NY Times article by David French this week contrasts the drive for wealth and power expressed by some current day Christians with the actual message of Christ at Easter; that those who would be greatest amoung you should be the servant of all. It's a perspective that shows that LWF and the entire Sons of God theology was wrong headed from the beginning.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Hey Onion, Glad you're here, and glad you're giving a little energy to speaking the truth to deception. It took me decades to speak the word "cult" out loud. I was walked out of LWF in 1984-5 (cannot remember exactly, those years were so traumatic). I didn't speak the word "cult" out loud until 2016, believe it or not that was when I finally felt like I w
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

40yearsin2016 Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Ok I'll play... > > but instead of filling in a questionnaire, Here's > what I require for my healing. > > Amy should, being charged the responsibility since > "Gary doesn't want to get involved": > > 1 - Read this forum - all 689 pages > 2 - Read Woo
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Is it possible that the nightmare is coming to an end?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

These lyrics say a lot of it for me... Oh, life is bigger It's bigger Than you and you are not me The lengths that I will go to The distance in your eyes Oh no, I've said too much I set it up That's me in the corner That's me in the spotlight Losing my religion Trying to keep up with you And I don't know if I can do it Oh no, I've said too much I ha
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Talking about alcoholics... A few years after I'd left the walk, in the mid-80's or so I think, I looked up Winston Nunes, the famous layer on of hands from JRS's Latter Rain days in the event in Seattle that supposedly began JRS's unique revelations (later we found out he'd plagiarized most of it from a variety of sources, especially Latter Rain). Rev Nunes was stil
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

kBOY Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > LARRYBOBO & TMASON: > > > My heart breaks reading both of your accounts. > The one similar dynamic is that both of you > have/had parents who are/were also involved in > TLW. That definitively adds an element to the > equation. > > I guess my wife and I were 'rebellious'
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Neo... I understand what you're saying. You're talking about the painful personal journey each of us must make as part of the healing process after leaving LWF. We've all had different degrees and years of participation and guilt by association. We've all have different degrees of regret and bitterness for our participation. But, these are personal considerations that each
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Reading Shalom's FB page... kudos kid... you've done something my generation was never able to do - you've shined the light... Those of us who still have some kind of faith are praying for a prompt and decisive termination, others like me are crossing just their fingers...
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Ok I'll play... but instead of filling in a questionnaire, Here's what I require for my healing. Amy should, being charged the responsibility since "Gary doesn't want to get involved": 1 - Read this forum - all 689 pages 2 - Read Woodrow Nichols book - all of it. Based on that research generate a list of questions to be read from the pulpit on Sunday AM. Giv
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Lily Rose said: "I think it can be so difficult to unlearn the false destructive teaching of the LW regarding discipleship and being special. The LW hubris and elitism were/are imprinted on the members to the point that if you ever say to yourself, "I want out; I can't do this anymore," you can be left thinking as Rachael points out....something is wrong with you. And if you d
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

"Cult leaders go far beyond enjoying public speaking and getting a buzz from the audience. They regard you as an object, not a person." How many times did I hear JRS talk about being re-energized in his spirit when preaching - being able to go on for hours without any fatigue. I remember listening to another preacher years later talking about how that same buzz often became a
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

So Gary's calling again for the fulfillment of JRS's delusions (LOL). Wait a minute... hasn't Gary been leading this circus for almost 40 years??? He's been in charge 2x long as JRS's tenure. How's this "steward" made out with all the riches of the kingdom left to him by his mentor? If I was JRS sitting there in the cloud of witnesses, I'd be
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

KBoy: LOL, yup or part of the explanation for my little abnormalities Lol
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Had a moment this week, visiting with some very old friends (not from the church), found myself saying out loud to them, "yeah I was part of that cult" First time I've ever used the "c" word and that admission out loud in public. A mill stone dropped from my shoulders, for me personally a Milestone. Thanks all, your input has got me this far.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Following the $$$? How lucrative was it? Well let's objectively look at the #'s as we know them. At the peak there were well over 100 congregations, in several countries - check the location index at the back of a "This Week" around 1979... This is s a certainty. Yes, churches came in a wide variety of sizes and levels of wealth. It's hard to say if the $$ amounte
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

As a side note, here's a link to a NYTimes article regarding a support group for those leaving ultra ortodox jewish sects... the stories ring remarkably familiar.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

lily rose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Thanks BenTHar for the reply. > > Southgate, if possible, to fully appreciate your > post, give a link to a video or soundtrack when > sharing music lyrics. > > Slandjt, I must say I was a little taken a back > about the San Diego reunion. Please keep speaking > out. > > FCSL
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

and the divine comedy continues... It's never been about faith or religion. It's always been about power, control and money. -WHERE DID YOUR TRUST GO? Squandered: by self serving leadership, fat from years of feeding on sheep. -WE POUR OURSELVES INTO ONENESS (out of distrust), Translation? "We pour ourselves into conformity" Don't let got of your distrust,
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I remember message just around the rise of the Timothy's that confused everyone - something a long the lines of "you can't separate the man from the message". The popular interpretation I remember was that if you loved the word you had to love JRS also: warts and all. Being at a local church distant from Com Central, we were never sure what the heck that was all about...
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

" I love the cowboy proverb: “Always drink upstream from the herd.” – the very thing Jesus told us to do from the beginning " LOL - excellent.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Being outside of So. Cal. we weren't totally immune. In 1979-80, JRS had our senior ministry staff deliver the word that many of "the best" of our local folks should move to Shiloh. Local senior ministry hand picked individuals that would relocate. Those who were young, unmarried or only recently married were candidates. That was the power of the cult: quit your job, drop o
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

The whole concept of "getting a word" was rooted in the latter rain / charismatic spiritual gift of wisdom. It was meant to be a blessing from God. In my local church we were taught a little different implementation of the gift of wisdom than many from Cali. Words were spoken over folks in our local church only infrequently. They were usually in response to submitting life decision
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

"This collection of John Robert Stevens’ ministry of the living Word from July 1981 – December 1982 became an unfolding, crescendo of impartation — a creative tidal wave in the Kingdom of God on earth" Been away for a while, reading this is a bit of a flash of PTSD. Just wanting to keep the record straight here... "The Unfolding" wasn't a crescendo of impartation, i
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

kBOY Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > HEADBANGER NEWS: Do As I Say, Not As I > Do > > "Marilyn--The Woman Behind The Word" > October 20, 2016 > > > lyn-the-woman-behind-the-word/ > > ". . . we should be inspired and encouraged by the > amazing legacy Marilyn leaves behind . . ." > (Which inc
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

lily rose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > larry bobo Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > > > > TLWF has very little value to me now from a > > doctrinal standpoint (the people of course are > > wonderful) except to illustrate what not to do. > > > If you secretly want to
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Catharsis is great. Leveraging the experiences unique to my time in TWF is also why I come here. I still don't know after all these years what it is exactly that I "believe". But there are some things that I "know". I know that I respect and honor the faith of others. I know also that my respect for their faith in no way obligates me with regards to their faith -
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

LR: "AD maybe the reason we blame others is because 30+ years later it is still hard to accept that John could have appointed or commissioned ministries that would end up hurting so many in the congregation for whom John had said he had faith...John said he had faith for all men. It's such a disconnect. But I think you are on to something....John with his gift of knowledge chose the min
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

"40yearsin2016 I read Adele's stmt regarding what "Hello" means to her.. an apology to the people she hurt including herself, about seeking closure. Do you have a take on what "from the other side" means?" Sure do... if you look closely, the lyric moves between "other side" and "outside", there are lots of dimensions here for me... oth
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Thanks for your comments Larry B. - thanks for listening, that means a lot to me. ... and Lamp, thanks also. Your viewpoint is not as unpopular as you suggest. Apostle Dog said it earlier: life goes on - with us or without us.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families