During the research for my soon to be released book, “Locked in”, I remembered my time within Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and the time shortly after my departure in July 2008. For days on end, the emotions washed over me as I recounted the anxieties, the drama and the choices made during those months. At least part of the struggle was discovering who I really was. It was a “spring thaw” from the many years of my “self” existing frozen in the deep recesses of my soul; put there by the many rules, dictates and practices of WOFF. Those first few months of freedom were full of apprehension, while many times overrun with the questions… what do I do here? How do I? When do I? What if I? I was living free and making choices for the first time in many years.
Through the years since 2008, I learned my struggles were new to me, but not unexpected for one leaving a religious cult or a high-demand group. The feelings and emotions of those days were predictable. There was no one close to me who had traveled the same road and could guide me. In a quest to learn more, I turned to resources- books and online sources. Many a night, I traded sleep for the time to read survivor stories or other resources and/or the freedom to write. Both reading and writing helped sort out the jumbled mess of my life from the years within WOFF.
One of the most valuable resources I found is the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA). Their online resources are many. July of 2014, I attended their conference in Washington, DC. The people I met and the sessions I attended, deepened my understanding of the dangers and results of high-demand groups. One of the benefits of membership is receiving the publication, ICSA Today.
ICSA Today Magazine volume 5 number 3 2014 – contains an article titled “Thought Reform and the Psychology of Breaking Away from Totalism”, written by Ron Burks, PhD. This is my resource for this post. I will quote from it in order to explain my struggles and those of others leaving WOFF during these days.
Burks admits upfront this article is based on the work of Dr. Paul R. Martin. Burks worked with Martin for years at Wellspring Retreat. He credits his views as “colored and textured by the more than four hundred stories, including (his) own, about being drawn into a cultic group—all resulting in captivity and varying only in degree, not kind.” These real life stories speak to his credibility and experience needed to write this piece.
Indoctrination and the Loss of Freedom
“Cults take away freedom and then attack those who work to help their victims get it back.”
Well, yes, I agree. I and many others have experienced the WOFF attack as we help victims get their freedoms back. It goes with the territory. I am called a “big attacker” for helping others take back their life. It is a matter of perspective. Burks includes a quote from Abraham Lincoln:
“The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act, as the destroyer of liberty. Plainly the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty; and precisely the same difference prevails today among human creatures, (Roe, 1907, p220)”
Yes, Jane Whaley and I differ on the definition of liberty. More accurately, we differ on the harmful practices inside her group which rob her members of their liberty. To her members, I am cast as the wolf (or worse). I know several who advocate for survivors of WOFF, who think differently from Jane as to who the real wolf is in this drama. Will the real WOFF-WOLF come forward? Back to the article.
Burks explains thought reform in a way which made it easy for me to understand. When I first left WOFF, I had no idea of the level of thought reform or mind control I had lived under. This series of posts will explain the characteristics of thought reform using Burks’ article and the accompanying struggle with the new freedoms of survivors.
“Thought reform is the process of making an intelligent, thinking person into a virtual slave without the person knowing what has happened. The context of all thought reform is a differential in power or worth between the indoctrinator and the inductee. There are many ways this differential is established in cults; but power differential, either conscious or unconscious, is the foundation of thought reform.”
This explanation of a power differential as the foundation of thought reform was vital to my understanding of the whole picture. Who honestly can deny the existence of a power differential between Jane Whaley and ANYONE else in WOFF? She is supreme leader and power grid energizer. Any decision is subject to her review. Any rule or dictate goes through her. Any spending of church funds is subject to her approval. Any relationship, career, house buying decision, house decorating decision and the like is subject to Jane’s review and choice. Does this indicate a power differential inside WOFF?
If you are still in doubt about the idea of thought reform inside WOFF, can we at least agree here that Jane thrives off the power differential between her and every other member? She feeds on being the only one who can hear God at the highest level. She believes she lives closer to the holy throne of God than any other human alive. Doubt me? Watch the way she lives her life. Observe with no WOFF-glasses on.
I admit, at first, the idea of spending years being drawn into and living under thought reform was not pleasant. It was hard to swallow. Admitting it I thought cast a shadow of doubt on me. Then, I realized the shadow came from my towering pride. I thought I was too smart to be led into such a controlling system as exists in the bowels of WOFF. Let’s be clear. The victim of thought reform is just that – a victim. I was a victim who fell among thieves and robbers. The leaders I followed spouted the WOFF beliefs in total agreement and submission to the head WOFF-wolf. Now, I advocate for those still in the grip of these same thought control systems. I help those who have left and may need a hand-up. Anyone can be a victim of thought reform given the right circumstances.
Burks continues to explain the thought reform model to include the eight processes given by Robert Lifton “that, together, have the effect of controlling three aspects of human experience that are central to the notion of freedom: thinking, feeling, and conscience.” We look at the first two of the eight in this post as seen inside WOFF and the others in subsequent posts.
Controlling Thinking
“Once a power differential has been established, two of Lifton’s criteria, Sacred Science and Loading the Language, work together to undermine the inductee’s ability to think critically, or outside the box created by the group.
The teachings and views of the group and its leader have a sense of sacredness not to be challenged by mere mortals.”
We stop here to apply this statement to what is known about WOFF. The teachings and views of WOFF are portrayed as based on the sacred scriptures found in the Amplified Bible. (Just look at the tons of scripture references on their website.) Challenging Jane’s interpretation of these sacred writings was an invitation to public rebuke, mockery and chiding as Jane defended her authority based on her “walk with God.” (perfection) This was for members. Please, let no mere mortal from outside WOFF pretend to know more than Jane about holy righteous living. Members set aside their critical thinking skills in order to live their lives reflecting Jane as the HIGHEST source of truth.
“The means by which logic may, or may not, be applied to certain group beliefs are controlled by the leader. The sacred science enables the group to inactivate in inductees (members) the ability to distinguish association from causation. If the group prescribes a certain ritual that is supposed to affect some other events or persons, there are three scenarios, and all serve the needs of the leader.”
Okay, this will be a long read. But please, don’t miss this next part. This explanation will expose the details and power of the tentacles of deception which control members on the inside and many survivors outside. This will tear back the curtain and show you the steps used by Jane to look wise and prophetic. This will explain her fear-factory techniques used as she predicts outcomes based on her unique prayer, her “hearing God” or other control practices.
“If the expected outcome occurs, the sacred science of the group is proved. Association and causation.”
As an example, if Jane prays and leads her members in prayer for money and it comes in through the offering or the sale of a property or some other means, then her “sacred science” of unique prayer has been validated and proven “of God.” She rests on her throne of (self) RIGHTeousness and looks down on the (poorer) mere mortals. Oh, if we just knew God as Jane does…
“If the outcome doesn’t occur, it was because the followers did the ritual incorrectly, or with an improper inner attitude, again proving the sacred science is true by associating the “incorrect” practice as the cause of the improper outcome.”
Staying with the same example, if Jane tells her members to pray for money, then leaving to attend to other matters and the money does not come; then the people were not in faith! They were distracted not taking hold of their minds. “Come on people, we know if we blast the heavens turning back the strongholds of the devil, good things will happen, right?”
“If the leader is performing the ritual and a negative outcome occurs, it is due to a “hole in the pipeline” somewhere, proving that the followers were not in a frame of mind to prevent such a travesty, and once again proving sacred science is true. The followers caused the negative outcome because of their shortcomings.”
I can still hear Jane when things did not go right, “the sin in the hearts of the people held back the blessings of God.” With the dynamic already in place for members to always accept their hidden sin as the cause of negative outcomes, Jane pounces on them as “not in tune with the Spirit and thus her prayers were hindered,” NOT because the sacred science of her unique prayer was ineffective. It was the member’s fault. Jane still rests on her throne, since she knows her prayers are always “of God.”
The same scenario applies in other matters. When Jane predicts something bad will happen to a wayward member or an attacker, if it happens; then she is validated. If it does not happen, then she is validated for some other reason which she concocts. For those under her spell, the application of critical thinking to reason why an event happened or did not happen is suspended waiting totally on Jane to supply the answer. This is enhanced by the previously mentioned power differential.
So, does this help? With a negative scenario, it was never Jane’s fault or the fault of her prayer being ineffective. Some thing, someone, some other reason was the cause of her plans going array. When an outcome she predicted happens (a “positive” scenario), then she easily takes credit and adds another sitting cushion to her throne. Within her group, she is the original spin doctor.
Do not “attack” her unique practices built on her unique doctrines. The “sacred science” of her unique prayer and practices was in effect the avenue which brought her personal worship. When you don’t perform or receive the prayer- you are not worshiping her with the adulation she deserves. Thus, you cannot be “blessed” and are “attacked.” The sacred science requirement for thought reform is met here.
“The group system or its leader also directs questions and thoughts into a prefabricated box by controlling or Loading the Language used in the group. Unfamiliar terms and familiar terms used in esoteric ways are often employed more for emotional effect than for logical content. Terms that are not familiar to the inductees are used to enhance the appearance of authority and uniqueness of the group.”
Anyone attending the recent court session in May could hear this WOFF special language as Jane testified. At one point, she said to Paul Ditz, “I don’t know where you are coming from.” I started to gag at the WOFF-speak. When Jane addressed a member with that statement, it was a condescending put down. In effect, you are not in my realm. (I live with God, you are of the devil.) Paul Ditz did not catch the meaning and why should he? Yes, it is English –with another level of WOFF meaning. She has spoken her unique WOFF-speak for so many years- she struggles as a bilingual.
Take-hold. Open your heart. Are you locked-in? Are you giving over? Have you submitted your heart to Truth? Just put your name on the apostasy list! Get on your face and cry out to God! Repent and submit to Jesus. What sin are you giving to? Better to bruise than to burn. You are an attacker! You are out of the church. You are in discipleship! The sleep devil is taking you over! You are a Jezebel harlot! The Babylonian system is taking you over.
The previous paragraph is just a small example the loaded language of WOFF. The Loaded Language requirement for thought reform is met in the WOFF culture.
So, for present and former members, is it possible you lived under a thought reform system while inside WOFF? Does it still affect your life?
For certain, when members leave WOFF- they will go through a “spring thaw” to rediscover who they are. For those who were raised inside WOFF, yours is not a thaw but a springing forth, as you discover who you are now after never being able to make your own choices until leaving. In future posts, we will continue to explain thought reform and the process survivors go through when leaving these groups into their new liberty and freedom.
Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults
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. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.
Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.
Look on the right side of any post for the option to subscribe by email for notifications or RSS feeds notifying of new postings. It is a great feature. Also, find more posts by selecting “Categories”.
Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.
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 520.