AP Exclusive: Ex-congregants reveal years of ungodly abuse (evangelical church)

[octoberlib]

By MITCH WEISS

SPINDALE, N.C. (AP) — From all over the world, they flocked to this tiny town in the foothills of the Blue Ridge Mountains, lured by promises of inner peace and eternal life. What many found instead: years of terror — waged in the name of the Lord.

Congregants of the Word of Faith Fellowship were regularly punched, smacked, choked, slammed to the floor or thrown through walls in a violent form of deliverance meant to "purify" sinners by beating out devils, 43 former members told The Associated Press in separate, exclusive interviews.

Victims of the violence included pre-teens and toddlers — even crying babies, who were vigorously shaken, screamed at and sometimes smacked to banish demons."I saw so many people beaten over the years. Little kids punched in the face, called Satanists," said Katherine Fetachu, 27, who spent nearly 17 years in the church.

Word of Faith Fellowship, an evangelical church with hundreds of members in North Carolina and branches in other countries, also subjected members to a practice called "blasting" — an ear-piercing verbal onslaught often conducted in hours-long sessions meant to cast out devils.


http://abc11.com/religion/broken-faith-years-of-ungodly-abuse-at-western-nc-church/1771463/


Long article but worth the read. This church is a cult. Congregants aren't allowed to get married, have sex or have children without the permission of pastor Jane Whaley. Children are separated from their parents and passed around from minister to minister. Congregants live on a compound and the church provides K-12 schooling where kids are smacked for smiling or daydreaming because doing either activity proves they are possessed by the devil.

[Angry Dragon]

1. just hard to find a good christian in the world today

[LanternWaste]

2. Especially if you're desperately attempting to be unsuccessful in your little exercise.

Especially if you're desperately attempting to be unsuccessful in your little exercise.

[Angry Dragon]

4. I got lost in your words

[octoberlib]

3. Ain't that the truth! Or an unhypocritical one, at the very least.

This is just evil.

[Volaris]

7. This dumb backwoods fuck missed the idea

That the whole point of the Christian exercise was to be SET FREE, and in so doing, be able to live your life outside the bonds of already-fossilized institutional guilt that was, at the time, the active root of Jewish mysticism. Jesus of Nazareth said 'well fuck all that, and if that's not enough then ILL forgive you in Gods name, because that's a power we all possess to one degree or another.'

It's that middle part that got him killed.

[Warpy]

5. THIS is why churches need to be monitored

and why "ministerial misconduct" needs to be actionable. Abuse hiding behind the cross or any other religious symbol is the worst kind.

This sociopath needs to be in prison for a very, very long time.

[Ilsa]

6. Parents need to be held accountable for allowing their

Children to be abused this way. Churches don't act this way, cults do.

[lindysalsagal]

8. Correction: Most churches are cults.

Go to a church. Break a minor, non-damaging, insignificant rule. Count to three. They'll tell you they can't use you anymore.

Cult.

[hunter]

9. My mom got kicked out of the Jehovah's Witnesses because she couldn't stay out of politics.

Then we were Quakers. They'd listen politely to whatever my mom had to say and then move on.

Culturally our family was liberal Catholic, except that my mom was frequently at war with the church over various issues, including a few rotten priests and the fact she saw birth control and sex education as the best way to prevent abortion.

I haven't ever been asked to leave a church, even for some obvious and outspoken heresies, but that's mostly because I avoid churches that require anything more of guests than the basic social graces.

The last guy I saw asked to leave our church was a schizophrenic homeless fellow who started yelling and throwing things, but he was treated in a very gentle manner, better than my mom was treated when she was denied entrance to the Kingdom Hall and she wasn't even throwing things.

My wife and I both knew older people who thought it was a sin to step inside any church that wasn't Roman Catholic or in communion with the Roman Catholic Church, even for weddings and such, but that understanding passed with them. I don't have trouble visiting most churches of other religions, I think it's interesting. If someone wants to invite me to their church I'm fine with it. But I don't have much tolerance for Fundamentalist anti-intellectual religions or Prosperity Gospel Christians and I'm not shy about it. My ancestors all had problems with the Mormons too, so much so I expect we're still on some sort of list. It began with a mail order bride to Salt Lake City who decided she didn't like sharing a husband so she ran off with a monogamous guy. My ancestors were all Wild West and their primary religion was NOT Mormon.

So far as the Catholic Church goes, their politics tend to reflect those of the local parish. Liberal priests go to liberal places, conservative priests go to conservative places. My parents used to live in a very Republican parish and attending Mass there was uncomfortable. Every week it seemed was some rant about abortion, gay marriage, and every other hate radio angry-white-people topic. My wife's parents live in a liberal cosmopolitan place, as we do, and Mass is welcoming to all and the homilies mostly about getting along with your neighbors and helping people in need.

There's plenty wrong with the Catholic Church, just as there's plenty wrong with the U.S.A.. In both cases I probably have a stronger voice inside than out. That's just the way human communities work.

[madokie]

10. I was born and raised a southern baptist

baptized somewhere around 10 years or so old. Lost my religion at about 14 and never looked back.

I feel I'm no different than Bill Nye, when I die I'm dead, nothing more nothing less. No different for me than the bug that last hit my windshield, I'll simply be dead


I see religion as the root of all evil course thats just me

[lindysalsagal]

11. Some are more benign than others, at least on the surface.

Religion is on the way out. I thank cell phones and 500 TV channels and the internet.

[Maru Kitteh]

12. I think you're link is broken, here's another one.

http://abc11.com/religion/broken-faith-years-of-ungodly-abuse-at-western-nc-church/1771463/

[octoberlib]

13. Yes, it is broken. I'll fix it Thank you!