B L O W Your assessment addresses the street-cred of religion in general, which has been pointed out by some as the opiate of the people.  For those who subscribe to Christianity specifically (fill in the appropriate schism), one must accept from the start the authority of the Bible (fill in the appropriate version/translation). Once one travels down this road, unquestioning obedience is
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

P U D D A microcosm of this psychological dynamic arose on a recent FB page over the issue of Ed Forbes;  some loved him, others not so much. These opposing viewpoints reflected personal encounters, and whichever Ed Forbes you got was based on your support (or not) of the upward-flow.  Go with the flow and you were in his good graces; oppose it at all and you immediately fell from grace.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

R E E P "I like your version much better than TLWF's "Christ in the flesh" version." This is exactly the point at which The Walk went officially off the rails.  Jesus' version included, "Call no man Father, . . ." (reference needed).  Once we crossed that line, which continued to distance ourselves from it.  Losing our way we lost the WAY. Not
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

T H It is important to remember that the Jews have their version of our CREATOR--one who banished us from the Garden, making us victims, and either killed people directly, or instructed his 'chosen' to so, while Jesus presented a completely different picture. Jesus stated in his version, "If you have seen me then you have seen the Father" (reference needed), and demons
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

T H If our LOVING CREATOR imposed upon us a 'hard heart', that would not only be contrary to LOVE, but a violation of our FREE WILL.  It is the FREEDOM in LOVE which allows for CREATIVE EXPRESSION.   That is why we feel so alive when we are operating out of INSPIRATION--we are in SPIRIT. PERFECT FREE WILL also allows for fantasy.  The one caveat is that it cannot replace REALITY
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D (Your last post was #11,110 on page 1111. Inside intel.) We know and LOVE a large number who still live under the spell, which may not be broken even unto death. Whatever inspiration motivates the worker-bees is certainly weighted heavily with cognitive dissonance. Allegiance to the darkside always sacrifices clear vision.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

R E E P The last gasp effort to keep a heart-beat on things: * * * * * The 'mercy message' that allows all the bondservants a chance to stay home and not get paid (while increasing their chances for survival): * * * * * Stay up to speed with all the stale words on Passover that have come over the decades. * * * * * Their claim to actually be having '
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

We are dealing with leopards unable (unwilling) to change their spots. Nobody should be turning blue in the face waiting for Kool-Aid abusers to enter some program. As far as their loyal fringe, since most have entered their senior years with Covid on the rampage, the devil they know is probably more preferrable than risking any exposure elsewhere. Starting over in a BRAVE NEW WORLD is not
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

T H That is certainly one way to look at it, although I would not lay blame for the hardness-of-heart on our LOVING CREATOR.  These guys accomplished it all by themselves. There will eventually be LIGHT at the end of their dark tunnel, but that will only appear when that is something they want.  Desire led us away from HEAVEN, and desire will get us back.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D "If they spent even a fraction of the effort . . . into using the information to rectify the deep problems in the organization, perhaps there would be hope for change." As we all know by now, there was never any motivation to rectify problems, only bury what they could and deny all the rest.  When push came to shove, going all the way back to JRS, job #1 was always C
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D The previous post was #11,090 on page 1109. (Stat geeks)
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

T H Your points are well taken.  Even though the cause may have been deceptive, the intentions of those who served were not.  Perhaps some healing can be found in the fact that our efforts were honorable, and thereby lessen some of the effects upon us of those who were not. Our service was 'onto HEAVEN' and for that we can stand with our dignity intact.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D The world has always revolved on the backs of the little people, and TLW was no exception.  In this BRAVE NEW WORLD, I am generous with my thanksgiving (and gratuities if appropriate) to all who continually risk their lives to support themselves and their families to keep a world still moving that is functioning with the brakes on. All work is honorable if done honorably, and
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D No shortage of those who are driving the Crazy-Train . . . * * * And some of the crazies forced to come to 'some' sense . . .
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D Unfortunately, this presumptuous gesture will fail to serve all those who may then consider that appropriate safety measures are no longer necessary and unwittingly participate in endangering both themselves and those they love. Being of sound mind is a 'fruit of the SPIRIT', which is obviously absent from the diet being fed to their sheep.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Interesting trends that will only continue with Covid-19: "Only 6 percent of Americans possess a biblical worldview, according to a new survey." * * * "Pastors worry most about reaching next generation in local churches."
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

T H "What surprised me most as I think about it now, is someone didn't come onto the scene and claim to be the resurrected spirit of JRS!" Are we talking a 'spiritual' version of the BOYS FROM BRAZIL? :)
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D With all that has come to light regarding the circumstances leading up to the unscheduled demise of the Door-opener Apostle, with clandestine relationships in bloom, and forgeries being committed on property-transfers, etc., one has to wonder just how much G&M even believed any of the resurrection-life propaganda being fed to the multitudes.  It seems like their faith was lea
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

About two months later we had this: Re: The Living Word Fellowship, The Walk, John Robert Stevens Posted by: UnapologeticallyJohn832 () Date: October 25, 2018 10:42AM Hello - First time poster, my name is Shalom Abrahamson (Caples married name) and I would like any support from posters here by going to my facebook post in which I publicly shared an open letter to TLWF congregation. Suppor
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D "The irony, of course, about praying for John's return, was that G & M (apparently) were getting together as a couple as he was perishing. I think this is referred to as hypocrisy." It takes some serious 'cojones' to guilt-trip an entire group of people for something you don't actually want--a return-trip by JRS to rain on your illicit relatio
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

T H "(Simon Nisly) is still in the organization . . . He denied it being a cult." There is not much of an 'organization' remaining, most of it operating underground because of multiple lawsuits in play. The denial of TLW being a cult is the standard cognitive dissonance still afflicting those that remain, some of whom will take that denial to their grave. The con
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

R E E P The bobbing & weaving was definitely subject to suggestion, similar to what is seen with all the 'healing' ministries strewn across the Christian landscape. As with many of these 'healings', they miraculously wore off as quickly as they had miraculously occurred.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

T H You represent one of the few voices on this forum who has history going farther back than most regarding early Iowa days.  The majority of 20-somethings signed on after the 'show' was already underway, and the reviews were just too good to be ignored by many. I do not believe that every side eddy that JRS investigated could be categorized as 'occult', since many fiel
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

T H I don't see that you have stepped out-of-bounds anywhere, in fact, your input is exactly what this forum is for.  Your perspective is unique, being one to have viewed us swimming in a 'fishbowl of fantasy', while you were smart enough to not jump in. We will add your wishes to ours, hoping for healing to come to all who have suffered.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

The more deconstruction of the JRS-mystique that occurs, the less substance there seems to be. He apparently ventured to a far off land (Los Angeles) and came back playing a different tune, one that promised bigger returns-on-investment that some bought into while others kept their distance. The various liberties the Stevens men took with the ladies is indeed a major chink in their 'sp
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D Previous post was #11,030 on page 1,103. (Fuzzy math.)
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

C H A N G E D "The 'upward flow' always meant that the personal interests of top leadership come first." With this and everything that the POTUS touches, it is always tainted with brazen self-interest. What is good for the goose is meant to stay with the goose.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

"GH brought a word approx a month ago regarding the wood being pruned from the vines." Are we to believe that GH roams free within the remnants of the ruins to be bringing messages that are justifying all the abuse under his watch?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I guess we can consider ourselves fortunate to have been pruned from a poisonous plant.  Better to have an opportunity to be grafted into REALITY than to exist in the stupor of a toxic brew believing it to be nothing more than Kool-Aid.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Once again, we circle back to the infamous, “I don’t want your shit on my calendar.” For an organization that claimed the 'Kingdom is Relationships', LOVE and shepherding was Victim #1.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families