Category Archives: Criteria for Cults

What critieria should one use to determine if a group is a cult?

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Information control, Uncategorized

I Signed the “Waiver and Release”- Why?

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   As the months and years pass, there are memories of events from my time inside Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) that resurface. Some come back clear, others are more elusive and need some help to remember details of importance. This week, I was given a copy of the “Waiver and Release” that members of WOFF were required to sign if they intended to receive “prayer”. As far as I remember, these events took place AFTER the 1995 Inside Edition story. (We will reconnect with that resource video in a future post!) Just exactly when I signed this document I do not remember. If I was given a copy, I do not know where it is right now. If there were different versions, I am not aware. So, as far as I know, the version included in this post is the version I signed. If it is not, JC or someone else at WOFF could email me the one I signed. Certainly, there is a copy in the file being kept on me at WOFF.

    Allow me some more disclosure type statements before we review the document and my opinions on it. I am not an attorney and my limited experience with contracts includes mainly those contracts and agreements that deal with money owed. I also have limited experience with rental contracts and lease agreements for houses and apartments. Over the years, I have signed other contracts as we all do in the course of living in the United States. However, I do not claim to be an expert on documents such as this “Waiver and Release”. This post will include my opinions, reflections and questions; lots of questions.

    Some may ask why even bring this up? And in answer to that I will admit I do not know the specific events that triggered the requirement, but, we were told that some had left and “attacked”. (Yes, not a news flash…) We were told this would protect the church from others making false claims and future “attacks”. Again, we were also told NO ONE gets prayer or hands laid on them without signing the document. Also, I will say that like some other things, this document and the mention of it faded into the lost annals of WOFF history. Why it was not used any longer after a period of time, I do not know for certain. However, I will offer my opinions on that later in the post. Others who were in leadership could probably shed more light on the inner decisions about this waiver. This document came along before WOFF financed, supported and acquired their own in-house legal counsel.   

Click here to view-  WOFF Waiver and Release    (Use your Back button in your browser to return to the post)

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Thought Reform, Uncategorized

Maybe It’s Just Me….

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   So many thoughts and reflections during this day, I really don’t know where to start. During many days I have come across short scenes or incidents that remind of my past days and the many lost relationships. For instance, there are some songs that I just can’t listen to on the radio. That does not mean the songs are evil, it just means they remind me of treasures lost; previous times in a foggy memory somewhere back there. When hearing the song, the memories come forward from the cloudy past and shout at me. Does that make sense?

   Tonight, while driving home, I happened upon a radio station where a well known preacher was explaining his point from a Scripture. At this moment, it does not matter the Scripture or the point he was trying to make. Just realizing that I was listening to a preacher on the radio expounding on some Scripture reminded me first of what a forbidden sin that was at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). Listening to the radio in your car was evil- period. Even worse was listening to another religious speaker from outside WOFF!  RL was castigated and threatened with church discipline or worse for this suspected sin, plus, the fact that his wife found a newspaper under the front seat of his truck! He tried to explain he was “just reading the sports scores”. That sent Jane Whaley into another orbit as her volume elevated to paint -peeling heights! Several jumped as she screamed some of her trademarked announcements meant to bring fear upon us all. And here I was partaking of just such a “sin”.

   It was there that I began to ponder the emotional destruction and traumatizing dangers of being in a religious cult. For those that read this blog regularly, you know my experience has been with Word of Faith Fellowship. Though I have read of others and have documented the obvious similarities between WOFF and other cults, my “expertise” stems from my hands-on, up-close, inside day to day observations of Jane Whaley, her leadership, and the other regular members. I was never considered “inside the leadership circle” but, no matter, my perspective is still valid and reflective of life as a “regular member”. For those that attempt to still excuse the WOFF environment as “safe”, I only ask you to read other posts found here; other informative websites on religious cults and the many accounts of other previous members. Can every former member of WOFF be “of the devil”, God-haters, traitors, a “Judas” or lying?

   For me, the whole bank of memories from that time serves as a reminder that “No one joins a cult…” That which seemed good, turned out to be not good. Those who were set-up to represent God  and God’s ways in my life- turned out to be repeating what they had been taught as “God’s ways” and in my efforts to “believe the best about every person”; I give many of them a pass as cogs in the machine of Jane’s controlling, legalistic, self-serving, matriarchal, pyramidal religious structure. I have seen and heard other former members of WOFF speak and share their own individual memories, traumas and losses. Over time, it grows less sensational, but, none the less heartbreaking and sad.

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Sometimes Evil Finds You…

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  After a brief rest from writing for this blog, I have returned to continue the journey. Everyone has a different perspective on religious cults. Since leaving Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in July of 2008, I have vacillated on the idea of telling strangers about my involvement in a religious cult. Once I introduce the subject, some react with loud indifference; others show some cursory interest. Still others actually respond and offer their encounter with or knowledge of the subject of religious cults.

    This past weekend, I attended a festival in the county where I grew-up in Virginia. The weather was cold, windy and rainy; so, the attendance was very low. There were the normal activities found at most every festival in small town community. The events included an author’s table where local author’s could bring their books and meet folks, answer questions and sell books. The majority of the conversations that day were between the authors and the friends or family that came with them. My Mom set up at her table and we had a great time talking to the different authors. As the day passed, I was asked about my “book”. It was then I was able to share about my blog and the forthcoming book on my experiences at WOFF and what I have learned since leaving. That is a project for sure along with others I have undertaken.   

   One author confessed that she had a sister that had spent time in the Way International several years ago. She happily admitted her sister did not stay in that group after she learned their true agenda. As the day passed, she expressed her hope that I would keep in touch and let he know when the book was finished. Another author listened intently and did not scoff or excuse the subject of religious cults. Her name was Jane. She had lived in various parts of the country and admitted to having living previously in a communal setting.  She called one place “a farm”. It was located in a nearby county. After describing the living arrangements, she paused. I interjected that after studying cults and reading some about communal living, I had learned that not all communal living arrangements could automatically be assumed to be cultish or have mind control techniques involved. However, in many communal living arrangements the group did morph or evolve into a more pyramidal structure with one person or a small group of people telling others what to do. She agreed and smiled. We discussed several communal living groups from previous years in this country such and the Shakers, the Oneida community and others.

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Behavior Control, Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Thought Reform, Uncategorized

WOFF Members are NOT Brainwashed- Really? (1)

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   Wow… What’s up with that? Before you accuse me of listening to Jane Whaley tapes… I will explain the reason for the title in this post. (I turned in all my WOFF tapes years ago – before I left WOFF! We were not allowed to keep them – even if we had purchased them!???) During my years of being involved with Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF), I was made aware of the accusations and chuckled along with the rest of the congregation when KR explained there was “no such thing as brainwashing!” What better way to push away doubt than to tell trusting members that brainwashing does not even exist? Actually, in previous posts, I probably have made the statement or at least the insinuation that those who remain a part of WOFF are being brainwashed. However, after rereading material found in Steven Hassan’s book, “Combatting Cult Mind Control” (Copyright©1988, 1990- by Steven Hassan, Park Street Press, ISBN-0-89281-311-3), I learned the difference between brainwashing and mind control. From Chapter 4 of this book titled: Understanding Mind Control, I will quote the author’s insights and compare them to my experiences during WOFF days.

   Mind Control Versus Brainwashing

   As we introduce the subject, allow me a few comments on the subject at hand. For some readers, the difference between brainwashing and mind control may be one strictly of semantics. Trust me; it is much more than that. Brainwashing has occurred in years past, and I have no doubt there are places in this country and around the world where individuals are being brainwashed. “Brainwashing is typically coercive. The person knows from the outset that he is in the hands of the enemy. It begins with a clear demarcation of the respective roles—who is the prisoner and who is the jailer—and the prisoner experiences the absolute minimum of choice…” (page 55). This is just not the case at WOFF. The roles are not clearly marked. Faithful WOFF members do not see themselves as prisoners- until it is time to leave!  And over time, within certain strata of the group, the roles can change and one who once was lower in the pyramid structure can be elevated higher than those who once where over them. For regular WOFF members, Jane and those in leadership are not cast as “jailers” until it is time to leave!

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Investigation of WOFF – Inside Edition – 1995 (2)

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  In 1995, Inside Edition aired two segments on Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC. Bill O’Reilly actually was the announcer for the first segment! Inside Edition had acquired much of their information and footage from the Trinity Foundation (link- http://www.trinityfi.org ). The Trinity Foundation sent an undercover investigator inside WOFF. For now, we will review this video and the statements contained in it and compare them to what I was told and now remember from my time in WOFF.

   Our last post included this statement made by the announcer, ““Outsiders seldom see the decidedly different way this secretive sect worships God…”  That is an understatement- would you agree? The scene being shown is of a regular prayer service from that time that included small groups of folks sitting in circles around one person and praying for them. The announcer goes on in the same line of thought, “… regularly screaming to split the ears of devils…delivering this man and others from demons inside them so they can walk with God.” The next scene is shown from below, looking up into a member’s face as he received prayer. I recognize this man “getting prayer” and the one above him praying.

    The announcer continues, “Until now, many of the members may have been kept in the dark about allegations of child abuse, sexual molestation and unlawful imprisonment and cult like mind control techniques.” As the announcer speaks these statements, footage of members going in and out of the church building is shown. One can recognize very clearly, Frank and Robin Webster going in the front door of the sanctuary along with others. The scene shifts to a view of Jane Whaley standing in a parking lot and speaking with Ray Farmer in the background. You can tell Jane is speaking, but, you cannot follow her words. The announcer continues, “Their leader is 55 year old Jane Whaley, a former school teacher with no formal theological training…”  

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Thought Reform, Uncategorized

Searching Questions for WOFF Members

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  In a recent post titled, “Is it the Love of God or Jane-Love?” -link-https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=4589,  I quoted from Steven Hassan’s first book, “Combatting Mind Control” (Copyright©1988, 1990 by Steven Hassan, Park Street Press, ISBN: 0-89281-311-3). I referenced a section titled, “Asking Questions: The Key to Protecting Yourself From Destructive Cults”. For that post, I only used two of the questions he suggested. Today, we will review all the questions. Following each question, I will offer my perspective after having been a member of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF).

   The front of Hassan’s book has several endorsements from which I will quote two in hopes of bringing some perspective of how well respected and admired Steven Hassan’s work has become.

   “A valuable, well written book on a topic of genuine importance. Steve Hassan explains precisely how cults operate to control minds and, in the process, he provides sharp insights into how the influence process works in everyday situations as well.”       Robert B. Cialdini, Ph.D –Author of “Influence”

   “Anyone who has witnessed a loved one rapidly slips into the emotionally insulated and distant world of a cult knows the extent and swiftness of its catastrophic effects. Few people understand the mechanisms by which these devastating seductions are systematically engineered by cult leaders. Steve Hassan knows from experience. Through his examples and analyses, we finally witness how cults work and learn how we can protect ourselves and our loved ones from them.”  Stephen Josephs, Ed.D. Psychologist- Founder of the Massachusetts Institute of Neuro-Linguistic Programming

   Again, these questions are from the section titled, ““Asking Questions: The Key to Protecting Yourself From Destructive Cults”. (pages 106-110) Hassan introduces the subject noting a very important characteristic of those in cults, “Although most groups use deception, it is important to realize that most cult members don’t realize they are lying in the process of recruitment. For that reason, by asking these direct questions one after another, you can usually discover that either you are not being told a straight story, or the cult member does not have the straight story to begin with.” (page 106)

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

WOFF Members are Jane’s “Help”

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   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.

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