Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens
Posted by:
changedagain
()
Date: January 05, 2024 09:15AM
A few posts from June-July of 2018.
Posted by: changedagain
Date: June 30, 2018 05:53PM
FCSLC Wrote:
The warnings and threats are what we hated the
most.
If you removed the element of fear, how many people would have remained in TLWF?
The fear of losing protection from the mob boss in the sky, if nothing else, keeps people in line.
Posted by: GoingRogue
Date: July 01, 2018 06:45AM
Inquiry is human; blind obedience brutal. Truth never loses by the one but often suffers by the other.
William Penn
Posted by: Onion
Date: July 01, 2018 08:35AM
I don't imagine a death march at TLWF/Iowa when there is such a "lust" for life, sex, money and the finer things in life. The fear is probably more of a tool to obtain willing participants and take everything they own of value including their will and their bodies.
Posted by: puddington
Date: July 01, 2018 10:56AM
I suspect you’re correct. Gary wouldn’t want to kill off his cash cow.
Posted by: GSchaeff
Date: July 01, 2018 12:59PM
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.
Posted by: changedagain
Date: July 02, 2018 07:03AM
A good Monday morning to all!
I came across this short, simple quote today, and although it references only journalists, I think it applies to anyone who places themselves at risk to combat the corruptive influence of unchecked power. Enjoy:
"Journalists do vital work to tell stories that must be told and hold power accountable. They’ve earned our respect and our thanks."
-Adam Schiff[