Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Religion Used as a Narcissist’s Tool of Control (1)

August 12, 2011 Admin Leave a comment

Recently, I was given a book titled, “Why is it Always About You? The Seven Deadly Sins of Narcissism” (Copyright©2002, 2003 by Sandy Hotchkiss, LCSW, published by FREE PRESS, ISBN-13:978-0-7432-1428-5). The purpose of the book is to put in layman’s term the description of narcissism and also give the reader strategies to deal with and live with a narcissist. This book is filled with observations and insights that I believe help explain the plight of being a member of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). Why? In my opinion, Jane Whaley, as the leader of WOFF, is a prime example of a narcissist who makes her living using religion to control others. In the author’s explanation of narcissism, Hotchkiss makes only occasional references to religion other than in the title of the book. She does not mention how religion or religious practices would enter into explaining the methods of a narcissist. However, I will attempt to expand on a few concepts Hotchkiss puts forth and explain them in light of the religious setting at WOFF.

First off, if you have been, or are now a member of WOFF and do not agree that Jane Whaley exhibits some characteristic of narcissism or even some minimal selfishness, then there is no use to continue reading; this post will only confuse you. However, if you wonder why the social dynamics which compose WOFF-life and thus life around Jane are so volatile or dramatic, then read on. See if these ideas help you understand why WOFF-life around Jane is less than peaceful at times, while at others, downright volcanic.

Hotchkiss uses examples and personal scenarios meant to illustrate her observations and her points about the subject. For the most part, I will not repeat these examples in this post since none of them are in a religious setting and would not add to my theory. However, when possible, I will recount scenes from WOFF-life which demonstrate my theory and explanations. I have been considering the content of this post for several days. At this point, it seems in some ways so obvious, yet, so large that I hope I can convey the main points so others can understand them. I am not sure how many posts it will take to cover the insights from this book, but, let us begin….

Continue reading Religion Used as a Narcissist’s Tool of Control (1) →

FLDS, FLDS vs WOFF, Uncategorized

Update- Warren Jeffs Sentenced and a Poem from George S. Patton, Jr.

August 9, 2011 Admin Leave a comment

In Texas, a jury of his peers sentenced Warren Jeffs to life plus 20 years for his crimes against women under his control. The trial lifted the skirt of the secretive religious cult and allowed the world a glimpse into the ways of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS). In this post, I have included a couple of quotes from the article listed below and will share some observations about why I believe the control used by Warren Jeffs is very similar or in many ways the same as what Jane Whaley used/uses at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF).

Warren Jeffs sentenced to life plus 20 years in prison as picture emerges of 50 brides, bred to worship the polygamous ‘prophet’

By Paul Bentley Last updated at 5:54 PM on 9th August 2011

Standing neatly side by side, 50 young girls pose as if for a school yearbook, their smiles every bit as uniform as their pastel outfits and tightly quiffed hairdos.

Their innocent enthusiasm is focussed on one goal alone – worshipping the man framed behind them, who has cruelly bred them for manipulation.

As a Texas jury sentenced Jeffs to life plus 20 years in prison for his crimes as their church leader, extraordinary pictures have emerged of the wives of the notorious polygamist, offering insight into the twisted world of subjugation with which he surrounded himself.

Jeffs, the 55-year-old self-proclaimed prophet and leader of the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints, was last week convicted of two counts of sexually assaulting a child – one 12 and one 14-year-old.

Today, after less than half an hour of deliberations, the jury at court in Texas sentenced him to the maximum possible time behind bars for his crimes.

Jeffs’s wives were both the victims of his abuse and the accomplices, subjected to a cruel world of worship and sexual abuse, while also proving their worth to their leader by holding down their peers while they were assaulted.…

Continue reading Update- Warren Jeffs Sentenced and a Poem from George S. Patton, Jr. →

Books, Resources, Uncategorized

Satan’s Best Friend- by Darlene Eichler

August 7, 2011 Admin Leave a comment

“Satan’s Best Friend” is a novel written by Darlene Eichler, my mom. I finished reading this book a few weeks ago. Since finishing the book, I have pondered the content of this post over and over. Finally, I am settled as to how to explain this novel. Let’s get the intros out of the way: “Satan’s Best Friend” (Copyright©2011 by Darlene Eichler, published by Bookstand Publishing, ISBN 978-1-58909-914-2) from the back cover-

“The majority of cult leaders are not born that way; although in most cases the tendencies toward narcissism and a burning need to control others is fed by underlying causes such as abuse, be it sexual, physical, or psychological. In “Satan’s Best Friend” the main character is Patricia Sue Benton, a poor little waif who is abused physically and sexually by those very adults who should be guiding her in becoming a normal, happy child. Instead she becomes a bitter victim, scarred for life, promising herself as an adult no one will ever control her. Patricia goes a step further and organizes her own church/cult. Along comes Margaret (Maggie) Hines, jilted and pregnant with no where to turn. Patricia, now called Preacher Pat, comes to the rescue giving her a home, instant friends and a new identity (or so she thought). As Preacher Pat’s control begins to tighten, the conflict of values, family traditions, and personal choices create a story of intrigue filled with broken promises, unethical medical practices and abuse in the form of mind control.”

This book can be found at www.cokesbury.com by searching the author’s last name. There the book is sold for a 20% discount. Let me also say that my Mom has written several other books not related to this subject or story line. She has written “The Rose” series under the pen name Nan Turner. “The Rose” series can be found at www.amazon.com by searching “Rose’s Song”.

Continue reading Satan’s Best Friend- by Darlene Eichler →

Uncategorized

Updates – Jinwright’s Attorneys Prepare Appeal

August 3, 2011 Admin Leave a comment

Previously, we have covered the trial of Anthony and Harriet Jinwright. They have been convicted of tax evasion and are presently mounting a defense. By presenting the updates here, it is not meant to implicate the Jinwrights as leaders of a “religious cult”. It is just curious to me the loyalty of the followers and the resulting flow of previously unreported income and material “blessings”. The first update below is from May 2, 2011.

‘Charlotte Talks’ about Jinwright trial and prosperity gospel

By Qcity Staff – May 2, 2011 source link: http://www.qcitymetro.com/news/articles/charlotte_talks_about_jinwright_trial041903552.cfm

“Rhiannon Fionn-Bowman, who covered the 2010 tax evasion trial of Anthony and Harriet Jinwright for Qcitymetro.com, will be a guest Tuesday morning on WFAE radio’s “Charlotte Talks” with host Mike Collins. …. Bowman, who wrote an article about the Jinwrights in the May issue of Charlotte Magazine, covered nearly every day of the five-week trial, which ended with the co-pastors of Greater Salem Church in west Charlotte being found guilty on multiple count. Both are now serving prison sentences in West Virginia. Fionn-Bowman described the experience as “exhausting” yet gratifying.

She said she stayed up late each night reading online comments about the trial and came to realize that many Qcitymetro readers identified with some of the issues uncovered during the trial, especially issues relating to pastoral gifts, “love offerings” and the role money now plays in some African American churches. “It amazed me,” she said. “I started to realize that this wasn’t just a Greater Salem issue. I started noticing a conversation thread out there”

Continue reading Updates – Jinwright’s Attorneys Prepare Appeal →

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

If WOFF is SO Safe, Then Why the Constant Drama?

July 31, 2011 Admin 4 Comments

During my years at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF), I never considered the group “unsafe”. Why? Well, at first glance, it appears to be a “Christian” church group that may take certain beliefs to an extreme application. For most of the beliefs, I went along and did not question. What about the constant drama scenes that occurred? How did that affect the morale or outlook of regular members? From my memory, during my time inside the group, I believed many of the explanations put forth to justify the drama of those inside the group and the major exit dramas of those who left or were put out. Many of the years while inside the group, I was not looking for a way out or alternative explanations for the nagging questions or very repetitive drama scenes.

But, the drama scenes continued to occur and after a while even a very faithful WOFF member has to wonder – Why? So, what were some of the reasons put forth for the emotional upheavals and seemingly dramatic exits for what some considered as “faithful” WOFF members? Yes, I know we have discussed this here before on the blog, but, I have an additional point to make today.

WOFF is UNSAFE — Near the End of the Walk

Continue reading If WOFF is SO Safe, Then Why the Constant Drama? →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Cult Leader News, FLDS, FLDS vs WOFF

Update – FLDS/Warren Jeffs- Videos

July 31, 2011 Admin Leave a comment

In previous posts, we have outlined the similarities between certain practices within the Fundamentalist Church of Jesus Christ of Latter Day Saints (FLDS) and Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). My basis for these comparisons comes from documented accounts of survivors of FLDS and my own experiences from attending meetings and eventually moving inside WOFF. The time span for my experiences is 1992 until 2008. One of the first posts on this comparison topic was written January 19, 2010 and can be found here- FLDS vs. WOFF – The Similarities – Part 1– https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=86 . I have learned much more since writing that post, but still agree with my conclusions at that time.

During this last week, Warren Jeffs, the leader of FLDS, has been in the news again as he is facing additional charges in Texas stemming from his practices within the FLDS. Frankly, I have been quite surprised at the coverage Jeffs has received from mainstream news sources. The first article tells how Jeffs fired his legal team on Thursday and the judge allowed him to represent himself.

Polygamist leader to represent self in sex assault case –

Source link: http://www.reuters.com/article/2011/07/28/us-texas-polygamist-trial-idUSTRE76R5ND20110728
By Jim Forsyth – SAN ANTONIO | Thu Jul 28, 2011 3:04pm EDT

SAN ANTONIO (Reuters) – Polygamist leader Warren Jeffs threw his child sexual assault trial into disarray on Thursday when he fired his defense lawyers and demanded the right to represent himself, which the judge then granted. “It’s not as easy as it looks on TV, Mr. Jeffs,” State District Judge Barbara Walther told him. “You’re on your own.”

Then on Friday, the trial took another strange turn as Jeffs objected to the testimony of a witness and then proceeded for 50 minutes. The following article quotes Elissa Wall, a survivor of the group, and has video. There is also some concise background information that helps answer questions. (second video later in the post. It is cute.)

Ex-FLDS member: Warren Jeffs “partially crazy”

Source link: http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2011/07/30/earlyshow/saturday/main20085807.shtml

Continue reading Update – FLDS/Warren Jeffs- Videos →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Does Everyone Have “Devils”? Part 2

July 24, 2011 Admin 6 Comments

In order to understand this post, please take time to read part one. Also, before I share my thoughts on the similarities between Agape Bible Fellowship and WOFF, let me say that “Battle with the Devil” went on to explore other questions about heavy rock music, prison ministry and even “Hookers for Jesus”. None of which was quite as interesting as their piece on the deliverance at Agape Bible Fellowship in New York. The entire episode can be found searching “Battle with the Devil- ABC”.

There were so many thoughts in my mind about the two churches and the similarities in their practices that it is easier to start with the differences. Some of the differences will seem too small to mention, but, I want to be thorough. First, Pastor John Goguen had formal theological training. He may have left or modified some of those roots, but, he had the training nonetheless. Jane Whaley has no formal training as far as I know. Another obvious difference was that John is male and Jane is female. That statement stands for itself. Pastor Goguen dressed very casual, he even wore JEANS! Jane Whaley would not stand behind her pulpit to preach in casual dress- and never jeans. Another difference between Agape and WOFF was that the deliverance sessions did not start out in circles at Agape as it did at WOFF. Not every time did WOFF start their sessions in circles, but, most times that was true. Agape did not appear to have group leaders for the deliverance as it appeared only the Pastor led the prayer. At WOFF, there were deliverance group leaders who would lead the prayer and be the one to say what “devils were to be hit”. Higher level WOFF leadership or Jane herself would ultimately approve of the deliverance group leaders. The Agape congregation also appeared smaller than WOFF.

This next difference may not make some folks happy. But, in my 16 years of attending meetings at WOFF, I never saw someone directly praying over Jane Whaley for deliverance. She was seen in a group of select leaders joining with her to fight the devils attacking her, but, NEVER did anyone touch her hair to help cast devils out of her. There was a scene showing Pastor Goguen with hair ruffled, throwing-up into a brown paper bag. That did not happen while at WOFF. After all Jane has proclaimed “that sin (whatever it may be) does not affect her, since it is not in her”. Translation: she has reached a level of perfection that needs no deliverance or even open admission of or repentance from sin. A former member told me recently that in meetings he attended, Jane had proclaimed her perfection. That statement should stand by itself.

Continue reading Does Everyone Have “Devils”? Part 2 →