Leaderboard

Something I wish someone had suggested to me ... Ask the regular folks at fellowship, "what happens when someone decides to leave?" Can someone be a part of this outfit and leave without being shamed? I joined the group as a college student, sharp, top of my class, and I'd say with good intentions to make a positive impact with my life. I wasn't hurting anyone, wasn't down on myself, wasn't wasting away or on the verge of suicide. And I certainly wasn't wallowing in vomit. When I left, people were told that I returned to said "vomit" and was worthless. What was the difference in between? 27 years of involvement in The Way. If I was horrible, to be avoided at all costs, a imbecile without purpose ... where did I formulate those traits? If a good decent person cannot leave The Way without being a horrible person, it isn't a worthy organization.

One of the many red flags I seen in my association with wow's was that while they were in my town one's Mother died. I sat in wonder while I watched this gal beg on the phone for PERMISSION to attend her Mothers funeral! From what I could tell they grudgingly gave PERMISSION, gave her t date to be back and assisted no further. Very Christian of them! I hope your Son or Daughter catches these red flags.

Refreshing the page after submitting works, too. George

Ok then

Yep......THAT is the question that got my critical thought processes churning back in 1978 while in-rez. It all adds up to more questions......namely, "When does a religion become a cult?" Check out this link for in-depth analysis ----- Untoward Secrecy

BAM! I think you hit the nail squarely on the head.

Your son/daughter will be used as an example to other followers of The Way. Whatever, youthful, qualities your son/daughter possesses, The Way will attribute to themselves. Wayfers will look at any positive qualities you've put into your son/daughter and attribute them to The Way. Your son/daughter, on the other hand, will be told by leaders that the local followers look to him/her as a source of inspiration. Your son/daughter will feel compelled to follow strict orders and make all (false) impressions possible, thinking it is for the sake of others who truly need it. In that way both local and HQ leaders can manipulate group members.

Hi Brainstormer - yes they can. I think they do a lot of "shaping" at the home fellowship level. Let's face it, Jesse is already wanting to go out and do what we used to call WoW. I have no idea what they call it now. So did I based on all the glowing stories - until I read my husband's WoW "rule book" - where I became convinced that even Jesus couldn't live the life that was expected demanded of them. Encourage her to find out specifics about expectations, because (if memory serves me correctly) it's pretty structured and the leadership gets pretty ugly upset when performance is down. As an adult, this is totally her life and her choice. You love her, but she really has to work through this - all by herself. Hard as it is, let her, but don't let her guilt you into financing her choices. And that's the hard part - they quit a good job and then come to you and family members to subsidize them. But obviously, do all this in love and just be there. Good luck to you.