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by DaVe on Sun Oct 18, 2009 9:30 amCross-post: One of the Most Disturbing Aspects of the Fellowship
source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Escape_from_the_Fellowship/message/22348
There are a lot of negative aspects about the Wayman O. fellowship, as we know. However, one of the most disturbing aspects of that group is the speed and intensity with which people in the church will turn on former friends and associates at the command of the leadership, and particularly the command of Wayman O.
Current members, pastors, and leaders don't just shun ex members, ex pastors, and ex leaders. They actively hate them. They speak evil of them, pray curses down on them, rejoice at their sufferings, and, if they have a platform, they preach wicked things about them. Every evil rumor is not only believed, but is eagerly pounced on.
It was eerie listening to the conference sermons for the two years following the 1990 exodus. I saw and heard the remaining leaders get up and absolutely trash men they had been friends with for years. It wasn't just preaching that they disagreed with those who left, but there was massive mockery of these former leaders and pastors. At one time, some of the men who were being mocked were themselves choice conference speakers. The viciousness with which these former leaders and pastor were mocked was notable.
You would think that these former pastors and leaders had gone out and raped, murdered, and pillaged large sections of the human race. Actually, their "rebellion" was put on the same level as those types of acts. They were "murdering souls," and "causing God's little ones to stumble," making them worthy to have a rock tied to their necks and thrown in the ocean. They absolutely deserved all that hell had to offer, and they were certainly headed there. The fact that they still preached Jesus was just a ruse, and made them even more wicked than ever. That is what we heard preached.
The leaders and pastors who were preaching this stuff about those whom they referred to as, "the dearly departed brethren," used to sit down with these "rebels," have lunch with them, laugh with them, trade sermons with them, and generally have good friendship and fellowship with them. The speed and intensity with which they went to hating, mocking, cursing, and despising their former friends was shocking.
This disease is throughout the fellowship on all levels. People in the church are taught to do as the leaders do. When someone leaves the church, they are not just shunned. People in the churches will also begin to hate, curse, mock, and despise people they used to have friendship and fellowship with. This appeals to the darkest side of human nature. It is similar to the lower animals that run in packs, and which will attack and devour a wounded member of the pack. It is quite disgusting.
What is really bizarre to watch is the cycle of this. Almost all the leaders who preached hate against those leaders and pastors who had left in 1990, would themselves leave in 2000/2001. Once again, the new and improved leaders preached hate against these now former leaders.
The same thing happens in the churches. People will despise their friends, and even their family members, who leave the church. Then one day they themselves leave and are shocked at the intense hatred coming their way from their former brethren. Again, the speed and intensity with which this happens is disturbing.
Not only is there a total absence of guilt when people in the churches thus hate ex members, ex pastors, and ex leaders, there is a manifestation of self righteousness. They feel good and righteous about hating their former friends and associates. There is a smugness about it that is sickening. You will see it when they hear of the sufferings of ex members, and they fake some remorse, but their smug satisfaction is all too apparent.
If there is anything that shows this organization for the fake that it is, it is this speedy and intense turning against former friends and associates. Unfortunately, almost no one sees it until they are on the wrong end of it.
Another facet of this comes out if someone refuses to join the mob. If a current fellowship member ever refuses to join in the hatred of ex members, then they will have the screws put to them. Showing any mercy, love, compassion, or fairness to ex members is one of the quickest ways to be driven out of the fellowship. Don't believe me? If you are in Australia or England, try saying kind things about David and Christine Vicary within the hearing of your pastor. Your pastor may pull you aside to lead you in a prayer of hatred towards the enemies of Wayman.
So why not show some compassion, love, and fairness to an ex member today? It could save you staying in the fellowship for more wasted years.
Shalom
Ken
source: http://groups.yahoo.com/group/Escape_from_the_Fellowship/message/22348
There are a lot of negative aspects about the Wayman O. fellowship, as we know. However, one of the most disturbing aspects of that group is the speed and intensity with which people in the church will turn on former friends and associates at the command of the leadership, and particularly the command of Wayman O.
Current members, pastors, and leaders don't just shun ex members, ex pastors, and ex leaders. They actively hate them. They speak evil of them, pray curses down on them, rejoice at their sufferings, and, if they have a platform, they preach wicked things about them. Every evil rumor is not only believed, but is eagerly pounced on.
It was eerie listening to the conference sermons for the two years following the 1990 exodus. I saw and heard the remaining leaders get up and absolutely trash men they had been friends with for years. It wasn't just preaching that they disagreed with those who left, but there was massive mockery of these former leaders and pastors. At one time, some of the men who were being mocked were themselves choice conference speakers. The viciousness with which these former leaders and pastor were mocked was notable.
You would think that these former pastors and leaders had gone out and raped, murdered, and pillaged large sections of the human race. Actually, their "rebellion" was put on the same level as those types of acts. They were "murdering souls," and "causing God's little ones to stumble," making them worthy to have a rock tied to their necks and thrown in the ocean. They absolutely deserved all that hell had to offer, and they were certainly headed there. The fact that they still preached Jesus was just a ruse, and made them even more wicked than ever. That is what we heard preached.
The leaders and pastors who were preaching this stuff about those whom they referred to as, "the dearly departed brethren," used to sit down with these "rebels," have lunch with them, laugh with them, trade sermons with them, and generally have good friendship and fellowship with them. The speed and intensity with which they went to hating, mocking, cursing, and despising their former friends was shocking.
This disease is throughout the fellowship on all levels. People in the church are taught to do as the leaders do. When someone leaves the church, they are not just shunned. People in the churches will also begin to hate, curse, mock, and despise people they used to have friendship and fellowship with. This appeals to the darkest side of human nature. It is similar to the lower animals that run in packs, and which will attack and devour a wounded member of the pack. It is quite disgusting.
What is really bizarre to watch is the cycle of this. Almost all the leaders who preached hate against those leaders and pastors who had left in 1990, would themselves leave in 2000/2001. Once again, the new and improved leaders preached hate against these now former leaders.
The same thing happens in the churches. People will despise their friends, and even their family members, who leave the church. Then one day they themselves leave and are shocked at the intense hatred coming their way from their former brethren. Again, the speed and intensity with which this happens is disturbing.
Not only is there a total absence of guilt when people in the churches thus hate ex members, ex pastors, and ex leaders, there is a manifestation of self righteousness. They feel good and righteous about hating their former friends and associates. There is a smugness about it that is sickening. You will see it when they hear of the sufferings of ex members, and they fake some remorse, but their smug satisfaction is all too apparent.
If there is anything that shows this organization for the fake that it is, it is this speedy and intense turning against former friends and associates. Unfortunately, almost no one sees it until they are on the wrong end of it.
Another facet of this comes out if someone refuses to join the mob. If a current fellowship member ever refuses to join in the hatred of ex members, then they will have the screws put to them. Showing any mercy, love, compassion, or fairness to ex members is one of the quickest ways to be driven out of the fellowship. Don't believe me? If you are in Australia or England, try saying kind things about David and Christine Vicary within the hearing of your pastor. Your pastor may pull you aside to lead you in a prayer of hatred towards the enemies of Wayman.
So why not show some compassion, love, and fairness to an ex member today? It could save you staying in the fellowship for more wasted years.
Shalom
Ken
