penworks

I babysat Rochelle Hendrix in 1983, 1984, when her dad and mom were limb leaders of Florida. John Henrdrix, her dad, is the one who suggested my husband and I go to HQ on staff. (See Undertow). John had an ego the size of a barn. No surprise his daughter took over... What happened to Mary Ann, the mom? She played the piano beautifully.

My question was rhetorical, but the resources Rocky shared in response are excellent. For some of us, those resources and books came out YEARS after we left, after our own moral compasses pointed us toward the exit signs.

And so, after reading Wierwille's own words, as Nathan so well describes, who would want to follow along with a group that lauds such a man, as he reveals himself to be in those letters, as a great "man of God?" Sigh. But many still do. For instance, some old timers on the Board of TWI are well aware of stuff in those letters. Yet, they pledge loyalty to VPW anyway. They maintain a tough wall of denial to breach. In my view, a person has to be ready psychologically to admit they made a mistake in their adoration of VPW. A person has to be willing to consider VPW conned them. That's not easy, but it can and has been done by a lot of us. And life didn't end. And life actually expanded for many of us. Life opened itself in wonderful, healing, and loving ways.

The offer of PDFs of VPW's letters to Way Corps is good until April 30, 2025 at 5 pm. Cheers!

If anyone wants the 8 PDF files I made of VPW's letters to the Way Corps (1977 - 1981), let me know in a message, and I'll email them to you. They show beyond a doubt his manipulative tactics... and more! They are an historical record of many disturbing events. Among other things, you'll see the letter I quote in Undertow showing his denigration of certain eighth Way Corps guys for challenging his research. They are too large to upload here on GSC, otherwise I would've done that. I should probably limit how long I can keep emailing these to people. Let's say the offer is good until April 30, 2025 at 5 pm :-). Cheers!

If anyone wants the 8 PDF files I made of VPW's letters to the Way Corps (1977 - 1981), let me know in a message, and I'll email them to you. They show oh so much of his manipulative mind ... and more! Among other things, you'll see the letter I quote in Undertow showing his denigration of certain eighth Corps guys for challenging his research.

For more from me, visit me on Blogspot. My posts there are FREE. My posts on my own website are FREE also. Charlene Lamy Edge Speaks about The Way International My website is: https://charleneedge.com

For anyone considering getting involved with The Way, or if you are and you're having doubts about the group, consider this. It is information you may not have already: The current Way organization still lauds the corrupt VPW as their founding "man of God?" About the Founder - Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille That's enough for me to categorize the current organization as corrupt. Its roots in Wierwille are rotten. Their current "tree" cannot be any good no matter how "nice" any followers might be. Many of us had first-hand experience with the authoritarian, narcissistic, predatory, abusive plagiarist named Victor Paul Wierwille. We know that he stole most of his teachings that are found on tapes and in his books. Many of those are still used today, or tweaked, or slanted this way or that. We know the women he seduced and raped and silenced. We know the emotional abuse he inflicted on anyone who questioned him. We now understand how cults work and how they make extensive efforts to hide their corrupt histories like the one The Way has and cannot escape. We know that no matter how many fresh coats of paint you slather over filth, the filth is still underneath. To any followers of this organization: ask where the money goes. Ask where the power lies. Ask what happens if you leave the group. Ask what happens if you disagree with the ideology. Think for yourself.

If anyone is reading this who is currently involved with TWI, or if you're having doubts about staying involved, consider this: Isn't it true that the current Way organization still lauds the corrupt VPW as their founding "man of God?" About the Founder - Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille That's enough for me to categorize the current organization as corrupt. Its roots in Wierwille are rotten. Their current "tree" cannot be any good no matter how "nice" any followers might be. Many of us had first-hand experience with the authoritarian, narcissistic, predatory, abusive plagiarist named Victor Paul Wierwille. We know that he stole most of his teachings that are found on tapes and in his books. Many of those are still used today, or tweaked, or slanted this way or that. We know the women he seduced and raped and silenced. We know the emotional abuse he inflicted on anyone who questioned him. We now understand how cults work and how they make extensive efforts to hide their corrupt histories like the one The Way has and cannot escape. We know that no matter how many fresh coats of paint you slather over filth, the filth is still underneath. To any followers of this organization: ask where the money goes. Ask where the power lies. Ask what happens if you leave the group. Ask what happens if you disagree with the ideology. Think for yourself.

I'll post it in a couple other places here today.

Isn't it true that the current Way organization still lauds the corrupt VPW as their founding "man of God?" About the Founder - Dr. Victor Paul Wierwille That's enough for me to categorize the current organization as corrupt. Its roots in Wierwille are rotten. Their current "tree" cannot be any good no matter how "nice" any followers might be. Many of us had first-hand experience with the authoritarian, narcissistic, predatory, abusive plagiarist named Victor Paul Wierwille. We know that he stole most of his teachings that are found on tapes and in his books. Many of those are still used today, or tweaked, or slanted this way or that. We know the women he seduced and raped and silenced. We know the emotional abuse he inflicted on anyone who questioned him. We now understand how cults work and how they make extensive efforts to hide their corrupt histories like the one The Way has and cannot escape. We know that no matter how many fresh coats of paint you slather over filth, the filth is still underneath. To any followers of this organization: ask where the money goes. Ask where the power lies. Ask what happens if you leave the group. Ask what happens if you disagree with the ideology. Think for yourself.

And then there's the first former-insider book: Karl Kahler's The Cult That Snapped.

Besides my book, Undertow, and Kristen Skedgell's book, Losing The Way, here's another expose but it's by an outsider named Jonathan Morrow. I actually found and read the copy I still have before I escaped TWI HQ in 1987. It was for sale in a used bookstore over in Fort Wayne, IN. Most of it is fairly accurate in my view. If anyone is interested, here's a copy for sale at Thriftbooks. Victor Paul Wierwille and the Way... book by Jonathan Morrow

Thanks for this, Rocky. As for tactics TWI used in the past to find prospects. In the 1970s, one big time leader I won't name, told us to comb throught the obituaries to find the names of families who'd lost loved ones so we could approach them, offer "comfort," and try to sign them up for the PFAL class. I found that piece of advice so revolting I never did it. At least I had some good sense tucked in my mind somewhere back then ...

Sorry to hear this. I first met Kit in California around 1973 or 74. She was indeed a kind person and strong! Thank you for letting us know, Pawtucket.

Congratulations on your baby girl, Raf. Happy Thanksgiving, everyone! Charlene

SPECIAL NEWS: November 18th is International Cult Awareness Day | Charlene L. Edge

Undertow: Happy 8th Birthday | Charlene L. Edge

My experiences as a Way Corps leader back in the 1970s and 1980s included providing those "perks" for VPW that WordWolf mentioned. So WordWolf is not making up what he posted. That is the kind of man he was. Take those perks, drink that booze, sexually assault women and get away with it. Too many women have told me their stories, independently from one another, not to believe that is true. So that is the man that followers of The Way even TODAY praise as a "great man of God." Actions speak louder than words ...

Socks, your phrase "external contact" jumps out at me. In my Way experience, the purpose of engaging with people who were not involved in The Way was to recruit them into it. Not be influenced by them to the point that you'd leave The Way or try to change it. Since there were thousands of us involved over many years, there are probably many variations on this theme of "external exposure." Here's a link to what I wrote about things to consider when evaluating Way stories. REVISED Speaking of "Way" Stories ... | Charlene L. Edge (charleneedge.com) Cheers!

Hello, Greasespotters, This week is another anniversary for Undertow: in 2016, I was working with my editor on the final copy. In celebration, I thought I'd post something from the book. Enjoy. The following is the Preface to Undertow: My Escape from the Fundamentalism and Cult Control of The Way International. By Charlene L. Edge In its heyday in the 1980s, The Way International was one of the largest fundamentalist cults in America, with about forty thousand followers worldwide.1 Founded in 1942 by a self-proclaimed prophet, Victor Paul Wierwille (1916–1985), who marketed the group as a biblical research, teaching, and fellowship ministry, The Way still operates in the shadow of its dark history. I knew Wierwille personally. As one of his biblical research assistants and ministry leaders, I am a witness to his charisma, as well as his abuse of power and manipulation of Scriptures to serve his own agenda. I discovered his sexual abuse of women and chronic plagiarism. Today, those underbelly facts are hidden, denied, or otherwise squelched. The years of Wierwille’s authoritarian reign and the chaos after his death provide the context of my story. In 1987, after seventeen years of commitment to The Way, my life was a wreck. I rejected Wierwille’s ideology, escaped, and resumed my education. At Rollins College, my essay “Somewhere between Nonsense and Truth” laid the foundation for “An Affinity for Windows,” a short memoir in Shifting Gears: Small, Startling Moments In and Out of the Classroom. These writings are woven into this book. My recruitment story is included in Elena S. Whiteside’s book, The Way: Living in Love.2 This book is a memoir. It is my recollection of events related to the best of my knowledge and ability. The story’s crucial facts are true. Some events and conversations are combined in the interest of storytelling. Besides my memory and bits from others’ memories, my sources include my extensive collection of notes, journals, letters, calendars, books, newspapers, photographs, and copies of The Way Magazine. Names in this story that I have not changed, besides mine, are those of current or former public figures in The Way International: leaders at the state level or higher, Way trustees, and a few members of The Way’s Biblical Research Department. For privacy reasons, other identities have been changed or are composites. I recognize that others’ memories or interpretations of the events I describe herein may be different from my own. My book is not intended to hurt anyone. This is a recollection of life in a cult that in recent years has become a topic of public interest. My title invites the question, what makes The Way International a fundamentalist cult? Here is the crux of my answer: Wierwille believed in scriptural inerrancy, a cornerstone of Christian fundamentalism. As the biblical scholar James Barr tells us: “It is this function of the Bible as supreme religious symbol that justifies us in seeing fundamentalism as a quite separate religious form.”3 The Way International is also a cult, or at least was while I was in it. I use the definition of cult I found on The International Cultic Studies Association (ICSA) website: “An ideological organization held together by charismatic relationships and demanding total commitment.”4 Scripture quoted in this book is from the King James Version of the Bible. Any errors of fact, interpretation, or judgment in this book are my sole responsibility. I hope you enjoy reading my story. Charlene Edge Winter Park, Florida October 2016 Notes Preface 1. Author Karl Kahler states, “Cult numbers are notoriously hard to pin down, and are often inflated by anti-cult writers more concerned with sounding the alarm than checking the facts. Many writers have claimed The Way had 100,000 members, as if everyone who ever took the class were still a member. Around 1982, when [Craig] Martindale [second president of The Way International] was marching in Ontario and Way leaders were talking to the press, I heard consistently that we were claiming to have 40,000 members.” Karl Kahler, The Cult That Snapped: A Journey into The Way International (Los Gatos, CA: Karl Kahler, 1999), 110. See also: Zay N. Smith, “The Way—40,000 and Still Growing,” Chicago Sun-Times, Aug. 17, 1980. 2. Elena S. Whiteside, The Way: Living in Love. (New Knoxville, Ohio: American Christian Press, 1972), 142–149. 3. James Barr, Fundamentalism (Philadelphia: The Westminster Press, 1978) 37. 4. The definition of cult is taken from “Cults: Theory and Treatment Issues,” a paper presented by Rutgers University professor Benjamin Zablocki at a conference on May 31, 1997; cited in Michael D. Langone, “Cults, Psychological Manipulation, and Society: International Perspectives— An Overview,” Cultic Studies Journal 18 (2001), 1–12. http://www .icsahome.com/articles/cultspsymanipsociety-langone.

No, she is not related to them. I asked her.

That substack by Liz Childers is remarkable in that she shows so well what her cult experience was like and how it continues to affect her today. She writes in such a brave, down-to-earth way, with clarity and deep understanding. Cheers to Liz! Charlene

Welcome to GSC, WayKid2019. I hope you find lots of helpful info here to add to your healing journey!

Regarding your 2. In my view, loyalty to TWI is such that it very much warrants grave concern to anyone who understands what loyalty to TWI involves at this stage of its game. To still be loyal to TWI, from my viewpoint after 17 years experience of it up close, includes turning a blind eye to (or denying or making excuses for) the abuse of people and Scripture by its founder, VPW, who they continue to laud as their great man of God who taught "the accuracy of The Word." There's been more than enough evidence shown that he plagiarized-- stole -- a great deal of those teachings. So if you're loyal to TWI, in my view that's the stuff you're loyal to. What does that say about such people?