In previous posts, we have covered several the traits Oakes lists that “broadly characterize the prophetic personality type.” (page 12) We ended the last post with the author’s description of the manipulativeness in people with these traits. Today, we begin with Oakes describing how “aloof” these leaders can be. “To the inner circle the prophet may be quite frank about some motives, but to the world beyond and to most of the followers he is aloof. (page16) Here, I must add that I was never in the “inner circle” at WOFF. I did not attend “leadership meetings” or take part in the meetings in Jane’s office before the services. My perspective is that of a regular member. I can attest that there was a caste system with some mystical requirements to move up in the system.  Nothing was ever put in writing that I saw as to how to become “leadership” within the group.  Moving down the ladder was obvious. You could express doubt as to the validity of anything Jane said or did and your status in the group was downgraded. You would be put “in discipleship” or “out of the church” until such time that Jane felt you had “repented” and “made things right”.

    “Prophets are self-contained and autonomous, seeming to need little to nothing from others… The prophet always holds himself slightly apart from others, revealing little of his true feelings and seeming to be something of a mystery even to his long-term followers. This may mean that he is unable to have close friendships… but it can also mean that he doesn’t take conflicts personally. Provided miscreants show contrition, and the cost of the conflict has not been too great, the leader can be very indulgent and forgiving. For he sees himself as above his charges in the way a lion tamer is above his beasts; they may turn on him from time to time in misguided rebellion, but he is not like them.” (page16)

    There is so much here, where do we start? Does Jane Whaley hold herself “slightly apart from others”?  Is she “aloof” around her followers? In my opinion and from my perspective, I say yes and amen. During the time I spent in Greenville and inside WOFF, from 1992 to 2008, I can count the times I spoke directly to Jane Whaley on one hand. Not everyone could say that. Some other members had regular contact with her for different reasons. Combine what Oakes says earlier about these leaders being constantly “on stage”; “Such leaders appear to be “on stage” the entire time, seeming to derive sustenance form endlessly repeating their own rhetoric which has become from them a “beautiful lie you can live in” (Rapp 1972)”. (page 14-15), with the aspect of being aloof, and one can understand how you can be with Jane Whaley talking to her and not really be with her.

   She has mechanisms in place to keep her space and will tell folks that “giving her a note or letter is useless right now, I won’t read them.” At other times, people get chided and rebuked for NOT giving her a note about “where they are walking in Jesus” or “opening their heart about their sin”.  When you were on the crew to do the lawn maintenance at the Whaley’s, you were told which window was to Jane’s room and to stay away as long as the shade was down. Just plainly put, Jane was difficult to approach at times and as a regular member, the response was not as predictable as Jane and her leadership would claim. Add that to the fact that if Jane was missing from a service and the reason was not announced, you could be rebuked for even asking where Jane was. She was “on a mission” and you don’t need to know more than that. Aloof? Former members: can you express your views on this?

     As I have been reading the work by Oakes and putting it together with other material, I realize that the “aloof” aspect a “prophet” goes along well with the mystical manipulation explained by Robert Lifton in his work on thought reform. The post about that is found here: Thought Reform? At WOFF? (3) Mystical Manipulation,  https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3238 .  “Robert Lifton writes about “mystical manipulation”, “Initiated from above, it seeks to provoke specific patterns of behavior and emotion in such a way that these will appear to have arisen spontaneously from within the environment. This element of planned spontaneity… must assume for the manipulated a near mystical quality.” (page 422)

   As Jane holds herself “aloof”, it explains well with the mystical aspect of the “direction of the service” and the requirements to be in the church or out of the church. During my time in WOFF, I never saw this for what is truly was. Why? Because of the blind zeal that is required to be a part of WOFF, it never occurred to me to question why Jane was so much in control and was “on-stage” and used a mystical approach to tell why certain things happened. All of these things were positioned to her advantage.

    As I look back on my time at WOFF, I realize that Jane saw what we saw; she could not help but see the destruction of families and the loss of relationships that her members experienced. She had to be blind to NOT see it. We were told this was all the judgment of God on those that left. Was it? Was it truly to results of some leaving after their eyes were opened and those that stayed were under the cloak of a blinding zeal? What Jane saw, she used it to her advantage as she kept aloof and used mystical manipulation. Let me explain.

    When Jane “warns” members to not do certain things or you will be out of here, you will lose your family, you will lose your job, you will lose your place with God and you could go to hell; she is not prophesying in the Biblical sense. She was taking what had happened to others in the past and telling the members that this will happen to you. She acts as if it is prophetic, when in fact she sees and knows that the level of blind zeal in the members that stay will keep many in WOFF regardless of who leaves. Since many members DEPEND on WOFF for their housing, for their job and for relationships – whether family or friends, she can say you will lose these things because she controls them. She also sees that rarely do people leave in groups. Some have, but most leave as singles. So for her to say that “you will lose your family” is counting on the blind zeal and loyalty that she has already tested and witnessed in the family members around the one who is “in rebellion”. She knows how to close ranks when someone leaves and turn the events to her edification in support of her “authority”.

    For Jane to warn someone that is considering leaving WOFF that you will not make it, you will lose your family, you will lose your job and so on; is in reality ADMITTING how destructive the group has been and will be in the future! She was admitting the stronghold she had on her members and counting on the blind zeal in members to help her hide the fact that life at WOFF was an emotionally devastating train wreck waiting to happen! If it were a healthy place to be, then free entrance and exit would not be an issue. If Jane could count on easily replacing lost members and not jeopardizing the cash flow when members left, then she would not control folks the way she does and seek to intimidate members into staying and continuing to give “tithes and offerings”. By observing Jane’s intimidating actions which are meant to keep members in her fold, we can learn what she was/is truly afraid of:  losing members and thus losing money. We will continue with more from Dr. Oakes’ book in future posts.

   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 299.

   When I first began to see WOFF members display this zeal, I viewed it with awe. This was when we first started coming to WOFF in 1992. I thought this “zeal” was something to be desired or coveted. After all, most members and certainly everyone in leadership in the Greenville church could hardly talk about anything else but – “What God was doing in Spindale!” It was not until we moved to Spindale, NC to live INSIDE the group that I realized how messed up the members were and that I had lived in a fantasy while in Greenville thinking that all WOFF members had it together spiritually. That was idolatry. That idolatry was exposed quickly as I began to live among the members of WOFF. It became clear that all WOFF members did not “walk in the high places with Jesus”. How was this made clear to me? Once I went inside WOFF, I saw how EVERYONE was corrected, rebuked and placed under Jane Whaley and the “holiness” she walked in. If you harbored any doubt about who was in charge at WOFF, that doubt did not live long. From the very first meeting, I could see who ran the show.

   Today’s question concerning this required “blinding zeal”; have you noticed it in your life or the life of those around you. This question is posed to three groups. First, we will pose it to present members of WOFF. Second, we will pose it to former members. And lastly, we will ask outsiders when or if they have ever noticed the blind zeal which permeates WOFF-life? My theory from the years I spent under the teachings and dictates of Jane Whaley is this; it is not “if”, but when will you recognize this “blind zeal” in your life or the lives of those around you? Each group will need the question posed a little differently.

    Before we move on, let’s give a few examples of what are not necessarily indications of a blind zeal. Just because you may be a part of a “non-denominational, Protestant church” as WOFF bills themselves, does not mean it requires blind zeal to be in that church. Attending church several times a week is NOT a guarantee that you have a blinding zeal in your life. Carrying your Bible to church or raising your hands during the singing of songs does not mean you are under a zeal that blinds you. Voting a certain way or abstaining from certain foods or certain forms of media by your own choice does not mean you are under a suffocating blanket of zeal. We will not discuss this zeal in light of certain beliefs, but we will measure it in terms of certain actions.

    For present WOFF members- do you see, have you seen or do you think it is possible that you are under a zeal that is blinding you to certain actions you take? I must admit that while inside I could see short glimpses at times of things we did as WOFF members that others may consider over the top or unusual. However, it was all “reasoned away” or “justified” with some sort of Scriptural reference from Jane. Jane shaped and molded the reality we lived in and there was no denying that! Anything vaguely seen as abnormal that was a part of the WOFF-life was spun as “holy righteous living” and required for the life we lived inside the group. For members living inside a sub-culture such as WOFF and being “sheltered or protected” from outsiders and outside influences as we were; there was less and less ability to measure WOFF requirements against what would be considered normal or healthy. I did not know that at the time. That is part of the blinding effect of the zeal or requirement of strict adherence to WOFF rules; you have less and less and thus eventually nothing to measure your “new reality” against. This is how the blindness creeps into the lives of WOFF members. You lose the ability to make a judgment for yourself because you have very little to no outside contact with anything of substance. In some cases, you have little to no contact with anyone other than WOFF members. It is the totalistic environment that allows the zeal to have its blinding effect. So, if every WOFF member would deny they live in a blinding zeal, I would understand and say that only confirms that reality that they are steeped in it. Does that seem plausible?

    As I look back, I remember defining moments in the lives of certain WOFF members and where they had to chose living under the blinding zeal of WOFF or quit the sham and leave. For instance, over the years Jane has put several members “out of the church” until they “find a place of submission and/or repentance”. Some, if not all leadership have had this requirement put on them at one time or the other. This can either “blow them out or lock them in” to Jane and her authority. This scenario has been a frequent power play for Jane and to submit to it can increase your perceived zeal for God, but, in reality, for many, it serves to increase the zeal for Jane. This was yet another aspect of the blindness of WOFF-life.  

   This past Monday, I was having dinner with friends. Some I had known for a while and there was a couple that I had never met before. Eventually, the subject of WOFF-life came up as one of the new couple had some contact with WOFF members. Several questions came up in the conversation when the subject of WOFF was introduced. One question was how could intelligent folks get caught up in a group like WOFF? The question is common, but, it also reflects a basic misunderstanding about people who join WOFF or groups like them. First, WOFF does not have a sign that says “We are a cult” on their door. In fact, I am told that Jane Whaley has screamed “We are NOT a cult” in church services within the last year. So, there you go. People join churches or groups because there are needs which the group meets. WOFF can provide new folks with many things. This provision can cloud your perception of the reality within the group. It has NOTHING to do with intelligence. Seeing the “zeal” others have and thinking you need that can also lead you to change your own behavior to match the behaviors of others- peer pressure. Add to that the fact that doubt and questionings are not discussed between regular members and you have a formula for anyone to get caught in a group like WOFF.   

    For former members, when did you first see the blind zeal in others? By that I mean who displayed the absolute worship of Jane and showed you in fact that their zeal was for Jane and not God? I saw it in KW and JC and thought it would make me puke. Let’s not forget CD, BC or GS. They all exhibit(ed) such obvious and shameless worship of Jane Whaley that it shook me and caused me to ask- is that what it takes to be in “leadership”?  If so, then I will never make it to that level! My zeal for WOFF-life and Jane only went so far. That is obvious.  

   Former members: When did you first see it in yourself and did you like it or just put up with it until you could be free from it? I saw it in me when I showed little to no critical thinking or forethought before I accepted new WOFF-isms from Jane or other leadership. If I resisted in the least, those around me would “help me see things God’s way” and I eventually got tired of that. Most of the time, I would do my best to just avoid situations I disagreed with. It did not always work and thus I was “blessed” to be in the discipleship room. That was where your “submission” and “zeal” were supposed to be renewed! Right.

    For former members, when did the reality settle in you that your marriage relationship and family relationships hinged on this “zeal” for Jane and WOFF? (if indeed it had progressed to that…)  For me, I was awakened to that fact during April/May/June of 2008. As the shunning increased and the rebukes from family members increased, I began to see that the foundation of the family had shifted from what I thought was healthy to a very shaky, unhealthy reality of blind zeal for Jane/WOFF. When had that happened? While I was too busy working and trying to get through the day, the foundation and validation for the family ties had been replaced with allegiance to WOFF and more specifically in Jane’s directives. I can put no other term to it than an intense blind zeal for Jane’s words masquerading as zeal for God. The uncovering of that new reality was then and continues to be heartbreaking.

   For the visitors and those who work around WOFF members, do you see this all consuming zeal? Do you see it as zeal for God or zeal for Jane? Do you believe that WOFF members know they are under it or has it blinded them to their reality? For relatives who have WOFF members inside, how have you dealt with the life-altering zeal required at WOFF? Do you understand how someone could be drawn in to this blindness that settles like a cloud over the WOFF faithful?  

   This characteristic of blind zeal inside of WOFF is covered, masked and hidden from outsiders, especially those who may hold public office or some position of influence. That is why many people give Jane and Sam a pass when it comes to calling them a religious cult. They never see the intense and at times violent loyalty to Jane Whaley and the life they have at WOFF. This blinding zeal and its resulting actions are often coveted as a badge of honor or a necessary trait in order to advance in the caste system of WOFF. My experience has been that as you get closer to the top of the cult pyramid structure, the zeal for Jane and the blindness increase. The question, “How much do you love God?” is superimposed over the real meaning and substance of the question- “How much do you love Jane?” – “What will you give up to live the life God (Jane) is requiring us to live?” That line of “reasoning” is used to lead WOFF members into vacating their personal freedoms, their money, their families, their friends, their occupations, their hopes and dreams- all in order to serve the vision Jane has of herself and who she needs to be in order to “please God”. What a mess.  

   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 298.