The first resource about the Jonestown tragedy is an editorial in the Washington Post written by a man who grew up with one of the inside leaders of Peoples Temple- Maria Katsaris. He explains his view of the phrase, “He drank the Kool-aid” and why it is offensive. This resource includes a brief outline of the events leading up to the killings.

The second resource is the PBS documentary- Jonestown – The Life and Death of Peoples Temple. I have quoted this resource is times past. If you purchase the DVD from PBS, you will have access to additional survivor stories which are not included on this video. (The subjects discussed may not be suitable for small children.)

Crazed cult leaders have been in our societies for generations. The problem is not only in America, but is present in other countries across the world. We will share more on this tragedy in future posts. For today, we stop to remember a horrific event which took the lives of so many.

Season of Changes is upon us. Will this be a cold winter in Spindale?

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

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 550.

Over the last few years, I have talked to different survivors from Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). The first reports I heard which contained information about physical abuse and beatings were a surprise to me. During my time there, I was never physically abused myself. Now, I was screamed at by Jane Whaley and other leadership, I was publically called out for infractions of unwritten rules. I was shunned by family and friends; I had times of segregation from others in the group. I saw others held down during prayer circles and a few corralled by a group of members and kept from running away after they made it outside. I overheard hard spankings by parents of children. But, adults abusing other adults by physically slapping, punching, kicking and beating- I never saw personally at WOFF. When I first heard the stories, I wanted to ignore and not believe it. Then I realized that that tendency is what kept me inside that group so long in the first place! We must tell the truth and face the ugly facts about life inside WOFF!

Now, the list of survivors telling stories of abuse is growing and the abuses seem to be worsening. We have previously exposed some of the details on this blog. Also recently, I viewed a documentary on Youtube® about survivors of Peoples Temple. It was done in 1979 by NBC, Inc. I cannot be sure if the entire documentary has been posted. I found three parts and will include them in this post. There was one survivor that explained two very important characteristics of Peoples Temple which have occurred at WOFF. In this post we will share those insights which I believe help explain why things evolved as they have at WOFF.

The documentary is titled – “The People of Peoples Temple” part 1

At 7:20 in the video Grace Stoen says this about Peoples Temple:

“Jim Jones offered them something, he offered them instant friends… But …what they saw in the beginning when they came to the church and what they saw after they were a member after they were locked-in are two different things…”

There is that common WOFF term: locked-in. Yes, once inside WOFF, you see things different than a visitor. The shine comes off and WOFF reality sets in.

In part 2, at 3:19 Grace Stoen is describing the evolvement of the abuses:

“It started years before with just catharsis and having to manual labor for punishment, then having to strip your clothes… then with a twig and then okay they escalated. But, (it) was not overnight. So, what would be very shocking to someone like you (outsider) became very common place gradually in our lives.”

This explains how members within WOFF have come to accept the abuses. They have gradually grown numb to them and even excused them as “God’s will.” I know the thought pattern. Well, that person deserves it. Or, if they had not been so full of rebellion, they would not have to go through that. Common everyday compassion for the victim of abuse is swept away by the fear of making Jane upset- which is equated to making God upset. If Jane got upset at you questioning the abusive nature of her punishments, you could be next!

4:13 Grace Stoen: “We weren’t allowed to communicate. Sure I used to look at beatings and I used to wonder, you know this is gross but, I don’t see anybody leaving. I don’t see anybody speaking up, maybe it’s just me. I mean, I could never go up to someone and say- ‘Am I crazy or is this or is Jim Jones crazy?’ I could never verify it.”

It is the same at WOFF. You can’t share you doubts about Jane’s decisions or you will be “a rebel” and put out and go to hell.

In the third video at 5:22 Grace Stoen:

“We allowed him to break up our marriages, our communication which is very important. Any church which wants to divide the husband and the wife…(shakes her head-no)  or the family. Jim Jones- that was his biggest thing, break down the family unit and that’s a mistake and that is where you get into trouble. That is where you make Jim Jones’. I think where we as members went wrong we just let him keep on going. I mean we did not have the courage to say no, there is not going to be anymore. We made Jim Jones.”

Well, there we have another similarity between Jim Jones and Jane Whaley. Both of them within their own systems, sought to break up marriages and families. That has been the end result inside WOFF for years. Let’s not be fooled by the marriages Jane arranges. Each person in that “family” must have undying allegiance to Jane and support her right to tell each of them how to behave inside that marriage or it will not be! So, those marriages are shams. They exist only to edify Jane – not the husband and wife and their life together free from control of Jane. A few couples have broken free from WOFF – but, as they leave Jane is sure to curse them as they “go play the harlot with the blessings of God!” Let me translate: that curse means Jane is upset that the couple took the things the church gave them at their wedding showers as their own property and left WOFF. It is as if receiving the stuff binds you to Jane and her group- forever. Does that sound like Christian giving?  

So as a WOFF survivor trying to explain life inside WOFF, I could say… “So, what would be very shocking to someone like you (outsider) became very common place gradually in our lives.”

There is much more in these videos. Let me know your questions on how much would pertain to life inside of WOFF. Thank you.

And with that, let us remember:

“It is never too late to wake up and leave and reclaim your life!” Steve Hassan

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. 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 452.

The Christian Post reporter, Michael Gryboski posted this article on November 19, 2013 at 3:17PM. The link to the entire article is found here. There is more insight into Peoples Temple that is worth sharing in this article. He features the reflections and insights of Rebecca Moore. Ms. Moore is a Professor of Religion at San Diego State University and site manager for the Jonestown Institute. She is also a survivor who lost relatives at Jonestown. Ms. Moore has written extensively about Peoples Temple and Jim Jones. I found an article here where she was being honored for her work.

Mr. Gryboski begins with a brief overview of the events and then begins quoting Ms. Moore. I will take a few of her comments and make comparisons to my experience at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF).  It is not my intent to reprint the entire article. Please, take time and enjoy it in its entirety.

From the article: Moore also told CP that it was “difficult to say what the legacy of Jonestown is,” as many messages could be taken from the tragic events.

“Certainly some people view it as symbolic of the danger of cults and new religions. I think it is evidence of the ability of good people to be led astray by their own aspirations to be good,” said Moore.

“It is painful to say this, but the victims were also the perpetrators in Jonestown. Jim Jones did not administer the physical abuse, the punishments, the tortures: it was the residents themselves who believed the rhetoric that they repeated, and thus perpetrated abuses on each other.”

In comparison, many folks see different sides of WOFF-life and take away many different perspectives. That is true in part because in order to know the entire experience – you must spend time living inside the group and witness the ongoing changing social dynamics for yourself. It is a learned experience over time. To grasp the depth and magnitude of WOFF-life, it takes more than a visit or two to a service or wedding or baby shower. Likewise, if you just view the horrible pictures from the last day of Peoples Temple in the jungle, you won’t know the entire scope of that experience.

Ms. Moore then makes a statement that I can understand as being true of Peoples Temple as it was true during my time inside of WOFF. “I think it is evidence of the ability of good people to be led astray by their own aspirations to be good,”. Yes. Good people get caught up in bad groups. They are often led astray by their own desires and aspirations to be good and do the right thing. My experience includes this as my life during the days leading up to and including the years inside of WOFF. Desiring to do right and be right at any cost can allow one to come under undue duress and situations that skew one’s judgments. What will you trade to be right or be “good”? Will you sacrifice your individual freedoms if someone you respect and admire said you must “do this” and you will make it with God and walk in holiness? Many have done so and will continue to do so in the name of religion.

Ms. Moore truthfully acknowledges that the abuse inside Peoples Temple were not solely at the hand of Jim Jones. He had help. Likewise, the abuses inside WOFF were/are not solely at the hand of Jane Whaley. She has help. “…it was the residents themselves who believed the rhetoric that they repeated, and thus perpetrated abuses on each other.”  We spied on each other, we told on each other, we shunned each other, we “prayed” over each other with physical force and “helped one another” submit to God. We did everything we were asked to do to ourselves and to each other because others were doing the very same thing. To go against Jane was to admit you were “not walking with God” or “refusing the call of God” or “full of rebellion” when in actuality it could have been something as simple as you did not agree with her. Not often did someone express an opinion contrary to what Jane expressed. To do so was asking for the wrath of Jane labeled in religious terms as the “wrath of God.”

As in Peoples Temple so likewise in WOFF, these abuses were done not so much with fore-thinking or intent to “hurt” or harm your fellow member, these things were done with the expectation that the desired changes would come. The catch was that if others desired these “changes” for you – you may end up having the “correction” whether you said you wanted it or not. Because there was the understood notion that since you said you “wanted God” by being a part of WOFF, that regardless of your words at the moment, (your backtalk or sassy mouth…) you really “want God” and this is just a “devil” talking through you. So, let’s help this person get a breakthrough! “Hit it!” This “reasoning” or something similar would be used to enlist the help of leadership and other members to restrain in one location or hold down or keep someone from running away to get help and/or pray hard over a seemingly unwilling recipient. We were all convinced that everyone wanted a breakthrough no matter what they were saying at the time. Most of the time, a breakthrough meant finally settling down, admitting you were wrong and Jane was right.

At the time, it all seemed plausible, during those times of intense drama – the “flow” of the events seemed to make sense in the context Jane explained them. However, looking back in retrospect- it was at times all very surreal and dream-like. It was at times as if you were living a “delightful nightmare” with twists and turns none of which were under your control. The plot was totally in Jane’s control- though we would never admit it. To admit that Jane had total control was equal to saying she was bigger than God, and though we were required to act like it in our daily lives, we were never allowed to say it.

As I am hearing recently, the dynamics have evolved to include more physical abuses inside of WOFF. Young people and even children are hitting and punching one another. It is a sad comment, but, as you can tell not unique when it comes to control groups such as Peoples Temple and WOFF. It is the entire culture of fear and abuse that makes living in such a group a danger to society. When WOFF members treat Jane as Jane-God and set aside their rational thinking and God-given individual freedoms then dangerous fanatical behaviors can and do emerge. There is a precipice of decisions – a point of seldom return which many have crossed that allows them to rationalize extreme behaviors as the norms of “the people of God.” Applying common sense and decency are not required for many in WOFF when “driving out the devil in someone who has been taken over.” Individuality as a unique creature is sacrificed and the greater good of the “Body of Christ” as lived the WOFF-way is all that counts.

As Moore says- good people driven by the desire and aspirations to be good and right. I agree with that description for WOFF members. Many are trying to work out their personal salvation while at the same time being caught in the vortex of the WOFF-culture. WOFF contains many sincere people who are living for an elusive cause which ends up in practice being the total support of Jane’s religion and her life-style. To justify their extremism, they continue to tell themselves and others who may doubt, that they are “happy.” I remember putting on the WOFF-face to relatives and showing the “happy face.” Do others remember that required move? At times, it was sincere, but many times it was only a front while deep inside I wrestled with the many paradoxes which pervade WOFF-life.

The question is not happiness while inside WOFF for that is a mind-set contrived and defined by the leader of the group.  “You are happy when you are in the will of God. You are in the will of God here at WOFF among ‘God’s people’, right? Then you are happy. If you are not happy then check your heart. Why would you not be happy here in the will of God at WOFF? What devils have you been listening to?” It was a circular logic loop which did not allow for a valid critique of the questions or a discussion of doubts one may have. After all, who would admit to “listening to the devil?”  All the while, there were for many the inner struggles surrounding the questions of personal freedoms, choices and personal safety.

In the days ahead we will continue to look at other resources about Jim Jones, Peoples Temple and Jonestown. In reply to a comment left on another post, I wrote this about a conversation I had on Monday, November 18th. It is worth repeating here.

I stopped in a store on the way home from work to get a snack and struck up a conversation with the clerk. She told me she was in school, working and taking care of her children. I asked her what she was taking in school. She said Psychology. I asked her what today was and she looked at me with a blank stare. I mentioned the massacre at Jonestown 35 years ago and she had no knowledge about it. Her looked turned to a grimace as I briefly described the events and the outcome and then briefly told her about this blog. She then proclaimed that her husband was taking religion and would soon be studying cults. She was excited to be able to tell him about this blog. I had a warm feeling about the verbal exchange as well. How many people don’t know about the events at Jonestown- yet?

More specifically, how many folks don’t realize the same manipulation goes on everyday here in North Carolina?

And with that, let us remember:

“It is never too late to wake up and leave and reclaim your life!” Steve Hassan

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. 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 448.

As a resource text, we will use some excerpts from the work by Tim Reiterman- “Raven”. Reiterman co-authored 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)   We stopped at page 94 in our last post from this book. Let us pick up the drama….

Jim Jones moved many of his followers from Indiana to California in the summer of 1965. “The world conflagration would come July 15, 1967, he said, and only those in nuclear safe zones would be spared in that terrible blast and fallout.” (page 94-95) The Case family had known Jim Jones for years and had been in leadership in his church for a time. They also helped him become a part of the Disciples of Christ denomination. (page 67)  The Case family did not move into the safe zone as Jones directed. This family moved further south. There was tension between Mr. Case and Jones which Jones tried to overcome.

 “And during a drive down School Street, Jones declared pointedly, in discussing the unfortunate fate of an Indiana member who had failed to heed one of his warnings: “People must learn to obey their spiritual leaders.” … Rankled, Case criticized Jones. “You take too much control over people,” he said. “I have thought about that,” Jones responded with patronizing sincerity. And I’ve talked about it with my psychiatrist. He said I can’t release them too fast from their dependency or they’ll have psychological problems.”  (page 96 emphasis added)

Jones’ admonition that “People must learn to obey their spiritual leaders” is not unlike Jane Whaley’s main ministry emphasis. Her members “that God has called to that place” must obey God by obeying what He says through her.  That is how the dynamics work inside of WOFF. Do other former members agree?

Jones also acknowledged the dependency of his members on him and his reluctance to “release” them. Jane never says she sees a psychiatrist, but, many times she advocates destruction for those that do not obey the word of the Lord through her. She goes so far as to predict cancer, accidents and murders even untimely death on those who leave her group. So, in this example, there are similarities, right? But wait, there is more…

“On February 18, 1965, Harold Cordell, then a professional accountant, wrote Case six pages of praise for Jim Jones and criticism of the Bible. This disconcerting letter immediately confirmed Case’s suspicions about Jones’s religious plunge. It questioned the Bible’s story of creation and expressed the opinion that demons cast out by Jesus were probably germs. “Many think God spoke to these ‘prophets’ and ‘disciples’ of past history, but that he has never spoken since, Cordell wrote. I know this to be untrue. I know he has always had a man speaking his will through the ages and does have at least one that I know today, namely Jim Jones. He is a prophet of the first degree whose prophecies always come true to the minute detail…” (page 96-97)

How would this Mr. Cordell come to doubt the Bible and call Jim Jones a prophet? First, I have heard recordings of Jim Jones criticizing the Bible. That part was not a shock. I suspect that Jones also called himself a prophet and Mr. Cordell believed it.

In comparison, Jane does not question the Bible’s validity; in fact she harps on it as confirming her gift and ministry. She uses the Scriptures to confirm “what she hears from God.” And in like manner to Jane calls herself a Prophetess and in years past an Apostle. I never heard people SAY that her predictions always come true, but, she does say if a prophet’s predictions don’t come true then they are not a prophet. I have not seen a six page letter from a WOFF member praising Jane, but, I have heard people go on from the pulpit about Jane and Sam and the sacrifices they make and how much God uses them and, … and,… and. Basically, there has been Jane worship at times from WOFF members and Jane receives it very nicely. The similarity here is most obviously the adulation that Cordell gave Jones is the same type of adulation that faithful WOFF member give Jane. The EFFECT is the same.

Reading further and noting two more similarities for this post- “The Temple had become an extended family for those who had traveled west. At last, Jones had penetrated the barrier of blood relationships — and brought a sizable number through it. As a father to them all…” (page 100)  We could just as easily write- Word of Faith Fellowship had become an extended family for those who had traveled north from Greenville, SC; west form Wilmington, NC; south from New York and Connecticut; south from Indiana or east from California. At last Jane had penetrated the barrier of blood relationships— and brought a sizable number through it. As a Mother or Grandmother to them all…

Jim Jones required his members to make their family relationships with family members not in his church as last place to the Peoples Temple spiritual family. Jane does the same with members of WOFF. Family members who disagree with Jane or who do not in turn worship Jane are shunned and cut off from their family members inside of WOFF.

Next, “In sermons about the evils of competition, Jones railed about the brutality in sport. “If you got hurt, then you would be dumped. The coach doesn’t really care about you.” Jones used competitive sports as a metaphor for capitalist system and inhumanity.” (page 102) Jones preached against competition and capitalism. Jane preached messages against competition and sports also included the brutality, but, she focused her metaphors on the “competition devil.” Who could forget those sermons? And yet, we find more similarities between Jim Jones and Jane Whaley. How many more will we find? It is hard to say. This book is over 600 pages. Please, come back to this blog as we continue our series.

And with that, let us remember:

“It is never too late to wake up and leave and reclaim your life!” Steve Hassan

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. 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 447.

Recently, I mentioned to a blog reader that I planned to do a post about Jonestown and sent links to two previous posts from a few years ago. They said to be sure and include the links for others to read. We have made comparisons between Jim Jones and Jane Whaley before and we will again as we review further the material in “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”. For now I will include the two links and then continue the review of this article.

More From “The Raven”      and              More From The “Raven” (2)

Rudin outlines some of the basic known events surrounding Jim Jones and his rise to power, his abuses and the tragic end. For those who are unfamiliar with the events involving Peoples Temple- it is a good introduction. From the article:

It’s been 35 years since 918 people, including 257 children, died on Nov. 18, 1978, at the Peoples Temple massacre in Jonestown. The mass murder inside the South American jungle commune in Guyana was engineered by Jim Jones, a murderous cult leader, and was the only time in American history a member of Congress, Leo Ryan, D-Calif., was killed in the line of official duty.

Rudin goes on to make points that intrigued me when comparing the experience I had at Word of Fellowship (WOFF) to what is known about Peoples Temple. Here is the first paragraph that caught my eye:

“Jones employed mind control techniques, including blaring his constant sermons and speeches on loudspeakers day and night, interrupting normal sleep patterns. He physically separated married couples, controlled the community’s diet and banned communication with the outside world. He required long hours of hard labor in the tropical heat and humidity, and no Peoples Temple members were permitted to leave the jungle compound.”

Three characteristics noted by Rudin as “mind control techniques” were common during my time at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). First, “He (Jones) physically separated married couples…” Married couples were separated at WOFF for various reasons – the outcome of which is to subvert the decisioning control and cohesion that should be between married couples. Children were also separated from their parents if Jane determined the parents “don’t have a hold of them in God.” Jane assumed custody “in the spirit” of many of the children in WOFF. Who can deny that? This euphemistic statement was her excuse to supersede the authority of the parents in many if not ALL decisions about the children inside of WOFF. From the testimony of those who have left after me, these practices have not changed.

Next, Rudin mentions- “(Jones) banned communication with the outside world…” Jane Whaley has practiced information control for YEARS! She filters, monitors and decides what her members will read or consume. This is especially true for those in the lower ranks of the pyramid structure. Her excuses for doing this included having access to magazines, newspapers, television and the Internet will cause them to “sin.” Can any WOFF member in all honesty can deny that practice?

Again, Rudin mentions this about Jones- “He required long hours of hard labor…”  Would a WOFF member deny that there were and still are periods of long hours of hard labor for them? Does the term- “work project” mean anything to WOFF members? In years past, I remember some working all night into the wee hours and maybe getting a nap before getting back up to go to work at their day job. This “work project” requirement of course interrupted normal sleep patterns.

From the article: “Even as the Peoples Temple fades into history, Jonestown is a bitter reminder of what happens when people surrender their emotional and moral independence and become spiritual slaves to evil leaders who guarantee salvation, eternal life, utopia either here on earth or in outer space.”

Can this statement be true for those involved at WOFF? “…a bitter reminder of what happens when people surrender their emotional and moral independence and become spiritual slaves to evil leaders who guarantee salvation, eternal life…”  I believe so since I lived it. Membership in WOFF REQUIRES you to surrender emotional and moral independence and succumb to a state of spiritual slavery that is NO different from those members of Peoples Temple. And yes, the entrapment includes promises about salvation and eternal life for those who live the “God’s way” as seen through Jane’s eyes…

Rudin concludes-“ Jones evolved into a monster when he discovered he could manipulate and dominate people with false promises. Jones was a mass murderer, but he did not have to invent lethal poison, harsh re-education camps or isolated gulags. Years earlier, Adolf Hitler, Mao Tse Tung and Joseph Stalin wrote the book that Jim Jones malevolently followed.”  After noting the similarities between such obviously deviant leaders and Jim Jones, one must wonder how far into “the book” Jane Whaley will go? She has already adopted several chapters into the dynamics of her group. When will she be stopped?

As Monday approaches and the 35^th anniversary comes and goes, let us NOT forget the lessons and the reality of Jim Jones and the end of Peoples Temple members at Jonestown. May the lessons learned cause us to act in warning others and exposing the lies of the systems that employ the techniques Jones used to hurt many people in order to enhance his life. In my opinion, Jane Whaley is doing the very same things Jones did by employing many of the same methods he used. Who can deny that with a clear conscience?

Will Jane Whaley read this article or even this post to her members? As far as I can recall, the Jonestown tragedy was never discussed at WOFF. Is there a wonder why? How many of her faithful followers will never be given the opportunity to learn the lessons from Peoples Temple and the Jonestown massacre by reading about it? Will the day come when many WOFF members realize these lessons through reflection on their time inside of WOFF? We can certainly hope sooner rather than later.

We will continue our comparisons between Jim Jones and Jane Whaley in future posts from other resource material. Please, return and continue to read this blog. Share what you learn with others.

And with that, let us remember:

“It is never too late to wake up and leave and reclaim your life!” Steve Hassan

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. 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 446.

Our last post explored an article in Charisma Magazine® about Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and their Holocaust Museum display. It was dated October 1, 2013 and can be found here. The article was written by Marcus Yoars. Here is the contact information for Mr. Yoars: marcus.yoars@charismamedia.com main tel:407.333.0600

A few blog readers have replied to me with copies of emails sent to Mr. Yoars. Also, several comments were placed in response to the article. This post will review a response written by Mr. Yoars to a blog reader. A blog reader wrote this to Mr. Yoars:

After reading your well intended article, I realized you do not know the truth behind the walls of WOFF. As a victim/survivor, I am here to tell you that what you are seeing is a well orchestrated façade. I am not bitter, just thankful I survived.  However, I do want people to know the truth about what seems to be a loving, caring, God centered fellowship. My story is one of many. These people are not what they portray themselves as. They lie, cheat, steal and destroy the families, marriages etc. of those who do not accept Jane Whaley as their almighty. I know, I WAS one. Thank you for taking the time to consider my email.

And this was his reply October 28, 2013:

Thanks for your email, *****. I’ve had another person contact me with a similar message. I intentionally tried to focus on the Holocaust Museum and the students’ artwork in this story rather than the church or the Whaley’s because I was aware of the scandals surrounding WOFF. But at this point I’m seeing there’s more to this story that what one visit and a handful of interactions will reveal.(emphasis added)

 What are we to make of this reply? Are we to assume that he wrote this narrow article after “one visit and a handful of interactions” …? “I was aware of the scandals surrounding WOFF.” And yet the “scandals” are glossed over by the paragraph below…

“Since 1979, Word of Faith Fellowship, a vibrant Spirit-filled church about 70 miles west of Charlotte, N.C., has endured its own history of persecution. The tight-knit congregation of 750 people houses WFCS and, for whatever reason, has been a lightning rod for controversy for more than a decade. Death threats. Drive-by shootings. Lawsuits. Investigations. Child abuse allegations. Assault charges. Boycotts.”

After considering the article and the responses from readers posted on the Charisma Magazine® website, the conclusion I have reached is that Mr. Yoars is guilty of doing exactly what so many others have done when it comes to WOFF. He took the easy road. He decided to emphasize the “glamour and the glory” and ignore the destruction that has come for so many who have been a part of WOFF. He chose to see the sparkle of the presentation and not investigate the dynamics or methods used by WOFF leaders.

Mr. Yoars, the course you took is a well traveled road. Many in local government as well as State agencies and Federal agencies have taken the easy road when it comes to seeking the facts as to what really happens behind the lily white doors of WOFF. For them, it has been easier to dismiss the stories of survivors as baseless or worse yet- unable to be proven beyond a doubt- without taking the time to do the uncomfortable task of actually performing a thorough investigation regardless of who cries foul. It has been easier to believe the framed picture that WOFF presents rather than afford the survivors and the PRESENT members- adult and child alike- what is due them- equal protection under the law.

What will it take for the proper authorities to do what is required when survivors come forth with allegations of wrong doing and criminal offenses within WOFF? Will it take some pictures of bruises to stir an inquiry? Will it take a broken arm or leg? Worse yet, will it take an unexplained death uncovered after a death certificate signed by a WOFF doctor to turn some heads? I don’t know what it will take and yet, why should it have to be blood-evidence? There are crimes committed every day against individuals in our society that don’t cause death yet, the victims are afforded their due equal protection under the law. Does the fact that these events are purported to take place in a religious environment ward off or scare certain officials from investigating? Does abuse in the name of religion get a free pass in America?

November 18, 2013 will be the 35^th anniversary of the Jonestown massacre.  Can we apply the “Art of Remembering” to that event and take away some precious lessons from this enormous tragedy that could and would save lives? Jim Jones presented a framed picture and it turned out to be a fraud. In my opinion after living inside the group and seeing life firsthand; WOFF presents a framed picture and yet who will do what was done in Lake City, SC and closely examine their work to see if it truly meets the standard?

In future posts we will again review more material from “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 finished it and am astounded at the similarities between the events surrounding People’s Temple and the events surrounding WOFF.

Here is the link to the first post from the book which I wrote July 15, 2010- “Raven” by Tim Reiterman – Voice of a Survivor. This review was only covering the introduction. Soon we will delve deeper into this comprehensive work and take away some common elements that were in Peoples Temple and which exist today in WOFF. Please, return to read more from this blog.

And with that, let us remember:

“It is never too late to wake up and leave and reclaim your life!” Steve Hassan

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. 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 445.

   The first few months out of WOFF were emotional to say the least. The first Christmas season away for WOFF and those who had joined me in the non-celebration was emotional and confusing. I saw other folks that I knew and worked with celebrating, exchanging gifts and greetings. No such rush to join the activities was in me. I clearly saw I needed the fellowship and friendship of others more than the celebration of something that just a few months previous had been despised. As in WOFF, I was grateful that the celebration only came once a year. The build-up was truly more taxing than the day itself. One of the most exasperating things to deal with was the Christmas music. Music had been such a big deal at WOFF. Duirng WOFF days, listening to non-WOFF music was a sure ticket to hell.

   I remember the night Jane “heard” that Oh, Holy Night was a birthday song and that we would not sing that one and/or other Christmas songs. Honestly, as I had continued to believe the growing list of “don’ts” pertaining to Christmas, I knew that some traditional Christmas songs sung during the “Special Music” services would soon be banned. One year, during practice for the Special Music services in December, the young married group which I belonged to was told to go the fellowship hall and chose a song to sing. The debate raged and finally Jane Whaley’s daughter got several folks to agree on a song. I don’t remember which one it was, but we sang it loud and we sang it with perpetual smiles. Does anyone else remember that?

   The Sunday evening service we all watched the History Channel®’s “History of Christmas”, edited of course, for sure, it was meant to flush out any one still doubting that Christmas was of the devil. At some point, a handout was made available on the “History of Christmas”. This handout listed background sources form the Internet that told how evil celebrating Christmas was for those who wanted to “know God”. The Holocaust teacher had put it together and encouraged us to copy it and send it to others outside the church.  I have a copy of it but cannot locate it right now. We were instructed to write letters to our relatives telling them why would not be celebrating Christmas and how that would affect our visiting them over the holidays. There were services where members would come to the front and recount to the congregation how they “stood in certain Christmas situations” or how they did not hold the standard of God or compromised and “ate at the table of demons”. Of course, Jane was the one who determined each person’s success or failure in showing forth the “Truth” about Christmas. These services had chilling effect on anyone who was thinking they could get away with celebrating in some secret way. Anyone who waivered or was thought to have waivered and compromised was many times called out and rebuked in front of the whole congregation.

    One point of particular interest was those who were required to attend Christmas dinners for their employer or who were expected to give or receive gifts for Christmas or were given Christmas bonuses. Sometimes, you were told specifically what to do, other times, “you just hear” and when you decide, come see if you are right or hearing God.  Members were told to not attend Christmas dinners, refuse gifts from fellow employees, and refuse gifts and/or bonuses from employers. Of course, I was not in EVERY meeting with members when they would talk to Jane or the former pastor of the Greenville church. I am repeating what was told in services and what happened when I presented the situations I was experiencing to those in leadership. For certain this was an area of concern for Jane.

   Why retell all of this when most of it happened several years ago? After all, it is a well documented fact that WOFF members do not celebrate Christmas or other holidays. My purpose is to give some background to one of the signature practices or non-practices of WOFF. Christmas at WOFF died a slow death with Jane giving more and more restrictions or revelations of how God wanted her to walk. This was of course meant to determine the direction of those who followed Jane. Jane would say in the days leading up to the final death of Christmas, “God has walked me out of celebrating Christmas gradually”.  Those of us who were there to witness the “death” also heard this statement from Jane or something to this effect, I knew that Christmas was not of God, but had to share what I knew in stages or gradually in order for others to accept it. The final nail in the coffin of Christmas was the revelation that Christmas was a birthday and God had already said celebrating birthdays were not of Him. I remember that service and the words. No, I did not know the effects those words would have on myself, my family and others in the group.  

   For sure, WOFF is not the only religious group that does not celebrate Christmas. We know Jehovah Witnesses do not celebrate Christmas. In fact, while inside WOFF, I would share that WOFF did not celebrate Christmas and many times, folks would ask, are you Jehovah Witnesses? In my readings about Jim Jones, I read he did not want his members to go home or away from him during the holiday season, why? What do you think? He did not want them to be too long away from his “aura”. This is from the “Raven”. Reiterman co-authored with John Jacobs (copyright ©1982 Tim Reiterman, Introduction copyright 2008 by Tim Reiterman, ISBN 978-1-58542-678-2, page 55). Other groups do not celebrate Christmas. Not every group uses the exact reasons that WOFF did/does. But, for sure the effects are the same, broken relationships with family and friends who are not a part of the group. All of this is rationalized as the cost of serving God, the way God wants His people to walk or some such other statement.

    Besides the time away from one’s natural family in preference to the spiritual family of WOFF, what are some of the other effects of this non-practice? What replaces the time in December or January that would normally be spent with those not a part of Jane’s following? While I was there several things replaced this time. The main thing was some type of work. This work was either at the home or the church. One Christmas day was spent replacing the carpet and painting the church for an upcoming wedding. Lunch was served in the sanctuary to the workers and the work took most ALL day. That was the same year the members paid for new chairs, each family being expected to buy a chair for each member of their family.

    No mention of the celebration of Christmas was totally kosher for the faithful WOFF member. Word substitutes were used such as “that day”, “the 25^th” or some other phrase was used. Certainly, a WOFF member does not say- “Merry Christmas” to any one for any reason. If you expressed any admiration or longing for that celebration in any way; you were subject to inquiry, prayer for deliverance, questionings and other corrections. For many, this was the pivotal signature practice of WOFF that pushed them over the edge or into the fold or in reality, away from their family not in WOFF. You could not hold on the Christmas or other holidays and be a WOFFer. Christmas died a slow death, but shows no sign of returning to WOFF.

     So, when a person leaves or is put out of WOFF, eventually they will consider which WOFF practices, doctrines and oddities they will keep  in their life. We have posted about many of them on this blog. Perhaps there is no larger WOFF signature practice, other than loud prayer, to consider when leaving WOFF, than if a former member will participate in Christmas traditions. If so, which ones will return and which ones will not? How will I reenter the world outside of WOFF and still be comfortable with who I am or who I want be? For me this question has been answered – over time. Many of the Christmas traditions I have not practiced, as in years before. Some, I have. The main key for me has been which traditions express the love that is in me for the people around me? How do I share life, love and the joy of living with those I am around or those that are dear to me, whether family, friends or acquaintances? How do I give what God has given to me- love? In order to not limit or bring doubt on others that have left, I will not give in detail the insights that I have for now on this subject. Each person must follow their own convictions and be able to rest at night – in peace. For me, life is too short to pass up the love of others or not show the love in my heart to those around me.

       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. 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”.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my 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 229.

    In the previous post, I wrote this statement-  “People already in church and familiar with the concept (“…self-sacrifice, devotion and discipline) and even very religious about their religion seem to flow better at WOFF. That must have been me for many years… Right?”  I suggested that I was this person, familiar with self-sacrifice, devotion and discipline. Membership for the faithful at WOFF certainly did require “self-sacrifice, devotion and discipline”. There was self-sacrifice of time working for the church doing various tasks. A sacrifice of money- as Jane would check the records to see if you were tithing and there was always a fund raising project to support or multiple offerings being taken in a service, especially when there were no visitors. Devotion- faithful WOFF members lived out a devotion to Jane and the group that ran deep and cost them dearly. Discipline—the faithful regular WOFF members denied/deny themselves many activities and pleasures.

     Some of the leadership seemed to enjoy pleasures that regular members were not allowed such as vacations (called “time away”) recreational vehicles such as houseboats and jet-skis, time spent fishing and other activities along the coast. Jane and others in leadership spent much time on shopping trips to “secure God’s blessings”. Yes, those were some pretty rough trips as Jane would come back and talk about haggling with the Indian lady in Atlanta for “God’s price” on the jewelry for the engaged couples. A few times, she would even pick up little treasures for herself. She was trying to be a good witness and share Jesus with the Indian lady as she bargained with her. How many services were full of shopping victories? Jane knew how to get over on those merchants- right? Do you witness to merchants in this manner?   

    This however is not the entire answer to the question of how a person could get entangled with a group such as WOFF. In the “Raven” by Tim Reiterman with John Jacobs (copyright ©1982 Tim Reiterman, Introduction copyright 2008 by Tim Reiterman, ISBN 978-1-58542-678-2); the author writes, “The exhilaration of having a family and a cause that could save the world kept them going around the clock, giving until they were spent. But, it was Jones’s personal magic– above all the black magic, webs of ideas and disguised threats – that weaned people from their pasts and tied them to the Temple’s future.” (page 148 emphasis added)

  We have discussed the phenomenon at WOFF that included the replacement of a new member’s family of origin with the “family” at WOFF. Many would connect with Jane and/or Sam as spiritual parents and as they followed more of the doctrines and practices, they would disengage from their natural family and take on the WOFF family. This all was done very subtly for the most part. Each step forward in the spirit would distance many from their family while they thought they were drawing closer to God. Were we really? Did I really draw closer to God as I went for months without seeing my family? Does that make sense? Does walking with God require everyone to leave their family and walk in WOFFness? Well, possibly in the WOFF-land that is the result, when the immediate family does not enter the church and support Jane.

   What was the “cause” that “kept them going around the clock”, going day after day, month after month, year after year? Yes, WOFF life was living life to the fullest as one member so insightfully put it. Sleep was not a priority when it came to doing the work of the Lord. And still I have pondered this for days. It is really hard for me to express in words. Jane claimed the goal to be “holy righteous living” or living the sinless life — like she did. For those searching for a sure ticket to heaven, this has/had quite a draw.  Was that really the cause that kept regular members going? But, no one ever seemed to meet Jane’s standard. We were always hearing about more sin and getting prayer for many of the same things OVER and OVER again. Why did no one ever meet Jane’s standard? Was walking with God only something she was able to accomplish? Did it serve her purpose to never allow anyone else to claim her status of “sinlessness”? In my opinion, the “cause” was some distant elusive goal of walking without sin that Jane kept redefining as an unreachable spiritual state that only she was able to enjoy. This unreachable state was applied to the individual and to the group. WOFF members were able to sin individually and as a group which intensified the requirement to watch others for where they might bring reproach on the group with their sin. A major part of WOFF-life was taking the “correction” individually or as a group, the intense rebukes and personal searching of others into your actions and thoughts was a part of the daily life. So, there is no wonder why some could not withstand the rigors and the drama rituals.

   That was your WOFF family in a nutshell. It sounds wonderful doesn’t it? Actually, when I was in the middle of it and knew nothing else, I did not see how ludicrous and insane it all was. Every day could include a new drama scene and a new “don’t” or someone else being put on church discipline or someone or a whole family being put out of the church or some new sin being discovered that would “set us back years in the spirit”. What did that mean? It translated into more years trying to gain Jane’s approval and confidence that at least some one could walk sinless like her. Truly, it never happened. We were always beneath Her Holiness.  

   Did Jane have a “magic” that drew others to her? Well, I could put another word on it, though some would call it a “gift”. She knew how to size people up and see if “God wanted them to be at WOFF”. She could discern the need of a person and know if she could “fill their needs”. No, her threats were not as disguised as Jim Jones, in my opinion. She would tell you straight up what to do, how to do and if you don’t do, you are out of here and on your way to Hell. Before my time was over, she had totally convinced her grandson that if he even looked at the Christmas decorations in the small town of Ruth, NC, that the devil would take him over and he would go to hell. How do we know? She let him tell us from the pulpit. He was totally convinced. They normally drove by the lights to get to the church. No disguised threats there. Does that sound like a safe and normal thing to teach a small child?

   Were WOFF members ever “weaned” from their past? Yes, yes and yes. As previously mentioned, when the family of origin was replaced with Jane and other WOFFers, the family relationship was reset and redefined. WOFF became the family of many thus forgetting the past was easy as in member’s thinking because the natural family tied you to the past. Your past was equal to SIN. (Odd, your present and future life translated to SIN also.) The pre-WOFF identity was one to put behind you. Was this true devotion to God or true devotion to a religious controlling group? Was it emotionally safe or even spiritual to require such intense devotion to Jane that required members to deny time with their parents, uncles, aunts, cousins, grandmothers and grandfathers?? Why did Jane and Sam always go see Sam’s family at the holidays? Because Jane said “knew how to take hold of them.” Did she have her magic going? No, Jane did not believe in “magic”, that was no-no word. She called it “being in the Spirit”.

    What is the difference in walking in WOFFness versus true devotion to God? Some inside WOFF would say they are the same. In my opinion, they are very different. The true test of any religion is how it is incorporated into or affects your everyday life. A person could be religious about their religion and not disregard devotion to God. But, a person could be very religious and in that fervor replace devotion to God with devotion to a person representing God. That happened over time to many at WOFF. I never heard Jane Whaley outright claim to be God. But, I did see and hear her require that members checked with her to get approval before making decision or doing MANY things. But, we have already covered that. It was part of the foundation for WOFF-life. There are so many questions to ponder. We shall keep going.

   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. 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”.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my 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 219.

    From the “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 of several attempts of Jim Jones to recruit members from other churches. Let’s look at a few examples.

    “Jones’s expansion attempts were those of an impatient and aggressive man. While on a quest for new organizational techniques in the late 1950s, he had read extensively about Father Divine, spiritual father of the gigantic Peace Mission movement. In typically direct fashion, Jim Jones drove to Philadelphia to meet the black cult leader in person.” (page 59) Father Divine has been mentioned previously on this blog. Here is another link to read about the sharecropper turned “self-proclaimed “Dean of the Universe,”..(page 58)  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Doctrine_of_Father_Divine

    Father Divine had tens of thousands of followers and was reportedly “lord of a religious empire worth millions of dollars….Jones hoped to acquire Divine’s throne; he was acutely aware that the elderly evangelist soon would be departing this earth.” (page 58) Reiterman writes of Jones’ first attempt to secure the Peace Mission kingdom. He failed in his first attempt. Jones left the encounter with a new excitement about the doctrines and teachings of Father Divine. “Jones prepared for his inheritance by studying the tape recordings of Divine’s sermons.”(page 59) The encounter with Father Divine affected Jones for years to come.

    In July 1971, years after Mother Divine succeeded Father Divine on the throne of Peace Mission; Jones took several buses of followers back to Philadelphia. He attempted to secure his “inheritance” one more time. Temple members began “jotting down names of Mother Divine’s followers.” (page 139) Later, when arriving at the elaborately decorated burial chamber of Father Divine, Jones made a sarcastic comment which Mother Divine glossed over in an effort to keep the situation in check. “Then as the others cleared out, Jones informed Mother Divine that his five-foot-ten white body was in fact the reincarnation of the cherubically black Father Divine. Jones was staking his claim to the Kingdom of Peace.” (page 139) Sounds ludicrous- right? Mother Divine denied Jones’s twice spoken claim, “No one can take Father’s place…. You’re no more [special] than anyone else. (page 140) Jones would later repeat his claim openly in a joint meeting of the groups and be asked to leave the meeting. Peoples Temple would later take in about a dozen members from the Peace Mission. This attempted “coup” would prove to be a failure for Jones.

    Before 1971, Jim Jones had other ventures in recruiting members of other churches. Between the two attempts on the Peace Mission, he had attempted to steal members from the Church of the Golden Rule. “During the summer of 1966, the Temple moved a piano to the Golden Rules school and started to hold services there… Like the early visits to Father Divine, the relationship between the organizations was harmonious at first, with swimming for the children and communal dinners. But it soon became apparent the Jones had designs on the Golden Rule… Then the Temple tried to recruit more. That violation of the “Rule”, made elders suspicious of Jones’s motives when he made a gradual merger move. The church voted down the merger proposal, partly because the Temple revolved around the worship of Jones’s personality.²⁵” (page100)

   Reiterman documents another attempt of Jones to recruit members from other churches. In 1968, after the assassination of Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr., “…Rev. George L. Bedford, black pastor of Macedonia Missionary Baptist Church invited members of Caucasian churches to come and worship…. Jones brought fifteen of his Temple members to services and asked Bedford for permission to continue the fellowship. (page 138) Next time, Jones showed up “… with about 150 in all.” (page 138) From here, Reiterman describes how Jones went into his healing act at one service and wooed several members away from the church. Temple members openly recruited netting “an estimated 150 to 200 of Bedford’s people… Jones committed “sheep stealing” on other black congregations in San Francisco, though not always so brazenly.”(page 138)

    Reading the paragraphs about Jim Jones combined with this statement he made, “Jones always said that religious people made the best members because they were the most easily conditioned to self-sacrifice, devotion and discipline” (page 137); caused me to consider my time in WOFF. Had I seen Jane Whaley do the same thing to other churches?  We can start with the obvious facts known about the members of WOFF. When my time was up at WOFF in June of 2008, I had these observations about the membership. Only a small percentage was from the surrounding area. Most were from other cities in North Carolina, other States in the U.S. and other countries from around the world. For years, this observation was recounted with awe as a badge of honor and a certain stamp of endorsement by God. We must me doing something right. Look at all these folks that have come from all over the world. God must approve of what we are doing…

    In my thinking, I thought that this was true because Sam had traveled into so many countries with Kenneth Hagin Ministries and made contacts in those places. As God had given him the new message of deliverance through Jane, others had heard and then been led to WOFF, right? That is all that happened, right? It was by some leading of the Holy Spirit, right? Folks were just hungry for Jane’s gift, right? In my open-hearted, religious thinking, I never asked any further questions and thus never learned any more accurate answers. How had so many folks from so many different churches decided to pick-up and leave their homes and come to the mountains of North Carolina?

    First, let me make a few statements about the locals that attend WOFF. Many are somehow related to Jane or have known her or one of her relatives, for years. Few are “new Christians”, as I suspect that the lengthy rules and heavy-handed controls are hard for new believers to stomach. How can this be “Freedom in Christ” when I am told what to do and how to think and what emotions I should have and where to spend my money? And furthermore, don’t read your Bible too much; you could give over to a religious devil? Can the majority of new believers take all that in so quickly?  In retrospect, WOFF burned through several new believers and they ended up leaving for whatever reason. Maybe they are not yet “religious” enough according to Jim Jones, – who knows?

   Now, about the WOFF members from other places; those from other cities in North Carolina were mainly from the Wilmington area. Just as I was leaving, Jane had convinced another church from the Wilmington area to move and be a part of WOFF. As second church from that area had collapsed a few years ago and a few of those members had come to WOFF. This process had/has been a regular occurrence over the years at WOFF. After all, I came from the Word of Life Church in Greenville, SC. Almost everyone in that group sold homes, changed jobs and moved to WOFF in 2002. A few were spared.

   Concerning the WOFF members from other parts of the United States, I remember meeting folks from New York, Texas, Florida, Georgia, Virginia, Tennessee, Montana, Wyoming, New Mexico, California, Indiana, Connecticut, Oklahoma, Oregon, Illinois and of course South Carolina. Many, if not most, came out of churches in those states. Each had their story that went something like this:

    Sam and Jane (or just Jane) came to our church and preached about loud prayer and deliverance. The pastor did or did not go along at first. Right away or eventually, the pastor denied that Jane was teaching Truth. I talked to Jane and I felt like God told me to come here, get deliverance and be a part of WOFF.

   The other version included Jane hearing from God that the whole church needed breakthroughs and needed to move to WOFF. So the methods may not be exactly like Jim Jones, but what about the net results? Was this “sheep stealing”? Could it be wrong even if you got the whole church and the pastor, too? What do you think? Does this “feel right”?

   For the folks that came from other countries, I will list a few countries of origin that I remember. Members were from Ireland, Scotland, Finland, Sweden, Poland, Russia, Brazil, Ghana, Mexico, Ecuador, Germany and others. When you speak to these folks, many times the story goes like this:

    Sam and Jane (or just Jane) came to our church and preached about loud prayer and deliverance. The pastor did or did not go along at first. Right away or eventually, the pastor denied that Jane was teaching Truth. I talked to Jane and I felt like God told me to come here, get deliverance and be a part of WOFF.

   Sound familiar? While I was inside WOFF, I never put this together as being less than an honorable way to recruit new members. My thoughts on this subject have changed. WOFF is for the most part full of stolen sheep. As mentioned, new believers seem to have a hard time with the rules (don’ts) and intense “…self-sacrifice, devotion and discipline”. People already in church and familiar with the concept and even very religious about their religion seem to flow better at WOFF. That must have been me for many years… Right?

   So, the methods may differ, but Jim Jones and Jane Whaley had/have yet another thing in common- sheep stealing. I doubt if they are the only ones and I am sure there are other methods. Also, I am sure there are incidents of sheep stealing to fill WOFF chairs that I know nothing about.  But, the skill does come in handy when you are running a tight-knit religious community that many have labeled a “religious cult”.  I must add that this is not the best information that I have gained by learning about this technique. The question of Jane’s closed pulpit has now been answered! Jane does not allow other preachers to come in and preach because she is afraid she will reap what she has sown. If another preacher comes in, he or she may steal some of her stolen sheep. Then what would happen to the tithes and offerings? Who would pay for her $600 a month salary? How would she buy all those clothes?  How many times would she have to pass the plates to “meet the budget” then? If/when WOFF runs behind in offerings, what could/would Jane resort to in order to raise money? That could be an interesting subject for another post. For now, we press ahead in the search for answers.

   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. 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”.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my 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 218.

    As mentioned previously, I went along with the no holiday practices of WOFF. I did not go visit my family for years on any holiday. Now, I see the practice accomplished more than just keeping “WOFFers from sinning”. (Did it really accomplish that?) Keeping WOFF members from contact with family may have been spiritualized as necessary to “protect the gift of God in you” or keep you from the “common ground” that still exists in you and them. See the post about common ground here… https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=2356 .  The post “What is Common Ground?” serves as an introduction to this post. I explain the term “spiritual parents” in that post. The concept was a growing one at WOFF. It sounded so spiritual to follow others and set-aside your natural parents that may not be “in the things of God” and “flowing with the revelation” that God had given Jane.  But, really it served to cut you off and substitute Jane Whaley and other WOFF leaders as your family. Many faithful adult members would go further than using the term “spiritual parents” for Jane and Sam. Some would call Jane – Mother Jane and Sam- Father Sam. Many children had begun calling Jane – Grandma Jane by the time I left.  Is WOFF the first group where this practice is found?  Where else can this phenomenon be found?

    From the book – “Raven”, by Tim Reiterman which Reiterman co-authored with John Jacobs (copyright ©1982 Tim Reiterman, Introduction copyright 2008 by Tim Reiterman, ISBN 978-1-58542-678-2); we find his reference to Father Divine and Mother Divine of the Peace Mission. (see link here about Father Divine and his group.. http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Father_Divine )  The interactions of Jim Jones with this Father Divine will be discussed later in another post. Sufficient to mention here that after the attempts of Jones to take over the Peace Mission group under Mother Divine on 1971 and again in 1972, Jones did convince about a dozen Peace Mission members to join People Temple. “To make them feel welcome, he had the Temple choir learn Peace Mission songs, with appropriate substitutions of his name for Divine’s. And he had his followers call him “Father” and Marceline (his wife) “Mother”. (page 141) What purpose did this serve besides making previous Peace Mission members feel welcome? This served as an outward sign of the inward commitment and allegiance Jones required of his members. Does Jane require the same? Would former members like to comment here?

    A reference to the family a person is born into is termed as “family of origin”. We get many aspects of our personality, outlook, values and demeanor from the family in which we spend our formative years. There is much more material to research and bring out in later posts about this term and the theories of its impact in a person’s life. For this post, let us just acknowledge the obvious and the compelling. It should be obvious that when a person joins a group such as WOFF or People’s Temple or Peace Mission; there was/is a struggle to obtain the full commitment and loyalty of that new member. If the “family of origin” still held sway and either direct or indirect influence over that new member, the leader, Jane Whaley, had competition for that person’s attention and very soul. In reality, there would be competition also for that person’s finances. In my opinion, Jane Whaley made/makes purposeful, planned steps to obtain the total commitment of her members. The compelling evidence shows that for many, this effort includes causing members to set aside and/or shun the influence, fellowship and counsel of immediate family members in order to put the unwavering trust and faith in Jane and her “gift”. The compelling evidence would include calling her Mother Jane and Grandma Jane. Whether this change in WOFF life was purposeful and plotted and planned it matters not, the effects have been the same regardless of the admitted motive.

   Also, the effects I have witnessed when members made the switch from the natural parents’ influence to the spiritual parents influence of Jane and Sam or others in WOFF leadership, included a deepening of commitment and the increased perception of importance of Mother Jane. Dependence on guidance from Mother Jane became an inordinate importance in a member’s life. Critical thinking that may have existed seemed to wane and was replaced with hours of groping for the counsel of Mother Jane. This groping for Mother Jane consumed folks instead of them seeking a deeper relationship with God, personally. A person I was very close to while inside WOFF said MANY times that GS and LS (leaders at WOFF that came from Greenville) were more parents to them than their own natural parents. This person would spend hours on the phone and in person asking GS and LS what they were “hearing from God” about their situation or question of the day. Sometimes the counsel would come right away, other times; it would come after that couple spoke to Mother Jane for that person. This all could have changed and this person could be going directly to their Mother Jane, I don’t know for sure. Admittedly, while in WOFF, I would ask GS and/or LS questions for direction, but, I NEVER considered them spiritual parents with greater influence or authority that replaced my natural parents.   

   Another consequence of this resetting from natural parents to “spiritual parents” is the ability of the spiritual parents to redefine the parameters of the relationship. What is meant by that? Consider these possibilities. The natural set of parents or siblings making up the family of origin may or may not have spiritual or religious influence over the members in the family of origin. The level of overt religious input may vary and may be heeded or may not. If it not heeded, this usually does not change the participation in the family. The underlying habits and values may be taken either knowingly or unknowingly. All of those variables change from one person/family to another.

    However, in the all consuming, controlling environment such as WOFF where the rules that members are required to keep affect MANY different areas of a person’s life, how easy would it be to capture the minds and hearts of the extremely faithful members who see Jane or some other leader, as their spiritual mother or spiritual father? Add the outward rules of conduct originating with Jane to her claim that she can also determine if a person is in sin or right with God or fulfills the call of God or makes it to heaven or slides into hell and the full effect of the WOFF environment begins to come into focus. What happened when a person rejected the counsel of Mother Jane? We have discussed that before.

    How often would a mother or father in the natural family of origin claim the “gift” of knowing their children’s spiritual destiny or where they were to work, live or who they were to marry, when they should have relations with their spouse or when to have children and how many children to have—and, and, and… If those parents in the family of origin claimed that level of influence, would that be considered healthy or normal? In contrast, Mother Jane does claim that power and influence over the WOFF faithful. As a result of this redefined spiritual parent /child relationship, WOFF members go step by step, day by day into WOFF and give up more and more of their own decision making prerogative, the tentacles of Jane Whaley’s control continue to surround and suffocate the real person from the life they were meant to have. Members eventually fade as cogs into the machine of WOFFness built by Jane Whaley. “Leaving the nest” in Mother Jane’s family is not in her plan. In Mother Jane’s plan, everyone stays and obeys. Why is that? Mother Jane claims to hear God for ALL areas of life for her spiritual children. Does that sound like a healthy place to live? Does that sound like a formula for helping folks to grow or for bondage? Does Mother Jane “hear God” perfectly every time in every situation? While I was there, it appeared as if Jane thought she did hear God perfectly every time. Why? Because she became upset when folks did not ask her about every decision of any consequence in the church or the lives of church members. It became an understood foundational principle of WOFF- clear everything through Mother Jane or risk a rebuke or worse.

    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. 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”.

      (Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, the information about WOFF is from my 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 217.