Category Archives: Uncategorized

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Jane’s Perception Became Your Reality…

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   Today, in a conversation I had with someone who had never been a member of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF), I tried to explain to them how a member of WOFF could be accused and found guilty of a sin, while never committing the act. Jane Whaley uses the Scripture in Matthew 5:27-29- (Amplified Version)

 27You have heard that it was said, You shall not commit adultery. 28But I say to you that everyone who so much as looks at a woman with evil desire for her has already committed adultery with her in his heart.  29If your right eye serves as a trap to ensnare you or is an occasion for you to stumble and sin, pluck it out and throw it away. It is better that you lose one of your members than that your whole body be cast into hell (Gehenna).

   I was not trying to explain the correct way to incorporate this in one’s life, I was trying to explain how Jane uses this passage to control members- often members who are younger and may not have any idea what the term describing the sin act – actually meant. If Jane perceived that a member had a thought or evil desire, then she often would press for a confession to confirm her “word from God”. The pressure could be light at first, and then increase intensity as she would be convinced she had heard God and that member was in sin. This tactic was not limited to Jane, as many in leadership would have the same “skill” to root out sin in WOFF members. Remember, the environment we are talking about- a pyramidal control structure. Regular members toward the bottom of the pyramid had more “leadership” above them looking at them and pressing them to open their heart and expose their sin. A few young boys (men, now) have confided in me that they would confess to sin when they did not actually know what the sin act consisted of. Many times, this was sexual in nature. After leaving, one man told me he found out what he confessed to and was mad since he had never done that act. Other told of being required to write their confessions. After they left WOFF, they would be reminded of their written confessions and that they could/would be used against them, if they attacked! Can you say black-mail or at the least- WOFF-mail?

  Continue reading Jane’s Perception Became Your Reality… →

Uncategorized

Forgive and Forget?

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   There are people from many walks of life that read this blog. Some are former Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) members but, many are not. Some readers are survivors from other groups. Inevitably when discussing the religious cult question or any other subject that involves abuse, someone will put forth the notion that we must “forgive and forget” and move on. Yes, there are many references to forgiveness in the Bible and it is a prudent thing to consider for anyone who has been wronged. Where does the command to forget how one has been treated or abused fit in? If there is a fading of the intensity of the emotions that were present during the abusive acts- does that equal “forgetting”? What benefit is there from forgetting abuses done to you or to ones you love? Is the proof of forgetting reflected in a not caring for those who remain in the abuse and doing nothing to help them escape their real time surreal destructive world? Can someone forgive and yet continue to fight for those who remain in abuse? I believe so.

   A comment submitted by Don and Angie Tumioli to the recent post titled- “But, that is no excuse for us to tolerate it here…” (link- https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=4859 ) The subject of the post dealt with the question of religious slavery. The comment contained some excellent insight into the question for “forgive and forget”. I felt it appropriate to include this in the post as we have just passed another celebration marking the life and deeds of Martin Luther King, Jr. From the comment: “…You can forgive someone as Jesus did when he said, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”. Yet Jesus spent a large portion of his life preaching to the hypocrites and pointing out that they were the ones that were keeping others from entering the kingdom of God. Yes, I can understand the example set by Jesus. He, who knew no sin, forgave those who sought to harm him. But, he did not stop from exposing their oppressive and harmful ways.

    Continue reading Forgive and Forget? →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

“But, that is no excuse for us to tolerate it here…”

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   There are times when watching a movie that you get caught up in the plot and seemingly forget your own life and struggles. Maybe that is the attraction to so many folks watching movies in this country. Recently, I watched “Gods and Generals” (Warner Home Video and AOL Warner Company presenting a Ted Turner Film, Antietam Filmworks Production, a Ron Maxwell Film, Copyright©2002 Ted Turner Film Properties, LLC) From the back cover- “Based on Jeffrey M. Shaara’s bestseller, Gods and Generals recounts the fierce allegiances and combat of the early Civil War. Ronald F. Maxwell directs the prequel to his Gettysburg, framing the story with three bold men and three fateful battles. The men: Joshua Chamberlin (Jeff Daniels), “Stonewall” Jackson (Stephen Lang), Robert E. Leee (Robert Duvall). The battles: Manassas, Fredericksburg, Chancellorsville. Through these combatants and conflicts we witness bravery and strife of a nation at war with itself.”

  During my viewing of this film, I must admit, at least for a few minutes, forgetting about my life and the present events unfolding. Yes, this film is a representation of what happened and can only in a very small way capture the depth of the struggles, emotions and turmoil of the times. I knew this going in. But, during this film there was a scene that woke me up and captivated me in a very intriguing way. It was during a monologue by Joshua Chamberlin. This scene takes place as Chamberlin leads his brother, Tom to a view point over a river. I will paraphrase the introduction as Chamberlin points out to his brother that each person in the army of thousands is loved by someone, a whole person loved or cherished in a home far away. “Many of them will never return.”

   Next, he describes armies as tools of power meant to coerce others. He goes on to recognize that they have seen more suffering than any man should ever see. And if there is going to be an end to it, then it must “be an end that justifies the cause.”  Then he swings his arm out over the valley below and says, “Somewhere out there is the Confederate Army. They claim they are fighting for their independence, their freedom. Now, I cannot question their integrity. I believe they are wrong, but, I cannot question it. But, I do question the system that defends its own freedom while it denies it to others, to an entire race of men. I will admit it Tom; war is a scourge, but, so is slavery. It is the systematic coercion of one group of men over another. It has been around since the book of Genesis. It exists in every corner of the world. But, that is no excuse for us to tolerate it here, when we find it right before our very eyes, in our own country. As God is my witness, there is no one I hold in my heart dearer than you. But, if your life or mine is part of the price to end this curse and free the Negro, then let God’s will be done.”  

   Continue reading “But, that is no excuse for us to tolerate it here…” →

Uncategorized

Do You Believe in Santa Claus?

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 Well, this post may not be timely as Christmas has recently passed for 2011. But, I write them as I get them. Do you believe in Santa Claus? If you are a parent, do you practice the beliefs of the folk tales around the person called Santa Claus? I will not discuss the history of the Christmas figure as I could find sources that approve of including the folklore in a Christmas family tradition and sources calling the figure –“Satan Claus”. As for me, I did not pass on the “beliefs” to my children. This was decided in our family before our time at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). The reasons are not important here. It would suffice to say I did not consider the tale to agree with what we wanted to pass on to our children. This did cause some angst when visiting relatives around the holiday. But, we got through it. And the practice was certainly obliterated during WOFF days as Jane Whaley led all members to disown the Christmas celebration altogether. Today, I began to view the Santa Claus beliefs from a totally new view point and I had to ask myself if I had passed on something much worse than Santa Claus to my children.

   Today’s discussion did not start out on the attributes of Santa Claus. Actually, a friend and I were discussing the mystical “powers” proclaimed by certain “church leaders”; the topic included all the self-proclaimed revelations and seeming omnipotence of certain leaders. This friend was expressing their hesitation to deny the validity of certain spiritual practices. In essence, they were saying they did not want to “throw the baby out with the bath water”. So, we began a list of certain powers proclaimed by certain group leaders- some of leaders would be included as religious cult leaders…

   Honestly, there were others in the discussion besides Jane Whaley. However, my experience has been mostly with WOFF, so, I will reference her in this post. The list included the assumed omnipotence of Jane, the assigned quality that she knew everything, and that no matter what you did – she would say whether it was “good or bad”. Suddenly I made a frightening connection. The words to a song popped into mind;

Continue reading Do You Believe in Santa Claus? →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, FLDS, FLDS vs WOFF, Uncategorized

“Sons of Perdition” from OWN Documentary Club (2)

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    A few weeks ago, I received the “Sons of Perdition- The Story of Polygamy’s Exiled Youth” documentary in the mail. This film is from the OWN Network. We have previously mentioned this film on this blog. The credits are many, so here is the list from the back cover- IMPACT PARTNERS and BBC STORYVILLE present a LEFT RUN FILMS production in association with MOTTO PICTURES and CACTUS THREE. Editor – Jenny Golden, executive producers- Diana Barrett, Abigail Disney, Caroline Stevens, Krysanne Katsoolis. Copyright©2010 Virgil Films and Entertainment, LLC.  There is a website for the film- “sonsofperditionthemovie.com”. The film is rated “R”. The film contains “street talk” as well as some scenes of alcohol and drug use. It is all a part of the true story. On the DVD there is also an option for a “family friendly language track”.

   Honestly, I put off watching this film after I came home from work for several hours. I knew it would be remind me of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). However, it was so timely considering the exit drama which has unfolded over the past few weeks concerning a young man who has come out of WOFF. As I reviewed this film, I will compare and contrast to my experience at WOFF and my understanding since I left in July 2008. We have compared the practices of the Fundamental Latter-Day Saints (FLDS) to WOFF in previous posts. There are many of the same practices in both groups and there are also several practices which are not shared.

  We pick up our review at the beginning of chapter two of the documentary. There you meet Kevin Black. He is working in a garage. He says he has been out of Colorado City for eleven years. Kevin gives a short history of the FLDS and says several statements of note. Those in the group “believe polygamy was never supposed to be outlawed and they live it no matter the cost.” In this country, we are allowed by our “religious freedom”, to pursue lifestyles and certain choices- “no matter the cost.” This goes on even to the destruction or denial of certain other God-given freedoms outlined and protected in our Constitution. As in WOFF, in FLDS there was the pursuit of certain lifestyle choices at the denial and refusal to exercise and live certain other accepted social freedoms that many consider basic. Is this direction for a group or individuals prudent? For adults, it may be accepted, but, when children are involved and their choices of limiting their freedoms are made for them and their reality does not include certain freedoms, I consider that detrimental and destructive. We can presume that obviously, Kevin Black did also, or he would still be in the group.  

   Continue reading “Sons of Perdition” from OWN Documentary Club (2) →

Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Do You Believe in Magic?

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   Recently, I have had several conversations with a survivor of another group. The similarities between the control measures used in Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and the survivor’s former group have been nothing short of amazing and sad. It is regretful that the results have been eerily the same. During one conversation, this survivor said there “stolen intimacy” as a result of the control measures of the leader of that group. This person had lost their family relationships over their discontinued church membership. Yes, really- it was the same as many cases from WOFF. As I listened and began to understand their situation, I realized it was not so much “stolen intimacy” but rejected intimacy. Let me explain.

   During my time at WOFF, it was an acceptable and actually a required practice to be denied contact with members that had left WOFF. As warm-up for that practice, when a member was on “church discipline” or in church discipleship, you were expected to allow God to deal with their heart and not talk to or “fellowship” with them. Certain ones in leadership or a spouse may be able to talk to them and allow that person to “open their heart” and share where “God was dealing with them”. All of these phrases were code talk within WOFF and after a short period of time, you began to get the meaning and became aware of the penalties for crossing the boundaries or breaking the unwritten rules. You may cross the line once- but, you would soon be told how to act toward those on church discipline.  

   What “sin” could have you put on church discipline? Whatever violation Jane thought was too severe to allow you to “walk among God’s people”. The “sin” could be one you were warned about before or a new one you were totally unaware of as being “sin”. If you were “listening to the spirit of God” and in tune with Him – you would know what actions or thoughts were sin and what were not “sin”… Really? This seemed so spiritual when you were in WOFF. I believed and acted upon that notion for a long time while inside WOFF. It seemed perfectly justifiable to me within the confines or parameters of the sub-culture we lived in.  Now, I see it as a power play from Jane and the leadership to keep the regular members always unsure and fearful to do ANYTHING without “checking things out with leadership” to “see if they were hearing God”. Can you say – dysfunctional grace? Since the rules were unwritten and the code of conduct at times so elusive, then it allowed Jane her own interpretation and ability to make the rules what she wanted them to be at any given moment. If she decided to change things, then we were walking in a higher place in God (while still being “so full of sin it made her sick!”)and/or “God was trusting us more” or the individuals had heard God for that situation, but it was not certain everyone else would have that liberty.

  Continue reading Do You Believe in Magic? →

Books, Resources, Uncategorized

..Children are the most venerable to cults…

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    We have written about the documentary- “Join Us” in previous posts. (The film is presented by Interloper Films along with Lusitan and was produced by Ondi Timoner and Vasco Lucas Nunes. (copyright© Third Floor Productions, LLC 2007) This is a movie which includes the stories of several families making their way out of a religious cult in Anderson, SC. The families travel to Wellspring Retreat and participate in counseling sessions meant to help them learn about the systems of control they had been under. I recommend this documentary for anyone seeking a more clear understanding about cults and their effects on the members. Recently, I watched the documentary again.

     I was struck by two comments by two experts in the film. These comments were about children. They helped answer for the questions I have had as well as ones I get from others, as to why Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) sought/seeks to control the children to such a high degree. We will look at the comments and explain how these insights help understand WOFF and other religious cults.

   Both comments come in chapter 5 about the thirty minute mark. The first is from Robert Lifton-Psychiatrist and Author of Mind Control Model: “Children become symbols of the future. It is as if you can create ideal children according to your cultic standards, then you are realizing immortality.”

   The next comment is from Jorge Elderly- Academic Director for the Center of Investigation of Christian Institutions-“It must be said that children are the most venerable to cults. They are defenseless, they are voiceless. They are at the mercy of whatever mad instruction someone got from supposedly heaven and lead the kids to a very big hell…”

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