The Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) radio program Monday morning included Karel Reynolds, Justin Davies and Christian Whitbeck. The purpose of the show was to retell the content from the Community Forum held this past Saturday afternoon at the Spindale House. There were some common themes which emerged at the characterization of the content from Saturday. Justin and Christian were “appalled.” They were shocked at the “hate speech” used by ex-member survivors of WOFF. They said the language used would incite hate towards them and they felt unsafe going out in the community with their children. Karel wrapped it all up in a few statements calling the ex-members as ones leading a “conspiracy to shut the doors of our church.”
Listening to them go on about their shock and bewilderment was at first hard to grasp. Then I remembered that in their world, all things fit and the rationalization to “call things that are not as though they were…” allows them to survive. I have written about it here before. There are facts and there is truth inside of WOFF. Facts are superseded by the Truth that Jane hears from God about a situation. If you see a fact- one person pushed another during deliverance, and then you question Jane about it, she could very well spin the deed as “love.” “Doing whatever it takes to keep that person in the will of God.” (i.e. – a member of WOFF)
Karel defined conspiracy as “telling lies, distorting the truth and then demonizing people to make them look like something they are not, attacking people, attacking individuals of an organization to demonize them and thirdly-they create an “us and them” within the community. And that has been the attempt of this group- to create an “us and them” against the WOFF.”
Before I go on, look at this definition she uses. What does it sound like? “…telling lies, distorting truth and then demonizing people…” Present and ex-members of WOFF, who assigns more demon names to ordinary daily activities than anyone you know?
During my days at WOFF I heard more names of devils than I could even have imagined. Let’s list a few of them: religious devil, ping-pong devil, video devil, lust devil, French vanilla devil, lazy devil, foolish devil, soccer devil, baseball devil, competition devil, newspaper devil, radio devil (watchout- Jim!), TV devil, selfish devil, karate devil, boy scout devil, unclean devil, sex devil, perversion devil, furniture devil, toilet paper devil, Sprite devil, Babylonian devil, sleep devil, music devil, drum devil, guitar devil, driving devil, talking devil… do you get the point? If there is any one person in this world who is proficient at “demonization”- it is guess who? Opps! WOFF members don’t “guess.” That is witchcraft or you guessed it- the guessing devil.
Back to the definition: “… to make them look like something they are not.” What purpose does it serve to tell someone they are “giving to a (take your pick) devil”? To put them down? To put them in a lower position than yourself? To make yourself appear special or more spiritual? Or could it be to exercise a level of control over that person as you also claim to have the cure for that “devil”? Inside of WOFF- that was of blasting, deliverance prayer.
More: “…attacking people, attacking members of an organization to demonize them…”
How many people remember the organized attack by WOFF on the Faith Freedom Fund started years ago? I was on the inside when it started. Irony at its best. When inside WOFF, I did not see it as an “attack” on the Faith Freedom Fund. I saw it as a righteous cause to tell people not to give them money and certainly don’t believe their lies. In reality, WOFF was demonizing Billy Honeycutt and the other founders. Would you believe years later I joined the Faith Freedom Fund and heard their side of the story. They felt “demonized” for doing the will of God- helping people, ex-members of WOFF! And when I found out that WOFF members had stolen the Faith Freedom Fund signs showing members safe places. I was shocked. Not so much now, huh?
Last part of her definition of conspiracy: “they create and ‘us and them’ in the community.”
Need I explain? Karel was accusing a group of ex-members of attempting to create what WOFF has thrived on for years. Dividing families. For WOFF members- it is “us”- God’s righteous family and then there is “them;” those who have chosen not to believe the WOFF version of truth. This group includes all who have not ever been a part of WOFF and those who “became a Judas” are left them.
Micah listed as a characteristic of a cult- they create an “us vs them” mentality. Now, Karel tries to call ex-members a part of a conspiracy to “shut the doors of our church” using this practice which WOFF has perfected. Does she even see the sad irony of her definition? She is pointing at us accusing us of doing what Jane and her leadership have been doing for years. They have been waging a conspiracy to deceive Rutherford County and others into believing they are a bunch of harmless persecuted Jewish wanna-bes. (Their Holocaust Museum used as the proof of their concern and care for the Jewish community.) All the while calling outsiders something they are not and demonizing their own to keep them in submission to Jane and her edicts.
Just as understanding changed and I joined the group WOFF demonized for years- the Faith Freedom Fund. So, my understanding has changed as to the true nature of the deeds done in secret at WOFF. The WOFF destructive practices which were once the “will of God” in my eyes are not any more. I believe I left the group which operates the conspiracy and am now a part of a group that has a cause. The cause is to do what is in our power to tell our experiences and shed light into WOFF; in hopes the children there now will not have to grow-up living the conspiracy –while singing the song of the persecuted.
I will write more on the content of this broadcast in the days to come. Things I plan to cover are the comments by Benjamin Cooper which included his reference to things which he went through at WOFF were things done in Communist concentration camps. In years past, I have made the same analogy and will explain again how these comments were accurate.
Also, on the slate to cover will be Justin’s reference to his feeling persecuted like the Jews. We will breakdown why this is a conditioned response by him and he can be expected to copy his leader. He will espouse her feelings as his own. He believes he is perfectly just in his proclamation, to his own discredit and as an insult to many of the Jewish faith.
Ex-members- what say you to being accused of a conspiracy as Karel defined it? Who lives the conspiracy?
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(Copyright © 1954, 1958, 1962, 1964, 1965, 1987 by The Lockman Foundation ) This is post number 631.
John,
After reading your blog, I decided to listen to Karel’s explanation of the “us vs. them” conspiracy. Just hearing her voice brought up old, ugly memories. As I was getting ready to leave the site, I scrolled through the pictures of previous interviews. Curiosity, I guess. That is when I realized the “fat devil” was still going strong at WOFF.
John, It is so ironic for me to listen to Karel, Justin, and Christian expressing how they have been taught to NEVER lie. In reference to the initial DCS investigation where Karel and other WOFF leaders emphatically deny telling members to lie…well…that is a lie. How do I know? Because I was the one teaching them how to avoid telling the “truth.” Yes, under the direction of Jane Whaley and Karl Reynolds I sat for hours in that little small office day after day as parents and children were brought in one at a time for me to teach them the proper wording so as not to incriminate the church. My job was simple. I was instructed to tell them what to say and how to say it so that it didn’t sound like what the reality of the situation was. I roleplayed as a DCS worker interviewing each one of them and coached them into what was OK to say and what would be damaging if said. So, as they are on that video talking about liars going to hell…uh…they are lying. And as Christian said, “They will have their part in the lake of fire.”
I was given this task because I majored in psychology in college and came to WOFF in 1993 with 4 years of experience working with the Georgia Dept of Children Services. I had been a part of similar investigations as I worked with at-risk juveniles and families. I knew what Rutherford County DCS would be looking for and be asking. And under Jane and Karel’s instructions…I coached each person that was to be investigated and told them how to answer each every question.
It saddens me now…and I regret what I did. But…for them to sit there and blatantly lie about it…well…it sickens me.
So Christian, Karel, Justin…repent for lying…less you find yourselves in the “lake of fire.”