Tag Archives: Leaving a Cult

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

Survivor or Victim?

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“Yes, I’ve been very preoccupied with the survivor all through my work”. – Robert Jay Lifton

(source link- http://www.brainyquote.com/quotes/quotes/r/robertjayl375345.html )

  We have quoted Robert Lifton in previous posts. His research work included studying survivors of POW camps during the Korean War as well as the survivors of Hiroshima and returning Vietnam War Veterans. His work on thought reform and study of brainwashing has been a foundation for understanding mind control and its effects. He also studied the Nazi doctors and the psychology of genocide. I hope to learn more about his work in that area and relate it to his work on thought reform. His work is a part of the Holocaust picture I had not previously considered or learned about.

  After being under what I now believe were very developed and effective mind control techniques used at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) by Jane Whaley and her leadership, I consider myself a survivor. No, I did not realize that what I was going through was mind control and thought reform. But, how many victims of an environment like WOFF actually know with clarity what is happening to them? For years, I knew I had problems with some of the methods, but, I suppressed my doubts long enough for at least some of the controls to work. I attended my first service at WOFF in May of 1992. My last time on the grounds of WOFF was June 6, 2008 in the evening. Since I was involved for so long a time, I would be a fool to not admit that some of the mind control methods had an effect on my thinking and way of life. It is only after I left and began to research thought control and other cult groups, that I was able to see the similarities of the practices between WOFF/Jane Whaley and other groups.

  While a member of WOFF, the techniques of control were either denied as control or labeled as “God’s ways”.  Does that surprise anyone? Shunning, public rebuke and information control were all labeled as “the ways of God” or for those who “walk in the Spirit”. We have listed these techniques in previous posts, the introduction of which is found here…    Thought Reform? At WOFF? (1)- https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=3225  The purpose of this post is not to go over the mind control techniques, but, only to reference the fact that I am a survivor of them.

  Continue reading Survivor or Victim? →

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

Got Freedom?

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  At the end of this July 4th of 2011, it is evident many folks are looking for answers. During times of hardship whether over economic, social, political or religious issues, many begin to seek answers to the questions of Why? How? What caused these hard times? When will these hard times end? How can I get through these rough times? Historically, we can look at different periods in the course of this nation and see the pattern. During the early part of the 19th century, as the issue of slavery was coming to a boil with other economic issues, many began to seek answers. There was a general attitude of reform in many areas of the country. Several communal living communities originated during those years and people were seeking answers to many questions. For example, there was New Harmony, Indiana founded by Robert Owen; the Oneida Commune founded by John Noyes (yes, this group began the Oneida line of silverware), the Shakers founded by Mother Ann Lee (famous for quality furniture and selling a line of seeds and well as other inventions and innovations such as waterproofed cloth) and Brook Farm founded by George Ripley. (source link-  http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Reform_movement )

   During the 1800’s, you also had several famous preachers and evangelists as the Second Great Awakening sweeping through this nation. Church membership soared from 1820 to 1860.(source link- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Second_Great_Awakening ) Charles Finney, Peter Cartwright and D.L. Moody were some of the names during these years that could draw large crowds of seekers. People wanted answers and sought those who could give them.  

  During the 1960’s and 70’s this nation saw the rise of cultic groups as well as other movements. We have mentioned the shepherding movement. There was the Charismatic Renewal movement as well. Who can forget the Jonestown tragedy of 1978? Those were tumultuous years as many people old and young sought answers. For a more recent time of intense questioning, we don’t have to go back further than the weeks and months after 9/11/01. Churches experienced a flood of those who may not have attended church in years past. They were in fear of the future and seeking answers and comfort. Keeping politicians from praying in public was not as big a concern then.  So, the fact that people seek answers when pressures come is not new.

    With that in mind, I want to quote a few lines from a recent editorial found in a South Dakota daily newspaper. Provender has a link to this article on their site.

Continue reading Got Freedom? →

Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Families Are Destroyed at WOFF- Update

  Recently, I was asked to put in a few paragraphs how the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and Jane Whaley manipulate or cause family members to take a stand against one another. Let me say this is a brief explanation. The subject is vast and the process is not easily detected at first. Why do I say that? That is because the foundation for causing family members to divide over WOFF practices and beliefs begins when the family first comes into the “church”. As you enter and see other families dividing over “who will serve God (Jane) and who will not?” It is portrayed as normal to shun family members either inside or outside the church that do not “go with God” or “go in God’s ways”. After all, they are “in discipleship”. I witnessed the way the McGee children treated their father who had left the church and NEVER considered I would be in his place one day. I witnessed the reaction of the congregation as the Muse children told of their ‘fight for God’s ways” as they dealt with their mother. I heard the cheers and laughter as the children told how they “stood for God” and their mother went away.

   Each individual situation is different, but, the results are pretty much all the same. Most EVERY time a spouse decides for whatever reason to leave WOFF and the other stays, the family becomes divided. There is strife. There is emotional upheaval and turmoil. There are hurts, questions and tears. And the reason is? Some will leave all family members and follow Jane to the very end- where ever that will be. Who knows but God Himself? “Standing for God” and denying contact with a parent or child who has left WOFF is seen as a badge of honor. It is rewarded with some sort of additional perverted “respect”. Why? It is perverted because the ones who remain have no idea how easily they could be the one being shunned or cut off from their families.

   Continue reading Families Are Destroyed at WOFF- Update →

Books, Resources, Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized

“Are you covering for a spiritually abusive pastor?”-Provender

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   Recently, I came across a blog site that lists many resources for those who may suspect they are in a spiritual abuse situation and need answers. The blog title is – “Provender- A Clearinghouse of Sources on Spiritual Abuse and Cult-Like Practices in Churches”. This blog has very good information and also lists several other sites for sources and help. I have not reviewed the entire list or all the resources mentioned, but have been excited about the ones I have viewed. The post that first caught my attention was titled- “Are you covering for a spiritually abusive pastor?” It shows being written be the author of the blog and posted July 9, 2009. The resource link is found here: http://pureprovender.blogspot.com/2009/07/are-you-covering-for-spiritually.html

   For this post, I will quote several of the warning signs listed and compare them to my experience at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). Did I cover for an “spiritually abusive pastor”? If I did that- is it still going on today? Do members of WOFF cover Jane Whaley as she may be described in the following list? I will not be able to list every warning sign mentioned as the author lists 20 things to consider. But, we will take several and comment.

   From the post link above:

 1. You’ve noticed a pattern of people leaving the fellowship, but you hesitate to ask your pastor about it and don’t like to delve into the reasons behind the exits. – While at WOFF, we were instructed not to talk among ourselves about the ones that had left. Why? We might learn something. If you had a question or comment, you were required to go to Jane and ask her personally about the ones who had left. That requirement kept people from talking among themselves about the ones who left. Jane had that base covered- literally.

3. You excuse your pastor’s wrong behavior: He’s young (or he’s old), he doesn’t understand the people who are unhappy, he has a little trouble relating to people, he’ll grow out of it, I’m probably not seeing the whole picture, God will show him his weaknesses and he’ll handle things better soon, no pastor is perfect in every way, he’s such a good preacher that we can overlook the other parts of his calling. During my time at WOFF, if I had not “excused” the rude, unmannerly, angry, combative and otherwise haughty behaviors of Jane Whaley, I could not have stayed. So, yes, I am guilty of that one. I told LB, the same one from the post about the “Great Wall”; that I only stayed because of the teaching. By that point, many things were bothering me about WOFF life.

Continue reading “Are you covering for a spiritually abusive pastor?”-Provender →

Books, Resources, Uncategorized

The Weekend in North Myrtle Beach, SC

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   This past weekend I visited my mother in North Myrtle Beach, SC. It was a weekend full of celebrations, meeting new friends and enjoying life. My Mom, Darlene Eichler has published a new book, “Satan’s Best Friend” (copyright ©2011 Darlene Eichler, Published by Bookstand Publishing, ISBN 978-1-589209-914-2). She held a book signing this past Saturday at her church, St Stephen’s Episcopal Church in North Myrtle Beach, SC. The book signing was in conjunction with a fund raiser for North Strand Helping Hand, a group that provides food to the needy of the surrounding area. In addition to selling books, the event raised around $500 for North Strand Helping Hand. This was great considering the time of year and competing events in town. I met several new people and spent time with friends made during previous visits. It was good to be among those interested in helping others.

    One man I spent time talking with was Curtis. He is 96 and a native from SC. He grew up on a mill village. His life’s work was in furniture manufacturing. Over the years, he has been in his words “blessed” beyond what he could imagine. He is retired and enjoys spending time with his friend, Alice. I have known Alice for some time now. She is always pleasant and cheerful. She is several years younger than Curtis, but they enjoy each other’s company, which counts for a lot. Curtis put together a short autobiography of sorts which I have read and enjoyed tremendously. He came from poverty and worked his way to a much better lifestyle. Here is a picture of the car Curtis drives- at 96!

Mercedes Curtis drives..
Curtis' Mercedes

  

Continue reading The Weekend in North Myrtle Beach, SC →

Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Revealing Incident at the Great Wall

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   Since the following series of events happened on Tuesday evening, I have been debating whether or not to spend time on this blog recounting them. Finally, I decided the readers not familiar with such things needed to know that stuff like this happens in Rutherford County. This post will not be reciting from a book or drawing conclusions from experts on cults. I will retell certain events that took place at the Great Wall restaurant in Rutherfordton. First, let me acknowledge that the workers probably had no idea what was being said or why there were loud words being uttered in their restaurant. After the events were over, the lady behind the counter acted so polite and tried to carry on as if nothing had happened. For that, I was shocked and very grateful.

    From time to time, I drive another former member around town for him to run some errands. He does not drive or have his own car. After I retell this evening’s events, I will relate what he has told me about his time at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). From what I can tell, Jane Whaley is very aware of this former member named Tony. His story is his story, but, in reality the results are not much different from other former members. I will explain as we go along.

     Tony decided he wanted to eat at the Great Wall restaurant. He likes the food and often takes his leftovers home to eat for a second meal. We had eaten there before and the last time we were there we encountered a present WOFF member who was very friendly. This evening was much different. I let Tony out in front and he went in as I parked the car. As I opened the front door, I immediately recognized a present WOFF member who I had known since 1992.  Her family was one of the first we met when my family arrived at the Greenville church. She had her back to me as she was chatting with Tony. I stepped in behind her and then backed up realizing she would turn and run into me. I also noticed to my left, her father. We had called him –Vadi. I think that is a Swedish(?) term for Papa. As this WOFF member, LB, turned to leave, she met my eyes, her countenance changed and she took on a very deadpan look. For more background, she was the one who accompanied my then wife to my front door on or about February 16, 2010 and told me I was “telling lies” on this blog. (see link here: https://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=572 ) My first contact with her after I left had been the summer of 2009. I had met her family in Charleston and actually enjoyed a meal with them and my family. That is a story for another day. Going back further she was the one who on June 6, 2008 passed on from Jane Whaley the news that I was “out of the church” and to not come back on the property. So, yes, we go way back.

  Continue reading Revealing Incident at the Great Wall →

Criteria for Cults, Uncategorized, WOFF Updates

Predatory Religion?

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    In recent years, a term has come to the forefront in the consumer finance and/or mortgage lending industry. That term is “predatory lending”. What does that term mean? Is it a new practice or a recently discovered term to describe practices that have been in existence for years? A simple search will reveal an explanation for the term. Here are two sources. First, from HUD.gov website link found here: http://portal.hud.gov/hudportal/HUD?src=/program_offices/housing/sfh/pred/predlend – the short intro reads as follows:

“Over the last several years, our nation has made enormous progress in expanding access to capital for previously under-served borrowers. Despite this progress, however, too many families are suffering today because of a growing incidence of abusive practices in a segment of the mortgage lending market. Predatory mortgage lending practices strip borrowers of home equity and threaten families with foreclosure, destabilizing the very communities that are beginning to enjoy the fruits of our nation’s economic success.”

Next, another source at Wikipedia explains the term as follows:

    “Predatory lending describes unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices of some lenders during the loan origination process. While there are no legal definitions in the United States for predatory lending, an audit report on predatory lending from the office of inspector general of the FDIC broadly defines predatory lending as “imposing unfair and abusive loan terms on borrowers.”[1] Though there are laws against many of the specific practices commonly identified as predatory, various federal agencies use the term as a catch-all term for many specific illegal activities in the loan industry… One less contentious definition of the term is “the practice of a lender deceptively convincing borrowers to agree to unfair and abusive loan terms, or systematically violating those terms in ways that make it difficult for the borrower to defend against.”[2]… Although predatory lenders are most likely to target the less educated, lowest incomes, racial minorities, the elderly, victims of predatory lending are represented across all demographics.[4][5]  (source link- http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Predatory_lending )

    Since 1982, I have been involved in some segment of the consumer finance industry. There have been many additional regulations enacted to curb abuses, perceived or real, within the industry since 1982. From the definitions above, the major qualifications for “predatory lending” appears to be “unfair, deceptive, or fraudulent practices”.  Using the less contentious definition of “the practice of a lender deceptively convincing borrowers to agree to unfair and abusive loan terms, or systematically violating those terms in ways that make it difficult for the borrower to defend against.”; it is not difficult to see the association I have made between this and  what I experienced for years at Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). I experienced “predatory religion”. Let me explain.

     Continue reading Predatory Religion? →