In the past several months I’ve read three books that I would highly recommend to anyone involved in TLWF. They are: “Combating Cult Mind Control” by Steven Hassan, “Cults Inside Out” by Rick Alan Ross, and “Twisted Scriptures” by Mary Alice Chrnalogar. None of these books mention TLWF specifically, but they will open your eyes to the mechanics of mind control. My parents would send me information about TLWF that they were sure my critical thinking would analyze and then I would make an informed decision to leave the group. What they didn’t expect is that I had been programmed to respond to that information in a way that only made my commitment go deeper.
What did begin to bring understanding to the destructive nature of TLWF was to see obvious errors in other groups who were also practicing mind control and then to eventually connect the dots in my own group. In my case, information about other groups bypassed the defense mechanisms that had been installed to keep me in bondage to TLWF. I could see the destructive effects of mind control in other groups and then after time, come to a realization that those exact techniques were being used on me. The term “mind control” may seem at first like an exaggeration – until you begin to understand the mechanics and how they can work on anyone. Pick any of the books above, and don’t be surprised how angry it will make you when you realize the price you have personally paid for someone else wanting to play God.
I don’t believe any of us willingly chose to become a captive of a cult. The sinister side that is so shocking to discover is that the leadership understands the techniques they are using and the fact they are using them on you without your knowledge or consent. Anyone should have the freedom to believe what they want. On the other hand, it borders on criminal activity when a belief system is imposed on you without your knowledge and the goal is to make you their captive. If you are physically kidnapped, the kidnapper can be prosecuted. If you are mentally kidnapped – which can have consequences just as serious – the kidnapper goes unpunished and often undetected.
Another shocker was to discover that John knew he was applying these techniques from the very beginning. It’s easy to think Marilyn was the one that got him off track. He was so charismatic that he still remains a sacred cow to many. I know I personally followed Marilyn after John died because I thought that is what he would have wanted – not really because Marilyn made such a great apostolic fathering ministry. Maybe if I had been there to marry her in the ceremony after John died I would have had greater insight. It just seemed a bit weird to me at the time. I’ve talked to several that witnessed Gary and Marilyn’s relationship as John was dying and they felt it was inappropriate. They questioned whether John ever directed Gary to divorce his wife and marry Marilyn and felt it was something they conjured up on their own to continue control of TLWF.
I would suspect the level of charismatic control went down another notch when Marilyn died. From the little I’ve heard Gary preach, he is still getting by on what John taught, claiming now that he is the founder – like John did with the Latter Rain teaching. There is very little substance from Gary – even with his new degree - to start a spiritual movement on his own. I suspect it is why he is now misleading many by saying he is still talking to John and Marilyn in the cloud of witnesses, hoping to add some level of credibility to what otherwise would be a lot of fluff. What makes it so hollow is that he is not living what he is preaching – something very easy to see when you are outside of his control. I wonder how long it will be before he mentions channeling dead former leaders as the pathway to the kingdom on their website.
What did begin to bring understanding to the destructive nature of TLWF was to see obvious errors in other groups who were also practicing mind control and then to eventually connect the dots in my own group. In my case, information about other groups bypassed the defense mechanisms that had been installed to keep me in bondage to TLWF. I could see the destructive effects of mind control in other groups and then after time, come to a realization that those exact techniques were being used on me. The term “mind control” may seem at first like an exaggeration – until you begin to understand the mechanics and how they can work on anyone. Pick any of the books above, and don’t be surprised how angry it will make you when you realize the price you have personally paid for someone else wanting to play God.
I don’t believe any of us willingly chose to become a captive of a cult. The sinister side that is so shocking to discover is that the leadership understands the techniques they are using and the fact they are using them on you without your knowledge or consent. Anyone should have the freedom to believe what they want. On the other hand, it borders on criminal activity when a belief system is imposed on you without your knowledge and the goal is to make you their captive. If you are physically kidnapped, the kidnapper can be prosecuted. If you are mentally kidnapped – which can have consequences just as serious – the kidnapper goes unpunished and often undetected.
Another shocker was to discover that John knew he was applying these techniques from the very beginning. It’s easy to think Marilyn was the one that got him off track. He was so charismatic that he still remains a sacred cow to many. I know I personally followed Marilyn after John died because I thought that is what he would have wanted – not really because Marilyn made such a great apostolic fathering ministry. Maybe if I had been there to marry her in the ceremony after John died I would have had greater insight. It just seemed a bit weird to me at the time. I’ve talked to several that witnessed Gary and Marilyn’s relationship as John was dying and they felt it was inappropriate. They questioned whether John ever directed Gary to divorce his wife and marry Marilyn and felt it was something they conjured up on their own to continue control of TLWF.
I would suspect the level of charismatic control went down another notch when Marilyn died. From the little I’ve heard Gary preach, he is still getting by on what John taught, claiming now that he is the founder – like John did with the Latter Rain teaching. There is very little substance from Gary – even with his new degree - to start a spiritual movement on his own. I suspect it is why he is now misleading many by saying he is still talking to John and Marilyn in the cloud of witnesses, hoping to add some level of credibility to what otherwise would be a lot of fluff. What makes it so hollow is that he is not living what he is preaching – something very easy to see when you are outside of his control. I wonder how long it will be before he mentions channeling dead former leaders as the pathway to the kingdom on their website.