Tag Archives: Cult Criteria

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

WOFF Members are NOT Brainwashed- Really? (2)

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   During a review of recent posts, I found the first post in this series had been inadvertently moved to the trash. I have no idea how that happened. But, the original post was rescued and restored to its place on this blog. Now we will continue with the review of the resource material found in Steven Hassan’s book, “Combatting Cult Mind Control” (Copyright©1988, 1990- by Steven Hassan, Park Street Press, ISBN-0-89281-311-3). We were reviewing material found in Chapter 4 titled:  Understanding Mind Control.

   Hassan writes, “When I lecture in colleges, I usually challenge my audience with the question, “How would you know if you were under mind control?” After some reflection, most people will realize that if one were under mind control, it would be impossible to determine it without some help from others. In addition, one would need to understand very clearly what mind control is.” (page 53) From the previous posts I wrote, “WOFF members do not believe for one second that they are under either brainwashing or mind control! I know since I did not have any idea that the “gift” that Jane operated in was full of mind control techniques.” In light of this acquired disbelief, it does little good to tell WOFF members they have been brainwashed or are under mind control. Hassan writes, “Whenever people yelled at me and called me a “brainwashed robot”, I just took it was expected persecution. It made me feel more committed to the group.” (page 53)  

   We also reviewed the basic difference between brainwashing and mind control: “Brainwashing is typically coercive. The person knows from the outset that he is in the hands of the enemy. It begins with a clear demarcation of the respective roles—who is the prisoner and who is the jailer—and the prisoner experiences the absolute minimum of choice…” (page 55).

   “Mind control, also called “thought reform,” is much more subtle and sophisticated. Its perpetrators are regarded as friends or peers, so the person (being influenced) is much less defensive… Mind control has little to no overt physical abuse… The individual is deceived and manipulated – not directly threatened – into making prescribed choices. On the whole, he responds positively to what is done to him.” (page 56)

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Books, Resources, Uncategorized

What is Your “JPI”?

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  Last year in August, I wrote a post titled, “How Are You Doing?” (link- https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3090 ) The subject of the post was prompted after watching “Tsunami” The Aftermath, an HBO Films® 2 DVD set which was produced in 2007. This was a dramatization taken from accounts of survivors and observers from the aftermath, drawing from the rescues and the clean-up process from the tsunami in the Indian Ocean on December 26, 2004. I drew several analogies from the film to my time at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and the results afterward.

   From the post, “When a simple question of concern “How are you doing?”; prompted such an intense emotional reply from Ian Carter (main character in the movie) , I remembered the first few months when I left Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) I remembered to feelings of being “lost” and without direction. After 16 years, my life had been deeply shaped by Jane Whaley and her teachings.  For many years, I had been taught directly and by inference that those who left WOFF were out of the will of God, attackers, Judases and headed to hell. At times, I felt that I had been pushed out. And I was put out of the church. At other times, I knew I had left to keep what little sanity I had left in July of 2008. The shunning from those around me had put such a sense of hopeless, helpless, defeating anguish on me that leaving, to me, though tearing me up on one hand, was the only course I saw in order to regain some sense of stability. When I reread the emails I sent during those weeks between June 5, 2008 and the month of July 2008, it has been clear to me the anguish I experienced in considering leaving WOFF and those I loved. The anguish was real and still is very real.”

  During this past year, my wife filed for and was granted a divorce in May. Many would have considered that the final result of what I termed the “WOFF-tsunami”, but, it has not been so. Last year, I referenced “the aching numbness that chases sleep away as you seek relief from the deep resounding pains of regret in the heart. Yet, can words fitly describe it?” The numbness has subsided to a small degree. But, it roars load at times when I consider the destruction that has come upon my family. My family, still in WOFF, acts on what they have seen and heard others do at WOFF; they treat the one who has left and survived the tsunami as the one who is now dead. That is all part of the twisted wreckage that WOFF brings into the lives of many.

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Information control, Uncategorized

I Signed the “Waiver and Release”- Why?

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   As the months and years pass, there are memories of events from my time inside Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) that resurface. Some come back clear, others are more elusive and need some help to remember details of importance. This week, I was given a copy of the “Waiver and Release” that members of WOFF were required to sign if they intended to receive “prayer”. As far as I remember, these events took place AFTER the 1995 Inside Edition story. (We will reconnect with that resource video in a future post!) Just exactly when I signed this document I do not remember. If I was given a copy, I do not know where it is right now. If there were different versions, I am not aware. So, as far as I know, the version included in this post is the version I signed. If it is not, JC or someone else at WOFF could email me the one I signed. Certainly, there is a copy in the file being kept on me at WOFF.

    Allow me some more disclosure type statements before we review the document and my opinions on it. I am not an attorney and my limited experience with contracts includes mainly those contracts and agreements that deal with money owed. I also have limited experience with rental contracts and lease agreements for houses and apartments. Over the years, I have signed other contracts as we all do in the course of living in the United States. However, I do not claim to be an expert on documents such as this “Waiver and Release”. This post will include my opinions, reflections and questions; lots of questions.

    Some may ask why even bring this up? And in answer to that I will admit I do not know the specific events that triggered the requirement, but, we were told that some had left and “attacked”. (Yes, not a news flash…) We were told this would protect the church from others making false claims and future “attacks”. Again, we were also told NO ONE gets prayer or hands laid on them without signing the document. Also, I will say that like some other things, this document and the mention of it faded into the lost annals of WOFF history. Why it was not used any longer after a period of time, I do not know for certain. However, I will offer my opinions on that later in the post. Others who were in leadership could probably shed more light on the inner decisions about this waiver. This document came along before WOFF financed, supported and acquired their own in-house legal counsel.   

Click here to view-  WOFF Waiver and Release    (Use your Back button in your browser to return to the post)

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Books, Resources, Information control, Uncategorized, WOFF Website

We Are Willing to Work with You – Maybe

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   Recently, I received a copy of a letter written many years ago to a couple outside of North Carolina and signed by Jane Whaley as “Superintendent of Word of Faith Christian School”. I am including a redacted copy in this post as evidence to my point. The identity of the recipients and the former Word of Faith Christian School (WFCS) students are not critical to this post. The text of the letter is my purpose. The date of the letter is September 7, 1994. John, why even use this letter? As we go through the letter, that will become more obvious.

   My first meeting at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) was in May of 1992. Honestly, as a commuter from the Greenville church, much of what went on at WOFF did not get relayed to us. We attended meetings when everyone was on their best behavior- if that was possible. As the months and years passed, many of the quirks and family secrets of WOFF were played out before the Greenville members. We were exhorted to be like “family” and encouraged to participate as much as possible during the times we were there. All that being said; as “regular members”, we did not see certain events which played out behind Jane’s closed doors. Also, I must admit I did not and do not know the former members referenced in the letter.

   To see letter click here:   Letter from Jane Whaley  (you may need to use the back arrow in your browser to retun to this post)

   The scenario is common at WFCS. Not every student stays “submitted” and totally enthralled with Jane, KR, JC or the other teachers at the school. Students do leave before they finish. Has there ever been a student or family that left without some drama- either immediate or delayed? If there was, I never knew it. When ANYONE leaves WOFF, there were/are emotions and some sort of drama to “walk through”. Okay, if a person leaves at all, that is an accomplishment.

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

Maybe It’s Just Me….

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   So many thoughts and reflections during this day, I really don’t know where to start. During many days I have come across short scenes or incidents that remind of my past days and the many lost relationships. For instance, there are some songs that I just can’t listen to on the radio. That does not mean the songs are evil, it just means they remind me of treasures lost; previous times in a foggy memory somewhere back there. When hearing the song, the memories come forward from the cloudy past and shout at me. Does that make sense?

   Tonight, while driving home, I happened upon a radio station where a well known preacher was explaining his point from a Scripture. At this moment, it does not matter the Scripture or the point he was trying to make. Just realizing that I was listening to a preacher on the radio expounding on some Scripture reminded me first of what a forbidden sin that was at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). Listening to the radio in your car was evil- period. Even worse was listening to another religious speaker from outside WOFF!  RL was castigated and threatened with church discipline or worse for this suspected sin, plus, the fact that his wife found a newspaper under the front seat of his truck! He tried to explain he was “just reading the sports scores”. That sent Jane Whaley into another orbit as her volume elevated to paint -peeling heights! Several jumped as she screamed some of her trademarked announcements meant to bring fear upon us all. And here I was partaking of just such a “sin”.

   It was there that I began to ponder the emotional destruction and traumatizing dangers of being in a religious cult. For those that read this blog regularly, you know my experience has been with Word of Faith Fellowship. Though I have read of others and have documented the obvious similarities between WOFF and other cults, my “expertise” stems from my hands-on, up-close, inside day to day observations of Jane Whaley, her leadership, and the other regular members. I was never considered “inside the leadership circle” but, no matter, my perspective is still valid and reflective of life as a “regular member”. For those that attempt to still excuse the WOFF environment as “safe”, I only ask you to read other posts found here; other informative websites on religious cults and the many accounts of other previous members. Can every former member of WOFF be “of the devil”, God-haters, traitors, a “Judas” or lying?

   For me, the whole bank of memories from that time serves as a reminder that “No one joins a cult…” That which seemed good, turned out to be not good. Those who were set-up to represent God  and God’s ways in my life- turned out to be repeating what they had been taught as “God’s ways” and in my efforts to “believe the best about every person”; I give many of them a pass as cogs in the machine of Jane’s controlling, legalistic, self-serving, matriarchal, pyramidal religious structure. I have seen and heard other former members of WOFF speak and share their own individual memories, traumas and losses. Over time, it grows less sensational, but, none the less heartbreaking and sad.

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Sometimes Evil Finds You…

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  After a brief rest from writing for this blog, I have returned to continue the journey. Everyone has a different perspective on religious cults. Since leaving Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in July of 2008, I have vacillated on the idea of telling strangers about my involvement in a religious cult. Once I introduce the subject, some react with loud indifference; others show some cursory interest. Still others actually respond and offer their encounter with or knowledge of the subject of religious cults.

    This past weekend, I attended a festival in the county where I grew-up in Virginia. The weather was cold, windy and rainy; so, the attendance was very low. There were the normal activities found at most every festival in small town community. The events included an author’s table where local author’s could bring their books and meet folks, answer questions and sell books. The majority of the conversations that day were between the authors and the friends or family that came with them. My Mom set up at her table and we had a great time talking to the different authors. As the day passed, I was asked about my “book”. It was then I was able to share about my blog and the forthcoming book on my experiences at WOFF and what I have learned since leaving. That is a project for sure along with others I have undertaken.   

   One author confessed that she had a sister that had spent time in the Way International several years ago. She happily admitted her sister did not stay in that group after she learned their true agenda. As the day passed, she expressed her hope that I would keep in touch and let he know when the book was finished. Another author listened intently and did not scoff or excuse the subject of religious cults. Her name was Jane. She had lived in various parts of the country and admitted to having living previously in a communal setting.  She called one place “a farm”. It was located in a nearby county. After describing the living arrangements, she paused. I interjected that after studying cults and reading some about communal living, I had learned that not all communal living arrangements could automatically be assumed to be cultish or have mind control techniques involved. However, in many communal living arrangements the group did morph or evolve into a more pyramidal structure with one person or a small group of people telling others what to do. She agreed and smiled. We discussed several communal living groups from previous years in this country such and the Shakers, the Oneida community and others.

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

WOFF Members are NOT Brainwashed- Really? (1)

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   Wow… What’s up with that? Before you accuse me of listening to Jane Whaley tapes… I will explain the reason for the title in this post. (I turned in all my WOFF tapes years ago – before I left WOFF! We were not allowed to keep them – even if we had purchased them!???) During my years of being involved with Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF), I was made aware of the accusations and chuckled along with the rest of the congregation when KR explained there was “no such thing as brainwashing!” What better way to push away doubt than to tell trusting members that brainwashing does not even exist? Actually, in previous posts, I probably have made the statement or at least the insinuation that those who remain a part of WOFF are being brainwashed. However, after rereading material found in Steven Hassan’s book, “Combatting Cult Mind Control” (Copyright©1988, 1990- by Steven Hassan, Park Street Press, ISBN-0-89281-311-3), I learned the difference between brainwashing and mind control. From Chapter 4 of this book titled: Understanding Mind Control, I will quote the author’s insights and compare them to my experiences during WOFF days.

   Mind Control Versus Brainwashing

   As we introduce the subject, allow me a few comments on the subject at hand. For some readers, the difference between brainwashing and mind control may be one strictly of semantics. Trust me; it is much more than that. Brainwashing has occurred in years past, and I have no doubt there are places in this country and around the world where individuals are being brainwashed. “Brainwashing is typically coercive. The person knows from the outset that he is in the hands of the enemy. It begins with a clear demarcation of the respective roles—who is the prisoner and who is the jailer—and the prisoner experiences the absolute minimum of choice…” (page 55). This is just not the case at WOFF. The roles are not clearly marked. Faithful WOFF members do not see themselves as prisoners- until it is time to leave!  And over time, within certain strata of the group, the roles can change and one who once was lower in the pyramid structure can be elevated higher than those who once where over them. For regular WOFF members, Jane and those in leadership are not cast as “jailers” until it is time to leave!

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