paleface Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I believe John had a true gift from > God, but like many, the power proved too strong of > a drug for him to resist. Personally, I have no > interest in John's teaching anymore. It has done > enough damage to me personally. The visitation of Christ that John had allegedly had very early in his
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Some interesting tidbits on the Wikipedia page of William Branham, a contemporary of John: --Church ministers working with William Branham in his meetings, testified that he was able to reveal the thoughts, experiences, and needs of individuals who came to the platform for prayer. --William Branham preached thousands of sermons, of which almost 1,200 have been recorded and transcribed. He bel
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

BTW, the Wikipedia entry for John contains a description of the Walk from an ex-member as being "violent, secretive and demanding." The violence, from my experience, was confined mostly to prayers (death to this, death to that etc.). Secretive and demanding, however, is dead-on.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

As one who was passionately involved in the 70's intercession to 'loose the apostle, and bind the nephilim,' it's become clear, way after the fact, that John was a religious idol we created with his help. The fact that I'm even considering the possibility that he was deceptive about where he received his "revelation," or if his college degree was valid, demonst
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

lily rose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > changedagain Wrote: > > Conversations with Clint > __________________________________________________ > _ > > Clint Eastwood? Really? Yes. I came across this book in our local library.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Came across this today: "Unfortunately that's one of the problems with religion, the fear aspect. My parents would send me to various churches. They wanted me to get a religious education. But I had a hard time picturing God as being quite as sadistic as being made out by some of these groups, as somebody who couldn't wait to punish you and couldn't wait to make you grovel f
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

This question posed to 'The Man of God' during a church service in the 70's keeps lifting my spirit to this day: 'IF YOU ARE NOT THE CHRIST, THEN WHO THE HELL ARE YOU?' Even considered putting it on a t-shirt. lily rose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > guess I do have a few good memories of the CLW.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Ditch_Digging_Yasper Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > It's not ridiculous to expect your clergy to have > some higher education, but it is ridiculous to > push them to get degrees from your own church > university, especially when you are in a > "shepherding" relationship with these people. Talk > about a conflict of interest
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

The Living Word Fellowship, Church of the Living Word, The Living Word Church, Hargrave Family Ministries, Marilyn Farms, Hargrave Family Trust, Marilyn Trust, Judean People's Front... I'm confused. Please disregard this post!
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Well said.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

according to corporationwiki.com "Hargrave Family Ministries - A Living Word Ministry filed as an Articles of Incorporation in the State of California filed on Friday, March 26, 1982. This corporation is approximately thirty-two years old according to documents filed with California Secretary of State."
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Ditch_Digging_Yasper Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > Hi everyone, former TWLF member since birth here. > I was very active in the church at Shiloh. Left a > few years ago and it was the best decision I ever > made! The forums at FactNet were a big part of how > I realized how ridiculous and manipulative this > "church" is. Glad t
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

> > paleface Wrote: > You know there are plastic surgeons who can help > you with that. ha
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

paleface Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > And its really a drag when that elder that is your > trusted "designated relationship" decides that you > need to submit to him sexually. That never happened to me. But then again, I've never had big breasts.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

I was in a church where the pastor asked each person to write down the most embarrassing thing they have ever done, sign it, and turn it in. Reflecting years later, I realized it was an effective means of keeping people quiet, should they be tempted to reveal to the outside world what was going on. BTW, if I was asked today to perform this assignment, my answer would be obvious ('I joine
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palmermarilyn Wrote: >The walk was crazy, but the people were great. ha--what a summation!
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Ministries I knew that eventually had a falling out with G & M included Bob Franz, Dan Statton, Mike Shermerhorn, John Miller and Bob McClane. I was close with Bob the last few months of his life, and found out about his death when Gary announced it in a Valley service. After the announcement, Bob was labeled a spiritual failure--something I reacted to as grossly inappropriate. Perhaps it w
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

lily rose Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > paleface Wrote: > -------------------------------------------------- > ----- > > Here's an odd question: have any of you ever > been > > held or detained on Living Word property (or at > a > > communal home) against your will? Where you > > wanted to leave, but were n
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Years into my extensive experience in TLWF, it became clear to me that any ministry that exhibited kindness and was primarily concerned about the welfare of those they ministered to, was doomed. Because that very nature would conflict with the requirement to minister "the cross"...which, in TLWF, often meant breaking people's will to the point they were malleable to the agenda of l
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Perusing some of my old emails...here's an excerpt from one in 2008, written by a former member of TLWF (20 plus yrs of service): "In the immediate days after June 4th, you had about 2000 broken hearted people who just wanted to do anything to walk with God and please Him, and were ready to come together and take more responsibility to help carry out the vision John started.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Invisible Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I'd already been through a lot, had seen a lot > and ( the lot ) of what I was coming to realize > was forming with in me - and I said to myself, > with a plastic stemmed glass in hand, in having > to look up, " WHAT A FARCE ", . I drank to the > bride and the groom who I loved b
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Do you think some of those threats were simply drummed up? I remember after Gary too over, he used to come to the some of the feast services surrounded by security. It was quite the distraction. I began to wonder if it was done to give him a greater sense of importance.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

No surprise--Gary has never been shy about taking a different direction if he thought John was 'off.' I witnessed this on many occasions.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Does it still exist? Or has it been disbanded? Or simply displaced by the Maroons...
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Maybe this is one of those things I intentionally blocked out of my memory banks because it seemed so nonsensical and pretentious, even by TLWF standards--not sure.
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

paleface Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > The inner cult is "the purples". (i.e. Marilyn's > army) Seriously? I've never heard of this. Why 'purples', BTW?
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

Invisible: "It is my view point that the ministry could have asked you and your wife if you would be willing to move to another location and if you and your wife agreed together and made a decision that you would be willing to relocate - that would have been O.K" Yes
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

make that: "every time someone"
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

jhorning Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > When the leadership in the valley decided to send > my wife and I to Washington D.C.(1982;the > Dempsters were sent instead) my wife said "no" to > moving there. She told me and the cats at > comm-west she did not have a witness in her own > heart to move there. I try not to hear com
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families

paleface Wrote: ------------------------------------------------------- > I can remember hearing Gary Hargrave say over the > pulpit many times that God had given man a free > will and He would never cross that free will up. > Then I got to wondering...."Gosh, why is it that > God will not cross our free wills, but the LW > pastors can?" Do they have more clo
Forum: Former Cult Members and Affected Families