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How did Wierwille gain control over his followers? That's easy. He taught some genuine (though plagiarised) Bible, taught some good, useful, interesting, stuff. And he was able to get away with it because either the victims were badly taught in churches they'd attended; or they'd not attended church before, didn't know much about God or the Bible; and in both cases this new course or class showed them something new. If you'd never heard stuff taught like this before, and been shown Bible verses to back up what was being said, this was something new. If you're hungry, you'll eat anything. And then, you were undoubtedly surrounded by a bunch of really happy, enthusiastic young people who genuinely appeared to love God, believe God, and had passion in their lives. Who doesn't want to be around enthusiastic and happy people? So if this is the only place you've heard what seems to be genuine Bible teaching, where you haven't heard things like this before, where you've become disillusioned with the church(es) you've been to previously where you hate stuff that isn't doctrinal, or where practices don't line up with what you perceive of God - why wouldn't you stick around? Many people here, and others that I've known, have said that they were delivered from the idolatry of Catholicism. But they might (or might not) have ventured into a protestant church of some ilk, and not found that much better. But here - here, was something that seemed to have depth. For myself, even though I was aware of discrepancies, things that just didn't quite fit together in PFAL, well, I still hadn't heard as much Bible taught as this (initially). I gave the Leecher, sorry, the Teacher, the benefit of the doubt - we all make mistakes, especially when speaking more or less extempore (haha).

@Mike Shyster lawyers in the USA. Lots of them exposed themselves in recent months. Some, however, showed their honesty. Happily, the lawyers I've known are generally honest and genuinely do their best for their clients. Please don't be insulting. I have not insulted you, or (so far as I'm aware) anyone else here. It's not my nature. "Spectrum excuse"? Maybe an explanation (not excuse) for your adamancy in face of much opposing information. Look, Mike, I like the way you stick to your guns and won't be swayed. In some ways, it's an admirable quality. It's clear that you really stick to the things you are passionate about. I just wish your "guns" were a bit better, and not water pistols.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Idealization_and_devaluation A reason to target younger crowds.

"So, how did Wierwille gain control over his followers....." That continues to be an interesting question. From 1958-1966, when wierwille was traveling from city to city, teaching pfal classes live (in-person)......most everyone after finishing this class went back to their home-church. The percentage of people who dropped their associations and support system to follow wierwille's ministry were miniscule. Through all of his failures, wierwille adapted: When technology advanced, wierwille got pfal filmed on 16mm (1967) Invited youth to come and stay at Summer School Camps (longer, extended access) Built a system of hierarchy.....peers leading novice peers Target the youth. Camps, music, night owls, rock of ages festivals. First corps training was a failure. "Zero Corps." More adjustments. Corps training at HQ. Whatever you call this conditioning and controlling technique.......1) Spiritual Abuse, 2) Total Thought Reform (Lifton book), 3) Pavlov's Dog Conditioning, 4) Cult Indoctrination, 5) Dark Persuasion, or 6) Mass Formation ..... the result was the same. Much like hypnosis......the focus was on one thing for an extended time!! Focus on pfal material.....over and over and over again. Sit thru this class again and again. Become class instructor and lead others thru this process. Go WOW..... run pfal classes. Go corps.... and first 6 weeks were pfal material. Then, isolated from society as a whole and indoctrinated .... the corps objective was to FOCUS on wierwille, the cult leader. Unbridled adulation of wierwille on corps campuses and at hq. The corps graduates were then sent forth to help anchor this mass formation hypnosis: Wierwille was THE man of God. No matter how many times, or ways GSC posters dismantle the absurdity of twi's claim of victor paul wierwille as The Teacher, The Man of God, Father in the Word, or "Dr. Wierwille".......the hypnotic trance of hundreds (thousands?) is not shaken. THAT is some powerful voodoo that many of us experienced. .

It was you who changed the topic, Mike. If you stayed on topic, you wouldn't drag everyone off into jumping on you. You have no idea what people are doing, but rest assured, offering "God's Word" PFAL style probably isn't it. However, there are people here who are offering God's Word in many other ways. "Under-shepherding" and other Way jargon doesn't cut it either. We are to help each other and guide each other in the way of Truth, and that means helping and guiding from the newest Christian to the apparently most mature. Not one of us is perfect, so we all need a little help and guidance at times.