WOFF – Religious Cults Info ~ Resources, Answers and Hope

Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) supports, runs, dictates and determines the direction, emphasis and content of the Word of Faith Christian School (WFCS) Holocaust Museum display. To make statements with intent to misconstrue or blur the obvious relationship is short-sighted, replete with fantastical thinking and borders on deception. How do we know this relationship to be true? The reason is there is no one higher in authority, rank or power in WOFF than Jane Whaley. She is the Principal of the WFCS and the leader of the WOFF. As much as certain individuals would attempt to deny or blur the intimate relationship between these two groups of folks, they are indeed one in the same. Children who attend the school and their parents are members in WOFF. If there are students whose parents do not regularly attend, support and confess agreement with the doctrine and practices of WOFF, they are indeed the extreme minority, if they exist at all.

Ron Shelton, a retired pastor in Florida, viewed the WFCS display in Washington, DC in 2010. He was enthralled, engrossed and possibly enamored with the entire concept and display. He was so moved, he contacted the Jewish Community leaders in the Cocoa Beach area and convinced them to join his vision and help sponsor a display of the WFCS exhibit at the Space Coast Convention Center. He is the director of those efforts as witnessed by the quote from the website
– www.holocaustmuseumcentralflorida2015.com

“The purpose of The Holocaust Museum Central Florida 2015 Project is to reverse the trend of ignorance and denial about the Holocaust. This museum is unlike any other of its kind, featuring the incredible artwork of students from elementary to high school age. Designed to be viewed by all ages, this museum tells a heart-wrenching story through the eyes, hearts, and hands of young people dedicated to searching out and portraying the truth of this horrific chapter in world history. The unique interactive nature of this museum allows visitors to speak to the young artists who share the true stories of the people and events portrayed in these artistic creations.
Ron Shelton
Event Director”

Ron has no doubt put in countless hours of hard work pulling this event together. There are civic leaders and local government leaders as well as many schools anticipating the arrival of WOFF/WFCS for the display April 19th-23rd. Flyers have been distributed, school groups have committed to attend. (The listing of schools attending is on the Facebook page for the event.) Local media has been used to advertise the event and solicit donations. I do not know how much of that money is directed to WOFF/WFCS. For the purpose of this post, the amount is immaterial. In no way am I slighting the efforts of countless volunteers or the education emphasis to improve awareness of the Holocaust and the history surrounding this tragedy.

The complete lack of disclosure on the above website for the direct connection of WFCS and WOFF is a stark irony to the statement: “…purpose of The Holocaust Museum Central Florida 2015 Project is to reverse the trend of ignorance and denial about the Holocaust.” Ironic that the leader of the effort wants to reverse ignorance but then hides the relationship between Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and the WFCS display. Why? What is the reason to distance the display from the origins? Hello- may I see the five indictments for the WOFF members in the Fenner case?

Add to this the statement: “..dedicated to searching out and portraying the truth…” Ron, when did you search out truth about WOFF? Or did you believe the spin because it “felt right?”

In an article on Floridatoday.com (here); the irony becomes more intense. An excerpt:

“Questions surrounding the Holocaust Museum and the Word of Faith church threaten to taint a carefully crafted relationship built over the years between members of the Jewish and Christian Zionists communities in Brevard.”

Could the “carefully crafted relationship built over the years” be based on keeping the Jewish people IGNORANT of the practices inside WOFF? How many years has the ignorance been used to CRAFT this relationship? Who chose this strategy? So, in a way, Ron has accomplished his goal by NOT speaking and letting others involved in the project find out about WOFF, the trend of ignorance has been reversed! Ignorance is being reversed with simple searching on the Internet!

No, I don’t think this was Ron’s plan. If this was the only irony in this scenario, I would stop. But, in a classic perversion of logic, the following statement is included in our resource article:

“Several Jewish members of Sister City’s board abruptly quit after the event organizer, retired Pastor Shelton, attempted to make concessions but ultimately chose to move forward with the event, saying it was too late to cancel arrangements or recoup the $30,000 in planning costs…

Sister City officials, led by Shelton, moved forward, saying that Word of Faith’s issues should not interfere with the greater vision for the exhibit, which is to teach against intolerance.”

I read this and could not believe the double speak. The organizers of this event are saying because of MONEY they plan to continue in this charade? When do “WOFF issues” become great enough to overrule money, pride and reputation? Let’s say the event goes on as planned and just one of the five accused are convicted on felony charges this summer. Will that make the exhibit okay since the conviction was AFTER the display but stemmed from events previous to the display? If these charges result in even one conviction of any level of abuse, what will the public statement be then? Do the indictments speak about individuals or the sub-culture of abuse? If this was a standalone event, then we may say it is about individuals. Since abuse allegations have been ever-present, this is another episode in the long history of this group.

“We believe that all people should be treated with dignity and respect. We unequivocally reject any acts of bigotry and prejudice against any group of people or individuals,” according to a statement issued by Sister City about the allegations.

The practices of WOFF are fully compounded on teaching intolerance! Does Ron Shelton, the civic leaders who have continued their support and others is this drama understand the INTOLERANCE which is a foundation of WOFF when it comes to former members who dare tell WOFF secrets? Family relationships are NOT TOLERATED with ex-members who tell their story of abuses while inside WOFF. Former members are cut-off for something as harmless as having a Facebook page.

Ron’s answer to the complex problem: (from the resource article)

“I refuse to let this color who I am. I love God and I love people,” said Shelton, who has been to Israel several times, most recently as part of an interfaith group of Jews and Christians who traveled to Beit Shemesh, an Israeli city west of Jerusalem that is also a sister city to Cocoa. “I confessed that it was a leadership flaw that I didn’t pick up on it when one of the Word of Faith organizers told me in (January) that we might see something about them in the papers. I didn’t pick up on it and I didn’t go to the board. I apologized,” Shelton said.

So, an apology was supposed to restore the compromised relationships and violated trust caused by “a leadership flaw?” ? How about resigning? How about refunding and canceling the event?

Yes, I read Josh’s statements. (read the entire article)

Without WOFF, WFCS would not exist. That is a plain and simple fact. Without direction and complete oversight of Jane Whaley; WOFF nor WFCS would exist. Does anyone dare mention also that Jane Whaley teaches her grandson’s class at WFCS? She requires those students of all ages who need to learn God’s ways to attend her class. I am not saying she is directly involved in the crafting of the projects, but I believe she approves the final display.

The website- www.rccatalyst.com posted the entire Open Letter explaining the withdrawal of Jewish support here.

The letter was delicately worded and clearly meant to honor the children, yet stand firm in their beliefs. Who would expect anything else?

What happened? Where did the axe fall into the water as WOFF leaders say? My theory is that Ron Shelton so wanted to believe in the magical atmosphere surrounding such an astonishing display that he ignored any knowledge or suspicions of questionable doings behind closed doors at WOFF. He so wanted to believe in children who can make amazing intricate detailed reproductions of Holocaust time pieces; that he overlooked the obvious. Or at a minimum, he did not do his own research into either WFCS or WOFF. He followed his faith in Word of Faith to be all the good and right that they portrayed to him they were. Jane and her leadership can spin a tale. Trust me, I know. I was taken in for years. Now, not so much. For a group that doesn’t profess a belief in the magic or fantasy or Santa Claus; they ask outsiders to believe some pretty amazing things, right?

David Pelzman, president of Temple Beth Sholom synagogue in Melbourne added: “It’s a very difficult thing, …But the Jewish community is not advocating and not supporting the museum. People should research this and make a decision for themselves. This is not holy.”
“All of the leaders of our united Jewish Community after several long meetings … along with much personal soul searching, angst and pain and in the spirit of continued cohesiveness in our Christian and Jewish communities, requested Pastor (Ron) Shelton to cancel the event,”

If you attend the display and are a visitor allowed “to speak to the young artists who share the true stories…” Be sure to ask them who helped them with their project? Were there any adults involved? Ask them how long they practiced their speeches? Ask them which projects were made by those who no longer attend WFCS or WOFF? Ask the young artists if they know when the International Holocaust Remembrance Day is this year? Ask the young artist if celebrating the birthday of a Holocaust Survivor is important? Ask them when they last celebrated their birthday?

Ask the young artist why there is a chain-gate to pass through before one can visit their church or school? Ask them what happened to men and boys who went to the lower building? Ask them if Jane ever screams during a church service or school class? Ask them if being blasted is fun? Ask them if they ever hide their toys or belongings so leadership does not take them?

Ask them if Jane’s grandson has ever blasted them or struck them while giving them correction? If you have not been asked to leave by this point, a few more questions- ask them if there is ever a good reason to leave WOFF once you join and learn God’s ways. Ask them if they want to be in the military to defend this country’s borders or vital overseas interests?

One of the blessing of a free country, we don’t have to fear asking questions. Do you agree? What questions will you ask the WFCS students? I hope you can ask the freely.

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. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.
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”.
Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.
Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his 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 510.

Technorati Tags: David Pelzman, Jane Whaley, Ron Shelton, WFCS Holocaust Museum, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship, www.holocaustmuseumcentralflorida2015.com

The drama in Florida concerning the Word of Faith Fellowship(WOFF)-Word of Faith Christian School (WFCS)Holocaust Museum added another chapter Tuesday night. The city council of Cocoa held their first monthly meeting for April. Included in the public comment section were two individuals from the local Sister Cities group seeking continued support from the city, and President of Temple Beth Shalom, David Pelzman who spoke for the local Jewish community in reconsidering the council’s resolution of support for the WFCS Holocaust exhibit.

The lady speaking for the Sister Cites group admitted her organization found out about the WOFF indictments in March. That is not in dispute. What is in dispute is when did Ron Shelton, Program Director of the upcoming display, know about the five WOFF Indictments?

The Sister Cities representative put forth the idea that the indictments had nothing to do with the children or the museum. She asked for continued support of the Sister Cities project.

David Pelzman made an impassioned presentation on behalf of the local Jewish community. He stated that Ron Shelton was presented information about the indictments in mid-December. Going on, he pleaded with the council to see the children of the school as no different from the leaders, members and the work of the church. He stated the Jane Whaley is the leader of the church and a principal and teacher in the school. He likened the Holocaust display to the true story of the concentration camp, Theresienstadt. At this camp, the Germans organized a concert given by Jewish prisoners “who could play music” against the background of a “Hollywood set” to the watching eyes of the International community. He recognized no difference in what WOFF does in using the “Holocaust museum project to hide (from) the eyes of a moralistic and ethical society.”

Toward the end of the meeting, the clip seen here
– starts with the council discussing the proposed Resolution to withdraw support for the Holocaust Museum. Councilman Blake says Ron Shelton told him just prior to the beginning of Tuesday’s meeting, he did not know about the indictments until March. This is contrary to published reports citing Shelton knew in January (here) and in direct contradiction to David Pelzman’s earlier assertion stating the information was given to Shelton in mid-December.

Which story is true? When did Shelton know and when did he decide to not know what he knew? Why is this important? This is more than a “leadership flaw” as Shelton describes in the Floridatoday.com article. This contradiction points to an effort of one man to do whatever he can which includes hiding valuable information from his support team, in order to continue with an event that he perceives will bring him recognition.

The discussion continues and soon Deputy Mayor Warner weighs in. When she voted on the resolution, “my vote was based on the children who participated.” Explaining further about her decision in favor of the original Resolution, “I knew nothing about them.”(the church)

The original Resolution (2014-094 (Supporting Sister Citys Hosting of Holocaust Museum in Central Fl) states nothing about the school or the church. From all indications, the plan from the inception was to keep the church affiliation unknown.

Now, Warner does not want to make something that started out about children become based (on the actions) of adults. Warner ends by saying she cannot support the Resolution canceling support. Councilman Blake ends up with a rally cry to the council and the ones gathered at the meeting, “I’m hoping like all giddy-up you will stand with us, in God we trust…” No action is taken on the pending Resolution. Barring unforeseen last minute changes, the exhibit is on for this Sunday.

You may ask okay, who will be harmed? Children of WFCS who “can play music” will be required to take center stage on the “Hollywood set” created for the presentation, using their “Holocaust instruments” and play music for the International community. All the while, smiling and showing the visitors how wonderful life in WOFF really is. Their smiles will be on cue and their clothes pressed and clean. It will be Show Time! Everyone will be on stage giving their best performance or risk being pulled from the event.

Therein is the harm. The enhanced innocence and staged interactions will be a thick veneer betraying the true life behind closed doors in North Carolina. The children singing will be aimed to warm the hearts of the listeners and garner the trust that is so needed to continue the Theresienstadt concert. The young artists will be pawns on a greater stage, oblivious to the political games adults play to benefit from their obedience, in the same manner as the young children at Theresienstadt so many years ago..

The goal of dispelling peering eyes full of questions and discrediting the detractors will be achieved at any cost. The children of WOFF will live on in their contrived reality as the leaders of the church vicariously drink in the sunlight of adulation and praise from the display attendees. The church/school leaders will use the wonder and expressions of thankfulness from the visitors as a salve for their dry aching souls, weary from the task of supporting the WOFF life-style; all the while seeking identification as the persecuted Jewish people and not the ones who engineered the concert at Theresienstadt.

The visiting children will be treated to a sham and walk away with a complete misunderstanding of life inside of WOFF. It will appear all roses and honey, while honestly it is not.

Do you know the difference? Would you be fooled by the Theresienstadt concert starting in Cocoa this weekend?

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”.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Please, take time to read the Terms of Use for this personal blog. As mentioned, for posts written by John Huddle, any information about WOFF is from his memories and recollections as perfect as that may be or not be.

Technorati Tags: Councilman Blake, David Pelzman, Holocaust, Ron Shelton, Sister Cities Cocoa FL, Theresienstadt, WFCS Holocaust Museum, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

August 21, 2014 I wrote, “Bullying in the Name of Jesus” found here. After watching an episode of “Without A Trace”, I expounded on the North Carolina Anti-Bullying law and how the evolving practices inside Word of Faith Fellowship were in violations of the law, in my opinion. Most of the post is included below.

The subject of bullying has again raised its ugly head in the events in Cocoa, FL. The schedule for the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) Word of Faith Christian School (WFCS) Holocaust Museum found here tells us that Karel Reynolds will share insights on “Bullying and the Holocaust.” No, I am NOT kidding you. The second-in-charge leader of WFCS which employs heavy handed, all encompassing measures of behavior modification (punishment) reported as more and more abusive, will stand up in front of total strangers and teach on the bullying measures of the German regime? Does the irony cause you to catch your breath and utter words of disbelief? (or worse?)

From the resource link:

“Viera author Jaimie Engle will lead a seminar on ways to prevent bullying, on Monday, April 20, and repeated on Wednesday, April 22, both nights from 6–7:30 p.m.
Engle wrote the anti-bullying children’s book Clifton Chase and the Arrow of Light after her son was bullied at school.
“Remember, with #everykidsvoice we can #targetbullying to stop it!” she said.
Museum director Karel Reynolds will add insight on connections between bullying and the Holocaust.
A full schedule of lectures on various Holocaust topics will be offered from Monday to Thursday.”

Jaimie Engle: How can you share the stage with Karel if you know ANYTHING about WOFF/WFCS? Please, Ms. Engle, don’t lower yourself and allow your lecture to be soiled by the words of a leader of such a recognized oppressive environment. (Contact Ms. Engle on Twitter -#jaimiengle or email – jaimiengle@cfl.rr.com)

These are a few comments I received back after sending out the schedule to survivors of WOFF. (anonymous – I did not ask permission to reveal names)

“I just read that article. She (Karel) should know all too well what bullying is. She’s been doing it for 20 years.”

“Well…she IS an expert on bullying! Jane said it from the pulpit that is was the gift of God in her!”

“…the disconnect between everything they think they know and stand for….

It is time to speak out. Contact Jaimie Engle by email or Twitter and let her know about WOFF/WFCS and the deeds done to the children in order to have the “600 Piece of Student-Created Art”. Ask her to refuse to carry on this charade by sharing the platform with Karel Reynolds.

In the words of David Pelzman, “WOFF puts the funk on the word- dysfunctional.” That sums it up for now.

____________________________________________________________
From the original post: ‘Bullying for Jesus’

Yes, I realize this is a story for television (Without a Trace episode). However, many of these types of stories are written about current issues. A quick search for the term “bullying” brings up a host of current references and sad stories about youth on youth violence. A website named “Bully Police” found here: http://www.bullypolice.org/nc_law.html bills themselves as “A Watch-dog Organization – Advocating for Bullied Children & Reporting on State Anti Bullying Laws”. I have not reviewed their entire site and this is not an endorsement, but, I did learn that 49 states have anti-bullying laws. I also found a reference to the Anti-Bullying Law in North Carolina enacted June 23, 2009. Here is a link to the copy I found on the site:
NC_law 2009

Why do I take time write about this subject? Two different survivors of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) at two separate times described to me new behaviors of the children within the group. It was told to me that certain children of those in leadership were being allowed to hit, push, scream at (pray over) and verbally assault other children and adults within the group. After reading this law and knowing that this type of behavior inside WOFF was not excluded from school hours on school grounds- the question comes to mind- does this sound like “bullying in the name of Jesus”? My first reading of the NC law does not reveal an exemption for private schools. Does Word of Faith Christian School have an anti-bullying policy and procedure? To entrust this to the teachers who are under Jane’s control, the administration of an anti-bullying policy would be like asking the fox to guard the hen house. (no pun intended..)

From my experience inside the group, this type of bullying behavior would be excused as “God’s ways” and “for the “good of the student” and showing the “love of God”? Really? Who believes that? Do we need to put a link to the Inside Edition YouTube® clip again? Is anything in that video considered bullying under the NC law? You tell me. Did our legislators intend to exempt WOFF and their practices because Jane knows best and hears God perfectly every time? Can we assume that her children are showing the “love of God” to each other as they hit and punch and scream at each other? Does child on child physical and mental abuse get excused under “freedom of religion”? Stop and carefully consider your answer.

How can we have relative comfort in believing the reports of two survivors of WOFF when they talk about children being allowed to practice these abusive behaviors? The answer lies in the fact that these are practices that are allowed and encouraged between the older children and youth and adults. I was personally screamed at and verbally threatened several times while a member of WOFF. I know I was not the only one and I have witnessed others being verbally assaulted, kept from free movement and restrained. Can this type of behavior be classified as “bullying”? According to my reading of the law, students exhibiting the outlined prohibited behaviors against other students must be investigated. Who is charged with enforcing this law?

Let’s recap some vital parts of the law that apply to what has been seen within the walls of WOFF.

First: Whereas, the sole purpose of this law is to protect all children from bullying andharassment, and no other legislative purpose is intended nor should any other intent be construed from passage of this law;
I believe “all children” would include WOFF children- right? That is regardless of past edicts.

Second- the definition: “As used in this Article, “bullying or harassing behavior” is any pattern of gestures or written, electronic, or verbal communications, or any physical act or any threatening communication, that takes place on school property, at any school-sponsored function, or on a school bus, and that:”

Can we say “any pattern of gestures” includes hand motions and verbal threats?

The law continues: 1) Places a student or school employee in actual and reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property; or 2) Creates or is certain to create a hostile environment by substantially interfering with or impairing a student’s educational performance, opportunities, or benefits. For purposes of this section, “hostile environment” means that the victim subjectively views the conduct as bullying or harassing behavior and the conduct is objectively severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would agree that it is bullying or harassing behavior.

Well, “reasonable fear of harm”- anyone felt that while under the threats of a teacher or anyone in WOFF leadership? I believe Jane uses the “fear of harm” and loss as her main tool of control. This next part of the definition is a vital part of the definition- “the conduct is objectively severe or pervasive enough that a reasonable person would agree that it is bullying or harassing behavior.” Are there any “reasonable people” out there who are concerned about the children in WOFF?

We move on… “Bullying or harassing behavior includes, but is not limited to, acts reasonably perceived as being motivated by any actual or perceived differentiating characteristic, such as race, color, religion, ancestry, national origin, gender, socioeconomic status, academic status, gender identity, physical appearance, sexual orientation, or mental, physical, developmental, or sensory disability, or by association with a person who has or is perceived to have one or more of these characteristics.”(emphasis added)

How wonderful this definition includes “religion”? Would it be reasonable to say that those being blasted for not submitting to Jane’s religion whether child or adult, are being “bullied” when she threatens they will lose their home, job, and family if they don’t submit and change? Yes, it is terrible that this has to be legislated. One may ask why folks don’t just leave WOFF. In short, many don’t have the means to leave. How often have other survivors witnessed a member of WOFF being castigated or berated for “not hearing God”? Is this a “sensory disability”?

Another interesting provision: “This Article shall not be construed to permit school officials to punish student expression or speech based on an undifferentiated fear or apprehension of disturbance or out of a desire to avoid the discomfort and unpleasantness that always accompany an unpopular viewpoint.”
How often inside WOFF were “unpopular viewpoints” allowed to remain in adults- much less students

Let’s get back to the original question- Do the activities witnessed inside WOFF qualify as “bullying in the name of Jesus”? Does your church practice “safe religion” or bullying in the name of Jesus? Does WOFF seem like a safe place for children free from “reasonable fear of harm to his or her person or damage to his or her property?”

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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. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: #everykidsvoice, #jaimiengle, #targetbullying, 600 Pieces of Student Created Art, Bullying and the Holocaust, Cocoa, Cult Criteria, David Pelzman, FL, Jaimie Engle, Karel Reynolds, WFCS Holocaust Museum, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

Wednesday, rcCatalyst.com reported the surprise arrest of Jerry Cooper on Tuesday at the Rutherford County courthouse. Jerry was sued several months ago in a civil case by two Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) members represented by Josh Farmer and the required mediation was Tuesday morning. After the mediation session resulted in an impasse, Jerry was set to leave the courthouse. He was approached by an officer who asked his identity. Once he confirmed, the officer announced Jerry was under arrest for charges on a warrant sworn out by Jane Whaley in 2013. Josh Farmer was present to monitor the arrest noting “that Cooper was not often in the country and therefore quick action was required…”

With the help of friends, Jerry made bond and the court date for this matter is May 29th. In unconfirmed statements, sources close to the drama say two high profile surprise participants have been subpoenaed in that case. The earlier civil case between WOFF members, Robert Louis Walker, Jr. and Sarah C. Anderson case and Jerry has a next appearance date of Jan. 2016. What drama this year holds, and we only know part of it, I am sure.

Questions over this drama roll too fast for me to type. Could the civil case have been a strategy move just to get Jerry into the county for the arrest? Why do I ask? A source in the mediation noted Josh appeared disorganized, off his game and disheveled when the court appointed mediator ask what damages the plaintiffs had incurred. His answer was a meek reply containing the assertion the damages were yet to be determined, but the plaintiffs had increased their request for punitive damages from $25,000 each to $50,000 each? Do those two things make sense when put in the same sentence?

Before the drama played out on Tuesday, I read the civil complaint against Jerry noting the apparent disjointed presentation of observations appearing to have been cobbled together in a hurry. The complaint fell way short of the usual standard of Josh Farmer legal presentations. Could this complaint have been dictated or provided for Josh to sign in a rush to piece together a strategy to have the arrest of Jerry before the next appearance in the Fenner case? Is the warrant from Jane Whaley in 2013 being played to bolster Josh’s request for a change of venue in the Fenner case? There are more questions than answers.

Last weekend, a truck load of questions rained down on me about the future of WOFF members and here it seems proper to share them.

How Long? How long can you risk being a member of WOFF?

Regardless of this past week’s drama, the members inside WOFF who are considered ‘professionals’ must ask themselves – “How long can they risk close association with a group with such a growing list of negatives?” Allow me to explain.

For the dentist, how long can you look your patients straight in the mouth and pronounce the innocence of WOFF practices? How long can you afford to be associated with a group whose persona continues to worsen and grow more harmful? Will your patients jump for joy when they know you support such a group with your time, money- even your heart?

For the doctor and other medical professionals, how long can you afford to associate with the group that requires such an undeniable allegiance evidenced by your time, your money and your personal relationship choices? Will your patients line up excited to have you lay hands on them once they begin to doubt or wonder if those are the same hands that participate in abusive WOFF practices? Can you afford even one conviction of any level in the Fenner case? Can you control the outcome of the case?

For the medical professional with a concentration in psychiatric medicine, my questions don’t differ much. Can you afford to tell your next employer that you are an active part of a group that has five members under felony indictments? These indictments include actions during the particular prayer practices that you are so convinced do more good than medicine?

For the accountant(s), will your WOFF participation throw a cloud of mistrust over your non-WOFF clients who don’t automatically trust you? Can the livelihood you have worked so hard to build afford the possible damage of the publicity the Fenner case is bound to generate in August and who knows how many months into 2015 and 2016?

For the WOFF members who teach in the public school system, wow! Can YOU afford even one conviction of any type in the Fenner case? Will the public drama generated over this case impair your relationship with your supervisors or even fracture the trust parents of your students must have in you? Have you considered the ramifications? Will your contract be renewed next spring? Is there any guaranteed position in public education in the times we live?

And lastly, for those WOFF members in the legal profession, what will you do? Where will you run when the piercing eyes of a searching public see you day after day defending the five defendants in the face of whatever evidence the District Attorney brings forth? What if you don’t successfully fend off every conviction of every one of the five defendants? Will your participation in WOFF leadership be automatically construed as your approval of every practice sanctioned and allowed by Jane? Will your defense of the group which you lived inside of and loved for years show a weakness because possibly there is a small fissure of doubt? Will you be able to hold onto to the needed objectivity while under the mounting pressures? What if you lose? What will be Jane’s reaction? Will she run and hug you, kiss your check and say thank you? You missed God, but that is okay. I understand.

Have you tried to help Jane realize the physical abuses must stop? How was that received? Have you ever thought about following the two attorneys who cut WOFF ties a few months ago? How did your spouse react when she found out? Loving and supportive?

For each person in the groups above, I am not accusing any of you of the abuses listed in the Fenner indictments. I don’t have to. There are five WOFF defendants, but in reality and in the public eye- the whole church is on trial. Jane’s legacy hangs in the balance over the Fenner case, and if not this case, certainly in any one of the ones which are sure to follow. From my view point, the waters are rising on Old Flynn road. Who opened the flood gates? I think they were gradually opened as WOFF leadership evolved during each service to accept as “God’s ways” the abuses which now plague the subculture.

Every WOFF member must ask themselves during the quiet times before sleeping, is it worth it? Is continuing to live in this church worth the potential damage to me personally or my children? Maybe you still think the doctrines are right, but can you agree with the evolving abusive practices? What will it take to cause you to exit WOFF? Are you truly happy? It has been a nice run, time to move on?

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Jane Whaley, Jerry Cooper, Leaving a Cult, rcCatalyst.com, Robert Louis Walker Jr., Sarah, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

These words landed heavy on Lauren Drain as her father spoke. Lauren had been a part of the Westboro Baptist Church for seven years. It was her life, her connection to her immediate family, to her friends and until that night- to her future. On December 14, 2007- that all changed. The membership had voted her out. The angst she felt had exploded inside her as she listened to a voice mail from her best friend, Jael. The message included the statement that “no one (in the church) wanted anything to do with..” Lauren. After years of sharing the fears, the adventures of picketing and life inside the closed culture of Westboro, her best friend acted as if Lauren had the plague.

‘Banished- Surviving My Years in the Westboro Baptist Church’- (Copyright © 2013) by Lauren Drain and Lisa Pulitzer is a gripping account of Lauren’s years inside this closed culture. You have seen them in the news over the years picketing at funerals, national events. You may have seen members being interviewed in the national media. Whatever you have heard or seen, don’t finalize your opinion until you read this book. I suspected there was darkness behind the doors of this group, but until I read this survivor’s account my opinion had no factual basis. Now, I have a better understanding of the control dynamics employed there.

So, John, how does this group compare to Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF)? Thought you would never ask. There are stark differences and eerie similarities. Westboro purposed to be informed on news making events and thus allowed their members almost unfettered access to the media. They basked in media attention even if it portrayed them in a negative light. The latest electronic gadgets were used to produce videos, support websites and record their picketing misadventures. The members had access to movies, recreational activities and were encouraged to dress modestly – but with much room for interpretation. These were some of the glaring differences.

The control dynamics used on their members were very similar to WOFF. Everyone reported the “sins” of each other. Before Fred Phelps died in March of 2014, he had god-like status within the group. Most of the membership consisted of his family. There were many lawyers within the group. They were and may still be a very litigious group. Are you getting the picture? Are we hitting some common ground between the two groups yet? While reading the book in two long sessions, several times I was astounded at the similarities. This group even renovated their homes using the labor inside the church and the same guilt trip on those would not participate. Westboro even went through the “everyone must lose weight” phase as well. Inside Westboro, Fred Phelps’ daughter controlled the members’ relationships, schedules and life choices in a very Jane-like manner. SCARY!

The writing style is a very engaging first person view and will have you turning pages very quickly. I experienced many emotions while reading this book. A warning to those former members of WOFF or other groups, reading of the exit-shock-depression Lauren goes through may be a struggle, but well worth the risk. I rated the book five stars.

Below is one of the many videos available with Lauren’s story. Let me be clear, I do not endorse any of the vitriolic practices of the Westboro Baptist Church. I can relate to this video. Do you see any other similarities?

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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. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Banished, Lauren Drain, Leaving a Cult, Lisa Pulitzer, Westboro Baptist Church, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

For WOFF members considering their exit, is today, the day? You have been planning and thinking and maybe even whispered it to yourself where no one could hear you… “I am leaving one day.” Well, is today, your day? What has to happen for the right circumstances for you to leave? Do you need a ride? Call me. Or if it comes to it, start walking and call someone else who already left. You can get a ride from someone, somehow. Do you need a place to stay? That can be arranged. Do you need to connect with relatives out of state? Yes, that can happen. Do you need to leave your belongings behind and just get away quick? Don’t worry. Clothes can be replaced. You may even get some jeans! That is okay, as far as I know; folks don’t fall into hell when they put on their first pair. I like Wrangler®.

Do you need a phone? Okay, we can arrange for you to have one- a new one with a new number. Do you need a plane ticket or a ride somewhere? Don’t let anything keep you imprisoned against your will. If you want to be free, then make the first step.

Years ago, I saw a young lady standing in the kitchen at a microwave when all of the sudden, she made the choice to leave. She took off walking and did not stop until she reached safety! WOFF members drove along the road her begging, pleading for her to get in the van and talk. Too late. She had had enough! How long had it been brewing in her? I am not sure. How long has LEAVING been brewing in you?

What are you waiting for? Yes, some folks are brought back. But, there comes another chance to leave, trust me. If you are determined to leave, then don’t listen to the sweet sounding promises thrown your way to entice you back into the car, back into the bondage. How long does the sweetness last, Brent? Don’t listen to the honey dripping from the phone. If you want, just cut the WOFF pleaders until you are safe somewhere miles away. Maybe it is not that far away, maybe it is just a safe place where your freedom to make choices is respected.

Will you know when the time is right? Take it from one who left and has heard the stories of many who have left- there will never be a ‘perfect’ time with all of your questions answered and decisions made. You must choose when to make the break from WOFF. You have heard the names those who leave have been called. I have been called several ugly things. One person said inside WOFF some believe me to be the devil incarnate. Now, that is a little extreme, don’t you think? You have heard the predictions about folks when they leave. Have you ever thought that people make their own choices when they leave? Some make good choices, some do not. You can make good choices and disprove the barrage of negative predictions! You can prove Jane wrong.

Spring has spring and it might be your time to spring forth to your next place in life. If not today, when? If not you, do you know someone else who is ready? Tell them help is available. Help them escape and prove it can be done. Then you can follow – if you choose.

Honestly, ask yourself, have things been better around here? If so, why? If now, could it be because Jane and her leadership are under the microscope? How long will that last? Maybe it will last, maybe it will not. Can any change of rules now repair the years lost in your life? Are you tired of certain folks having fewer rules to follow and some not? Why is that? Are they really more spiritual or “walking with Jesus”? Could it be those who seem to have fewer rules to follow are somehow seen as more important to Jane? Is that fair? Will the pyramid structure ever change? Will you ever be allowed to make your own choices without the drama?

A few years ago, I was talking to Jane on the phone; she must have called about the blog or something. Before we ended, I asked her a question, “Jane when you are finished with someone, can you call me and I will come help them? We can avoid the drama and the police, just call. I will come help them onto their next place in life.” She acted like she did not hear me. I repeated it and she mumbled something I could not hear. She went on to other matters. Jane, the offer still stands.

Don’t depend on Jane calling and arranging your exit. Make the steps you need to start your journey to freedom. It is up to you. Call if I can help- John Huddle- (828) 289-7923.

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults
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. Jane told me and Josh confirmed it.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Leaving a Cult, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

For years, the video sat on the website for Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) titled- Joe English Testimony- He began his delivery with something like, “Many people have asked, ‘What happened to Joe English?’” He then went on for several minutes, (?) explaining his previous life of drugs and rock and roll. He had played drums for ‘Paul McCartney and Wings’® and gave an account of that lifestyle. I seem to remember a part of his testimony about watching television as a young person and promising himself he would be just like the drummer on the television. The name escapes me, or was it Desi Arnez, Jr.?

Honestly, it was TOUGH getting through the whole video testimony because I had worked with Joe for a short time and was exposed to Joe’s ups and downs, ins and outs – as we all were in WOFF. He was up on stage and then out in the world, then up on stage as Jane’s trophy and then out of the church. It was sad. His testimony echoed through an empty hallway for me. I do not doubt his chemical dependency or his overwhelming struggles. All things considered, it appeared he did not get the real help needed to lead him out of his addictions or other inconsistencies. My one memory of Joe before WOFF included an outside concert in Ladson, SC around 1984. He was playing drums at what was then called, Baptist College. That day, I had no appreciation for his music or his message and left after just a few minutes.

Well, today- we are all asking- What happened to Joe English? The video has been removed and with no evident reason on the website. But, this is where good old fashioned rumors come into play. I don’t usually post such things, but the source seems credible. Yet, as a disclosure, until we hear the true story from the subject himself, this is unconfirmed information.

I was told that last Sunday the entire service, not sure morning or evening, was dedicated to explaining Joe’s leaving and why he left. Included was some information that did not make total sense, but here goes. Jane was reported as saying “Wings” was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame and Joe was not willing to partake of the monetary benefits. He wanted no part of the rerun of that time of his life. Okay, I am confused.

First off, from a separate, very credible non-WOFF source, “Wings” has NOT been inducted into the R&R Hall of Fame. I quote, “Wing hasn’t been inducted but their catalog has slowly been re-released and Joe has been getting some money from it and participating in the liner notes.”

The time frame of Joe’s participation is not clear. So, let’s don’t jump off the bridge here. I believe my source is much more connected to rock and roll than is Jane – dah. What I conclude is that Joe took steps again to leave, Jane requires his “testimony” be taken down from the website and that is about all I know for sure. Honestly, except for caring about Joe as a person, I could not care less why he left. It just befuddled me for a minute why he would leave such a place that he declared had helped him so much in the past.

Joe, I understand now. I wrote a glowing testimonial when I was there, which I hope has been canned. While you are a part of WOFF, you write or speak about what you know at the time. As the days and weeks pass, you learn more and become aware of the total package. From a more enlightened position, your perspective of the membership benefits can change. Right? That seems to be the course of several in recent months. What are we up to 38 recent leave takers? Am I low on that number?

The job I do not want? The webmaster or trainee in charge of taking all the folks who have left OUT of the pictures on the website! They are certainly BEHIND on their task. But then again, for them to be overwhelmed by the task is a good thing. Hilarious.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Jane Whaley, Joe English, Leaving a Cult, Paul McCartney and Wings, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

The week of the May seminar for Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) is upon us. Unless there is a delay, this Friday, May 29th, Jerry Cooper will see another day in court. He is facing charges from a 2013 warrant sworn out by WOFF leader, Jane Whaley. The alleged charges include two counts of harassing phone calls, and two counts of cyber-stalking. We originally reported the story in the rcCatalyst.com article here. Jerry has opened a “gofundme” page to help with his attorney fees. Please, consider supporting the effort to raise money for his attorney. Allow me to explain the ramifications of these charges.

Different opinions abound as to why Jane would pick Jerry for these charges. First, let me say that any attempt on her part to say she felt seriously threatened by anything Jerry could say or do would be based what? Jane has always been able to coordinate her comfort level in any environment. She has many resources for this. She pretends to fear – Jerry?

Speculation runs rampant as to why she picked Jerry. Who knows for certain, but Jane? One thing I believe is sure; these charges against Jerry could have a stifling effect on members inside and outside. This action by Jane follows her fear-based control methods employed for years over members inside and shows clearly her intense efforts to remain in control over ex-members. Face it; she wants to be in control of anyone who will bow. Anyone who she threatens to label as an “attacker” has heard her warnings- You will be cut off from any family member here!

She uses her incantations cooked up from her “knowledge” and “revelations” of Scripture and direct revelations from her god as the basis for her fear tactics. This has worked for her quite well over the years to break-up families and keep the fences high for many who seek to leave. The outcome of this case as well as the Fenner case in August will determine much for ex-members, Jane and her members inside.

For now, Jerry needs representation. Helping members on the inside is difficult until they leave. Fending off the fear-based strategies of WOFF helps us all, in the long run. By donating to help Jerry, in a small way you will also be helping those on the inside who don’t even realize they need help- yet.

Proverbs 31:8

8 Speak up for people who cannot speak for themselves. Help people who are in trouble.

Easy-to-Read Version (ERV)
Copyright © 2006 by World Bible Translation Center (viewed on “biblegateway.com” May 25, 2015)

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Jane Whaley, Jerry Cooper, Leaving a Cult, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

In courtroom number one at the Rutherford County courthouse; yet, another drama unfolded Friday pitting Jane Whaley, leader of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) against one of her previously beloved, former members- Jerry Cooper. In 2013, Jane swore out criminal warrants against Jerry for counts of harassment by telephone, and cyberstalking (via text messages). For many reasons, I missed the first half of the proceedings. Upon arrival, I was informed Jane and her team were offered mediation in the morning and promptly refused the option. The case went on to the hearing phase.

Before the noon recess, the opening volleys include four quick objections by Cooper’s attorney, Paul Ditz which were subsequently sustained by Judge Dennis John Redwing. Josh Farmer testified and Jane Whaley took the stand before for about twenty minutes the break for lunch. The courtroom was closed when I arrived about 1:50PM. Jerry and his team were waiting at the door unsure when the proceedings would restart. A few minutes later, the room was opened by the bailiff. She kept conversation going during the wait for the judge’s return.

Again, as in times past, I sat on the right side of a courtroom with a reporter in front of me, advocate to my right and another supporter sitting behind me. Jayne Caulder was so kind to join us on the front row of Jerry’s side. I am not sure why. Jane Whaley and her entourage sat on the left side behind the table for the District Attorney, Roger McCalman. Before the proceedings began there were a few eerie, awkward, mostly silent moments. The clock was high up the far wall to my left and I found myself constantly looking UP and over to avoid any potential eye-locks with the WOFF entourage. My clock watching was motivated by thoughts of returning to work and if today’s matters would be settled by the time I needed to leave.

Once the Judge entered, the attorney for the State called Mrs. Whaley back to the stand. Jane stood in her purple and black outfit with a protective boot on one foot and began her journey forward assisted by Mark Morris. Once seated and properly oriented to the microphone, the State attorney began right where he had ended asking Jane how she felt after receiving messages from Jerry. From here, I may not retell the exact order of events or have exact quotes, but I will tell the highlights and main issues to the case, from my perspective.

Jane lightly and delicately avoided saying she was overrun with fear, she was not frightened, but there was “fear”. For the unlearned, I believed she was not going to admit outright fear because, ‘perfect love casts out all fear’ – a Scripture reference she has preached for years. Jane did not want to be caught OUT of the love of God- even towards Jerry.

During the proceedings, I realized several nuances which those who had been under her preaching or a part of the WOFF-life would understand, but which were for the most part, unknown to others. These nuances in some instances acted as guideposts, fences or walls- depending on your position. I will explain as we go forward.

After McCalman finished, Paul Deitz began his long awaited turn to question Jane. He asked if Jane preached and was ordained. She affirmed she was ordained “at some time in the 80’s.” That was NEWS for me. After sixteen years under Jane’s teaching, preaching and storytelling, I never learned that she was ordained. The obvious question which Ditz missed, WHO ordained Jane? I never knew and expect the answer in Jane’s mind to be – she was ordained-called by God to preach the message of deliverance to anyone who would listen. I regret Paul missed asking the direct question, but it turned out to not be material to his case.

Ditz asked Jane about Jerry being a member and ordained. Jane promptly affirmed he came to get help and was never ordained and never a minister at WOFF. Yes, I about came out of my seat and shouted! The obvious dividing of words and semantics Jane was hiding behind were too much. Jane did qualify her remarks by saying Jerry sang on the praise and worship team, but was never a “minister.” Split hairs to make your next fur coat! How many folks were referred to as ministers inside of WOFF and yet were not ordained by Jane? You could be a ‘minister” and not ordained at WOFF. Who remembers this besides me?

During the questioning by Ditz, he had to constantly implore Jane to NOT ramble on and add to and basically preach her answer only to be shushed by Ditz’s constant admonitions, Ma’am, ma’am, ma’am…?

Paul said, “I ask the questions and you only answer the questions, do you understand?”

Paul’s frustration with being probably the first person in Jane’s world to exercise any control over her mouth –proved intense. Finally, the very patient Judge Redwing confirmed Ditz’s instructions. Sadly, Jane still found it hard to stay restrained and not ramble on and on explaining herself as if her remarks alone were needed to convict Jerry. Any humor in these exchanges quickly expired as Jane’s own glaring lack of self-awareness killed any credibility she attempted to show. Finally, she was among folks impervious to her aura. (Witnessing this one fact by itself made the trip away from work worth it, no matter the cost.)

Paul Ditz had a clear strategy. Establish Jane as a minister, ordained or not, it did not matter. Establish Jerry as a minister, definitely ordained. Show that the exchanges initiated by Jerry were borne out of concern and love for one he used to be close to and in fact, confessed a love for- Jane. In questioning Jane, he asked if she ever preached to someone who did not want her words. At that one moment, the expression on Jane’s face showed she clearly knew where Ditz was headed and she looked defenseless. I hung on every word of her answer to that question. Who can doubt that Jane’s ministry includes preaching to those who do not want to hear her words? As she answered, she hesitated, well, yes, but not beyond what they want… then she trailed off. (Did I remember that right?) Honestly, there was such a screaming in my head of the name– LIAR! I may not have heard the rest of her answer.

Paul was not thrown off his plan, he added, what about someone who agrees for a while with your preaching then has a change of heart? Do you still preach to them? Jane appeared stunned, saying I don’t know where you are coming from. Ditz repeated his question. Dear readers, it was at that moment the air went out of her balloon. Reeling under the burden of being a high paid literalist, Jane was groping to tell “Truth” and not slip into the obvious net Paul laid before her. She never seemed to recover from this deftly pointed arrow. Oh, she tried to ramble and was quickly alerted it would not be tolerated. I can’t say how long her testimony lasted. She exited the witness stand, assisted by Morris walked back to her front row seat. Her expression was stoic and stern, no happy face.

Next, Pricilla Rezende was sworn in and took the stand. She testified about the phone calls Jerry made seeking to reach Jane on a certain day. Pricilla did not ramble. The State attorney opened with some questions. He hung on certain terms or lack of terms throughout the course of each testimony. His job to produce undisputable evidence of a crime was a tall order. When Paul’s turn came he read from notes written by Pricilla about the incidents in question. It was a basic recount from someone whose second language was English. Short, bullet points which alluded to more than she was able to express in writing. The main point Ditz drilled with Pricilla was since she never engaged Jerry in a lengthy conversation, she had no way to properly judge his intentions or motives. She adamantly held her ground that Jerry was attacking, not satisfied with her answers and had malicious intent.

Here, Paul may have known and chose not to pursue it, but every present member of WOFF is perpetually conditioned to believe that all those who have left have evil intentions, to destroy the church calling them “attackers.” Pricilla was already prejudiced against Jerry by the environment she lived in. She was able to strongly defend her opinions of Jerry in the light of Paul’s clever questions because she believed her prejudices despite the logic Ditz laid out before her. Her chance to learn about one of the main errors of her culture may have passed her by- forever. Though, I hope not. On her stroll back to her seat, she passed Jane glancing to her for a look of approval- finding none. I believe Jane was still reeling and unable to confirm her employee’s efforts.

The State called Holly Morris to the stand. Honestly, I did not recognize her. She smiled profusely, completed the swearing in process and took her seat. She stated her name and that she was present during the time of the calls from Jerry. During this brief exchange, it was pointed out to me you could see the arteries in Holly’s neck pulsing. She was on high alert with a rapid heart rate. No surprise, right?

At that moment, the proceedings stopped each counsel was called to the bench. Holly was instructed to step down. She floated back to her seat in a state of obvious relief still smiling profusely.

After a short conference, counsel returned to their tables, Ditz asked to dismiss the charges. The judge agreed to dismiss the harassment charges but continue on the cyber stalking charges. Jerry was then called to the stand. He was sworn in and took his seat, again properly adjusting to be heard and seen by the judge.

Ditz began by establishing Jerry’s status as a minister and then his time at WOFF. Jerry said he preached and sang as a minster at WOFF. Who during his first tour of WOFF could deny this? Do we remember his message- Faith is NOW, from Hebrews 11? And how many times did Jane have him sing- Thank you, for Giving to the Lord? If he was not a minister, then at least the regular members never knew the difference, right?

Jerry appeared to concentrate at times as he was also a literalist during his WOFF days. Each word spoken means something. Today, each word meant a lot. Jerry’s testimony lasted a while. I cannot remember it all. Highlights include his statements of affection for Jane and his desire to see her stop the controlling behaviors over her members. The bulk of the testimony included the fact that much of the content of the text messages included Scripture or biblical references. Much was made over Jerry calling Jane a Jezebel and committing adultery. Jerry cleared up his intentions were to reference the spirit of Jezebel and spiritual adultery and not actual physical act of adultery. Jerry came off as believable and not in angst over not being allowed to ramble and preach his answers. At several points, he looked at his attorney for clues to know if he could proceed or needed to stop. He had less trouble expressing his intentions about the events in question.

To the credit of the State attorney, he did point out Jerry’s confessed lack of memory the content of certain text messages and of the events January of 2010(?). There was no physical evidence of Josh Farmer’s warnings to stay away from WOFF at that time. If there had been, it would have been entered into court today. There was also a lot made of Jerry’s request through Josh Farmer as attorney for WOFF, for Michael Lowry as a reunited member inside WOFF in February 2013, to be reimbursed for the support during his time in Jerry’s care. Ditz was able to settle the dust some and establish a trail of logic which supported Jerry’s unmet request and recast it as non-threatening event.

During Jerry’s testimony, I was clock watching, attempting to determine if I needed to exit back to my work in a town about an hour away. When Jerry was told to step down and return to his seat, the time seemed to slow down, slower than a snail’s crawl. Each minute passed as if an hour, during the time the Judge called for the warrant and appeared engrossed in reviewing documents. Between 3:25PM and about 3:35PM, I believe the entire WOFF delegation renewed their long lost affection for silent prayer. The air on my side of the room was flooded with hopes for justice.

As if sunshine bursting through a thick cloud, the judge uttered words to the effect the State has not proved the greater weight of the evidence. Jerry was declared not guilty! Just as the judge began his closing remarks, the ever attentive bailiff made her way to our area. Once the decision was known, she motioned for the WOFF side to remain seated and allowed Jerry, his attorney and the few supporters to exit first. We were allowed an escorted free pass without any chance of a WOFF connection, out of the building and were watched carefully as we made our way to our cars. The air seemed light and the spontaneous expressions jubilant! The strategy of Paul Ditz had proven effective and conclusive. What a day!

As in every courtroom in Rutherford County’s courthouse, it was difficult to hear at times and if I missed or misquoted any part of this proceeding, it was not intentional. See rcCatalyst story about today- here .

Jean Gordon of the Daily Courier posted more details of the testimony- here. (updated 5/31/15-11:35AM)

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Holly Morris, Jane Whaley, Jerry Cooper, Leaving a Cult, Paul Ditz, Pricilla Rezende, rcCatalyst.com, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

June is here and soon the official start of the summer. This summer will be like none other in the history of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). The month of May produced the most convincing defeat ever in a court case involving Jane Whaley. The inability to convince the judge of her claims shocked her and the leadership team. She encouraged those around her to “just let it go…” Honestly, there may be no follow-up, but will she and her followers “just let it go” and forget this case? Can the legal team forget how Jane performed on the stand? Were they even the slightest bit embarrassed? Can those in leadership who witnessed Jane’s testimony on May 29th forget or excuse the display of less than perfection from their long-time leader? What excuses will be hatched to cover the obvious reduction in her ability to convince others of her righteous, holy lifestyle? Will they talk about it privately away from Jane’s ears and discuss the next step? Will her daughter Robin, Brooke Covington and the missing-in-action-Karel Reynolds review plans for succession to the WOFF throne? Will Gerald and Linda Southerland be included in the discussions or not?

This summer will be the Summer of Decision for everyone inside WOFF.

Why? Simple. August and the months to follow will include the trial for the five indicted WOFF members. Can they enjoy the coming weeks knowing the unknown awaits them? Will the recent court debacle cause them to reconsider their confidence in the defense strategy? How will Jane steady the rocking ship? Does Josh Farmer’s apparent slip in proficiency cause anxiety any of the defendants? If they had doubts and second thoughts, could they share them in simple honesty and not risk being disciplined or shunned for a lack of faith? When they lay down at night in the quiet of their own thoughts and reflections, will they deny the coming reality or recognize the fear inside of them? Will this fear be as a result in the lack of confidence in Jane or the haunting knowing they are guilty as charged? Will any of them seek immunity from the DA? Decisions will be made this summer.

For the regular members, how will this resounding defeat for Jane affect their loyalty? They will be tested and yet, will they be found true or wavering? Jane’s dismissal of her defeat as the fault of the District Attorney should not shock us. Her lack of self-awareness blinds her. For those who have considered life outside the WOFF subculture, will these next few weeks of anxious unknowns be enough to push them out the door? The next few weeks until August 19th will be the quiet before the storm. For be sure, the storm is coming. It is not known yet how high the winds will be or how high the coming tidal wave will measure. But, it is certain a hurricane of media frenzy and public scrutiny will wash over Rutherford County in the coming months.

How many members will see the signs of the rising tide and head for higher ground? Not since 1995 and the Inside Edition video and resulting local and national attention has there been potential for the same. If indeed history repeats itself, then this year will be one for the annals of WOFF history.’

John, you can’t predict this with absolute certainty. No, I don’t claim to see the future as a prophet. I can remember the past and see the signs of the present. In 1995, I was inside the Greenville church living away from ground zero. We only visited during services and I know now we were fed a preordained diet purposed to keep us in the fold.

After I left in 2008, I learned more about the 1995 storm and have seen other minor squalls since then. The storm around Michael Lowry’s exit, recapture and second exit was very tumultuous. I learned a lot during his ongoing storm. I also remember the storm of a few months ago in December and January, when the second round of five indictments were handed down. Have we forgotten that gulley washer of a downpour? That story went international and why would the frenzy around the actual trial be any less? Are the five WOFF defendants up to the pressures which are sure to come?

If we learn anything, we learn that the practices of WOFF draw media attention. The exact reasons why reside in the obtuse and abusive nature of the practices in question. People not only want to know what these practices are, they DESERVE to know about these practices. The pending trial may just prove the opportunity the public has been waiting for to learn what goes on behind closed WOFF doors. It may not be a happy unveiling and I predict it will be shocking to many.

Josh Farmer said, “…We have absolutely nothing to hide…” This August, his statement will be put to the test. This Summer of Decision will affect Josh as well. He will again be faced with the task of defending those who he may have the slightest doubts as to their pure innocence. If he adheres to the Professional Code – he will not advise them in any way to continue committing criminal acts. Will he be able to defend them “with his whole heart”? – That, my friend remains to be seen.

There is no way for us to know the extent of the internal struggles of every member going through the Summer of Decision. In light of what I do know about WOFF and now recognize as the common struggles of the membership, I can say for certainty the recent defeat, added to the coming storm in August, has and will continue to cause much uneasiness in the members of WOFF. That uneasiness will reverberate throughout every level of the group- top to bottom. Will it be enough to help members to seek freedom and safe harbor elsewhere? Time will tell. Safe harbor for many is within the welcoming arms of family and friends on the outside. Will this also be the time for family summer reunions? We don’t know for certain. For now, let the storm winds blow…

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Jane Whaley, Josh Farmer, Leaving a Cult, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

During the research for my soon to be released book, “Locked in”, I remembered my time within Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and the time shortly after my departure in July 2008. For days on end, the emotions washed over me as I recounted the anxieties, the drama and the choices made during those months. At least part of the struggle was discovering who I really was. It was a “spring thaw” from the many years of my “self” existing frozen in the deep recesses of my soul; put there by the many rules, dictates and practices of WOFF. Those first few months of freedom were full of apprehension, while many times overrun with the questions… what do I do here? How do I? When do I? What if I? I was living free and making choices for the first time in many years.

Through the years since 2008, I learned my struggles were new to me, but not unexpected for one leaving a religious cult or a high-demand group. The feelings and emotions of those days were predictable. There was no one close to me who had traveled the same road and could guide me. In a quest to learn more, I turned to resources- books and online sources. Many a night, I traded sleep for the time to read survivor stories or other resources and/or the freedom to write. Both reading and writing helped sort out the jumbled mess of my life from the years within WOFF.

One of the most valuable resources I found is the International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA). Their online resources are many. July of 2014, I attended their conference in Washington, DC. The people I met and the sessions I attended, deepened my understanding of the dangers and results of high-demand groups. One of the benefits of membership is receiving the publication, ICSA Today.

ICSA Today Magazine volume 5 number 3 2014 – contains an article titled “Thought Reform and the Psychology of Breaking Away from Totalism”, written by Ron Burks, PhD. This is my resource for this post. I will quote from it in order to explain my struggles and those of others leaving WOFF during these days.

Burks admits upfront this article is based on the work of Dr. Paul R. Martin. Burks worked with Martin for years at Wellspring Retreat. He credits his views as “colored and textured by the more than four hundred stories, including (his) own, about being drawn into a cultic group—all resulting in captivity and varying only in degree, not kind.” These real life stories speak to his credibility and experience needed to write this piece.

Indoctrination and the Loss of Freedom
“Cults take away freedom and then attack those who work to help their victims get it back.”

Well, yes, I agree. I and many others have experienced the WOFF attack as we help victims get their freedoms back. It goes with the territory. I am called a “big attacker” for helping others take back their life. It is a matter of perspective. Burks includes a quote from Abraham Lincoln:

“The shepherd drives the wolf from the sheep’s throat, for which the sheep thanks the shepherd as his liberator, while the wolf denounces him for the same act, as the destroyer of liberty. Plainly the sheep and the wolf are not agreed upon a definition of the word liberty; and precisely the same difference prevails today among human creatures, (Roe, 1907, p220)”

Yes, Jane Whaley and I differ on the definition of liberty. More accurately, we differ on the harmful practices inside her group which rob her members of their liberty. To her members, I am cast as the wolf (or worse). I know several who advocate for survivors of WOFF, who think differently from Jane as to who the real wolf is in this drama. Will the real WOFF-WOLF come forward? Back to the article.

Burks explains thought reform in a way which made it easy for me to understand. When I first left WOFF, I had no idea of the level of thought reform or mind control I had lived under. This series of posts will explain the characteristics of thought reform using Burks’ article and the accompanying struggle with the new freedoms of survivors.

“Thought reform is the process of making an intelligent, thinking person into a virtual slave without the person knowing what has happened. The context of all thought reform is a differential in power or worth between the indoctrinator and the inductee. There are many ways this differential is established in cults; but power differential, either conscious or unconscious, is the foundation of thought reform.”

This explanation of a power differential as the foundation of thought reform was vital to my understanding of the whole picture. Who honestly can deny the existence of a power differential between Jane Whaley and ANYONE else in WOFF? She is supreme leader and power grid energizer. Any decision is subject to her review. Any rule or dictate goes through her. Any spending of church funds is subject to her approval. Any relationship, career, house buying decision, house decorating decision and the like is subject to Jane’s review and choice. Does this indicate a power differential inside WOFF?

If you are still in doubt about the idea of thought reform inside WOFF, can we at least agree here that Jane thrives off the power differential between her and every other member? She feeds on being the only one who can hear God at the highest level. She believes she lives closer to the holy throne of God than any other human alive. Doubt me? Watch the way she lives her life. Observe with no WOFF-glasses on.

I admit, at first, the idea of spending years being drawn into and living under thought reform was not pleasant. It was hard to swallow. Admitting it I thought cast a shadow of doubt on me. Then, I realized the shadow came from my towering pride. I thought I was too smart to be led into such a controlling system as exists in the bowels of WOFF. Let’s be clear. The victim of thought reform is just that – a victim. I was a victim who fell among thieves and robbers. The leaders I followed spouted the WOFF beliefs in total agreement and submission to the head WOFF-wolf. Now, I advocate for those still in the grip of these same thought control systems. I help those who have left and may need a hand-up. Anyone can be a victim of thought reform given the right circumstances.

Burks continues to explain the thought reform model to include the eight processes given by Robert Lifton “that, together, have the effect of controlling three aspects of human experience that are central to the notion of freedom: thinking, feeling, and conscience.” We look at the first two of the eight in this post as seen inside WOFF and the others in subsequent posts.

Controlling Thinking
“Once a power differential has been established, two of Lifton’s criteria, Sacred Science and Loading the Language, work together to undermine the inductee’s ability to think critically, or outside the box created by the group.
The teachings and views of the group and its leader have a sense of sacredness not to be challenged by mere mortals.”

We stop here to apply this statement to what is known about WOFF. The teachings and views of WOFF are portrayed as based on the sacred scriptures found in the Amplified Bible. (Just look at the tons of scripture references on their website.) Challenging Jane’s interpretation of these sacred writings was an invitation to public rebuke, mockery and chiding as Jane defended her authority based on her “walk with God.” (perfection) This was for members. Please, let no mere mortal from outside WOFF pretend to know more than Jane about holy righteous living. Members set aside their critical thinking skills in order to live their lives reflecting Jane as the HIGHEST source of truth.

“The means by which logic may, or may not, be applied to certain group beliefs are controlled by the leader. The sacred science enables the group to inactivate in inductees (members) the ability to distinguish association from causation. If the group prescribes a certain ritual that is supposed to affect some other events or persons, there are three scenarios, and all serve the needs of the leader.”

Okay, this will be a long read. But please, don’t miss this next part. This explanation will expose the details and power of the tentacles of deception which control members on the inside and many survivors outside. This will tear back the curtain and show you the steps used by Jane to look wise and prophetic. This will explain her fear-factory techniques used as she predicts outcomes based on her unique prayer, her “hearing God” or other control practices.

“If the expected outcome occurs, the sacred science of the group is proved. Association and causation.”

As an example, if Jane prays and leads her members in prayer for money and it comes in through the offering or the sale of a property or some other means, then her “sacred science” of unique prayer has been validated and proven “of God.” She rests on her throne of (self) RIGHTeousness and looks down on the (poorer) mere mortals. Oh, if we just knew God as Jane does…

“If the outcome doesn’t occur, it was because the followers did the ritual incorrectly, or with an improper inner attitude, again proving the sacred science is true by associating the “incorrect” practice as the cause of the improper outcome.”

Staying with the same example, if Jane tells her members to pray for money, then leaving to attend to other matters and the money does not come; then the people were not in faith! They were distracted not taking hold of their minds. “Come on people, we know if we blast the heavens turning back the strongholds of the devil, good things will happen, right?”

“If the leader is performing the ritual and a negative outcome occurs, it is due to a “hole in the pipeline” somewhere, proving that the followers were not in a frame of mind to prevent such a travesty, and once again proving sacred science is true. The followers caused the negative outcome because of their shortcomings.”

I can still hear Jane when things did not go right, “the sin in the hearts of the people held back the blessings of God.” With the dynamic already in place for members to always accept their hidden sin as the cause of negative outcomes, Jane pounces on them as “not in tune with the Spirit and thus her prayers were hindered,” NOT because the sacred science of her unique prayer was ineffective. It was the member’s fault. Jane still rests on her throne, since she knows her prayers are always “of God.”

The same scenario applies in other matters. When Jane predicts something bad will happen to a wayward member or an attacker, if it happens; then she is validated. If it does not happen, then she is validated for some other reason which she concocts. For those under her spell, the application of critical thinking to reason why an event happened or did not happen is suspended waiting totally on Jane to supply the answer. This is enhanced by the previously mentioned power differential.

So, does this help? With a negative scenario, it was never Jane’s fault or the fault of her prayer being ineffective. Some thing, someone, some other reason was the cause of her plans going array. When an outcome she predicted happens (a “positive” scenario), then she easily takes credit and adds another sitting cushion to her throne. Within her group, she is the original spin doctor.

Do not “attack” her unique practices built on her unique doctrines. The “sacred science” of her unique prayer and practices was in effect the avenue which brought her personal worship. When you don’t perform or receive the prayer- you are not worshiping her with the adulation she deserves. Thus, you cannot be “blessed” and are “attacked.” The sacred science requirement for thought reform is met here.

“The group system or its leader also directs questions and thoughts into a prefabricated box by controlling or Loading the Language used in the group. Unfamiliar terms and familiar terms used in esoteric ways are often employed more for emotional effect than for logical content. Terms that are not familiar to the inductees are used to enhance the appearance of authority and uniqueness of the group.”

Anyone attending the recent court session in May could hear this WOFF special language as Jane testified. At one point, she said to Paul Ditz, “I don’t know where you are coming from.” I started to gag at the WOFF-speak. When Jane addressed a member with that statement, it was a condescending put down. In effect, you are not in my realm. (I live with God, you are of the devil.) Paul Ditz did not catch the meaning and why should he? Yes, it is English –with another level of WOFF meaning. She has spoken her unique WOFF-speak for so many years- she struggles as a bilingual.

Take-hold. Open your heart. Are you locked-in? Are you giving over? Have you submitted your heart to Truth? Just put your name on the apostasy list! Get on your face and cry out to God! Repent and submit to Jesus. What sin are you giving to? Better to bruise than to burn. You are an attacker! You are out of the church. You are in discipleship! The sleep devil is taking you over! You are a Jezebel harlot! The Babylonian system is taking you over.

The previous paragraph is just a small example the loaded language of WOFF. The Loaded Language requirement for thought reform is met in the WOFF culture.

So, for present and former members, is it possible you lived under a thought reform system while inside WOFF? Does it still affect your life?

For certain, when members leave WOFF- they will go through a “spring thaw” to rediscover who they are. For those who were raised inside WOFF, yours is not a thaw but a springing forth, as you discover who you are now after never being able to make your own choices until leaving. In future posts, we will continue to explain thought reform and the process survivors go through when leaving these groups into their new liberty and freedom.

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: blasting, Cult Criteria, deliverance, ICSA, Jane Whaley, Leaving a Cult, loud prayer, religious mind control, Ron Burks, thinking for myself, Thought reform, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

This past week included disclosure of documents outlining several events in the Matthew Fenner case. As a review, five defendants from the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) were indicted earlier this year on several charges including felony assault and second degree kidnapping stemming from events on January 27, 2013. The five defendants include Brooke M. Covington, Justin B. Covington, Sarah Covington Anderson, Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. and Adam Bartley.

Pre-trial events have included a show stopping disqualification of Joshua Farmer, Mark Morris, Andrea Farmer of Tomblin, Farmer & Morris (TFM) and their associates from representing any of the five defendants. Judge Marvin Pope issued the order on August 6th and also confirmed his Order after a hearing on August 27th. During the August 27th session, attorney Angela Beeker argued the case against disqualification on behalf of TFM. This disqualification came into focus after TFM refused to present Adam Bartley with a plea deal offered by Assistant District Attorney, Garland Byers. In a hand written refusal of the plea, Bartley said, “…I did nothing wrong.” Adam Bartley and Robert L. Walker, Jr, each have secured separate counsel from TFM. Mr. Bartley’s attorney is Robert Denton and Robert Walker’s attorney is Matthew Cabe. Both of these attorneys have their office in Morganton.

This is where we pick up our summary of this week. In court documents, a letter dated August 25th from Bartley’s counsel,in response to the previously reported Motion to Revoke Bond, Robert Denton included these words in regards to the Motion for his client,

“I am saddened to receive the same (motion) and had hoped to have a more professional relationship with you…Do you really intend to tell the Judge that it is a coincidence that approximately a week after he turned your plea down that you decided to file a motion to revoke his bond?… You may want to consult the Rules of Professional Conduct on a prosecutor abusing his calendaring authority for these types of shenanigans. …As you know I do not even have discovery in the case… It seems to me that you are taking this case very personally… I would request you withdraw your motion and we discuss your concerns over the phone…If these are the types of games you play… Perhaps you should recuse yourself from this case?”
(use the BACK ARROW to return to this post)
Denton letter to Byers

I understand the term “discovery” here to be the process where a defendant’s attorney is allowed to review the Prosecutor’s evidence against his client. This is to allow for a more fair and adequate counseling of the defendant.

On August 26th, Byers did file a “Notice of Withdrawal of Motion to Revoke Bond for Mr. Bartley. Key points in the Motion include the following (paraphrased). Mr. Denton first appeared as counsel for Bartley on August 3rd. August 25th was the first written communication from Denton to the State on behalf of his defendant. TFM’s attachment of the handwritten document supposing to be a rejection of the plea DID NOT have Denton’s signature and therefore the State “did not believe the rejection to be valid.” Denton admits in his letter, “As you know, I do not even have discovery in this case.” How could he “properly advise his client on whether he should accept or reject the State’s plea offer”?
Notice to Withdraw Motion to Revoke Bond

(for WOFF members, Bartley was not “Locked in.”)

Byers then outlines the steps he believes should occur BEFORE Denton could advise Bartley. “(1) review the discovery (evidence); (2) meet with his client and discuss the information. (3) conduct his own investigation on behalf of the defendant; before he could effectively (4) advise his client on a course of action in regards to the State’s plea offer.”

Also, a point was made that Byers came on the case a full three months after the indictments and “only after conferring with District Attorney Ted bell did he learn that he original pre-trial conditions were to remain in effect even with the second round of indictments.” However, the State reserves the right to bring the issues of the defendant’s pretrial release before the Court as permitted…”

Yes, folks, this tells us the plea offer can still be accepted and/or negotiated. It also begs the question- WHO counseled Bartley to submit to TFM a handwritten informal rejection WITHOUT Denton’s signature? We may never know, but have to wonder if TFM had their hand in the handwritten rejection AFTER they were disqualified and was it with Denton’s blessing?

Another series of documents in the court file this week surrounded the request from Assistant District Attorney Byers to Angela Beeker for her to withdraw from the case. In a letter dated August 31st, he cited “We believe that you have the same conflict (as the disqualified Attorneys with TFM) in that you represent the same three defendants currently.”
Byers Letter to Beeker

Beeker’s reply states, “I have no plans to withdraw at this time, and I believe that this matter should be taken up with the Court on September 21, 2015 as you suggested.”
Beeker refusal to withdraw

This refusal prompted Byers to file a “Second Motion to Disqualify Counsel” in order to require Beeker to withdraw from representing the three remaining WOFF defendants- Brooke Covington, Justin Covington and Sarah Anderson. Included in this Second Motion is a recap of the events leading to this impasse. From the Motion, (paraphrased) TFM filed several documents after being disqualified on August 6th. Angela Beeker signed these documents “and in doing so, entered a formal and unlimited appearance on behalf of the defendant’s in the trial division.” She appeared on August 27th on behalf of the named defendants. “Attorney Beeker has the Same Conflict on Disqualified Counsel” “The State’s Motion to Disqualify Counsel was not targeted at disqualified counsel individually, but rather at the situation – – that is: the representation by one Firm of more than on defendant in this action. Thus, the State argues that the same logic applies: if Farmer and Morris and their associates are disqualified, then Attorney Beeker should be as well…”
2nd motion to disqualify

The motion goes on to point out that Josh Farmer presented to the court that TFM had “…associated Ms. Beeker to assist in the Motion for Reconsideration and handle the appeal.” TFM and their associates were disqualified. Sounds like an open and shut case, don’t you think? The Motion goes on the quote case law supporting the position stating, “Retrying this issue is thus barred by the foregoing authorities and principles of law.”

Whew, what does all this mean? Well, I am no expert, but it sounds like we are about to be treated to another day of useless defenses presented by Beeker. Or, is she just covering for a time until the three defendants can secure their own counsel and allow Beeker to withdraw? Is Beeker risking her reputation as a stall technique? High price to pay, I would say.

On September 2nd, there was a Motion for Assignment of Judge filed in this case. This Motion asks that Judge Pope “be assigned to preside over all matters in each of the above-captioned cases, up to and including the trial on merits in each case.”

The State points out that “There have been several hearings in these matters which involved the taking of testimony, rulings on evidence consideration of appellate cases and consideration of authorities…It would be virtually impossible for another Judge to come in and preside over these cases and understand the dynamics of each particular case and the various contentions and positions of the parties at the same level as Judge Pope…”
Motion to Assign Pope as Judge throughout

To which anyone with any sense would agree… So, for now, on September 21st, the change of venue and change of venire will not be heard, but the Second Motion for Disqualification and the Motion of Assignment of Judge will be heard. There are several days before the 21st, we are sure to have more documents filed on some issue for this case before then. Stay tuned and check back often for updates and observations in this ongoing saga.
Notice of hearing in Sept 21
Season for Changes rolls on…

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Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Adam Bartley, Angela Beeker, Brooke Covington, Garland Byers, Justin Covington, Matthew Cabe, Matthew Fenner, Robert Denton, Robert Louis Walker Jr., Sarah Anderson, Tomblin Farmer Morris, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

At the very end of the fourteen day period allowed for filing an appeal, Brooke M. Covington, Justin B. Covington and Sarah C. Anderson each filed appeals this past Thursday, during the last half hour that the court was open. Each defendant filed two notices. One notice was appealing Judge Pope’s order “entered August 27, 2015 granting the State’s motion to dismiss the notice of appeal filed by (each) defendant on August 20, 2015.” The second notice was to appeal the order of Judge Pope “entered August 27, 2015 denying defendant’s motion to reconsider order disqualifying counsel.” (Use BACK ARROW to retunr to this post)
Brooke Covington appeals
Justin Covington appeals
Sarah Covington Anderson appeals

Questions pop up all over the place from these notices. Who helped prepare them? What is the goal for these filings? What is the purpose of filing without representation? Rule 4 of the North Carolina Rules of Appellate Procedure is used to justify these appeals. A layman’s reading does suggest that the defendant’s CAN file these appeals, but should they? How will Judge Pope view them in light of his most recent Order which contain these words pertaining to the Motion to Reconsider;

“After a review of the Court file, review of the State’s and the Defendant’s Memorandum, case law, consideration of legal arguments by counsel for the State and the Defendants, it is HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED AS FOLLOWS: The Defendant’s Motion to Reconsider the Order of August 6, 2015 filed by the Defendants on August 20, 2015 be and is hereby DENIED. “

Concerning the State’s Motion to Dismiss the Notice of Appeal;

“After a review of the Court file, review of the State’s and the Defendant’s Memorandum, case law, consideration of legal arguments by counsel for the State and the Defendants, it is HEREBY ORDERED, ADJUDGED AND DECREED AS FOLLOWS: The State of North Carolina’s Motion to Dismiss the Notice of Appeal filed by the Defendants on August 20, 2015 be and is hereby ALLOWED.

In other words, the answer was “NO.” The Tomblin, Farmer Morris Firm (TFM) and their associates were disqualified. The appeal of that order was denied. Nevertheless, here we go again. Is this a stall until the three can secure independent counsel for each of them? Does anyone believe that this move was not somehow run through the counsel in Jane Whaley’s office where one or more of the TFM group was present? Who led them to Rule 4?

All this does in my mind is pretty much assure that Assistant District Attorney Garland Byers will have an answer this coming week. This matter should make the docket for September 21st when the Motion for Assignment of Judge and the Second Motion to Disqualify Counsel will be heard. Oh, there will be more fun that day… In light of that- please read on.

WOFF is a Crime Scene….

At least that is one of the questions which will be decided by the Matthew Fenner trial. For many survivors and many members still inside, the question has already been answered. WOFF is an ongoing, unprocessed, ever evolving crime scene with many victims. The crimes I speak of in many cases result in the destroyed emotions and agonizing destruction of intimate, family relationships. The evidence of these egregious acts lay buried deep in hearts and minds of members often covered over in religious terms which fail to soothe the wounds. Many survivors tell me in confidence of the nightmares and dreams which they endure as a result of their time in the confines of WOFF.

Other violations consist of more outward physical acts. Those crimes are the ones which bring injury so deep it often times generates a response for the victim to dissociate and cover-up, disengage and try to forget or rewrite the scene in order to avoid the pain and face the injury. On the one hand, this is a survival response, on the other – it only delays the processing and healing of the trauma.

By writing, Locked in, I am hoping to further the healing for myself and others. This book will be released on September 21st. Early on the 21st, I will post links to purchase on my blog, Facebook page and send it out by email for those that have supplied me their email address. A portion of each sale will go to the Faith Freedom Fund.

Also, for those that purchase Locked in on September 21st, there is an added bonus. After you purchase, send me a screen shot of your receipt or your order number; I will return by email the link to a free download of the book which helped me see through the haze of WOFF. This book is out of print, but the .pdf is free and I offer the link as a way to say “Thank you” for buying my book on September 21st.

Please, share this with your friends and anyone who has ever had a question about what goes on inside of WOFF. Locked in will be the answer to many of the questions. Of course, I expect it to raise more questions and further discussion as to how members live on the inside. I hope you will take advantage of this offer and order the book a week from Monday. Thank you…

Season for Changes rolls on…

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Brooke Covington, Garland Byers, Judge Marvin Pope, Justin Covington, Leaving a Cult, Matthew Fenner, Sarah Anderson, Tomblin Farmer Morris, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

This week brought more motions and notices in the Matthew Fenner case.

September 15th- Rccatalyst.com reported Attorney Beeker withdraws from Fenner Case. They also reported Ms. Beeker filed a continuance for the three defendants, Brooke Covington, Justin Covington and Sarah Anderson for more time for them to find counsel. Beeker included Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. in the list of defendants. Walker’s attorney of record, Matthew Cabe, did not sign the motion. Could this just be sloppy paperwork? It is not clear how this will be treated during Monday’s session.

On the same day, the disqualified Josh Farmer filed a Petition for Writ of Supersedeas and Motion for Temporary Stay on behalf of Brooke M. Covington, Justin B. Covington and Sarah C. Anderson in the North Carolina Court of Appeals (19 pages). Mr. Farmer along with Mark Morris also filed a Petition for Writ of Certiorari (157 pages). The review of these documents is too long for this post. We will look at them in an upcoming post. There is a lot of feedback to offer about what was put in and what was left out of these documents. There is a docket entry for the filings, the fee has not been paid and it is unclear whether the Court will review and act on these filings.

September 18th, a motion from Adam Bartley’s attorney Robert Denton arrived in the mail and the clerk’s time stamped it into the records. We review this Motion to Continue All Motions below. Also, just before 5:00PM, Assistant District Attorney Garland Byers filed a response to Denton’s Motion. I do not have a copy, but will review it in a later post. For now, it is enough to look at Denton’s Motion.

Attorney Robert Denton: …upon information and belief…
Denton Motion to Continue

This past Friday afternoon, I made my way into the Rutherford Court Courthouse to obtain copies of any new filings in the Matthew Fenner case. When I arrived there were none available. However, just before leaving, the Motion to Continue All Motions was received via mail and filed by Adam Bartley’s attorney Robert Denton. Once I secured my copy, I was on my way out the door.

Five defendants; Brooke M. Covington, Justin B. Covington, Sarah C. Anderson, Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. and Adam Bartley have all been indicted and charged with simple assault and second degree kidnapping of Matthew Fenner on January 27, 2013. The incident took place in the sanctuary of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) in Spindale, NC. Sarah Anderson is also charged with assault by strangulation. Three of the defendants, Brooke, Justin and Sarah have had their counsel, Tomblin, Farmer and Morris (TFM) disqualified by ORDER of Judge Marvin Pope. Attorney Angela Beeker posed for a time as counsel for them, but as mentioned above, she has since withdrawn her representation. Exactly who Brooke, Justin and Sarah have as their counsel right now is unclear.

Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. a present member of WOFF is represented by Matthew Cabe. Adam Bartley is represented by Robert Denton. Mr. Denton’s Motion lists ten points in support of his request. We will review the most relevant points and provide a copy of the entire document.

In the introduction, Denton writes, (defendant, Bartley) “moves the Court to continue all motions until all parties are represented by counsel, all discovery has been completed, and otherwise to a time when the interests of justice can be better served, and shows the Court as follows…”

After stating some basic information:

“3. That this is not a very complicated case involves no scientific evidence to which counsel is aware and is otherwise factually simple.”

“4. That the undersigned’s involvement in the case has been brief,…” (but, he already assures himself this is a factually simple case?)

“5. That upon information and belief, the State of North Carolina is vigorously attempting to prosecute these defendants for reasons other than the facts associated with the case and, upon further information and belief, due to the defendant’s association with a church in Rutherford County which has been controversial, to some people, in the exercise of its religious freedoms under the United States Constitution.”

Where is he getting his “information and belief”? Has his previous associations included Mark Morris and/or the Assistant District Attorney of Burke County- Frank Webster? Is this the source of his information? Was he nestled in his home of Burke county for the last few years and thus unaware of the ongoing WOFF dramas? Has he done any independent investigations into the continual allegations and horrendous stories of survivors which have emerged from WOFF? Does he rest his hopes for this case on the “simple facts of the case” as relayed to him by TFM and their associates? “… exercise of its religious freedoms…”? When an alleged assault and second degree kidnapping are protected “religious freedoms”, we have bigger problems than a “factually simple case.”

It is evident by point number six; Denton has been on the WOFF news feed for a while. His recitation makes him sound like a Josh Farmer protégé. From the Motion:

“That since involvement began in this case, the undersigned has seen a pattern develop of motions to disqualify counsel for the other Defendants, who ironically are members of the Church referenced, …and otherwise a pattern of discrimination against these Defendants which, upon information and belief, leads the undersigned to believe that there is a factual basis for a civil action to be filed against the District Attorney’s Office in Rutherford County in the United States District Court for violation of these individuals civil rights per the United States Code and potential state Court claims for abuse of process, malicious prosecution, intentional and negligent infliction of emotional distress, among other torts.”

Wow, it is 2003 all over again. Mr. Denton, which WOFF wedding or open meeting did you attend? How many times have you visited the church and been swooned by the open arms and warm smiles? Was Jane sweet as jelly toast to you? News flash- the incidents in question happened at WOFF. ALL of the defendants (during January 2013) and their first choice for counsel attended the church. The victim in this case alleges the crimes were commissioned by church members. WOFF is not the pink elephant in the room no one can talk about.

Were you taken to the lower building or Brooke’s basement or Jayne’s house or any of the other holding grounds for wayward members who “give to the unclean?” Did they allow you to witness loud blasting deliverance prayer in its original heated commotion? How would you know? Did the meeting have a similar pitch as a loud jet taking off? If not, you were being schmoozed. You have nothing to use as a reference to know if you were being told the actual truth or fed a load of cow punky. You have no ability to discern or truly know what goes on behind closed doors. Trust me on this-you will NEVER personally know what has gone on in the bowels of that place. You will NEVER be allowed to witness what I write about in the Prologue of my book, Locked in. If you contact me, I will give you a signed copy if you promise to read it.

Denton goes on the call for “the District Attorney to hand over the case to the NC Attorney General’s Office for a more reasonable fair, balanced, unquestioned view of the District Attorney’s motives. …Upon information and belief, that is unlikely to happen voluntarily and defense counsel intends to file a motion seeking the same, including recusal of the District Attorney’s Office from the case in total.”

Mr. Denton, you have a ton of information and a lot of beliefs to also state in #4- “That the undersigned’s involvement in this case has been brief…” You seem pretty set in your conclusions and we have not had jury selection yet. Are you fit to counsel Adam Bartley if you allow him to refuse a plea that could help him avoid costing the State again to house and feed and care for him in prison? In number 7- you whine about driving 45 minutes to pick up the discovery as if you never plan to be in the county doing your due diligence and investigating the charges against your client? Are you ready to accept your client’s proclamation of his innocence before you review with him the technical aspects of the charges against him? Has he been counseled concerning the technical definition of kidnapping? This is why I ask you if you have witnessed WOFF deliverance. Your client may resolve his innocence without understanding the definition of the charges.

In number 8- Denton states from his brief involvement, “this is a case which is otherwise not complex at all to even the most junior lawyers but for the fact that there are other reasons associated with the prosecution, upon information and belief.”

Does this statement mean there is no complexity to a case where five defendants originally represented by a common firm, all members of the same church and whose secured bonds were supplied by the same church where the alleged incidents took place; this is a simple case? Mr. Denton, are you concerned that WOFF put up the secured bond for your client and what influence that might have over him? Is their act of “kindness” for their good or for your client?

“9. That the District Attorney’s Office will stop at nothing to prosecute these individuals for, among other things their religious practices, and upon information and belief, has no care for the fact that a special assignment of one Judge to a case which is not very complex , does nothing but cost the State of North Carolina even more money than has been spent on this case, begs the question of “why” such a motion or order is necessary, places this Honorable Court in a position where the citizenry in Rutherford County as well as at least this Defendant, thinks the Judge requested favors one party over another…”

Mr. Denton, is this the way you handle your cases in Burke County? Do you offer insults and throw downs and threaten civil action? This is a case where there were several rulings to correct the shenanigans of previous officials before you filed your Notice of Representation. It is obvious to me you have been associating for some time with one close in agreement with Jane Whaley. Am I far off here?

As if nine points were not enough to reveal your obviously prejudicial and combative stance…

“10. … the undersigned respectfully asks that the Honorable District Attorney’s Office, turn this case over voluntarily to the State Attorney General for whatever actions are necessary to pursue the interests of justice on behalf of all citizens of Rutherford County, and let that office take these cases out of the realm of suspicion, conjecture, tomfoolery and the otherwise appearance of a prosecution against members of a certain church…”

Mr. Denton, if you consider these cases only as prosecution of WOFF members and their religious practices, your client will not have complete counsel. If you are blinded by your obvious proliferation of “information and belief” (using the phrase eleven times in this Motion), I must question where you have secured your information? Have you indeed eaten at Jane’s table full of notions born out of desperation to keep her kingdom intact? Do you have any idea of the damming evidence against the results of the practices in question which already resides in the public realm? If you need a few pointers where to start looking, I can help you. If you are determined to be a mouth piece for TFM and Jane Whaley – then your presence will only add to the complexity of these cases and be a further drain and drag on the legal processes before us. The quality of your career in the next few months as well as the defense your client receives depends greatly on who you believe. I hope you are open to something besides sweet notions from the WOFF bakery.

In future posts, we will review Garland Byer’s answer to the ten points in Denton’s motion and the documents filed by Josh Farmer on behalf of Brooke, Justin and Sarah in the NC Court of Appeals. Check back soon.

Season for Changes rolls on…

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Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Adam Bartley, Brooke Covington, Garland Byers, Judge Marvin Pope, Justin Covington, Leaving a Cult, loud prayer, Matthew Fenner, Robert Denton, Robert Louis Walker Jr., Sarah Anderson, Tomblin Farmer Morris, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

The following is a brief description of the book and the special offer of a bonus book for ordering today. Share this post and please, write a review on Amazon.com after you read the book. Thank you… I will post more on the Fenner case later today..

Here is the link – Amazon US
Amazon Great Britain

For many years, residents of tri-city area of Rutherfordton, Spindale, and Forest City, NC have witnessed the unique appearances and behaviors of the members of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). Now, one survivor tells his view of life inside this ever-smiling, well dressed, standoffish group. John Huddle’s book, “Locked in”, reveals the oppressive inner dynamics and resulting behaviors which have proven a lightning rod for stares and hushed questions from those who observe WOFF members. This account goes into detail about the signature practice of loud prayer and blasting deliverance. John includes details regarding the efficient fund raising techniques employed by the group to support the affluent lifestyle of the leader- Jane Whaley. Throughout the story, the personal account of his journey is intertwined with observations and details of the many unwritten rules and essential beliefs which control each member. You will learn which freedoms the regular members surrender in order to stay inside this cloistered subculture. “Locked in” answers many questions which onlookers have asked for years.

Take a few minutes to order this book on Monday, September 21st. Begin learning many of the secrets behind the lily white doors of WOFF. You will find it at Amazon.com searching- “Locked in-John Huddle.” After you order on Monday, return a copy of the receipt or your order number by email to author@religiouscultsinfo.com or john@johnhuddle.net and receive a link to a .pdf copy of the book which helped John see through the haze of WOFF. This second book is out of print; however the download of 253 pages is free. In addition, a portion of each sale of “Locked in” will be donated to the Faith Freedom Fund- a non-profit organization purposed to help survivors of high-demand groups. John Huddle serves as a member of the Faith Freedom Fund. Please, share this offer with your friends and neighbors. It is much appreciated.

Thank you—for supporting my efforts to tell my story! Tell a friend, share this post.

Learn more about the Faith Freedom Fund here- http://religiouscultsinfo.com/?p=1039

Again, here is the link to order- Amazon US

Season for Changes rolls on…

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Leaving a Cult, Locked in, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

There is a lot of ground to cover in this post. We will begin with a timeline of known events, filings and letters issued during the last few weeks. Some of these events have already been covered or mentioned here. Also, we will note which ones have been reported by Rccatalyst.com.

In summary, five defendants from the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) were indicted in January of this year on several charges including felony assault and second degree kidnapping stemming from events on January 27, 2013. The five defendants include Brooke M. Covington, Justin B. Covington, Sarah Covington Anderson, Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. and Adam Bartley. Tomblin, Farmer & Morris (TFM) started out as counsel for the five. After hearing a Motion to Disqualify TFM on August 3rd, Judge Marvin Pope issued an ORDER of Disqualification of TFM and their associates for representing any of the five. Adam Bartley and Robert Lewis Walker, Jr. have since secured counsel. Bartley’s attorney is Robert Denton and Robert Walker’s attorney is Matthew Cabe. Both attorneys practice in Morganton. TFM filed a Motion to Reconsider the Disqualification and took on Angela Beeker to argue for them. August 27th, Judge Pope issued an ORDER denying the Motion to Reconsider Disqualification.

9/11/15- Letter from Assistant District Attorney Garland Byers to Attorney Denton (not placed in court file until 9/18) (Rccatalyst.com 9/26) Byers explains the State’s position with Bartley’s bond and offered plea. Byers points out that Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) holds the security (land) for the bond and for any reason or no reason have the option to withdraw their security. This could land Bartley in jail until other means or considerations for a bond are made. The power that WOFF has in holding the bonds of all five defendants is a matter of concern or Byers and he is seeking a way of “eliminating this situation.” In this letter, Byers admits concerning the plea, he is “keeping the offer open and disregarding your client’s premature rejection…” This is not a surprise in my eyes.

9/14/15- Attorney Beeker files Motion to Withdraw from counsel and Motion to Continue – Motion to Withdraw has not been heard because of the Stay issued 9/17, therefore Beeker remains as counsel for Brooke, Justin and Sarah- in the eyes of Superior Court. (Rccatalyst.com 9/15)

9/15/15- Josh Farmer files a Petition for Writ of Certiorari (157 pages) – this was mentioned in previous post. Second filing by Mr. Farmer included a Petition for Writ of Supersedeas and Motion for Temporary Stay. (19 pages) We will review the main points of the first filing in this post.
Writ of Certiorari
Petition for Writ of Supersedeas and Motion for Temporary Stay.

9/17/15 – John H. Connell, Clerk of the North Carolina Court of Appeals issued a stay of further trial proceedings until the Court ruled on the two documents filed by Josh Farmer. (Rccatalyst.com 9/21)

9/17/15—Attorney Denton sends letter to Garland Byers saying the letter of 9/11 sent to wrong fax number and he found it in the file. (Rccatalyst.com 9/26)

9/18/15 – Attorney Denton’s Motion to Continue All Motions is received into court records about 2:48PM. We covered this Motion in the previous post.

9/18/15—Letter dated 9/18/15 from Byers to Denton is placed in court about 4:31PM. (Rccatalyst.com reported 9/26/15) Byers states there is no motion by the State to join the cases of the five defendants. He points out the letter from September 11th was not placed in the court file until 9/15 and because of Denton’s accusations covered in the previous post including “tomfoolery,” Byers will only correspond to Denton in writing.

9/21/15- Attorney Denton filed Addendum to Motion to Continue All Motions just as court begins. This filing was mentioned in court however, I do not have a clear copy. The results of this session – Judge Pope issued continuances for all five defendants until the NC Court of Appeals decides the issues before them. The Court of Appeals reconvenes in October.(Rccatalyst.com 9/21/15)

9/23/15 – NC Attorney General Roy Cooper filed the “State’s Response to Petition for Writ of Certiorari” (10 pages) We will cover the main points in a future post.

So, as you can tell, these cases are very active for not even reaching the actual trial phase! The players are lining up for a myriad of moves and counter moves. To which we will review the move of Josh Farmer in filing the two Petitions on September 15th with the Court of Appeals.

The Petition for Writ of Certiorari has an index. The index lists a Table of Authorities (Case for support of statements inside the petition) next, Facts, then the Reason Why the Writ Should Issue, Attachments, Verification and Certification of Service. Here, because of the length of this post, I will mention the most glaring omissions of Mr. Farmer and some concerns raised by language in this Writ.

First, no mention if made of the fact that each defendant has a common secured bond holder- Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). I doubt if Josh is ready to admit the complexities this FACT brings to each of the five, each for a slightly different reason. Allow me to expound a little. Adam Bartley does not attend WOFF any longer. Byers recognized this situation in the letter of September 11th as we mentioned. For Robert Lewis Walker, Jr.; the question remains why was he pushed aside so quickly? The answer, I believe, is not in what he knows, but in what he does not know. He has not been privy the inside secrets of life close to Jane Whaley. He has been pushed out of the WOFF boat and unless his bond is changed, he is required to be WOFF-loyal regardless of his choice of counsel. His counselor should recognize this fact and approach Byers for the same considerations offered Bartley on the bond issue.

Now, Brooke Covington, Justin Covington and Sarah Covington; why do they need separate secured bond sources? Allow me to jump ahead to page nine of the Petition. Josh is again using State vs Yelton for his basis for argument. He draws the conclusion, “As with Yelton, it is unlikely that Petitioners- mother, son and daughter – would testify against each other.” Let’s break it down further. Brooke and her husband, Kent Covington are not the natural parents of Justin or Sarah. Neither did they actually adopt these two or their other sister, Rachel or brother, Patrick. Custody changed hands, names were changed- probably, but, no actual adoption could have or did take place. So, this detail does not coincide with the Yelton case. No natural birth ties, here. In this case, you can’t apply the old saying – “blood is thicker than water.” Brooke is not a blood relation to Justin or Sarah.

On the same page, in the previous paragraph, of the three Petitioners, – Understanding these risks, Petitioners have insisted on the joint representation and have expressly waived any resultant conflict in a knowing and intelligent manner “with sufficient awareness of the relevant circumstances and likely consequences.”

Has their counselor, TFM or Beeker reviewed each of the over 1000+ pages of discovery? If not, how can the Petitioners know in an intelligent manner “with sufficient awareness of the relevant circumstances and likely consequences” of joint representation? What part of the 1000+ pages will implicate one more than another of the three? Sarah faces an additional charge of “assault by inflicting injury by strangulation.” How could she reasonably assume that one of the other four will not under intense questioning by Byers, affirm that she was standing close enough to place her hands around Matthew’s throat? Where will the jury’s eyes go then? How far can Byers take the simple positioning in building his case against Sarah?

How will a joint counselor then proceed? How does he or she then decide who to cast as telling falsehoods? If Justin affirms the physical position of Sarah in relation to Matthew, and Byers has that position physically demonstrated in court; how does counsel representing the other two, Brooke and Sarah, affirm one defendant over the integrity/testimony of the other? Which one will the joint counsel then be forced to cast as unreliable? How will that choice be made? If TFM returns as counsel for the three, will they be required to lock in with Jane Whaley over steps to take in trial matters? In reality, Jane is THE Bondholder for everyone.

When Brooke’s role of leadership in both the church and family becomes revealed, how might that affect Justin and Sarah’s individual defenses? How does TFM defend Brooke at the cost of either Sarah or Justin?

And when the other corporate officers of WOFF watch this unfold in court, will they then apply pressure to one defendant in favor over another by sending word that if they continue telling “untruths”, their bond will be revoked and to jail they are sent? Do the WOFF records show Brooke as an officer of WOFF and is that an actual conflict to be addressed by revoking the bonds? If she is a corporate officer – how can Bartley and Walker avert the inherent disadvantage? Are there any of the TFM associates listed as a corporate officer to WOFF in any capacity? Can the State truly know the entirety of the hidden dynamics at play when four of the five defendants and all of TFM attend services at the secured bondholder?

Regardless of the declarations in court on August 27th, who doubts Josh Farmer’s role as counsel to the WOFF bondholder? How many cases are in public record showing his representation of WOFF or a Whaley?

Separate, individual, unrelated bonds, and separate attorneys for each defendant only makes sense to me. We continue.

Page 10 – Josh makes the point using Yelton- Petitioners, analogous to the defendants in Yelton, are in the best “position to know what facts might be developed at trial,” and they have concluded that their joint representation is advantageous.

Unless, each of the three have had the technical definitions of the charges explained to them, how can they relate that understanding to what they remember happening on January 27, 2013? How often have they been TOLD what happened? In WOFF, there are facts and there is Truth. Jane gives Truth to explain the facts. The Truth she gives remolds the facts. Ok, let me be clear. The five defendants have been told the Truth about the facts. Unless each of the five obtains Jane-free separate counsel in order for them to learn the technical definitions of the charges each will face AND the content of discovery which could affect their position in relation to the other four; then each is subject to Jane’s Truth. In my opinion, they will be at a distinct disadvantage pertaining to their individual interests when facing the jury. When Byers presents these legal/technical definitions of the charges to the jury, it will be free from Jane’s truth.

Also, on page ten, “In any event, any related concerns of the trial court were rendered null
when Mr. Bartley rejected the plea offer.”

Josh fails to mention the “rejection” was presented as valid without Attorney Denton’s signature. As mentioned above, Bartley’s plea is still an open subject with Byers. In the letter dated 9/11, Byers mentions he may file Motions to Revoke the bonds of the other four in order to solve the WOFF bond issue. I see this move as highly likely.

On page eleven, “Even if the trial court found that an actual conflict existed due to joint
representation, it failed to ground this conclusion in sufficient, competent evidence.”

Josh says this because he totally ignores the expert testimony of Attorney John Byrd on August 3rd. Byrd’s testimony WAS the evidence for the State.

Simply put, if TFM is allowed to return to counsel, how many WOFF members can they simultaneously represent while facing how many different charges from how many different events? If the Court of Appeals reverses Pope, where will the next line of prudence be drawn when considering joint representation of multiple defendants? Should we just accept Pope’s decision and move on with the process?

We will review the State’s Response to Petition for Writ of Certiorari in a future post. As is most always the case, I find more questions than answers.

Season for Changes rolls on…

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Adam Bartley, Brooke Covington, Garland Byers, Jane Whaley, Josh Farmer, Judge Marvin Pope, Justin Covington, Matthew Fenner, Robert Louis Walker Jr., Sarah Anderson, Tomblin Farmer Morris, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

Thursday, October 1, 2015- Austin Bailey of the Daily Courier published a story about my book, “Locked in.” He included a picture and a few quotes I gave him earlier in the day… Thank you, Austin, for contacting me and running the story. The response has been favorable. See article here.

Book Signings in Myrtle Beach, SC

For those familiar with my story, you know the role my mom took in helping me leave the Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF). I detailed the destruction of my family in the third part of “Locked in.” It seemed only fitting that my first appearance for a book signing would be among her friends, and students from her memoir writing classes. This past Friday afternoon, over fifty folks crowded into a room at Brightwater Retirement Community in Myrtle Beach. My mom introduced me by recapping the events surrounding my daughter’s graduation in June 2008. From there I began telling about my time in WOFF. I read the Dedication, Acknowledgement and Prologue to “Locked in.” The expressions on the faces of those listening let me know many were hearing about cult involvement for the first time. Before I ended, I shared about the work of the Faith Freedom Fund and asked for donations. Then, I opened the floor for questions. It has been a while since my last public speaking appearance and the occasional awkward moments of silence were uncomfortable for me, but did not seem to bother the listeners.

Saturday, we returned to the same room for a birthday party for my friend and resident of Brightwater. She is turning 100 years old on Tuesday. It was a festive occasion. I wore a special purple shirt in honor of her and that was new ground for me. There were more people than the room could hold as many relatives and friends dropped in to honor her. She requested a copy of “Locked in” and I was only too glad to oblige.

Sunday, I am scheduled to speak and answer questions after the morning services at St. Stephen’s Episcopal Church in North Myrtle Beach, SC. Father Merchant has graciously agreed to allow me to share about my book and answer questions. The cake is one my mother had made for the event. This will be my second time at St. Stephen’s sharing about my life inside WOFF. The members have been kind and gracious while hearing my story. This cake will be served at the church.

Details are still coming together for book signings in North Carolina. I will announce them as soon as the arrangements are certain. Check back for more information.

Update!

“Locked in” Kindle version is NOW available! (here). I am also excited to announce participation in the Kindle Matchbook program. This program allows those who have purchased the print edition directly from Amazon to obtain a Kindle edition for a discounted price. Also, “Locked in” Kindle version is eligible for lending to other Kindle device owners. (see Kindle FAQ for more details )

There will be additional e-book distribution channels opening in the next few weeks. Please, check back for those updates! Thank you, for choosing to “like” this page and read “Locked in.”

Season of Changes is upon us.

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Austin Bailey, Daily Courier, Leaving a Cult, Locked in, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

Update in the Matthew Fenner Case:
The NC Court of Appeals granted the request for writ of certiorari submitted on September 15th by Josh Farmer on behalf of the three defendants, Brooke Covington, Justin Covington and Sarah Anderson. Rccatalyst.com reported this ruling on Monday. From the article which quotes the order:

“Defendants’ petition for writ of certiorari is allowed for the purpose of reviewing the order entered on 6 August 2015 by Judge Marvin Pope, Jr. granting the State’s motion to disqualify counsel and the order entered on 27 August 2015 by Judge Pope denying the Defendants’ motion for reconsideration. It appearing the defendants have retained appellate counsel and are not seeking court-appointed counsel, the appeal shall be deemed taken as of the date of this order. The record on appeal shall thereafter be settled as provided in Appellate Rule 11 and filed in the Court as provided by Appellate Rule 12.

Defendant’s petition for writ of supersedeas is also allowed… and all further trial court proceedings are hereby stayed pending the outcome of defendants’ appeal to this Court.”

Included in the quoted article is a copy of the docket sheet for the case showing 10/5/15 as the date of the ruling.

What does this mean? From a layman’s perspective, this means the trial could actually be delayed for several months at a minimum. It appears to me that the first step will be to acquire the transcripts from the Superior Court sessions on August 3rd and August 27th. Those could take up to 60 days from the date of the initial request for the transcripts. After those are submitted to the appropriate parties, there comes a set time frame for each party to the appeal to agree on the accuracy of the submitted materials.

Taken from NORTH CAROLINA RULES OF APPELLATE PROCEDURE –Rule 11, page 20:

“If any party to the appeal contends that materials proposed for inclusion in the record or for filing therewith pursuant to Rule 9(c) or 9(d) were not filed, served, submitted for consideration, admitted, or made the subject of an offer of proof, or that a statement or narration permitted by these rules is not factually accurate, then that party, within ten days after expiration of the time within which the appellee last served with the appellant’s proposed record on appeal might have served amendments, objections, or a proposed alternative record on appeal, may in writing request that the judge from whose judgment, order, or other determination appeal was taken settle the record on appeal. A copy of the request, endorsed with a certificate showing service on the judge, shall be filed forthwith in the office of the clerk of the superior court and served upon all other parties. Each party shall promptly provide to the judge a reference copy of the record items, amendments, or objections served by that party in the case.

The functions of the judge in the settlement of the record on appeal are to determine whether a statement permitted by these rules is not factually accurate, to settle narrations of proceedings under Rule 9(c)(1), and to determine whether the record accurately reflects material filed, served, submitted for consideration, admitted, or made the subject of an offer of proof, but not to decide whether material desired in the record by either party is relevant to the issues on appeal, non-duplicative, or otherwise suited for inclusion in the record on appeal.”

NC Rules of Appellate Procedure

After a brief review of these Rules, I find there are time frames for this action and time frames for a response and other procedures with yet different time deadlines. There is a detailed listing of how information is to be presented and what to do if any party disagrees with this or that. Yes, this could mean a long time until the pending motions before the Superior Court in this case are heard.

However, we must remember this is a review of Judge Pope’s Orders- a review of his judiciary discretion. Did he overstep in his Order to Disqualify -Tomblin, Farmer and Morris (TFM) and their associates? It is better to know the answer to this question now rather than near the end of the trial(s) upon which a successful appeal of a conviction requires a retrial of the defendants. This should be taken in context. This acceptance of the writ is not a statement of guilt or innocence for any of the defendants. This acceptance of the appeal does not automatically grant the appeal. It only guarantees that attorneys for each side will be allowed to present written evidence for their respective sides. It is unclear to me since this is not an appeal of a final conviction, whether there will be any oral arguments allowed. From what I have learned so far, I don’t believe oral arguments are initially allowed.

Regardless of what happens in this case up, we can expect certain things to remain. We can expect more Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) members to leave. We can expect more stories of abuse coming from the survivors. Why? WOFF is UNSAFE. A few years ago, I carried a sign down Oakland Rd. which contained those words. (Spring Missions Project May 2011) My opinion has NOT changed in the least. I am more convinced today than when I carried the sign. Do any others agree?

WOFF is UNSAFE — Near the End of the Walk

Season of Changes is upon us.

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Brooke Covington, Josh Farmer, Judge Marvin Pope, Justin Covington, Leaving a Cult, Matthew Fenner, Sarah Anderson, Tomblin Farmer Morris, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

Judge Reidinger speaks on the Nuremberg Trial

Monday, October 12, 2015; Federal Judge, The Honorable Martin Reidinger, United States District Court Judge for the Western District of North Carolina delivered a methodical presentation on “The Nuremberg Trial: Legacy and Impact In Our Generation.” The event was held at the Mildred H. Keeter Auditorium at Cleveland Community College in Shelby, NC. Karel Reynolds, Holocaust Instructor for the College, Principal of the Word of Faith Fellowship Christian School and according to her recent court testimony, head of the video ministry at Word of Faith Fellowship hosted the event.

The calendar for Cleveland Community College specified 200 as the seating limit. Even before, I made it to the building; this clearly was a Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) event with possibly two-thirds or more of the audience consisting of leadership, youth, young adults and children. At first, Jane Whaley was sitting with her class, near the front, beside Brock. However, shortly before the event began, Jane received a text, looked over her left should and then her right. Right then, she heard God to give her seat to someone else. I don’t know if she sat in the back or left the gathering all together. I did not see her after she left her seat.

Let me apologize for stepping on Dr. Jerry Gross’ shoe when I passed in the aisle. Oh, clumsy me. I took a seat right behind Gerald and Linda Southerland and Gloria and Larry King. No, there were no handshakes or warm greetings. Looks of surprise, shock and disgust were more common. Expected. My main purpose was to consume what I believed would be overwhelming delicious irony while sitting among WOFF members listening to a presentation on the Nuremberg Trial. The whole scene was too inviting and I was willing to take the stares and grumpy faces just to witness what promised to be a night of unforgettable remarks. I did not have to wait long for the appetizers to be served.

Karel Reynolds led off the evening setting the stage by reminding us all that seventy years ago on October 12, 1945- the Nazi party was dissolved. She went on to admonish us from the Holocaust, we know what human beings are capable of… yes, that was just a foretaste of the ironic offerings for the night. She went on to point out that ‘education is not the only answer; the crimes we are talking about were committed by the educated!’ She then quoted Herman Goring, “I have no conscience. My conscience is called Adolf Hitler.”

Friends, can you see where this is going? For many, their conscience and direct connection to God has just left the room a few minutes earlier. Karel asked the NC Bar members to stand, I glanced back and there were maybe a dozen or so. So far, the room was full of lawyers, at least two doctors, a judge, adjunct professor Reynolds, an author of four books and who knows how many other degreed listeners. So, we start with a room full of many educated folks who have just been reminded their education would not keep them from possibly pushing the limits “of what human beings are capable of…” Anyone else grasp the connection here? Which faithful WOFF member could deny the requirement to lock in with Jane and allow her to tell you if you were hearing God- submitting your conscience to her? We move on, the main speaker and provider of riches has not taken the stage.

Hannah Davies is the direct WOFF connection to the main speaker. Has the Judge done any vetting or research of the darker side of WOFF? I have no answers to that question. It is sad on the one hand that a man of such high standards would align himself with such a controversial group, no matter how impressed he is with Hannah. Hannah does not represent the dealings and deeds done in the secret areas behind the closed doors of WOFF. But, Hannah provided a robust, near worshipful introduction and the Judge came to the podium.

From here, I will not attempt to retell the entire presentation, though I took extensive notes. Judge Reidinger began by explaining the US involvement in Nuremberg of Justice Robert Jackson of the US Supreme Court and Attorney General Francis Biddle. Jackson words in the very beginning set the tone of the trial- (in a speech which lasted hours) these were crimes against the peace of the world. He quoted Winston Churchill as saying we have a crime for which we have no name.

The indictments were for -1. Crimes against peace. 2. Conspiracy to commit wars of aggression. 3. War crimes. 4. Crimes against humanity. (abbreviated) Reidinger went on to explain that the defense of “following orders” was not a defense at all and each defendant was to have a fair trial based in the facts.

The term “war of aggression” was explained as a conquering, invasion based war for which Germany’s efforts were obvious. However, Reidinger listed several previous wars of aggression which were not questioned or addressed with the same measures as World War II. He explained several important background events such as the effect of World War I, the Treaty of Versailles, and League of Nations. He pointed out the Treaty of Versailles required reparations paid to nations; however the Nuremberg Trial was against individuals. The main Nuremberg trial for the 22 defendants lasted from November 1945 to October 1946. Of the 22 defendants- 12 were executed, 3 were acquitted and the rest received prison sentences of different lengths. Some in the US were critical of the process calling it a high grade lynching; also some saying in complaint that the standards were changed after the crimes.

Other key points include the majority of the victims of the Holocaust were from outside the German borders. The media at the time showing photos during the liberation horrified many. Justice Jackson calling for International laws so that aggressive war would never happen again. Reidlinger said though there was the goal of due process, clearly there was the intent punish and send a message – this must never happen again. Sadly, this has not been accomplished.

Before we close, allow me to summarize the irony up to this point. Many educated and hoping to be educated folks in this room were reminded that education was not the total answer to preventing the Holocaust; even educated people can give their conscience over to a leader. How many caught the meaning? Did any WOFF member say in their heart, is that me? Have I given my heart/conscience to Jane? I have no idea how many, if any, realized their true state. Next, when explaining the indictment of the Nazi criminals, how many in the room were reminded five of their own were under indictment for felony charges? When Reidinger explained that “I was following orders” was not a defense. How many WOFF members asked, would that be my only defense for the “correction” I have given others? During the “deliverance fight”, did I cross the line? I was only following Jane’s direction, right?

Now, a paraphrase of the Judge’s close. The Nuremberg trial shed a bright light on crimes which were screaming for justice. The world took notice and said – Never Again! Are we serious? If we look at different news stories, are we serious? Are others being executed because of their religion? How are we going to respond?

The legacy of the Nuremberg Trial has yet to be written, it will be written by you, students, (and) young warriors. “Will you stand when something happens to your neighbor? Stand up for right? If you don’t who will?” Or will you just take a pat on the back and say how good we are doing?

At these statements, I wanted to shout. Students of the Word of Faith Christian School! Will you excuse the abuses covered over in the name of Jane’s religion as “God’s will” and allow your “neighbor” to be punched, kicked, hit, screamed at and held down? Or will you do something?

John, you expect the children to change things? EXACTLY! We can’t leave it to the children, where are the parents, where is the DSS! No matter how Jane attempts to rewrite the history of the group saying these things never happened- true memories and fears still affect the children. Members of all ages KNOW the truth about the abuses. Some have fled, some feel stuck, and some ignore and say it’s not my responsibility. North Carolina Bar members- Hannah Davies! When will you take your professed fight for justice and wake-up and fight for the safety of the children in your group-first! How will the attorneys in WOFF explain away the abuses which are allowed to continue because of the dysfunction of the leader and many in her leadership? I sat among you as a witness, tonight. All of you heard the same ironic truth I heard. Don’t let it be another wasted, look-good, feel-good, pat-on-the-back meeting. Many of you have attended hundreds, maybe thousands of such meetings. Apply tonight to your own life! WAKE-UP! Yes, I saw your Jewish supporters sitting among the crowd. I felt sorry for them. They are being DUPED!

Season of Changes is upon us. Will this be a cold winter in Spindale?

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

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Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Hannah Davies, Jane Whaley, Judge Martin Reidinger, Karel Reynolds, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship

Last Monday evening, October 12th, I was privileged to sit among the leadership of Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) and witness the Honorable Judge Martin Reidinger deliver a presentation on the Nuremberg Trials. As mentioned in a previous post, the irony of the whole night was stark and at times overwhelming. Before the Judge began his delivery, Karel Reynolds opened with a few remarks noting the 15th of October 1945 as the day the Nazi party was dissolved. She mentioned two other statements which I have not been able to forget. She mentioned the results of the Holocaust showed us “…what human beings are capable of…” and that education was not the only answer to stopping such atrocities. Hitler had highly educated scientists and engineers working for him.

As proof of that, in preparation for the prosecution of the defendants at the Nuremberg Trials, each was administered intelligence tests and psychiatric evaluations. (here) Karel quoted Hermann Goering, a leading member of the Nazi party, to say, “I have no conscience. Adolf Hitler is my conscience.” Mr. Goering’s intelligence test score was 138. That score is listed as “gifted.” (2.3% of test takers score this range).

What was Karel’s point? I took it to mean that intelligence will not stop a person from selling or giving away control of their conscience. Karel, was I right?

The irony of the line of reasoning was reflected in her membership in WOFF and what that requires. An outsider, noting the behaviors of WOFF could easily say that faithful members of WOFF have given control of their conscience to Jane Whaley. How do we know? EVERY faithful member will at some point bow and submit their conscience decisioning power to Jane or it will not go well for them. No matter the law degree, the medical training, the CPA title or any level of education or intelligence; faithful members give over the power to decide the course of their lives and daily choices to Jane. Will anyone honestly dispute that fact?

Did any of the leadership sitting around me understand that analogy? I am not sure. However, I understand there is a way to buy back partial control of your conscience inside WOFF. Members can do this either by monetary donations, job creation or prestige transfer. Aside from blood relations, leadership in WOFF can buy back control of their life by giving Jane things she needs, money or jobs- which create money, or prestige. Let me explain.

Jane is not a producer of goods. She depends on donations from her members or fund raising of some sorts to satisfy the huge demand for cash required to maintain and advance her kingdom. Ray or Josh or Kent or David or whoever in essence buys back control of their life by supplying cash or jobs. These folks are the producers of goods and services which bring in the money. For Jane, there is another way to buy freedom to make some of your own choices- transfer prestige through close association. Oddly, I think some of the notoriety from Leigh Valentine transfers to Jane and thus Leigh is allowed to carry on regardless of breaking the rules others must follow. Jane also absorbs prestige from rich Jewish people who have supported the Holocaust show in years past. This allows them to come close at times and yet live their own lives. The same could be said about politicians. Jane soaks in their aura and in turn does not recruit them to her subculture. They are free to bask in her “glory” without giving her their conscience.

John, why bring this up? Doesn’t everyone see this anyway? No, I don’t believe the ones inside WOFF from the leadership on down have an understanding how similar they are to Hermann Goering. Goering witnessed the depravity that human beings are able to inflict on their fellow humans. His excuse was he had surrendered his conscience to his leader. Goering was sentenced to hang, but committed suicide instead. Though not to the same degree, I contend that the leadership of WOFF have seen far more than outsiders consider “normal discipline” or “punishment for sin.”

If Gerald and Linda don’t understand this, I doubt if the regular members do either. The process of surrendering your conscience is much easier than taking it back. The suction power of Jane’s high demand authority style results in losing control of your life all the while believing you are living for God and doing the will of God. That is the con Jane runs. She requires supreme, conscience-surrendering loyalty and gives back the charade of holy righteous living, fulfilling the call of God, to the Nations or whatever phrase of the week she is pushing. You can only gain back partial control of your life by supplying what she knows she can’t provide for herself. Ultimately, she still has control of every faithful member until they break free from the vortex and run away.

Why is this understanding so vital right now? Have you heard the reports out of New Hartford, NY? Bruce Leonard and Deborah Leonard, members of Word of Life Christian Church, are charged with manslaughter in the death of their 19 year old son, Lucas. From the witness reports, they were also involved in the beating of their 17 year old son, Christopher who is recovering in the hospital and “cooperating with authorities.” Four other church members are charged with second degree assault. The charges originate from the “counseling session” which began Sunday evening and ended Monday morning about 10:00AM. This is when the ones involved in the beatings realized Lucas was unresponsive. After CPR failed, they transported him by one of their vehicles to the St. Luke’s Hospital.

Differing reports have surfaced as to the purpose of the meeting. One report says Lucas was accused of practicing witchcraft. Another report says he wanted to leave the Church. Witnesses also say the counseling session was arranged by the pastor, Tiffani Irwin. Former members have said the leadership techniques were “tyrannical” and “confrontational.” Is it possible that faithful members were required to give over their conscience decisioning power to the leader(s)? Is this how a father and mother could mercilessly for hours on end beat their sons?

Chief of Police Inserra commenting on the investigation, “Devoted to spiritual leader Traci Irwin and pastor Tiffanie Irwin, members often “wait to be told what to do,” (here) Could the members waiting to be told what to do be because they are afraid of being wrong? What are the consequences for making the wrong decision inside Word of Life Church? That is a fair question, right?

It is not yet clear how many participated, but the dynamics of a mob, hell-bent on cleansing the defiant one leading to a homicide, seems plausible to me. The reports that previous sessions did not include violence make no sense to me. A father does not suddenly accept in his own mind that using fists and feet and a belt or cord, unless he is led to that belief over time. I could be wrong here, but it makes more sense that the group morphed into sessions of severe physical abuse. A group of people who are able to process the individual internal conflicts arising from administering severe physical punishment without stopping it leads me to believe this has happened before and under the direction of a central leader. This leader required supreme, conscience surrendering loyalty and that occurs over time. Will authorities bring in the two leaders for questioning? I believe after statements from Christopher Leonard are processed, it only makes sense to question the church leaders.

Can what happened at Word of Life Church in NY happen in WOFF? All I can say is that the foundation is present for WOFF members to give over their conscience to a strong leader. Once that dynamic is in place, the results are highly unpredictable. I believe many in leadership have already done things that a few years ago, they never thought they would participate in. Where and when will this continuum to disaster end?

Hue Fortson Jr., Peoples Temple Member: “Being in an environment where you’re constantly up, you’re constantly busy, and you’re made to feel guilty if you take too many luxuries like sleeping — you tend to not really think for yourself. And I did allow Jones to think for me because I figured that he had the better plan. I gave my rights up to him. As many others did.”

Season of Changes is upon us. Will this be a cold winter in Spindale?

Follow this blog on Twitter- @religiouscults and Facebook – https://www.facebook.com/johnhuddleauthor

Comments are invited from all readers, including present or former members. Polls are not scientific and no private information is gathered.

Guest posts reflect the opinions of the writers. Their opinions do not necessarily reflect the opinions of John Huddle or any other persons affiliated with this blog.

Technorati Tags: Bruce Leonard, Chief of Police Inserra, Christopher Leonard, Cult Criteria, Deborah Leonard, Hermann Goering, Jane Whaley, Judge Martin Reidinger, Karel Reynolds, Leaving a Cult, Lucas Leonard, Nuremberg Trials, Tiffani Irwin, WOFF, Word of Faith Fellowship, Word of Life Church NY

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