Category Archives: Criteria for Cults

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

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Does Love Put Up Walls? If So, To Protect What?

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Does Love Put Up Walls? If So, To Protect What?

    As I go through my day, there are certain things I remember and certain things I do not. There are things that bless me and some things that do not. A few of the things that bless me, I share here on this blog. Some things that irritate or bother me or I have questions about, I share here on this blog. There are things that fit into both categories in each day. Living life to the fullest means we concentrate on the “blessings”. Do you agree?

   For a time today, I have been considering the outpouring of “love” that we were taught at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) to show to other members. There were countless sacrifices of time, energy and money spent to help each other accomplish whatever Jane Whaley said was needed in a situation. Jane would direct these times either herself or through others in leadership. Helping each other could take on many different forms. You could receive help painting or renovating your house, doing yard work, moving from one house to another, replacing a well pump, installing appliances, building a deck, cleaning a basement, moving your belongings out or in to storage and the list goes on… As mentioned, we never paid for child care for our children. We would keep each other’s children in an understood arrangement. No money changed hands for this. (At least not with regular members.) You may need prayer or correction or an escort to attend a family function or a guard on a telephone conversation with someone. You may need a ride somewhere because your car was being repaired or you didn’t have your own transportation.   

    Continue reading Does Love Put Up Walls? If So, To Protect What? →

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Those Who Do This.. Are Deceivers- Further Understanding

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     After rereading the previous post, it was apparent I needed further explanation for at least two passages. First, in “Out of the Cults and Into the Church” (copyright 1994 Kregel Resources) by Janis Hutchinson, I quote Hutchinson as she writes concerning sacred stories and cult myths, … “Neither are the doctrines that cults try to establish from them. Visions, dreams, symbols, images or angels, which are often incorporated in myths, were never meant to produce doctrine or dogma. According to the biblical pattern, that is not how God works. Those who exaggerate a meaningful message in order to establish doctrines are deceivers.” (page 155)

   As an example I use the passage about Elisha found in 2Kings2:22-24

22So the waters were healed to this day, as Elisha had said.  23He went up from Jericho to Bethel. On the way, [a]young [maturing and accountable] boys came out of the city and mocked him and said to him, Go up [in a whirlwind], you baldhead! Go up, you baldhead!  24And he turned around and looked at them and called a curse down on them in the name of the Lord. And two she-bears came out of the woods and ripped up forty-two of the boys.

    Jane Whaley of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) would quote this story and warn WOFF members not to “talk back” or “mock God’s anointed”. The effect of sharing this story, in this fashion and in this setting was to cut-off any questioning or inquiries of Jane and/or what she taught or did under the guise of being “God’s anointed”. It was a clear use of fear to squash the voicing of doubts or questions. On occasion, Jane would ask the congregation if there were any questions. However, the manner in which she answered the questions, especially ones that called into doubt the decision(s) she made; made it clear that questioning her was not acceptable.

    Continue reading Those Who Do This.. Are Deceivers- Further Understanding →

Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Those Who Do This … Are Deceivers

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Those Who Do This … Are Deceivers

     The book “Out of the Cults and Into the Church” (copyright 1994 Kregel Resources) by Janis Hutchinson has provided us with many insights and direction in previous posts. This book was recommended to me from a couple that had spent many years in the “Worldwide Church of God”. That group was reported as a cult and at the minimum had unusual behavior control practices that permeated their doctrines and everyday life. The first post on this group stemming from a lunch meeting with the husband can be found here.. https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=903 It was a fun meeting to say the least.  Later, the wife referred me to this book. It had helped her in years past.

   The most recent post about the insight in this book can be found here: WOFF Contradictions – Part 4: https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=2533 .  In that post, we looked at the net effect of many scriptures quoted at WOFF. “In my opinion, the net effect negated true relationship with God and furthered a subservient relationship to Jane Whaley and the leadership at WOFF. Scriptures were not intended to be tools to make one person a servant to another.” Please read the entire post in order to obtain the context for the quote…

   Today, the subject at hand comes from chapter 8 of this book. “Deadly Doctrines Tough to Divorce” The author uses her experience from Mormonism to explain her views since she was in that group for over 30 years. Hutchinson explains that as members leave religious cults, they have a tough time separating themselves from the doctrines that enslaved them while in the group. It is not obvious to many that observe a person’s exit from such a group, why the struggle would exist. Can’t you just lay down the sacred stories and start believing the truth? From the author’s experience, she relates that the Mormon’s sacred stories were taken from orthodox Christianity. The Book of Mormon “borrows from Matthew, Mark and Paul’s writings, and parallels New Testament stories.2” (page 154) This would have drawn folks in to believing and also can keep the exit process slowed as an ex-cultist struggles to replace the Mormon stories with Christian scriptural truths.

    Continue reading Those Who Do This … Are Deceivers →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Peoples Temple vs WOFF, Uncategorized

“Raven” by Tim Reiterman – Voice of a Survivor

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    “Raven” by Tim Reiterman with John Jacobs (copyright ©1982 Tim Reiterman, Introduction copyright 2008 by Tim Reiterman, ISBN 978-1-58542-678-2); the authors tell “The Untold Story of the Rev. Jim Jones and His People”. “Tim Reiterman is a prizewinning journalist who extensively covered Jonestown for the San Francisco Examiner. He was wounded in the jungle airstrip attack that killed a U.S. Congressman, plus three reporters, and a Peoples Temple defector.” (from the back cover) This book is over 600 pages. I have just beginning book, however in just reading the Preface and Prologue, I felt compelled to share some insights.

    Honestly, I have had this book for several months. The sheer size of the work has kept me from opening the cover and beginning to read.  After finishing Seductive Poison by Deborah Layton (copyright 1998 – Anchor Books, ISBN 0-385-48984-6, 308 pages) and previous to that “In My Father’s House” by Minn Yee (copyright 1981,Holt, Rinehart and Winston, ISBN 0-425-05387-3, 361 pages), each one about involvement in Peoples Temple and with Jim Jones; it finally was time to tackle this extensive work. One reason I hesitate to open such a large book is that once I begin, reading can consume any time I may have away from work. It is vital to plan the reading.

    Continue reading “Raven” by Tim Reiterman – Voice of a Survivor →

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

A New Term- “Antinomianism” A New Perspective…

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Recently, a local college professor answered my email inquiry. This person has studied “new religious movements” as well as other groups for years. Their work includes a recently published book dealing with a certain aspect of these groups.

This professor acknowledged in the reply that they had read my blog and other resources on Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). My email was this person’s first exposure to WOFF or Jane Whaley. The reply contains this assessment, “From my reading, it seems to be a Pentecostal “prosperity gospel” group with some rather extreme practices and beliefs. Scholars would call what they do “antinomianism,” meaning that WOFF’s leaders (and presumably, some members too) believe that their special spiritual state allows them to transcend the laws and morals of mainstream society and other forms of Christianity. It certainly wouldn’t be the first such group to take this approach.”

The term “antinomianism” was new to me. I did some further reading about the term. In a source found here: http://www.theopedia.com/Antinomianism . The definition mentions that “antinomianism” is the opposite of legalism. So in order to apply the professor’s assessment within this definition, it warrants mentioning that Jane Whaley and the LEADERS exhibit “antinomianism”, but they apply a heavy dose of the extreme opposite, legalism, to the regular members. It is definite continuum according to the situation at hand. For instance, WOFF members are denied the rights of “mainstream society” when it comes to freedom of press or access to media and freedom of speech. (Dissent is squashed!) That is the application of “legalism” on the regular members is at the behest of Jane Whaley and leadership. They apply this from the standpoint of antinomianism. Jane Whaley acts as if she is above common morals and accepted religious mores in this country and applies legalism evidenced by the numerous and ever growing list of rules, restrictions and “don’ts” that are required of the regular members.

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Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Peoples Temple vs WOFF

What Are the Possible WOFF Defenses? Part 4

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Possible WOFF Defenses- Part 4- The Children

    We continue our list of possible Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) defenses for their practices and lifestyles. One spring evening in 2008, in a parking lot of the Wal-Mart in Shelby, NC; I was talking on my cell phone to a WOFF member who was in “leadership”. She was doing her best to answer my growing list of objections by attempting to point out the good points of life at WOFF. I had not yet voiced my true concerns, just my sadness and dismay at how I was being treated in my household. The shunning was taking its toll on me.

   This person said many things, one of which; what about the children. See how well behaved and mannerly they are? Everyone does so well in school. They “take hold” for the most part. Honestly, I cannot remember the exact words. But, it was one of the often repeated excuses used by Jane Whaley and WOFF members. There seemed to be some desire to overlook certain things, if only outsiders would see how the children behaved, obeyed and could carry on a good conversation. After all, remember the DSS case which was settled on appeal. WOFF “won” that case- right? So, how could there be anything wrong at WOFF? (I have already mentioned my take on the DSS case and its outcome here.. https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=2267 )

    First, over the years there have been several meetings and conferences showcasing the school projects of the students at WOFF. There was a routine before every such meeting. Scrubbed clean and repainted- every area that would be open to the public. From the top, cleaning the light fixtures and also return vents in the ceiling, all the way down to scrubbing the grout in the bathroom floors. (I know; I had that job at least twice.) The clothes to be worn were reviewed and everything approved before these meetings. Sometimes several folks would work late into the night, finishing projects and setting up the displays. Making sure everything was just right. Why mention this? Because what visitors saw at these meetings was a well orchestrated veneer.

Continue reading What Are the Possible WOFF Defenses? Part 4 →

Behavior Control, Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Peoples Temple vs WOFF, Uncategorized

“Seductive Poison” by Deborah Layton- Voice of a Survivor

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    We will break away from our series about the possible defenses for Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF), to consider excerpts from the book, Seductive Poison by Deborah Layton (copyright 1998 – Anchor Books, ISBN 0-385-48984-6)  The author gives a fascinating account of the her seven year involvement and escape from the Peoples Temple. The Peoples Temple was run by Jim Jones. He led church members on a journey from Indiana to California to Guyana, South America. They built a “utopian society” called Jonestown. On November 18, 1978, over 900 people died in Jonestown, almost a third of them were children. Deborah Layton escaped a few months before the tragedy and tried to convince others that circumstances in Jonestown were grave. Some listened and believed her.  

   In future posts, I will quote parts of this book in laying out similarities in the practices of Peoples Temple and WOFF.  In previous posts, I have quoted Deborah Layton from a PBS documentary produced in 2007 called “Jonestown: The Life and Death of Peoples Temple”. She made it clear that no one actually joins a “cult”. People join groups that they think will help them, not hurt them. As I look back over my time at WOFF and the net effects from that experience, I see I was completely unaware that my involvement in that group would affect my life, as it has. What started out as an apparent beneficial membership in a church in Greenville, SC has evolved into a bitter/sweet experience affecting more than just my life. As Deborah Layton explains, “If I, as a young woman had had someone explain to me what cults are and how indoctrination works, my story might not have been the same.” (page 299)

     Layton lays out how a person could become involved in a “cult”, as well as the warning signs from Peoples Temple. These keys are found in the Epilogue of “Seductive Poison”:

Continue reading “Seductive Poison” by Deborah Layton- Voice of a Survivor →