A few posts from November of 2018:

Posted by: larry bobo
Date: November 12, 2018 07:16PM
(excerpt)

Onion said,” I have heard from a very reliable source that the leadership of TLWF is instructing those still involved with the churches NOT TO TALK TO ANYONE about what is going on in the churches and NOT TO ANSWEAR QUESTIONS even from their closest family members.”

If this is really true, it certainly doesn’t sound much like resigning. This is a good opportunity to examine how much residual fear is still left from those decades in TLWF that still makes people open to being controlled. Also, it’s a chance to see who can still be conned into believing Rick is King David – something that if even considered is just so sad on so many levels! When the lights really turn on, there is no power there, only a lie. Exposure is the best way to drive out the darkness – just flip on the switch. The leadership of TLWF has plenty of reason to hide, and none of it is good. As many have already said, “Follow the money”. I would encourage those still involved in TLWF to do just the opposite and speak up - break the brainwashing and find freedom!

Posted by: changedagain
Date: November 13, 2018 09:35AM

The fact that people in the supposedly defunct organization can still be told not to speak about certain matters strongly suggests that the oppressive command structure remains in place. Gary may have technically resigned, but I doubt his reign in the cult is over.
Thanks for your insights, Larry. A valuable post.

Posted by: NavyVet79
Date: November 13, 2018 10:32AM

Ah yes. Control, more control & then condemnation. What wonderful memories of the Walk! For reasons I now understand much more clearly, thanks to the bravado of you who are posting and the creation of this forum, I can see why it was always more like dogs contending for meat scraps than an actual Godly endeavour. Except, that is, for the true sheep. We all were beaten up in counseling, from the pilpit, collectively on tapes & individually in horrible ways. Then, to hear of this stuff! I, as a Former Navy submariner, have to apologize to each & every victim of this s*** ! First off, for not putting the freedoms of our country ahead of the cult dictates & secondly, for not having enough perception to see it, and lastly, for not, sticking around to confront my shepherd who surrounded himself with yapping-dog yes men. I will so pray about your stories and for your healings. As for names, unless asked, I will give it to the Father in my corner of this forum. You all do what you have to for healing and closure. Bless each & everyone of us. I don't believe in platitudes, so when I say things like this, I truly mean it. Love you all & bless you all.

Posted by: NavyVet79
Date: November 13, 2018 10:44AM

About that:
Just who in the H*** do they think themselves to be that they can dictate to whom I can or cannot speak to about the TLWF? Is this a country that I need papers on me to move about? I think not!!
And about "designated relationships ", that is an absolute NON-STARTER! This is not communist Russia nor communist China. If I wish to visit with someone I know, it is 100% none of anyone else's business! End of discussion.
Cults, being what they are, believe that this behavior is acceptable. I wish to inform them that it is not. G'day

"Democracy depends on shared truths, and autocracy depends on shared lies."
-Sacha Cohen

From March of 2015:

Posted by: changedagain
Date: March 20, 2015 08:54PM

Lily wrote:
<Some folks have Teflon in the their DNA and the negative effects of the Walk probably slid off there backside and they were able to move on. On the other hand, the DNA of some folks is to internalize what happens to them and they haven't been as successful in shaking of the dust of the LW. The LW seems to have robbed and caused suffering for many and I hope Jesus continues to intercede for those damaged by the LW.>

Note: I received this message (excerpted) six years ago from a former TLWF insider, and it's the first time I've shared it. It contains various observations & insights that are difficult to stomach:

• Right now the Living Word is one heck of a toxic, controlling culture.

• On 90% of the tapes from 1983 to 1998 Gary is pissed off. I think it led to numerous cases of striking the rock.

•G & M often, by their own account, spent their mornings in rage sessions, which then became the basis of their Word later in the day. In hindsight, maybe it's fair to assume that they just had anger management issues. I'm sure it was frustrating taking over the religious mess that was "the Walk", but gee whiz...

• The authority structure has been and will always be based on who provides the greatest lip service or financial benefit to the Lamp of Israel. Those who promote her are shepherd material. It's created cut-throat competition among the men to see who can claw their way into favor. Men who are assholes on a personal level can still have whole churches or continents turned over to them, not to mention any names.

• In the late 90s Marilyn was pissed off after it became apparent that John had had an affair with another church secretary instead of her in the early 70s. They turned that into a series of words on how John's real problem wasn't lust or drinking but disobedience -- in that he didn't give himself to Marilyn. Most of the "Word" was the result of situations like that.

• When they got wind of Rick's adultery, they turned that into a series of words on "what will it take to shake you out of your revelation?" Gary "prophetically" warned, "I'm telling you things will come up in the months ahead that could shake your whole confidence." Then they turned the entire Feast of Tabernacles into a forum to praise Rick & Maria for their openness while berating the religious sheep for being too self-righteous. Hey, everybody has two natures -- or is it three?

• Hell hath no fury like a Marilyn scorned. Every outburst though just lays the foundation for another revelation of what God is really like: insanely jealous, unemotional, angry if she sees you look at another woman when your focus is supposed to be on her, I mean Him. An easily offended despot who will banish you from her presence for violating her spirit. If you are not really digging any of these qualities of your Deity, your problem was that you just found God unacceptable.

He was unfaithful to his top mistress. It's been a long time since I opened a Bible, but I am pretty sure it warns against that. ;)

They turned that into a series of words on how John's real problem wasn't lust or drinking but disobedience -- in that he didn't give himself to Marilyn.

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Bonus:
Posters who keep their spirit in their sneakers: Likely zero

From May of 2022:

Posted by: changedagain
Date: May 18, 2022 06:07AM

Thank you to all who have contributed to this discussion through the years--

including, but not limited to:

Unapologetically John832, Reepicheep, puddington, kBOY, that little red flag,

sierradawn, reveal, larrybobo, GSchaeff, Onion, Filthy Apron, PowerTrip,

Saw enough, TheJewel, 4generation, TheSarge, Lilith, Jez the Belle, paleface,

GoingRogue Invisible, FCSLC, Imapurple, typer, Cloudwatcher, Richard M.,

fromsouthchicago, ApostleDog, TheycalledmeJonah, dbc, NancyB, Tmason, kbyrne,

Northerngate, Blowout, cultfree, Road to Damascus, Twoteetwo, fool me twice,

Chachakitty, Jan w lane, CARe, lone.wolf, FactoverFiction, JesusJesusJesus,

pressingonbyHisgrace, Some One, jhorning, Poliscigrad, NavyVet79, Walked,

dirtybrushes, 40yearsin2016, Prettyboy, FireWalker, light777, I_woke_up,

corboy, Liamthomasusa, Ohman?, Lifeontheotherside, Amos, South Gate,

Ditch_Digging_Yasper, Mined, denisewallerlaughlin, heshealing,

SpiritInSneakers, Sh*tInInbox

Note: LampFromIkea, a fixture on Factnet, chose not to participate in this forum.
Probably burnt out.

The exhilarating sense of individual independence and agency was never taught to the congregants of TLWF. Unlike natural people who “love and appreciate” their universal right to do as they please, TLWF congregants were basically denied and even warned against that life-giving teaching.

Happy Independence Day to all.

FCSLC!
Happy Independence Day to you as well.

From October of 2013:

Posted by: FCSLC
Date: October 07, 2013 07:04PM

Quote paleface:
“To me, that sums up the leadership of the Living Word. Keep the sheep busy with programs and campaigns. And keep them tithing.”

I remember one time when my wife and I were over at the pastor’s house which was just down the dirt road on Faith Chapel Church Land (we had five acres----sold out from underneath what was left of the body in about 1986 or 87) anyway while there, my wife and I overheard the pastor’s wife say to him,

“Let’s give him this word to see how he handles it.”

We didn’t know who the recipient of this ‘word’ was but both my wife and I were stunned and have never forgotten it.

That’s when I started having the thinking that no one was “getting the leading”.

You can probably order online: “Shepherds Career Guide for Making Money, Riding Roughshod and Keeping Sheep in Blinders.”

For that matter, certain ones we know could just sell their notes for $10,000 each. Are they not preeminent in the field?


Posted by: paleface
Date: October 07, 2013 10:21PM

I recall hearing the wife of an elder say "I'm going to love watching Brother
XXX e*t sh*t over the word he's going to get. It will really cross-him up." And she was gloating about it, taking delight in watching someone struggle. It really bummed me out and made me wonder what kind of people were being created by the Living Word. A lot of it was done under the banner of "Being Unsympathetic". This is where the kool-aide mixers (and servers) get their power to ignore their inner conscience telling them it ain't right.

Do you feel the love?
/s

Posted by: typer
Date: November 07, 2019 08:51AM

It is so weird. I still get afraid and flinch when I think of certain things. I'm actually a little scared right now to share this, for fear John S**er will come to my house and kill me. Please don't quote me on the following, but the words are pretty close to what was said.

One time a few years ago we had a little intercession group at the PL church led by John S**er. He would get this "fire" in his eyes and say to me (us) don't get to close to him because he was very intense in his intercession and he could blow us away. It made me extremely fearful to pray vocally in his presence, lest he rebuke me for not being violent enough. It was so weird and very dreadful.

Posted by: changedagain
Date: November 07, 2019 10:11AM

Typer--
What was the 'violent' intercession even about during this time period in PL? John Stevens was dead, Satan had been brought down as a result of John's death (according to Gary), and John's ex-wife was either dead or no longer a threat.
What was motivating the rage sessions? Just something to do on a weeknight??

p.s. I may be typing this comment with fire in my eyes, so I hope it doesn't blow you away.

Posted by: typer
Date: November 07, 2019 10:21AM

Changedagain … thank you.

John S**er in PL brought quite a few words on people having anger management problems. He would read from some author about it over the pulpit (can't remember the book). He would call people out over the pulpit from time to time; to make sure we were all quaking in our boots when he brought a word. I don't ever remember anyone being called out for anything over the pulpit when I was young in what "the walk" called "dead" churches. Since I left, I don't like pulpits. I visited a church close to our house recently. The pastor seemed loving and walked around quite a bit. There was no pulpit which made it a better experience.

Posted by: Reepicheep
Date: November 07, 2019 10:27AM

Typer,
So he yelled at people about anger management problems? Classic...

Posted by: changedagain
Date: November 07, 2019 01:08PM

'Get Rid of Your Anger or I Will Beat the Hell out of You!'
-a living word

Posted by: Onion
Date: November 07, 2019

I am no closer to attending a church service than I was the past couple of years. But someone just told me about the prayer services at their church. They pray for the homeless. They pray for the world and global warming. They even pray to protect animals.

What a novel concept, eh? I could only ask, "You mean they don't spend endless hours just praying for one person?" (Or maybe 3 people?)

Typer - That feeling of expecting to get in trouble, that fear or flinch we feel when we express our freedom or tell the truth - isn't that a horrible way to live? And that is what life was like in the walk. It's one of the conditionings I am really working to rid myself of. It is haunting.