Tag Archives: Leaving a Cult

Behavior Control, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

She has no self awareness….

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As with many posts written previously for this blog, I begin this one in the early morning hours. It has been a long work day, but the drive and need to write the thoughts from today lead me to yet again delay reasonable sleep time and explore the musings over a series of thoughts and observations from earlier on Wednesday. I won’t pretend to be able to completely cover the scope of the subject which is introduced here. My hopes are to write until some more answers come and hopefully spark some more interest and understanding in those who read this post.

Wednesday afternoon, a coworker and I were tactfully going over the observations she had about another one who works on the team. This following statement was not intended to be harmful; I felt as if the person who made it was trying to explain their difficulties with the other person in hopes of finding more patience in dealing with them. She said the person “has no self-awareness.” Honestly, I don’t interact with the person in question enough to be qualified to make such an observation. My hours are only part-time whereas the person talking worked with the young person in question much more than I. I simply listened and as with certain statements made to me or around me during the day, I registered them somewhere in my conscious or sub consciousness. This scenario landed in the consider later stack.

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Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Michael Lowry tells — the rest of the story (long read)

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 As I sit here watching a beautiful sunrise on Friday morning, I reflect on the events over the last year. It was January 2013 that three young men left Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). One of them, Matthew Fenner, we featured in the last post. It was very soon thereafter Michael Lowry went back in WOFF. What a perplexing time! There were indictments pending at that time against a few WOFF members for their part in the incidents Michael Lowry described which could have put many of the destructive WOFF practices in the public eye. But, alas Michael was taken back in and the confusion would soon thicken over the next few weeks as authorities would hear Michael recant and say the events he told of never happened..???

For those less familiar with Michael’s journey, let’s recap how events unfolded up to the first week in February 2013.  Michael was born into WOFF and spent his whole life inside until November 2011. After much intense emotional drama, Michael Lowry was taken to a motel in Forest City, NC on or about November 19, 2011. After two days, I was contacted and agreed to meet with Michael. We spent time at a local restaurant while he told his emotional exit story. After a few phone calls, we were able to secure his personal items which had previously been withheld. His steps after this time would include trips to see relatives as well as other moves to find Michael’s next place in his life.

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Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Two Events from Monday…

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As I sit here reflecting over the events of the last 24 hours, I must say there has not been so much to write since the initial few months of this blog. Actually, I had planned a totally different post for this slot. I planned to bring you “the rest of the story” about Michael Lowry. He has provided a narrative of the events surrounding his recapture, forced recant and second exit. Yes, we will bring that to you, soon. Today, I feel compelled to give you the overview of what I first considered two totally unrelated events. However, after pondering the content of these events, I see they are related. Hopefully, by sharing them we will shed some light where darkness has prevailed.  

First, I received an email on Monday from Josh Farmer of Tomblin, Farmer and Morris. He was questioning some material in a previous post about The Best of Rutherford 2011 and the first post presented about The Best of Rutherford 2013. I read his email filled with questions and took a while to answer. I wrote my answer and then slept on it a night. Tuesday morning, I sent it and have not heard back from him. The following is the text excerpt from his email.

 “I have seen your recent blog post from Saturday.  I am confused.  Your February 6, 2012 post regarding the 2011 Best of Rutherford County poll results indicated that “…the rules don’t seem to be broken [by WFF practices]”.  However, your January 25, 2014 post accuses Jane, the church and me of “vote rigging”.  So which is it?  Can you identify any impropriety here?

I have talked with Matt Clark about my involvement in the Best of Rutherford contest and candidly discussed the matter.  He couldn’t identify any problems with my activities or those of others you have accused.

You accuse me of impropriety by referencing the “Oath of Office as an Attorney at Law”.  So let’s be clear here, do you contend I violated any Rule of Professional Conduct, did anything illegal or even violated a rule of the Daily Courier’s contest?  I would like some clarification because your current post would tend to mislead all of your 10 readers.”

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Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Gilbert Talks Taxes… on WCAB!- Updated -Video!

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 On a recent trip through the town of Ruth, I drove past Gilbert Carmona’s office. He has had an office there for a while and I did not think it strange to see his van there at such a late hour. What I did notice was a white vinyl sign. As I drove closer I read “Gilbert Talk Taxes” WCAB Sat. 9:00AM.” Wow! Gilbert is going to be on the radio! Why is that such a big deal? Because he is a member of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and they are not supposed to EVEN LISTEN to the radio! Well, how can this be true? I needed to know more. So, I emailed WCAB to verify the program and the time. Sure enough Lou Gilliam sent me back a reply saying the show will be on Saturday mornings 9:00AM to 9:30AM. And get this… it is supposed to be streaming!

Lou even wrote, “Yes we will stream the show. If you do not hear it please call the station. Sometimes the streamer will flip off by itself and unless we are staring at it we miss it. We are on Northland Cable and if the cable is interrupted in any way there goes the streamer. So please call if you do not hear it.”

 Well, what do you say about that?Have the rules changed at WOFF? Or does Gilbert “have ahold of God at such a high level he can be trusted to go on the radio and not sin?” Besides Ray Farmer and Christie, his wife, who will be allowed to listen to him and guard him? If there is a call screener, and they are not a member of WOFF, how will they know who has ahold of Jesus and can talk to Gilbert and who does not? Will the commercials during those 30 minutes be other WOFF-member owned companies? Such questions intrigue me.

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Behavior Control, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

If He Stays… We Forfeit!

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(revised 01/15/2014)Tuesday night, I took a call telling me about a series of events that happened Monday evening in Rutherford County. I had to ask the person to repeat the scenario and then call the person involved to get clarification. What follows is a paraphrase of what was told to me. Former Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) member and adopted grandson of Jane Whaley, Patrick Covington was at a basketball game in the Rutherford County. Word of Faith Fellowship was playing another local church. Patrick walked in and sat away from members of his former group. A few minutes later, Lt. Leon Godlock, who was affiliated with the team opposing WOFF, approached Patrick. He had been talking to Frank Webster and his crew just previous to this. He said I can’t require you to leave, but, I am asking you. Patrick asked why? Godlock said that the WOFF team has said they will forfeit if you stay and my team really wants to play.

So, picture this, grown men saying that they will take their toys and go home if Patrick Covington stays in the building. GROWN men who say they are Christian were laying down the law so to speak, that if one person, who many of them had seen grow up inside of WOFF and had “prayed” for him and “helped” him “take hold of Jesus” and “helped” him get many “breakthroughs”… were telling an off duty Lt. Leon Godlock for the Rutherford County Sheriff’s department to convey their demands to get Patrick to leave a public place. If he does not leave— why we just won’t play! Wah, wah, wah…

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Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

When is life made cheap? (video)

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As I sit here at a very late hour, relaxing after a long day of domestic tasks, I am looking forward with bitter sweet anticipation of sharing with you the questions and insights that this past week held for me. Not every week is like this past one. Many slide by with no events to note. This week however was different. Rarely do I see such a week coming, but these last few days have been filled with serious reflections and new insights. Let me explain.

During these last few days, I have had a few opportunities to talk to Bryan Bullock, the latest survivor from Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). I have been able to ask him several questions and have not been surprised at many of the answers. At some point, I asked him if he ever witnessed people being slapped inside WOFF. He said – yes, in prayer. He went on to share other things that we may review later. But, the main question I had was if he could again confirm the physical abuses inside WOFF. Some he had seen himself, some he had not. The understanding that physical abuses continue inside WOFF did not surprise me – it just concerns me deeply every time it is affirmed.

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