- Topic
I went to the store to buy a gallon of milk and while I was waiting to pay I saw this on the FRONT PAGE of the largest newspaper in the state of New Jersey
The article is really big! My wifes best friend grew up in Ridgewood and her parents still reside there. She stated, “I’ve seen this church before, but I had no idea what was going on!” (This was after my wife told her about our4 years there). I then realized that they hide in the shadows of communities.
It’s quite the article. What do you mean they hide in the shadows of the communities? Care to expand?
@mayor Well, they act like a Masonic temple, or a high end country club. There is a sign , nothing about it says, “Welcome, come on in.” No sign that says, “Bible Study; Cone learn the hidden truths of the Bible”. I know in the Zion I left, there were securitt cameras, that were monitored to make sure a nonmember didnt walk in. That happened several times, strangers and the needy walked in; thinking it may be a church that has a soup kitchen. Let me tell you, the walk ins were never greated warmly. WMS churches give me the feeling of that spooky house on your street, as a kid. Lol
The dynamic of human control in the group, this culture is surprising to me. But also I find it interesting. Cameras in the church are there for control, to monitor walk-ins, to watch members.
Many churches are open to the public from what I see. You are right Untouchable, they are a different type of institution like the ones you mentioned. Unlike a prison they let you return home at least.
On another topic, but still related to the original post; I remember at some point being told that when the church is reported on by CNN, that is when the end will be "any day now". I know that they are always saying that but has anyone else heard this? I'm just curious.
UntouchableJ wrote:
@mayor Well, they act like a Masonic temple, or a high end country club. There is a sign , nothing about it says, "Welcome, come on in." No sign that says, "Bible Study; Cone learn the hidden truths of the Bible". I know in the Zion I left, there were securitt cameras, that were monitored to make sure a nonmember didnt walk in. That happened several times, strangers and the needy walked in; thinking it may be a church that has a soup kitchen. Let me tell you, the walk ins were never greated warmly. WMS churches give me the feeling of that spooky house on your street, as a kid. Lol
That is a really good description of that place! I drove down to visit a friend in Ridgewood last week. We were walking around the town and bunped into one of the local policemen. I asked him if he knew anything about the wms and he said the department was very aware of them and had been called there on multiple occasions. He did not elaborate on the reasons other than to say, they were mostly disturbance calls. He told us, they were of public record and anybody can check them out. I wonder if anybody here, who is from that area, would mind stopping by headquarters to see whats on file? He said they keep a close eye on that place but I'm really not sure what he meant by that. We didn't speak with him for that long but he also mentioned that the other churches in town have or are going to meet and were supposedly planning to make a statement of some kind. I was surprised to hear that, as most "other" churches usually turn away from stuff like this.
David wrote:
UntouchableJ wrote:
@mayor Well, they act like a Masonic temple, or a high end country club. There is a sign , nothing about it says, "Welcome, come on in." No sign that says, "Bible Study; Cone learn the hidden truths of the Bible". I know in the Zion I left, there were securitt cameras, that were monitored to make sure a nonmember didnt walk in. That happened several times, strangers and the needy walked in; thinking it may be a church that has a soup kitchen. Let me tell you, the walk ins were never greated warmly. WMS churches give me the feeling of that spooky house on your street, as a kid. Lol
That is a really good description of that place! I drove down to visit a friend in Ridgewood last week. We were walking around the town and bunped into one of the local policemen. I asked him if he knew anything about the wms and he said the department was very aware of them and had been called there on multiple occasions. He did not elaborate on the reasons other than to say, they were mostly disturbance calls. He told us, they were of public record and anybody can check them out. I wonder if anybody here, who is from that area, would mind stopping by headquarters to see whats on file? He said they keep a close eye on that place but I'm really not sure what he meant by that. We didn't speak with him for that long but he also mentioned that the other churches in town have or are going to meet and were supposedly planning to make a statement of some kind. I was surprised to hear that, as most "other" churches usually turn away from stuff like this.
Both are very interesting points. But do you know what the rebuttle of the WMS would be?:" the early church recieved much persecution and therefore had to keep worship in private. They were very often through of as strange because of this…..blahblahblahskjfnajfniulsdjfknjasnl"
Funny how we all know exactly what they will say
@David A public records request might be done online. I will check it out later. The zion I was at was in an interesting part of town, and when it moved one city over same thing. Sometimes its the area, sometimes its WMS. The city I live in has a detox hospital and other services. We had recovering addicts come to the church, walk in and come up to members asking for work for pay. The reaction is always very standoffish to them. While I was a member, we also escorted some people off the grounds because they got in a shouting match with the Elder.
UntouchableJ wrote:
@David A public records request might be done online. I will check it out later. The zion I was at was in an interesting part of town, and when it moved one city over same thing. Sometimes its the area, sometimes its WMS. The city I live in has a detox hospital and other services. We had recovering addicts come to the church, walk in and come up to members asking for work for pay. The reaction is always very standoffish to them. While I was a member, we also escorted some people off the grounds because they got in a shouting match with the Elder.At the zion in seattle simular things have happend. On one occasion a homeless man came in to the sactuary and prayed. The sisters who were there at that time told him that if he did leave that the police would be called ( very loving reception). On another day a man and a woman came in and asked for gift cards. The overseer shouted at them. I almost thought that it was going to turn into a physical confrontation. Another time when some of the leaders were having a meeting about what the next 'we love u foundation' event would be, some one voiced an idea having something to do with homeless people. The overseer cringed, and said (verbatim) "no sisteh……. never homeless people"
@Brian Similar thing from the overseer. During preaching assembly, and between service he would say, “Bare clean fruit, not dirty or ghetto.” I was told that the poor and homeless wouldnt be good because they can’t tithe, therefore, obey all the commandments. Hmmm….so eternal life according to WMS evaluates righteousness on finances, and not any other righteousness or commands?
UntouchableJ wrote:
@Brian Similar thing from the overseer. During preaching assembly, and between service he would say, "Bare clean fruit, not dirty or ghetto." I was told that the poor and homeless wouldnt be good because they can't tithe, therefore, obey all the commandments. Hmmm….so eternal life according to WMS evaluates righteousness on finances, and not any other righteousness or commands?
Yeah, it's soo ridiculous. When the zion I was at did an all day preaching mission in snohimish county, which as a very affluent part of washington state, we were told that we could baprize immediately . However, when we did a preaching mission in SeaTac, which incedentally has a much lower per capita income then snohomish, and has a much more multicultural population, we were told to have "a spirit of discernment" and that we must only get contacts and study with them for weeks on end to detect wether or not they had problems with drugs and alcohol.
Another thing that comes to mind is once when I was watching one of their UCC space videos about the 'we love u' foundation they showed street clean up campaigns across the world. They even showed this in very poor west african countries such as Mali, Niger, Ghana and Camroon. In retrospect I would've asked myself " is picking up garbage on the road really the most they could do to help people living in those regions and to show love???". To me it is more evidence of their frivolous volunteer work being nothing more then PR and an excuse for bragging rights
I remember once I asked a leader in my Zion of their would ever be a mission trip to Somalia, a country legislated by sharia law and ravaged by tribal warfare. He said that there most likely would not be one. I asked "why?, isnt mother to be maid praise of the WHOLE earth?" to which he replied: " it is likely that those people committed worse sins in heaven and therefor are placed in situations and locations that are much less likely to hear the truth then the rest of the world"
@Brian I never heard about the CNN thing. I do remember the “Kings making Jerusalem the praise of the Earth” prophecy. Whats SoOoo comical is how WMS justifies this. They preached to the prince of a small country who got baptised. When you see him on their vodeo, his body language seems annoyed.WMS also invited the Prime Minister of a very small African country to a Nuclear Summit that was under the We Love U foundation guise. They also claim that the Presidential Service award (which is extremely easy to get, you apply for it, and pay 4$) fulfills prophecy. So a small monarchy, a prime minister and a piece of paper that WMS members applied for, qualifies fulfillment of prophecy?
It appears they are gearing up for the inevitable TV and newspaper reports that will expose them for what they are. They are busy planting ideas in their members minds to prepare for it so they aren't affected. That is ok. Well, not really ok for the poor members, but it is ok in that others will be warned and will do their research before going into this cult. That is really the answer to this problem. We really can't get people out once they are in. We can only educate them so an informed choice is made about joining the Wms. And believe me, no one I have warned will ever become a member.
@ untouchableJ I do remember that! I believe it was the prince of Tonga. lol and he actually has no governing power in the country, sorta like the royal family of England. They were touting that prophecy when a senator in washington was preached to. I remember a UCC space video where te mayor of Denver, or Phoenix, or Atlanta or some where I can't specifically remember, was awarding them a some kind of civil merit plaque; and while the overseer was saying the usual clicheic " Thanks to our heavenly mother jerusalem and out father ahnsahnghong" the look on the mayor's face was "what in the blue hell are they talking about??????"
MountainMom wrote:
It appears they are gearing up for the inevitable TV and newspaper reports that will expose them for what they are. They are busy planting ideas in their members minds to prepare for it so they aren't affected. That is ok. Well, not really ok for the poor members, but it is ok in that others will be warned and will do their research before going into this cult. That is really the answer to this problem. We really can't get people out once they are in. We can only educate them so an informed choice is made about joining the Wms. And believe me, no one I have warned will ever become a member.
Yes, it is a giant hole in the ground, the best thing we can do is but a warning sign in front of it.
@Bian: Tru dat. Since I am a former health teacher, I am big on an ounce of prevention being worth a pound of cure.
@Brian. Your right. Thats why they flood Exmembers videos, with responses from current members.
Brian Taylor wrote:
@ untouchableJ I do remember that! I believe it was the prince of Tonga. lol and he actually has no governing power in the country, sorta like the royal family of England. They were touting that prophecy when a senator in washington was preached to. I remember a UCC space video where te mayor of Denver, or Phoenix, or Atlanta or some where I can't specifically remember, was awarding them a some kind of civil merit plaque; and while the overseer was saying the usual clicheic " Thanks to our heavenly mother jerusalem and out father ahnsahnghong" the look on the mayor's face was "what in the blue hell are they talking about??????"
AHHHHH! HAAAAAA! That made me laugh out loud!!
There is a video with 2 WMS guys on a memphis news program talking about trash clean up. The one guy starts babbbling on about New Jerusalem and then God the Mother. The news people starting getting wise that this was not a regular church and at the end when the member asked if they could do their cheer, the news people said they were out of time! LOL! They are so indoctrinated and trying so hard to make mother proud that they end up looking like ummm – cult members.
I remember the Mayor of ATL, it was. He looked dazed and confused. WMS please understand, if you are reading this;
Tricking members to praise the We Luv U foundation isnt prophecy, because God never had to trick anyone. One royal family member of a Monarchy that doesnt hold power is also NOT fulfilling prophecy. Third, members of WMS paying for a Presidential award (4$, mind you) and telling people that the US president gave it to her, is also bogus.
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