Tag Archives: Cult Criteria

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

The Deceptions I Lived Under While at WOFF (2)

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      In the previous post, I outlined certain deceptions that were foundational to continued membership in Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC. For a review, I spent a total of 16 years under the direct or indirect teachings of Jane Whaley – the leader of WOFF. In order to make it clear, I do not assume that I see all or know all of the deceptions I lived under while in that group. For sure, not every group which may practice a level of deception could automatically be labeled a destructive “cult”. However, I would say that every destructive cult does practice deception as its core operational methods.  Also, this post is not meant to hurt or harm or impugn others who have been a part of that group in the past or who are a part of that group now. This post is purely reflective of my search and struggle for Truth that brings emotional and spiritual stability and life. Recently, it has been brought to my attention that WOFF members see these posts as an attack on their choice of religion or their faith. That is not the intent; my purpose includes telling the deceptions I believed and the Truth I now understand.

     Since my departure from WOFF, I have realized that I was steeped in the WOFF deceptions. Those deceptions have been in me through and through. It was a major change in my life to begin to see that Jane Whaley and the life at WOFF were not true or based on Truth. The deception which is the basis for WOFF member’s relationship with God is predicated on Jane Whaley and her “gift” of deliverance and her “hearing God”. We covered much of this in the previous post. We now will list other deceptions which are evident in WOFF-life either from what was done or not done, said or not said.

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Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

The Deceptions I Lived Under While at WOFF (1)

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   For a review, I spent a total of 16 years under the direct or indirect teachings of Jane Whaley who is the leader of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC. During the process of my exit from that group, I began to see there were numerous deceptions that I lived under while in that group. As I have searched for answers to several questions, more and more of the deceptions have been made clear for me. This post will attempt to list and explain several of those deceptions. I do not assume that I see them all or know all of the deceptions I lived under while in that group. Also, this post is not meant to hurt or harm or impugn others who have been a part of that group in the past or who are a part of that group now. This post is purely reflective of my search and struggle for Truth that brings emotional and spiritual stability and life.

    How will I determine what is a deception and what is in reality a truth? First, if there was a statement or rule or group approved behavior put forth in WOFF and I obeyed that statement or rule, then I agreed with that rule, at least on some level. If there was any discontent or angst against such a rule, I will try to tell it, but if I submitted to that rule and did not question it outwardly, then I will list that rule or axiom as an acknowledged deception. (If indeed it was one.) I will attempt to concentrate on main foundational deceptions that were put forth and lived as “truth” while at WOFF.

    Continue reading The Deceptions I Lived Under While at WOFF (1) →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Why Should Others Not in WOFF Care? Revisited

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     During the month of June, I posted a series under the title Why Should Others Not in WOFF Care?.(the link is here… https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=2038 .)  I took as my reference text a book titled “The Five Thousand Year Leap” by W. Cleon Skousen (copyright C&J Investments, ISBN 0-9815596-6-2) with a forward by Glenn Beck. One reader, who saw the recent sign posted in the community advertising this blog, took the time to email me and express her concern that I would choose this book as a reference text. She sent her supporting text, from which I will quote,

“Around this same time, Beck began promoting the work of an arcane Mormon conspiracy-peddler named W. Cleon Skousen, whom he described as his political lodestar. Suddenly, Beck had something more to offer than irritable mental gestures…. Skousen’s paranoid politics were an outgrowth of his participation in extreme anti-communist groups during the 1950s. He boasted of a close friendship with then-FBI director J. Edgar Hoover and said he provided him with research on communist plots, claims disputed by FBI historians.”

   This was from a lengthy piece titled “Days of Rage — The Noxious Transformation of the Conservative Movement into a Rabid Fringe” By Max Blumenthal, Nation Books, Posted on August 10, 2010, Printed on August 10, 2010, http://www.alternet.org/story/147784/

   So, in all honesty, I failed to fully research Mr. Skousen’s past and did not research his all of his sources. In fact, I will say that my excitement about the book was more emotional than purely intellectual. Here was one source that listed the “rights” I had seen violated and surrendered during my time at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). For years, I had submitted to the teachings of Jane Whaley and was not aware of the damages it had done. This one book though not purposed or directed to address my question(s), listed “rights” that I had seen thwarted during my time at WOFF.

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

Intervention -The Series

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   The program, “InterventionTM” is described on their website as follows:

 “Intervention™ is a powerful and gripping television series in which people confront their darkest demons and seek a route to redemption. The Intervention Television series profiles people whose dependencies on drugs and alcohol or other compulsive behavior has brought them to a point of personal crisis and estranged them from their friends and loved ones.” 

The link is here to learn more… http://www.aetv.com/intervention/index.jsp

   Since leaving Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF), a group led by Jane Whaley; I have had an interest in people in crisis; what gets them there, how do they get out of crisis and how are others in their life affected? This show depicts people in crisis and how their friends and relatives struggle to help them accept help. Jeff VanVonderen is listed on the website for this show as one of the Interventionists. The link with his bio is here… http://www.aetv.com/intervention/interventionists/ . One evening, I turned to this program and he was helping a family with a member who had an addiction of some type. It surprised me because I had read his book “The Subtle Power of Spiritual Abuse” years ago.  I do not remember what happened to that book. I read it somewhere around 1991. It is now on my purchase list as well as the newer version which was printed in 2005. When I first found the show, I watched Mr. VanVonderen skillfully and forcefully deal with an individual who had an addiction. This person decided to get help and left for a treatment center immediately. There was an update about the individual, but I can’t remember if they stayed with the program.  

   On occasion, I have watched other episodes as families are torn apart by a member in some sort of chemical addiction. It is not always young folks or always single individuals. Some people affected by addictions are ones with responsibilities for children that go unmet. It is truly sad to see how others can and are affected by these addictions.

   Recently, I tuned in to an episode that was almost over. The scene showed a family reading their letters to the person in their family who had the addiction. These letters told how the addiction had affected them personally. The brother of the person addicted was reading his letter. This is not a quote, but it is close to what was said, — your addiction has kept you from being with me and my family as we share our special family moments. We cannot have you around because of your behavior when you are drinking. (it may have been drugs…) We have missed so many special times when you were to have been a part. Please, accept help so we can begin having the family times as we were meant to have.

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Behavior Control, Uncategorized, WOFF Don'ts

Is There Evidence? (2)

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    After giving an outline of my past experience in different churches, we ended the previous post with these thoughts, “The basis of my observations about (Word of Faith Fellowship) WOFF comes from the 16 years of being exposed to their teachings and practices. I will share the experiences I had and many of the WOFF practices. My personal observations and experiences are offered as evidence to the practices of WOFF, at least during my time in the group. Could my “experiences” and observations be dismissed as fantasy or lies? Sure, they could, but why would someone do that? What would be their purpose?”  

    In years previous to joining the church at Greenville, SC, I had been in three churches that would be considered non-denominational, Protestant, with traditional, evangelical doctrines, at least, as far as I knew. Before moving from Charleston to Greenville in March of 1992, I had no reason or evidence to think that this new church would be totally dissimilar to the non-denominational churches I had been a part of in the past. After all, each of the previous churches had its individual message or emphasis and personality, if you will. But, all had included the message of salvation through believing in Jesus as Savior, baptism and communion. Each of the others had taught about the Virgin birth and Heaven and Hell.

    Prior to attending the first service in Greenville, I had listened to some sermon tapes of the Greenville pastors and liked what I heard. Since someone I knew and loved, trusted the pastors of this new church, I could easily go along and allow myself to trust them also. There was a connection from several years previous working in that relationship. The pastors and the church members soon took us in and showed us support and love like I had not encountered before. I knew very few folks in the Greenville area besides the new church family. The church and its activities would soon become a very big part of my life.  

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Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

Is There Evidence? (1)

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    In order for folks to be convinced one way or the other, there needs to be evidence. Evidence could point a person to a conclusion on a certain issue in question. There certainly is evidence that I have attended churches of different types over the course of many years. The first memories of church for me are of a Methodist church in Maryland. The memories are shadows and glimpses of events long ago. I remember the nursery, the toys, certain sights and smells. At that time, I was probably four years old.

    The next church I remember was a Methodist church in Radford, Virginia. One scene I remember is of the pastor raising his hand at the end of the service in order to pronounce a blessing on the congregation. I thought that meant I was to lift my hand, also. My mother reached for my hand and put it down real quick. I don’t remember what she said, but I don’t remember doing that again.

    Our family spent years in that church.  There were friendships started there that I still consider as ones to cherish and remember in fondness. During those years, there were spaghetti dinners, summer vacation Bible schools with games, fruit punch, grape drinks, cheap cookies and trips to the local park near the river for cookouts and fun. Fellowship dinners included volleyball and other games. There were celebrations of Christmas with the hanging of the greens, advent wreaths and other Methodist traditions. As I grew older, there were also Cub Scouts activities sponsored by that church.

    When my family moved to Dublin, VA, we joined the Methodist church there. Though these were different folks, many of the same activities were there. Many of the very same Methodist traditions we celebrated at the Dublin church. There were several young people my age and that helped. There were several activities for our age group. A few of these same folks I have reconnected with and communicate with them regularly.

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Behavior Control, Books, Resources, Uncategorized

“Carolina Blues” at WOFF? (3)

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      We pick up here in the third post using the book, “American Exorcism” by Michael Cuneo (copyright 2001, published by DOUBLEDAY, ISBN 0-386-50176-5) as the author is sharing his encounter with Word of Faith Fellowship, (WOFF) led by Jane Whaley. While we go through this chapter, remember we are looking for the reason the author named it- “Carolina Blues”. Cuneo is beginning his efforts to reach RF- “a prominent minister in the Spindale church, a kind of point man for the Whaleys.” He writes, I phoned a dozen times, leaving messages, once having an agreeable chat with RF’s son, JF, but RF himself was always just now away on business, or just now entertaining guests, or just now otherwise occupied. (page 188) The author then decides to take a chance and go to WOFF unannounced. What he encountered was so typical, it made me laugh out loud! His account of the Saturday afternoon encounter so reminded me of WOFF-days and WOFF-ways.

   “It was a late Saturday afternoon, and I turned into the empty parking lot with the thought of making a brief reconnaissance swing around the property.” (page 188)  This was obviously his first mistake. You do not go onto WOFF property, unapproved or unescorted, if you are not a WOFF member. Even when a WOFF member gets a new car, they could be stopped and mistaken for a “visitor”. Remember- WOFF is a closed shop. He continues, “All at once the church’s internal security system sprang into action. A family that had been playing baseball on the front lawn of the house across the road dropped their bats and balls, the woman ran into the house, and the man headed for the parking lot and intercepted me at the entranceway. “Can we help you?” he said.” This scenario is all so typical and WOFF-normal, if there is such a term. I have seen it and been a part of it – so many times!

    Continue reading “Carolina Blues” at WOFF? (3) →