Why? Because without followers – Jane would have no kingdom. She has no real idea how much of an abuser she is or how her faithful members are truly victims- seemingly in love with their captor.

“Supportive behaviors by the victim, at times helping the abuser” Do any former members doubt this? How many times do faithful WOFF members “help” Jane? Jane needs those in leadership to carry out her “revelations” on the sheep. Without her leadership team WOFF-dom would not be near as large.

“Inability to engage in behaviors that may assist in their release or detachment” In my opinion, WOFF members don’t make steps to assist in their release out of fear of Jane. If they break Jane’s rules, the price is too great. In order to assist in their own release, they would have to make contact with outsiders and/or former members. The threat of losing your eternal salvation by leaving WOFF is too great for many WOFF members to risk even entertaining the thought of life without Jane.

We continue with this passage from the resource article. It has been found that four situations or conditions are present that serve as a foundation for the development of Stockholm Syndrome. These four situations can be found in hostage, severe abuse, and abusive relationships:

• The presence of a perceived threat to one’s physical or psychological survival and the belief that the abuser would carry out the threat.
• The presence of a perceived small kindness from the abuser to the victim
• Isolation from perspectives other than those of the abuser
• The perceived inability to escape the situation

Again, let’s break down each situation and compare to what is known about WOFF members.

“The presence of a perceived threat to one’s physical or psychological survival and the belief that the abuser would carry out the threat.” I witnessed WOFF members being told that if they did not submit to “god” then they would be put out of the church. This meant losing a job, housing, relationships and maybe even transportation. There was no doubt that Jane exercised her power over members once she had you dependent on her for the basic provisions and emotional support.

“The presence of a perceived small kindness from the abuser to the victim” The perceived small kindness was something as simple as Jane NOT going off on you for missing God or giving to sin or not telling on someone else who gave to sin. It could be something as simple as Jane not pointing out to everyone that you were late for the service or got up during her preaching to use the bathroom.

“Isolation from perspectives other than those of the abuser” Isolation is a trademark of WOFF. The leadership is not ashamed and in some cases concerning children; they are rather proud how isolated their children are from “the world”. For them, “walking in God’s ways” equates to seclusion inside the WOFF-bubble.

“The perceived inability to escape the situation” We have mentioned it before, but, Jane uses fear to keep her members in her group. I personally witnessed many times Jane warning folks that they would suffer a horrible death, contract cancer or some other disease, lose their salvation, do drugs, become a drunk, go back to prostitution or worse if they left WOFF. Many young adults do not have the skills or means to support themselves outside the group. This dependency is all by design and makes their escape even more difficult- but, not impossible.

  We have reviewed the symptoms of Stockholm Syndrome as well as the conditions need as a foundation for it to develop. So far, WOFF-life tests positive for Stockholm Syndrome. Those who have a different opinion on life in Jane’s group are welcome to comment. We will move forward in another post with more from the resource article. The author admits that his information is geared more toward individuals, but the principles can be applied to groups, also. As we review this resource, we will purpose to point out the increased murkiness that the blanket of religion plays when trying to truthfully discern the control dynamics within WOFF. It is sad that Scripture has been used to justify controlling others and robbing them of their lives and their money. Jane is not the first and certainly not the last to do this.

   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 379.