That recorded message just about caused an "upward flow" of my lunch in my esophagus! All the lingo could have been pasted up from random splicings of tapes from the '70s. The whole discourse on "taking the beach head" was classic "you know who." So ridiculous! So sad and pitiful! What a waste of time.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Richard M. I am very grateful for the honesty and the time you have poured into disclosing all of this. It's truly time that your story be heard. I know this sounds like your typical confirmation bias, but I did always feel something fishy about Marilyn and Gary and the whole mystique that surrounded Marilyn, suggesting that she was the pinnacle of how a woman should be, to which we should a
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Lone Wolf; Thank you for joining the host of people who have acknowledged that the emperor has no clothes and are willing to come forward and talk about it! My "moment" of no longer being able to listen to Gary without rolling my eyes came around last summer, when the repentance messages were particularly "personal," and he lingered on that theme for an inordinately long
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

"In addition, we are reaching out to those negatively impacted by this behavior, to offer our apologies as well as counseling with outside professionals." This is a quote from the letter of "apology" on the TLWF website. What an abomination! The LAST people I want "reaching out" to me at this juncture are the people who spiritually bullied me for over 30 years
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Puddington and others...yeah, we saw those posts by pastors' wives and we are incensed! I met a "pastor's wife" for a glass of wine at an art show this evening, and after finally admitting that she had read a few of the posts, she referred to specific replies by one of my daughters and myself. She said that she remembered the incidents my daughter referred to which had hurt he
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Puddington and others, it's really telling how many of the people populating this forum have been or are currently involved in psychotherapy. As it happens, my therapist, a Licensed Clinical Social Worker, happens to be a believing and practicing Jew. We'll see how she handles any reactions I have to the coming High Holidays, etc. I think she thinks all Christians are batshit. If thi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I love that Reveal brought up that quote from Gary referencing the indifference with which his mother's pastors treated her. That IS the way of the Living Word...the very antithesis of "the Kingdom is relationships." My husband and I, rather than detaching from the cult suddenly, slipped away as we realized that there wasn't one person in the church whom we would call in the e
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

As I've indicated, I'm one who escaped with my faith intact, and in fact, strengthened, in that I don't have this layer of falseness and BS between myself and my Lord. I won't belabor this for those for whom it pushes buttons. Suffice it to say that toward the end of Sunday's service at the church we've been checking out, my brain flinched at the number of upcomi
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Larry, this is my first post. I wanted to add a voice of agreement to your message and your general tone. I was just introduced to this forum a week ago by a good friend who has been liberated for while. I spent hours, initially, reading posts, tearing up at people's pain, laughing at their parodies, and rejoicing that they were on the path to a new life! My husband and I are being led ou
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families