kBOY wrote:
No time do I remember any upper tier leader in TLW ever bring themselves to crocodile tears over any of the egregious violations perpetrated upon the flock.

John would cry often behind the pulpit, hinting at transgressions, but the emphasis was always on how he failed 'the Lord.' If he would get right before God (presumably behind the scenes), have a "broken spirit," and get busy doing the will of God (speaking the Word), that was sufficient repentance. To my knowledge, he never came clean before the congregation and admitted specifically what he had done that may have harmed people (affairs, luring congregants into the silver mine scam etc.). Meanwhile, in the wake of the very serious allegations vs. TLWF leaders back in October/November of 2018, Gary seemed to indicate his main sin was "not listening to the Holy Spirit." His action was to shut down the church organization, partly on the basis that it represented religious hierarchical thinking. He neglected to mention that he personified position thinking as much, if not more, than anyone in the fellowship (excluding Rick). He certainly wasn't known for being approachable, and if you told him something he did not want to hear, you were doing it your own peril. Shunning and ostracization often followed.
That said...most of us learned not to recognize the entrenched double standards that we lived with day after day, year after year. Now with the benefit of separation and reflection, it is blatantly obvious.



Edited 1 time(s). Last edit at 09/07/2019 11:37PM by changedagain.

C H A N G E D


Upon sober reflection "the entrenched double standards" are now "blatantly obvious".

As much devotion in the 'word' over the decades that spoke against hierarchical position thinking, TLW was the gold-standard for the very thing. As the years wore on post-JRS, it became even more entrenched. All of this was strengthened by the false doctrine of the 'upward flow' (90% us--10% you), which only widened the gap between shepherd (devourer) and sheep.

All of this reminds us of the warning, 'Call no man father', which we conveniently believed did not apply to us.

Caveat emptor.

True

I'm the first to admit that it's been a long time since I've opened up a Bible. Today I may actually do that, and see if I can locate these two passages:

--"If I want your opinion, I will beat it out of you."

--"Sit down, shut up and listen."

Sermon on the Mount, perhaps?

changedagain Wrote:
-------------------------------------------------------
> I'm the first to admit that it's been a long time
> since I've opened up a Bible. Today I may
> actually do that, and see if I can locate these
> two passages:
>
> --"If I want your opinion, I will beat it out of
> you."
>
> --"Sit down, shut up and listen."
>
> Sermon on the Mount, perhaps?

Changed, while you look for that, I'll look for, "Let me tell you how to think".

. . . and while we are at it . . .


"Zero with the rim rubbed out."

(Feel free to contribute other fake news.)

From linked article:
Cubicles of Charm and Crucibles of Condemnation.
How spiritually abusive organizations charm fans and condemn dissenters.

Quote

In the spiritually abusive organization, excessive charm quickly becomes excessive condemnation the moment loyalty is betrayed. Any non-supporters are quickly moved to crucibles of condemnation where the heat is turned up until the opposition is melted down.

This condemnation almost always happens in isolation behind closed doors where the organization is able to take greater risks. Those in the cubicles will quickly dismiss any reports of abuse because they have only known their climate of charm.

What the organization fails to understand is that the crucible of condemnation will eventually produce something new to them: people they can no longer charm, intimidate, or silence. People who know the truth and are compelled to make it known to others out of concern for the abused.

[medium.com]

Perhaps those still defending abusive organizations such as The Living Word Fellowship have yet to experience "the crucible of condemnation".

Hint: Try making suggestions or speaking up about abusesive behavior you observe or have experienced. You will now become a danger to the organization. You will quickly be moved from the "cubicle of charm" into the "crucible of condemnation", or in our case, THE NEPHILIM ZONE.

What the organization fails to understand is that the crucible of condemnation will eventually produce something new to them: people they can no longer charm, intimidate, or silence. People who know the truth and are compelled to make it known to others out of concern for the abused.

Amen!

R E E P


'Great' article and all too sad . . .

It is amazing how similar the modus operandi is within all these 'spiritual' movements. First they love-bomb you, and then they drop the bomb on you.

So many of these organizations seem to operate more like oppressive political regimes, and also mirror the tribal dynamics of street gangs, except expulsion there can possibly mean a death-sentence.

I don't remember so much being love-bombed back in the day, but definitely remember being sold a bill of goods about the most important event of our lives--'bringing in the Kingdom'--at whatever the cost, and that cost meant everyone was expendable for the cause.

We were either a part of the answer or became part of the problem, and those who 'earned' nephilim status were infamous.

TEN MOST WANTED, anyone? . . .

This by Walked from January of this year:

Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens
Posted by: Walked
Date: January 12, 2019 11:58PM

Those who are hanging on to the tail end will excuse Hargrave's fleeing as necessary to escape the nephilim or false charges brought against him by the likes of us-- who they consider Satanic forces or whatever the nom du jour is. Anyone who hasn't seen the light yet is so far up where the sun don't shine that Hargrave could do *anything* and they'd suck it up. All that's left to wonder is who will lead the rag-tag remnant into the end time?? ;) One last thought--- Hargrave couldn't possibly believe in God, because if he did, he would know the reckoning coming...