GSchaeff Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I very much agree with the cash cow analogy. I
> think that Gary cycles into periods of intense
> submission to keep people insecure and dependent
> on his uplifting, yet insidiously destructive
> message.
>
> Listening to my old tapes again, it feels like he
> manufactures things for his followers to feel
> insecure, guilty, or humiliated about. Look no
> further than his latest message to the YASP. "You
> kids have all this free time now, and you're not
> giving enough of it to God." He dedicates a
> service to the kids, and admonishes them in it.
> That's a textbook example of something you'd see
> in an abusive relationship. He cycles between
> guilt and reward like a stick and carrot routine.
> Actually, you could follow that pattern back
> through most of his latest messages.
>
> There is intense devotion there though. Being
> inside, I remember remarking with other members
> how Jonestown, or scientology, or Hare Krishna
> were obviously different than us, because they
> were only mimicking the truth that we knew we had.
> Looking back, that's not a very good
> justification.
>
> If TLWF goes down that path, I think there will be
> warning signs. We'll see things like isolation,
> and more messages of fear, especially of the
> "principalities and powers of the outside world."
> The master plan for Shiloh has already zoned out
> the land so that they can house almost the entire
> church population on the grounds. If the
> satellite churches start converging to Shiloh,
> I'll be more worried about a Branch Davidian
> situation. I personally don't think Koresh planned
> mass suicide, but that paranoia of the outside
> world sure created a dangerous situation where
> things went tragically wrong.

We need to be vigilant in the case of anyone we know in the walk--watch for personality changes and depression and desire to die. I have heard that from someone I know.

Cloudwatcher Wrote:

> I am really concerned about this. He is headed in
> a direction that could very well bring devastating
> harm to people who have faithfully followed--when
> he tells them they have failed and fallen out of
> favor with God and God will now be raising up
> people in Brazil to replace them. He will not do
> this gently. When M's funeral was held in
> Shiloh--I truly feared a Jonestown--but it would
> be too obvious. People can be isolated and if the
> disappear of the face of the earth it will be an
> isolated "collateral damage" kind of thing. This
> is dead serious. I hope I am not just being
> nutty. But I can't imagine the level of
> depression setting in on people right now--the
> fear -- and the weariness. Just sayin'. Hope I
> am wrong.

I share that assessment. I couldn't care less about him--he's evil. But the faithful are in a very vulnerable place, especially after being told that after all these years of sacrifice they still have not fulfilled the fundamental requirement of being obedient. He's been repeatedly pounding that notion into them as a "word from god." All it takes is some significant negative event, especially involving Shiloh (he's been hinting that they need to "drink from the cup") and the impact could send them into a tailspin they may never psychologically recover from. Of course, he will find a way to escape culpability, as he typically does. Perhaps spend even more time in one of his cushy places, ruminating in the delusion that he has been blameless before 'the father' and the people have not been worthy of 'the word' he has given them. And counting the money.
I hope it doesn't go down this path, but it appears very plausible.

!



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 07/15/2018 11:57AM by changedagain.

changedagain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> !

That's a very profound statement right there, changeagain! ;)

Great posts, cloudwatcher and changed.

Does anyone else remember the super-secret LW doctrine of reincarnation? I don't think that it was ever spoken from the pulpit. JRS had supposedly been Samuel and John the Beloved. All the principal pastors had been someone special in the Bible, too. I was thinking about this the other day, and it struck me as odd that so many of those special Bible characters left the Walk. They must have been privy to higher revelation than the rest of us. ;)

* * * E E R I E S I M I L A R I T I E S * * *


My wife and I just met someone whose mother was involved in the following cult:

[www.youtube.com]

kBOY Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> * * * E E R I E S I M I L A R I T I
> E S * * *
>
>
> My wife and I just met someone whose mother was
> involved in the following cult:
>
> [www.youtube.com]

The stacks of tapes! Oh, my!

Meanwhile, the 'living word' continues to twist reality. In the latest message Gary portrays his overbearing, abusive ways as the 'discipline of the Lord.' It's an old, tried and true tactic--characterizing abuse as love. Anyway, I'm still retaining hope that people will see through his deceptive, manipulative 'ministry' and escape from his clutches. The cruelty must end.

Passover in July:

[goo.gl]

From TLWF website, FAQ section:

What commitment is expected of The Living Word Fellowship church members?

The Living Word Fellowship is a vibrant community of Christian believers. We are fervent in our faith, in our love one for another, and in our dedication to Christ, therefore you will find a high level of involvement and participation by the members of the church family. There is, however, no prescribed level of participation or involvement.


[www.thelivingword.org]


"There is, however, no prescribed level of participation or involvement."

Unless things have changed very much in recent years, that statement seems like a gross exaggeration to me.