News content for WLOS 13 website includes a story with the headline- “Mother Alleges Son Being “Brainwashed”- dated July 23, 2013. Reporter, Ashlea Surles, tells the story of Keela Blanton’s attempt to take back her son from the clutches of Jim and Laura Bridges. There was a temporary custody order in place which has been extended beyond reason by the non-response of the Bridges and their attorney – Mark Morris. It is my understanding that the Bridges have had since March of this year to reply to the request to return Ms. Blanton’s son to her. The report states that Ms. Blanton has custody of her two other children and has been cleared by the Department of Social Services of any reasons to be deemed unfit. For the Bridges to continue to withhold the young boy from his mother goes beyond reasoning- unless you are familiar with the WOFF mindset, or more accurately – Jane Whaley’s perception of herself and her group. Let me explain. Here is the link to the story…
For the record, I have never met Keela Blanton; I have known Jim and Laura Bridges from my time inside of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). My first personal contact with Jim was a few early morning walks around the church property several years ago. He was recovering from the effects of a devastating stroke and needed help getting his blood pressure under control. He chose to exercise to help with that. We talked as we walked around the property. Our conversation never strayed from WOFF approved subjects as Jim explained his malady and his hopes for the future. I have never spent any time around Laura Bridges personally, but, remember years ago she did a sermon series on bitterness which was made available on tape to WOFF members- many years ago. In my opinion, she has been a Jane wanna-be for years and has been tight with Jane is her views and practices. I have no doubt all of the children in her care would receive a very typical WOFF upbringing with all its “glory” and controls.
In hopes of bringing clarity, let me explain the picture Jim and Laura Bridges with three smaller children shown in the WLOS 13 video. The taller, older two children are a brother and sister pair who also came from a distressed family which Laura contacted through her job at the courthouse. It was a long ordeal that as WOFF members, we watched and heard about almost weekly for a long time. Laura was like a dog on a bone fighting to secure the custody of the first two children she won through a similar process which has unfolded in the last few months over the Blanton child. DSS investigated/visited the Bridges home which at that time was a small house near the church. Many, many hours were spent preparing the house for inspection as WOFF members would donate their furnishings to bring the Bridges home up to Jane-standards. It is uncanny how similar the circumstances were then to the case now….
What will unfold over the next few months? Will there be a multi-media presentation on behalf of the Bridges on September 5th as was used against Jerry Cooper earlier this year? No doubt. If this case goes to a hearing, attorney Byers should be prepared to battle a team of attorneys who will break out any video, audio or written proof to discredit Ms. Blanton and her parenting abilities. If you like twisted logic, come to court that day. WOFF attorneys, on behalf of the Bridges, will conjure up streams of nonsensical unrelated information and attempt to weave it into a case for the Bridges to keep the Blanton child.
Why? For this reason, in order to live the WOFF-life, each member of WOFF has to believe that living inside the WOFF sub-culture is better than ANY place on earth- even if it means breaking up the natural paternal and familial bonds. This is an ironic blind spot in the life-style lived by WOFF members. There is an inherent blindness to one’s own true condition that comes with living in a group such as WOFF. When you are inside, you have no real understanding of the outward presentation and depiction of your life that exudes to outsiders. A faithful WOFF member must believe that how they live, where they live, who they live with amounts to the BEST circumstances on earth! For anyone to doubt that means they are not “walking with God” or have “devils- which blind them to the Truth.”
When a WOFF member accepts either consciously or unconsciously – that Jane Whaley is God’s only voice in the earth for them, blindness comes on them to see the reality of the world around them. This is why Jim and Laura Bridges cannot reply to a request to turn over the Blanton child, they believe they are living the best life anyone on earth could live and to allow this child to return to his mother is unacceptable and would be a sin. It would be a mark against them for not protecting and holding true to Jane’s perception of perfection and untainted holiness for herself and ALL of her members. For Jim and Laura to return this child to his mother would be an admission that WOFF-life is not perfect and it would hurt Jane’s perception of her reputation in the community.
Simply put, there is a lot at stake here. Do you agree? How will this play out? I don’t pretend to know. After leaving WOFF and learning the efforts mounted to keep their reputation clean at any cost, I can only guess what extreme measures will be used to keep this child in question a WOFF-member for the rest of his natural life. He has no say of his own; he is helpless to determine his plight. It will be a circus show for sure on the part of the WOFF attorneys- drama, drama, drama. For certain, this case will bring media attention that the citizens of Rutherford County just may not want.
Even with that, let us remember:
“It is never too late to wake up and leave and reclaim your life!” Steve Hassan
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I pray for these children, and hope for them the best. I am not shocked or surprised even mildly so that this is happening. The case of Mcgee vs Mcgee is indelibly printed on my mind. That case was between parents as for so many years these cases were. The parent that stayed in Word of Faith sued the one that left and always won even if the proof was that the parent who left was better equipped to raise the children, than the one that stayed. IF you make this about them, they make it about religious freedom, the case is about Parental Rights, and as such should concern every parent in America. Are strangers better equipped to raise children than natural parents. Should we extinguish the natural rights of parents because of mistakes they have made, or should we allow them to prove that they can change? Normally churches are for the concept that people can through the power of God Change, in fact it is a basic concept in Christianity. I believe in parental rights and believe that parents, natural parents, even flawed ones are the best ones to raise children. I think that children that are adopted as it were, struggle for the remainder of their lives to feel a part, no matter how hard the parents try to make them feel loved. I think that it is important that a child can look and say I have Mom’s eyes, or Dad’s hair, or I do that just like Dad does. Basic concept of belonging is to be able to relate to the family you are in. These children would not have that and in addition to that they would not have the parental love and acceptance that is so vital to children. There is something about a Mothers love that can’t be replaced, and should in all cases be the top priority. WE should allow natural parents every opportunity to change. Again if the parent has made mistakes, but paid their debt to society they should be allowed to start over to prove they can and have changed. There should be no case like this, and there should be no ability of someone who is a total stranger to take these kids in, and take the natural parent out. If Word of faith in this case wins, it is a loss for every American parent, and today it is word of faith, but in the future could it be the government who deems they are the better parent? This sets a horrible precedent, and the devil is using this case to set us all up for what may be coming. It is something to think about and to pray about. .What kind of precedent does this really set for all parents and all Americans? If word of faith wins, all parents in America are at least a little closer to anybody anywhere taking their rights away for any reason. We can’t eliminate natural parental rights. Again this sets the wrong precedent and could be used in the future against all parents everywhere for any reason. Is it totally out of the realm of possibility I think not. We need to pray about this, as this could be used in the future by the government or anybody to say I can do this job better than you can, so I am taking you kids out of your house, and out of your life. This case is about parental rights, and in my opinion sets up a precedent that could take kids away from parents for any reason. It is interesting to me that the main player is a religious organization. I am not against Word of faith, although I do not agree with them, But I am against taking away parental rights!
I just read the article you included about the Blanton case…the comments regarding the current emotional state of the little boy are heartbreaking. Yet another case of WOFF child abuse – and Jane Whaley should be held solely accountable. WOFF members live in such fear of retribution from Jane Whaley that they are not thinking rationally nor thinking for themselves. And all the children are suffering. What is it going to take for authorities to step in?