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Broken Faith: Inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, One of America's Most Dangerous Cults
An explosive investigation into Word of Faith Fellowship, a secretive evangelical cult whose charismatic female leader is a master of manipulation
In 1979, Jane Whaley, a fiery preacher with a thick Southern drawl, attracted a small group of followers—twenty-two men and women drawn in by her passion, and promise that through prayer and deliverance, they could turn their lives around.
In the years since, Whaley’s following has expanded to include thousands of congregants across three continents. In the eyes of her followers, she’s a prophet—to disobey her means eternal damnation. It could also mean hours of physical abuse. The control she exerts is absolute: she decides what her followers study, where they work, whom they can marry—even when they can have sex.
Broken Faith is the meticulously reported story of a singular female cult leader, a terrifying portrait of life inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, and the harrowing account of one family who escaped after two decades. Based on hundreds of interviews, secretly recorded conversations, and thousands of pages of documents, Broken Faith offers both a cautionary tale and a deeply emotional examination of faith, resilience, and family. It’s the story of an entire community’s descent into darkness—and for some, the winding journey back to the light.
In 1979, Jane Whaley, a fiery preacher with a thick Southern drawl, attracted a small group of followers—twenty-two men and women drawn in by her passion, and promise that through prayer and deliverance, they could turn their lives around.
In the years since, Whaley’s following has expanded to include thousands of congregants across three continents. In the eyes of her followers, she’s a prophet—to disobey her means eternal damnation. It could also mean hours of physical abuse. The control she exerts is absolute: she decides what her followers study, where they work, whom they can marry—even when they can have sex.
Broken Faith is the meticulously reported story of a singular female cult leader, a terrifying portrait of life inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, and the harrowing account of one family who escaped after two decades. Based on hundreds of interviews, secretly recorded conversations, and thousands of pages of documents, Broken Faith offers both a cautionary tale and a deeply emotional examination of faith, resilience, and family. It’s the story of an entire community’s descent into darkness—and for some, the winding journey back to the light.
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First published February 18, 2020
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About the author
Mitch Weiss
11 books30 followersLibrarian Note: There is more than one author by this name in the Goodreads database.
Mitch Weiss is a New York Times best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist for The Associated Press covering subjects ranging from the Vietnam War to corrupt real estate appraisers to the British Petroleum oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. He is the coauthor of The Yankee Comandante: The Untold Story of Courage, Passion and One American’s Fight to Liberate Cuba, Hunting Ché: How a U.S. Special Forces Team Helped Capture the World’s Most Famous Revolutionary, No Way Out: A Story of Valor in the Mountains of Afghanistan, Tiger Force: A True Story of Men and War, Countdown Bin Laden. The Untold Story of the 247-Day Hunt to Bring the Mastermind of 9/11 to Justice; Countdown 1945. The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days that Changed the Word. Drug Warrior: Inside the Hunt for El Chapo and the Rise of America's Opioid Crisis, Broken Faith: Inside the World of Faith Fellowship. One of America's Most Dangerous Cults, and The Heart of Hell. The Untold Story of Courage and Sacrifice in the Shadow of Iwo Jima.
Mitch Weiss is a New York Times best-selling author and Pulitzer Prize-winning investigative journalist for The Associated Press covering subjects ranging from the Vietnam War to corrupt real estate appraisers to the British Petroleum oil spill disaster in the Gulf of Mexico. He is the coauthor of The Yankee Comandante: The Untold Story of Courage, Passion and One American’s Fight to Liberate Cuba, Hunting Ché: How a U.S. Special Forces Team Helped Capture the World’s Most Famous Revolutionary, No Way Out: A Story of Valor in the Mountains of Afghanistan, Tiger Force: A True Story of Men and War, Countdown Bin Laden. The Untold Story of the 247-Day Hunt to Bring the Mastermind of 9/11 to Justice; Countdown 1945. The Extraordinary Story of the Atomic Bomb and the 116 Days that Changed the Word. Drug Warrior: Inside the Hunt for El Chapo and the Rise of America's Opioid Crisis, Broken Faith: Inside the World of Faith Fellowship. One of America's Most Dangerous Cults, and The Heart of Hell. The Untold Story of Courage and Sacrifice in the Shadow of Iwo Jima.
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June 11, 2020
"It was story after story of emotional and physical abuse—how children suffered, and how parents stood by and let it happen."
Broken Faith: Inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, One of America's Most Dangerous Cults is a well-written and well-researched account of the dangerous Word of Faith Fellowship cult.
At first I wasn't sure I would like this because it's written in the form of personal stories of some of the members and ex-members. Normally I prefer to read facts instead of human interest stories but for this book, it worked. I think the book was better because it was written this way.
We get to know several people and their families who joined this insidious cult, run by the charismatic -and evil- Jane Whaley. Who, once joining, often found themselves stuck inside its clutches.
I was not surprised by anything I read, there being many similarities to the fundamentalist Baptist church I grew up in, which has many cult-like traits itself (though WOFF is inherently worse). Still, it was disturbing to read how people willingly gave over control of not just their lives but also the lives of their children.
I am always fascinated by the sort of person who voluntarily bends to someone else's will, someone else's beliefs. The sort of person who can be so easily manipulated and controlled. And yet, as the author points out, no one sets out to join a cult. Rather, they are taken in by the warmth and friendliness that is at first bestowed upon them, by the feelings of acceptance and their desire to be part of a family of like-minded people. And, as noted by Mr. Weiss, Jane Whaley, offers "them hope in a world full of confusion and heartbreak".
Still. Still I cannot truly understand why this matters so much to anyone. How they can give up their freedom just to feel they belong.
For decades, Children and Youth services has investigated complaints of abuse of children within the church and yet every time, they are allowed to do nothing. Members of this cult are entangled in the conservative politics of their county in North Carolina, and even the sheriff bows to them.
If Children and Youth services receive a complaint involving the church, they have to run it by the county DSS office before doing a thing, "the only child welfare agency in the United States bound to operate under those conditions."
It's not just abuse of children but also of adults. People of every age are subjected to "blasting" a form of punishment where other members throw the victim to the floor, begin beating them "in the name of the Lord", all the while screaming so loud that eardrums are sometimes punctured, to drive out demons. People can be subjected to this form of punishment for no other reason than Whaley claims God told her the person has sin in their heart.
Whaley and other church officials control all aspects of life, from where one works, to whom they marry, even to when they can have sex with their spouse!
Anytime the church is accused of abuse, they do what many evangelicals do in this country -- scream that they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs, that their 1st Amendment freedom of religion rights are being violated. And as is often the case with other churches, they get away with it. Hardly anyone wants to fight religion in the USA, even when children are being abused.
Shame. Shame on us.
As of the writing of this book in 2019, Jane Whaley has not been charged with a single crime, despite years of accusations with a multitude of complaints and proof to back them up.
The Word of Faith Fellowship is not just a danger to those within its fold. They hobnob with Republican politicians in their state in order to be granted special status and influence laws. Some members are also in cahoots with Donald Trump, getting front row seats at all his rallies they attended. One member, Leigh Valentine, claims she's part of a little-known presidential group that promotes religious outreach. She was a featured speaker at a Washington event for Constitutional Millennials, a group working to "restore our country back to its biblical foundations".
This is chilling, despite the fact that this country was not built on any biblical or christian traditions.
Word of Faith Fellowship continues to grow, having thousands of members all over the world. They do not appear to be going away anytime soon. "Even with the arrests, trials, and dirty laundry, the sect seems to thrive."
I recommend Broken Faith to anyone interested in cults and cult-like behavior. To those who, like me, strive to understand the mentality not just of the members but of the leader as well. Why anyone would want to have so much control over other people is beyond me.
Broken Faith: Inside the Word of Faith Fellowship, One of America's Most Dangerous Cults is a well-written and well-researched account of the dangerous Word of Faith Fellowship cult.
At first I wasn't sure I would like this because it's written in the form of personal stories of some of the members and ex-members. Normally I prefer to read facts instead of human interest stories but for this book, it worked. I think the book was better because it was written this way.
We get to know several people and their families who joined this insidious cult, run by the charismatic -and evil- Jane Whaley. Who, once joining, often found themselves stuck inside its clutches.
I was not surprised by anything I read, there being many similarities to the fundamentalist Baptist church I grew up in, which has many cult-like traits itself (though WOFF is inherently worse). Still, it was disturbing to read how people willingly gave over control of not just their lives but also the lives of their children.
I am always fascinated by the sort of person who voluntarily bends to someone else's will, someone else's beliefs. The sort of person who can be so easily manipulated and controlled. And yet, as the author points out, no one sets out to join a cult. Rather, they are taken in by the warmth and friendliness that is at first bestowed upon them, by the feelings of acceptance and their desire to be part of a family of like-minded people. And, as noted by Mr. Weiss, Jane Whaley, offers "them hope in a world full of confusion and heartbreak".
Still. Still I cannot truly understand why this matters so much to anyone. How they can give up their freedom just to feel they belong.
For decades, Children and Youth services has investigated complaints of abuse of children within the church and yet every time, they are allowed to do nothing. Members of this cult are entangled in the conservative politics of their county in North Carolina, and even the sheriff bows to them.
If Children and Youth services receive a complaint involving the church, they have to run it by the county DSS office before doing a thing, "the only child welfare agency in the United States bound to operate under those conditions."
It's not just abuse of children but also of adults. People of every age are subjected to "blasting" a form of punishment where other members throw the victim to the floor, begin beating them "in the name of the Lord", all the while screaming so loud that eardrums are sometimes punctured, to drive out demons. People can be subjected to this form of punishment for no other reason than Whaley claims God told her the person has sin in their heart.
Whaley and other church officials control all aspects of life, from where one works, to whom they marry, even to when they can have sex with their spouse!
Anytime the church is accused of abuse, they do what many evangelicals do in this country -- scream that they are being persecuted for their religious beliefs, that their 1st Amendment freedom of religion rights are being violated. And as is often the case with other churches, they get away with it. Hardly anyone wants to fight religion in the USA, even when children are being abused.
Shame. Shame on us.
As of the writing of this book in 2019, Jane Whaley has not been charged with a single crime, despite years of accusations with a multitude of complaints and proof to back them up.
The Word of Faith Fellowship is not just a danger to those within its fold. They hobnob with Republican politicians in their state in order to be granted special status and influence laws. Some members are also in cahoots with Donald Trump, getting front row seats at all his rallies they attended. One member, Leigh Valentine, claims she's part of a little-known presidential group that promotes religious outreach. She was a featured speaker at a Washington event for Constitutional Millennials, a group working to "restore our country back to its biblical foundations".
This is chilling, despite the fact that this country was not built on any biblical or christian traditions.
Word of Faith Fellowship continues to grow, having thousands of members all over the world. They do not appear to be going away anytime soon. "Even with the arrests, trials, and dirty laundry, the sect seems to thrive."
I recommend Broken Faith to anyone interested in cults and cult-like behavior. To those who, like me, strive to understand the mentality not just of the members but of the leader as well. Why anyone would want to have so much control over other people is beyond me.
November 4, 2020
Thug and bully are not strong enough words to describe the evil devil, Jane Whaley. Her cult, the Word of Faith Fellowship, has manipulated the First Amendment of religious freedom to justify child abuse, torture of adults, and to control the sexual behavior of her membership.
I can’t stomach reading about the terrified upbringing these children have had and how the North Carolina justice system has repeatedly failed to protect them. The evil Whaley has coerced witnesses to lie in court, she has illegally conferred with prosecuting attorneys, and she has intimidated and threatened witnesses.
I hated to give this 4 stars because I didn’t want to discourage anyone from reading it, but I do have a quibble with the confusing construction, timeline, and presentation of members’ stories. But don’t let this dissuade you because Jane Whaley, the monster bitch, should be outed.
The real heroes of this still active cult are the members that have bravely escaped and tenaciously try to expose the barbaric practices of WFF.
I can’t stomach reading about the terrified upbringing these children have had and how the North Carolina justice system has repeatedly failed to protect them. The evil Whaley has coerced witnesses to lie in court, she has illegally conferred with prosecuting attorneys, and she has intimidated and threatened witnesses.
I hated to give this 4 stars because I didn’t want to discourage anyone from reading it, but I do have a quibble with the confusing construction, timeline, and presentation of members’ stories. But don’t let this dissuade you because Jane Whaley, the monster bitch, should be outed.
The real heroes of this still active cult are the members that have bravely escaped and tenaciously try to expose the barbaric practices of WFF.
March 4, 2020
It feels almost unbelievable that this sort of cult is still active today. This book was powerful and fascinating while at the same time horrifying. I could not put it down.
February 27, 2020
I want to be clear about why I gave this three stars. The background reporting and research by the author are definitely five-star-worthy. The book is a great achievement in pulling together the different threads that combine to form a full picture of the Word of Faith Fellowship cult. It's just the writing that is so blah that it *almost* renders descriptions of horrible beatings and "blastings" mundane. If you have never heard of this cult, or of Jane Whaley, its leader, then this book will be a revelation, and I don't want to steer you away from it. It's a valuable reminder of how people can twist the gentle and kind meanings behind any religious philosophy for their own enrichment. If you would like to listen to a good podcast on this subject, in addition to reading the book, then please check out season one of Javier Leiva's podcast, Pretend. He actually gets to attend a service and meet Jane Whaley, so it is worth your time.
July 22, 2020
The hierarchy and psychology of cults has always been interesting to me. This one, in the Blue Ridge Mountains of NC, is alive and well today. Jane Whaley, an avid Trump fan, has risen to the level of sick stardom within her congregation, Word of Faith. First she and her closest associates make the potential member feel the love. Many people crave the sense of belonging that she aggressively sells. Once she had the newbies in her clutches, she begins to control their behavior. Her permission must be sought for sex, schooling, housing and every other damned thing. If you do not follow her encyclopedia of rules you will be ruthlessly punished in a horrendous variety of ways. Blasting was a common punishment where congregants yell and physically torture you for hours at a time. Kids and adults must all fall in line. Gradually the members become afraid to displease Jane or leave. With her network of 'gorillas', she was able to chase down most escapees.
She also stole money from the mandated family contributions to support her lavish life style. Brazil is still after her because she might have stolen one of their most valuable gems. Successful escapees have reported her abuse and even provided law enforcement with recordings. Even after one complaint that went to a jury trial, she got off free. (Members of her cult were allowed on the jury which helped.) She not averse to paying off local law enforcement to protect her personally and her many assets. She has figured out how to manipulate the legal system and run her horrid cult unimpeded. Recently she got a license to transport cyanide. Somebody better pay attention before she puts that to use.
The authors did a great job of researching this book. They interviewed hundreds of people, read documents, transcripts, and made sure their assertions were accurate. The problem for me came in the writing of the book. It was overloaded with people and repetitive church (hate to even refer to it as such) scenes of abuse. Representative congregants and the disillusioned could have been crafted into a story that would have captivated this reader. I always prefer to go deeper into the characters rather than deal with a shallow multitude. The message would not have been muddied if fewer storylines had been written.
She also stole money from the mandated family contributions to support her lavish life style. Brazil is still after her because she might have stolen one of their most valuable gems. Successful escapees have reported her abuse and even provided law enforcement with recordings. Even after one complaint that went to a jury trial, she got off free. (Members of her cult were allowed on the jury which helped.) She not averse to paying off local law enforcement to protect her personally and her many assets. She has figured out how to manipulate the legal system and run her horrid cult unimpeded. Recently she got a license to transport cyanide. Somebody better pay attention before she puts that to use.
The authors did a great job of researching this book. They interviewed hundreds of people, read documents, transcripts, and made sure their assertions were accurate. The problem for me came in the writing of the book. It was overloaded with people and repetitive church (hate to even refer to it as such) scenes of abuse. Representative congregants and the disillusioned could have been crafted into a story that would have captivated this reader. I always prefer to go deeper into the characters rather than deal with a shallow multitude. The message would not have been muddied if fewer storylines had been written.
May 15, 2020
How is this cult still active? I’m flabbergasted. I enjoyed this expressive look into the inner workings of a fundamentalist cult; the writing was vibrant and impactful. I’m unnerved by the fact that I live in the same state as this practicing cult.
April 7, 2020
I sort of stumbled on this book by accident. I was searching for books on Scientology after watching the scathing documentary on the secretive religion, but this one struck my interest from the "if you like that then read this" pile. As a sociologist who regularly teaches about cults in relation to sociology of religion, I'm fascinated by how they form and entice/subdue members. I'll definitely be using this one in my classes for future discussion.
The Word of Faith Fellowship is an active church out of North Carolina with thousands of members and churches in at least 2 other countries. Their leaders, Jane and Sam Whaley come from a charismatic Pentecostal background mixed with prosperity gospel mixed with their own questionable theological ideals (some draw heavily from scientology and the church uses scientology based lawyers) but claim non-denominational status. . Jane, the official head of the church has no theological background or education, yet the former math teacher and her used car salesman husband have managed to build a new religious movement (a nice way to say cult) with a huge amount of wealth and influence. On the surface, it looks great. Their website shows smiling happy members and ministers, family photos, photos of their church school and huge weddings, and details on their charitable efforts. The first indication something might be off is the link on the website homepage that reads "Response to Media Lies". The "media lies" they refer to are investigations by local, state, and federal authorities going back to 1995 (the church was founded in 1979) which were started by a Christian watchdog group that investigates fraud/criminal activity in churches and have been reported by journalists. The most recent convictions of church members occurred in October 2019. There have been Inside Edition exposes, a documentary, numerous news articles, and now a book by Pulitzer Prize winning journalists. These investigations have uncovered serious abuse, assault, intimidation, and federal fraud (several convictions even of Jane Whaley herself for assault of a church member), not to mention the non-criminal church practices common with most all cults including financial, social, and spiritual intimidation to stay loyal (i.e. sexual regulation, control of members' finances, dress codes, etc.).
This is an incredibly fascinating investigative look into an active powerful cult, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in that direction. While I appreciated the extensive notes/sources in the back, I would have liked a bit more follow up on some of the people and characters mentioned in the book. We get a little of that but many are left unexplained. As the cult is ongoing and gaining political clout, it will be fascinating to watch where it goes.
The Word of Faith Fellowship is an active church out of North Carolina with thousands of members and churches in at least 2 other countries. Their leaders, Jane and Sam Whaley come from a charismatic Pentecostal background mixed with prosperity gospel mixed with their own questionable theological ideals (some draw heavily from scientology and the church uses scientology based lawyers) but claim non-denominational status. . Jane, the official head of the church has no theological background or education, yet the former math teacher and her used car salesman husband have managed to build a new religious movement (a nice way to say cult) with a huge amount of wealth and influence. On the surface, it looks great. Their website shows smiling happy members and ministers, family photos, photos of their church school and huge weddings, and details on their charitable efforts. The first indication something might be off is the link on the website homepage that reads "Response to Media Lies". The "media lies" they refer to are investigations by local, state, and federal authorities going back to 1995 (the church was founded in 1979) which were started by a Christian watchdog group that investigates fraud/criminal activity in churches and have been reported by journalists. The most recent convictions of church members occurred in October 2019. There have been Inside Edition exposes, a documentary, numerous news articles, and now a book by Pulitzer Prize winning journalists. These investigations have uncovered serious abuse, assault, intimidation, and federal fraud (several convictions even of Jane Whaley herself for assault of a church member), not to mention the non-criminal church practices common with most all cults including financial, social, and spiritual intimidation to stay loyal (i.e. sexual regulation, control of members' finances, dress codes, etc.).
This is an incredibly fascinating investigative look into an active powerful cult, and I highly recommend it to anyone who has an interest in that direction. While I appreciated the extensive notes/sources in the back, I would have liked a bit more follow up on some of the people and characters mentioned in the book. We get a little of that but many are left unexplained. As the cult is ongoing and gaining political clout, it will be fascinating to watch where it goes.
July 15, 2020
Very well done, hard to read at times but very hard to put down!
December 30, 2020
This book is an absolute must-read. It will make you angry, sad, and terrified, but it is an eye-opening look at the horrors that are going on to this day inside the United States. I firmly disagree with the other reviews that claim this book is difficult to follow or has too many details. It is told chronologically, focusing on one extended family that escaped from a cult masquerading as a megachurch. This story will make you want to get up and do something. Read it as soon as possible.
February 12, 2025
***Trigger Warning*** This book contains graphic scenes of violence to children, men, and women. Please use discretion when deciding to read it.
My first impression at the end of the book is that it was too much to bear. As the survivors reminisced about feeling numb after years of being a member, I, too, felt numb after listening to the horrific recounting of their experiences.
Broken Faith: Inside one of America's Most Dangerous Cults is the story of Sam and Jane Whaley's growth from a small ministry loosely based upon Tulsa, Oklahoma's Prosperity Gospel, and Rhema Bible College run by Kenneth Hagin Sr. into a four-continent super church led solely by Jane Whaley.
Word of Faith Fellowship started as a couple-led ministry in rural Spindale, North Carolina but Jane rapidly felt a calling to be the leader of the Congregation. Although she had been a shy, homely girl; she had her teeth fixed, and with her big blond hair, power suits, and flashy gold necklaces, she came across as a powerful businesswoman. People listened when Jane spoke.
Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) was a Pentecostal-leaning Church that believed that the Bible was the true and only word of God. Jane used Scripture to justify the church’s practices, including blasting. One of her favorites was Mark 16:17–18, where Jesus lists the many spiritual powers given to his followers. Among them was “deliverance,” driving away evil spirits. Whaley singled this one out as a commandment. This particular practice was responsible for much of the pain, physical, emotional, and spiritual, that ballooned into abuse.
Blasting, yelling at the top of your lungs, was thought to drive out the devil and evil spirits inside someone. Blasting was Jane's go-to punishment. It quickly escalated to slapping, hitting, biting, shoving, and then pushing someone down and sitting on them while kicking and punching them. This technique was used on babies, little children, women, and men, often for ten to twelve hours at a time.
Before the authors of the book finished in 2017, over one hundred people had left the church, calling it a cult and reporting nightmarish stories of trying to get help for the abuse from the local Sheriff's department and the State legislature only to find WOFF members embedded in the system and their claims disappearing.
Broken Faith is an important warning for people everywhere. Cults exist not just in Eastern religions and Jim Jones type of situations but right in the Christian heartland of America. If you can, given the graphic violence, I highly recommend you read this book. You or your family members may need this information.
My first impression at the end of the book is that it was too much to bear. As the survivors reminisced about feeling numb after years of being a member, I, too, felt numb after listening to the horrific recounting of their experiences.
Broken Faith: Inside one of America's Most Dangerous Cults is the story of Sam and Jane Whaley's growth from a small ministry loosely based upon Tulsa, Oklahoma's Prosperity Gospel, and Rhema Bible College run by Kenneth Hagin Sr. into a four-continent super church led solely by Jane Whaley.
Word of Faith Fellowship started as a couple-led ministry in rural Spindale, North Carolina but Jane rapidly felt a calling to be the leader of the Congregation. Although she had been a shy, homely girl; she had her teeth fixed, and with her big blond hair, power suits, and flashy gold necklaces, she came across as a powerful businesswoman. People listened when Jane spoke.
Word of Faith Fellowship (WOFF) was a Pentecostal-leaning Church that believed that the Bible was the true and only word of God. Jane used Scripture to justify the church’s practices, including blasting. One of her favorites was Mark 16:17–18, where Jesus lists the many spiritual powers given to his followers. Among them was “deliverance,” driving away evil spirits. Whaley singled this one out as a commandment. This particular practice was responsible for much of the pain, physical, emotional, and spiritual, that ballooned into abuse.
Blasting, yelling at the top of your lungs, was thought to drive out the devil and evil spirits inside someone. Blasting was Jane's go-to punishment. It quickly escalated to slapping, hitting, biting, shoving, and then pushing someone down and sitting on them while kicking and punching them. This technique was used on babies, little children, women, and men, often for ten to twelve hours at a time.
Before the authors of the book finished in 2017, over one hundred people had left the church, calling it a cult and reporting nightmarish stories of trying to get help for the abuse from the local Sheriff's department and the State legislature only to find WOFF members embedded in the system and their claims disappearing.
Broken Faith is an important warning for people everywhere. Cults exist not just in Eastern religions and Jim Jones type of situations but right in the Christian heartland of America. If you can, given the graphic violence, I highly recommend you read this book. You or your family members may need this information.
February 1, 2021
WOW. Well investigated and well written. Very upsetting. Absolutely recommend for anyone interested in cults and true crime. Sort of a non-spoiler spoiler that I wasn't thinking about as I read the book but is honestly right there in the title, THIS CULT IS STILL ACTIVE. Normally when I watch/read/listen to media about cults it is in the past. Think Heaven's Gate, Rajneesh movement, Jim Jones, etc. What makes this book incredibly upsetting is how long this cult has operated and the fact that it is still going. I do think this book could have benefitted from some figures. Although, I generally think that about all non-fiction, especially true crime. At the beginning there is a list of the important individuals with brief descriptions, but a family tree, map, and timeline would have gone a long way. I suppose a timeline would give away some of the narrative but if you put it at the end it would be okay and a nice recap since some of the story is told thematically and not chronologically. You will be very frustrated with the local law enforcement by the end of this book. Lots of big yikes. Jane Whaley is The Worst. Huge props to the brave survivors who shared their stories to make this book possible. They deserve justice. I want MFM to cover this story.
August 16, 2020
This is maybe the heaviest cult book I've ever read. This book was written by an AP writer who also wrote the exposé on the word of faith fellowship, which you can read here https://apnews.com/e9404784f9c6428a8d...
This book is PACKED with victim experiences and examples of abuse in the word of faith fellowship. I consume a lot of cult content and this was stunning. It has a lot of information and people cited, but you never feel like the information is irrelevant. There's so much that happens to these poor people. It also tracks their struggles after they leave the cult and their families that stayed behind. It really broke my heart. Please read this book.
tw abuse, child abuse, homophobia, gaslighting
This book is PACKED with victim experiences and examples of abuse in the word of faith fellowship. I consume a lot of cult content and this was stunning. It has a lot of information and people cited, but you never feel like the information is irrelevant. There's so much that happens to these poor people. It also tracks their struggles after they leave the cult and their families that stayed behind. It really broke my heart. Please read this book.
tw abuse, child abuse, homophobia, gaslighting
November 21, 2023
"Harrowing" is the best way to describe this book, and the experiences of those who escaped the bizarre and downright cruel Word of Faith Fellowship. Disturbingly, this cult and its leader have been able to insinuate themselves into the world of the politically powerful with their support of right-wing causes, which we've also seen before with the Moonies, etc.
January 9, 2023
It amazes me how much power we hand over to one, or several, individuals just to feel included and ultimately acknowledged by a complete stranger suffering from their own identity crisis and using this extreme form of bullying as a scapegoat.
The men let her dictate what their hair looked like. The women allowed her to tell them how to raise their children.
Cults are all about dominance and excessive control. Seeing how far they can go and how many people will follow these outlandish ideologies. Which their own lives are suffering so, why not? How bad could a little authority be in exchange for acceptance? Except, it's a lot of authority and you're never actually accepted.
It's even more infuriating that these "leaders" convince parents to do things like beat their children, and they listen!? What's deeply hidden within someone to follow such instructions? Children, unfortunately, nearly always fall in the middle of these mind games.
When there's a public demonstration at church about how to have sex that "isn't" enjoyable (because gawd wouldn't like that) by simulating movements and shouting "oh Jesus" to show appreciation to Him (not your partner, clearly), but praise that moment! There's probably something wrong. How did everyone sit there quietly and approve of a preacher having an "orgasm" on stage?? But kids holding hands is sinful?
What else do all of these cases have in common that allow them to get away with it for so long? Privilege.
Many of these cases are overlooked as being cults because they're high ranking political figures or in senior leadership roles.
What's more, while it shouldn't be, is that these people result to violence and murder when someone threatens their itty-bitty corner of sovereignty. However, they are cowards and demand their followers risk the consequences of being caught for breaking the law. Unless, of course, it's innocent children or those who can't physically fight back.
The Epilogue wraps everything up perfectly. I thought it would never end...in a devilishly good way. That was also the best part of the book. This chapter could have been released as a stand-alone! Full-on unleashed & uncensored. They had some aggression to let out. Or maybe they were in a cult and needed to free that final act of vengeance. Either way, well-done.
The men let her dictate what their hair looked like. The women allowed her to tell them how to raise their children.
Cults are all about dominance and excessive control. Seeing how far they can go and how many people will follow these outlandish ideologies. Which their own lives are suffering so, why not? How bad could a little authority be in exchange for acceptance? Except, it's a lot of authority and you're never actually accepted.
It's even more infuriating that these "leaders" convince parents to do things like beat their children, and they listen!? What's deeply hidden within someone to follow such instructions? Children, unfortunately, nearly always fall in the middle of these mind games.
When there's a public demonstration at church about how to have sex that "isn't" enjoyable (because gawd wouldn't like that) by simulating movements and shouting "oh Jesus" to show appreciation to Him (not your partner, clearly), but praise that moment! There's probably something wrong. How did everyone sit there quietly and approve of a preacher having an "orgasm" on stage?? But kids holding hands is sinful?
What else do all of these cases have in common that allow them to get away with it for so long? Privilege.
Many of these cases are overlooked as being cults because they're high ranking political figures or in senior leadership roles.
What's more, while it shouldn't be, is that these people result to violence and murder when someone threatens their itty-bitty corner of sovereignty. However, they are cowards and demand their followers risk the consequences of being caught for breaking the law. Unless, of course, it's innocent children or those who can't physically fight back.
The Epilogue wraps everything up perfectly. I thought it would never end...in a devilishly good way. That was also the best part of the book. This chapter could have been released as a stand-alone! Full-on unleashed & uncensored. They had some aggression to let out. Or maybe they were in a cult and needed to free that final act of vengeance. Either way, well-done.
January 11, 2023
I was really itching to read about another religious cult after blowing through most of them in a binge last year. This was a great find, if, as always, incredibly frustrating to read. The law enforcement - or shall we say lack of - element in this one was particularly frustrating.
November 21, 2022
Reading a book about a cult can be incredibly frustrating. You want to scream – Can’t you see! Can’t you understand! They are lying! God doesn’t demand that! Perverts do! Oh, read the Bible, and the Truth will set you free!
But, they can’t hear me. They have decided to follow a liar, and a very persuasive one at that. Jane Whaley has convinced thousands of people that their eternal life depends on her whims. They are searching for a way to heaven and she promised them she had it. And through their fear and greed, she keeps them in bondage to her. With the hope of eternal bliss, she convinces them to suffer tortures now for her convenience. It’s sickening.
It follows the story of a family, three generations, caught in Whatley's trap. The suffering they went through under her leadership is disgusting. They lost everything; friends, homes, lively hoods, parents, spouses, and children. It's encouraging that they made it out. Maybe, they can help others get out also.
There are so many dangers in this cult. Still perhaps the greatest one of all is left out. Their perversion of the Gospel is completely missing. It focuses on the terrible physical dangers they pose to their members completely missing the eternal danger of a false Gospel. I pray that those deluded by Whaley’s lies do find the Truth. Salvation isn’t found in keeping ourselves pure, because we can’t. The smallest lie separates us from the perfect, holy, God. But God saw our inability to ever pay for our own wickedness, and paid for our guilt himself. He sent His Son, Jesus, through the virgin birth, to live a sinless life, die for our sins, and rise again after three days in the grave. Now, His sacrifice washes away the sins of any who come to Him by faith. If we repent of our sins and believe that God raised Him from the dead, He will forgive our sins. His sacrifice washes away our sins, and we have new life, eternal life through Him. Freedom from sin. Our eternity is dependent on no one but God Himself. He is the one we follow. Even Paul said that we should only follow him as he followed Christ.
Part that this book left out, when discussing the beginning of this cult, is that initial perversion of the Word of God. If anyone looking to join this cult, had taken seriously the Biblical qualifications for a pastor, they wouldn’t have followed her into the danger they are now in. Nor, would they have taken her word for God’s if they had held the Bible as the final authority. By missing that last point they cut themselves off from any surety in spiritual matters, and made themselves dependent on Whaley instead of the Holy Ghost.
One caution. Toward the end of the book there is some foul language. The specific details of some of their beliefs are very sexual in nature. The author handles them as delicately as possible but they are discussed because they are a major part of the perverted control structure of the cult.
But, they can’t hear me. They have decided to follow a liar, and a very persuasive one at that. Jane Whaley has convinced thousands of people that their eternal life depends on her whims. They are searching for a way to heaven and she promised them she had it. And through their fear and greed, she keeps them in bondage to her. With the hope of eternal bliss, she convinces them to suffer tortures now for her convenience. It’s sickening.
It follows the story of a family, three generations, caught in Whatley's trap. The suffering they went through under her leadership is disgusting. They lost everything; friends, homes, lively hoods, parents, spouses, and children. It's encouraging that they made it out. Maybe, they can help others get out also.
There are so many dangers in this cult. Still perhaps the greatest one of all is left out. Their perversion of the Gospel is completely missing. It focuses on the terrible physical dangers they pose to their members completely missing the eternal danger of a false Gospel. I pray that those deluded by Whaley’s lies do find the Truth. Salvation isn’t found in keeping ourselves pure, because we can’t. The smallest lie separates us from the perfect, holy, God. But God saw our inability to ever pay for our own wickedness, and paid for our guilt himself. He sent His Son, Jesus, through the virgin birth, to live a sinless life, die for our sins, and rise again after three days in the grave. Now, His sacrifice washes away the sins of any who come to Him by faith. If we repent of our sins and believe that God raised Him from the dead, He will forgive our sins. His sacrifice washes away our sins, and we have new life, eternal life through Him. Freedom from sin. Our eternity is dependent on no one but God Himself. He is the one we follow. Even Paul said that we should only follow him as he followed Christ.
Part that this book left out, when discussing the beginning of this cult, is that initial perversion of the Word of God. If anyone looking to join this cult, had taken seriously the Biblical qualifications for a pastor, they wouldn’t have followed her into the danger they are now in. Nor, would they have taken her word for God’s if they had held the Bible as the final authority. By missing that last point they cut themselves off from any surety in spiritual matters, and made themselves dependent on Whaley instead of the Holy Ghost.
One caution. Toward the end of the book there is some foul language. The specific details of some of their beliefs are very sexual in nature. The author handles them as delicately as possible but they are discussed because they are a major part of the perverted control structure of the cult.
June 3, 2020
This was an eye opening read for me. Jane Whaley, leader of World of Faith Fellowship is an absolute criminal and someone abusing their position of power. Using coercion, blackmail, shaming, and a technique known as “blasting”, Ms. Whaley controls her followers in all aspects of their daily & personal lives. Shocking that this cult still continues, and law enforcement is still looking the other way.
This book suffered from information overload. Too many details, repetitive content and a lot of people/names stories that were hard to keep track of, dropped this from a 4 star read to 3.
This book suffered from information overload. Too many details, repetitive content and a lot of people/names stories that were hard to keep track of, dropped this from a 4 star read to 3.
July 8, 2020
It took me forever to get through this. It’s a dry read. Lots of information, so many (horrifying) stories. But overall, it’s just a collection of information about the Word of Faith Fellowship with very little analysis. In the epilogue, the writers briefly reflect on why Jane Whaley, the leader of WFF, is the way that she is and believes what she seems to believe. This was perhaps the most interesting paragraph in 300+ pages. The story is WFF is dark and unsettling, but I was looking for more/different/deeper insight than these writers chose to provide.
Want to read
November 16, 2019After watching a documentary on this cult, I cannot wait to get my hands on this one!! I believe this "ministry" is currently still thriving smh.
March 8, 2024
deeply disturbing and horrifying book about faith fellowship and how sinister it’s practices are but also, somewhat hopeful about escaping a cult and how terrifying that is and how isolating. i hope everyone who has escaped feels more and more strength as the time passes and i hope the families that are still there are able to escape one day. jesus
February 24, 2020
In a small town in the Blue Ridge Mountains of North Carolina, a little church has grown to a worldwide phenomenon, and has not escaped the attention of the press and law enforcement for its bizarre and --- in some instances --- illegal practices. Its history and the personal accounts of some of its congregants are collected here by investigative journalists Mitch Weiss and Holbrook Mohr.
Word of Faith Fellowship was started from the inspiration of Sam Whaley, a former used car salesman. But once it gained purchase in Spindale, NC, Sam’s wife, Jane, began to feel envious. Looking at the successful lifestyles of the wives of televangelists, she remade herself, with new teeth and a more practiced accent than the one that she, a denizen of the rural south, was heir to. With expensive clothing, folksy wisdom underpinned by Biblical quotations, and a strange manner of screeching to ward off devils, Jane soon became the acknowledged leader of the church.
A central practice of the fellowship involves “blasting” --- screaming at those who are deemed to be possessed by entities that Jane might characterize as harbingers of lust (any sex outside of marriage and all homosexuality) or, in children, “soccer” or “buddy” demons. Even Sam is not immune to her sudden accusations of possession that require the accused person to sit in a chair with a bucket next to it and get yelled at by fellow congregants until vomiting or other proof of exorcism ensues.
But the secrets of Jane’s church were worse than the public displays. Children interviewed for this harrowing account reported abuse, from sexual attacks to the almost constant harsh beatings with wooden paddles wielded by parents, the church’s private school administrators, even Jane herself. The smallest infraction could result in isolation in rooms in the church’s basement, where children sat or stood for hours at a time watching videos of Jane’s preaching. Adult church members must tithe, are restricted from almost every kind of media, and in some cases are encouraged to break laws to help maintain the fellowship.
One such case was taken to court, when, in tight economic times, church business owners “laid off” employees who received unemployment benefits, while continuing to work for the business --- so the church would not suffer from lack of tithe money. There have even been accusations of international jewel theft.
To date, though there have been numerous small legal disputes, SBI probes and many accusations from former fellowship members, Whaley’s religion carries on, even developing overseas connections. Comparisons to the cult of Jim Jones are inevitable --- and credible. Weiss and Mohr have done their investigative work thoroughly and given their book a disturbingly up close and personal feel through the words of Jane’s accusers. They believe that her perfidies are clear to any rational observer, and hope that “good people will do the right thing” and bring her to justice.
Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott
Word of Faith Fellowship was started from the inspiration of Sam Whaley, a former used car salesman. But once it gained purchase in Spindale, NC, Sam’s wife, Jane, began to feel envious. Looking at the successful lifestyles of the wives of televangelists, she remade herself, with new teeth and a more practiced accent than the one that she, a denizen of the rural south, was heir to. With expensive clothing, folksy wisdom underpinned by Biblical quotations, and a strange manner of screeching to ward off devils, Jane soon became the acknowledged leader of the church.
A central practice of the fellowship involves “blasting” --- screaming at those who are deemed to be possessed by entities that Jane might characterize as harbingers of lust (any sex outside of marriage and all homosexuality) or, in children, “soccer” or “buddy” demons. Even Sam is not immune to her sudden accusations of possession that require the accused person to sit in a chair with a bucket next to it and get yelled at by fellow congregants until vomiting or other proof of exorcism ensues.
But the secrets of Jane’s church were worse than the public displays. Children interviewed for this harrowing account reported abuse, from sexual attacks to the almost constant harsh beatings with wooden paddles wielded by parents, the church’s private school administrators, even Jane herself. The smallest infraction could result in isolation in rooms in the church’s basement, where children sat or stood for hours at a time watching videos of Jane’s preaching. Adult church members must tithe, are restricted from almost every kind of media, and in some cases are encouraged to break laws to help maintain the fellowship.
One such case was taken to court, when, in tight economic times, church business owners “laid off” employees who received unemployment benefits, while continuing to work for the business --- so the church would not suffer from lack of tithe money. There have even been accusations of international jewel theft.
To date, though there have been numerous small legal disputes, SBI probes and many accusations from former fellowship members, Whaley’s religion carries on, even developing overseas connections. Comparisons to the cult of Jim Jones are inevitable --- and credible. Weiss and Mohr have done their investigative work thoroughly and given their book a disturbingly up close and personal feel through the words of Jane’s accusers. They believe that her perfidies are clear to any rational observer, and hope that “good people will do the right thing” and bring her to justice.
Reviewed by Barbara Bamberger Scott
June 20, 2020
According to this book, Word of Faith Fellowship in North Carolina is a crazy, power-hungry cult led by a woman with zero moral scruples who regularly broke laws with impunity because her church was wealthy enough to pay off local law enforcement to manipulate the legal system.
Although Jane Whaley regularly attacked her own church members for behaving "unbiblically," she broke so many commandments during a marathon of criminality that the authors were mystified why so few members of her congregation rarely considered challenging her.
For example, whenever members of her church were subpoenaed to testify in court, Whaley would specifically command her congregants (secretly recorded) to "lie to authorities," and the local District Attorney would illegally hire church members to serve on grand juries while destroying witness testimonies submitted to his office by the sheriff's department.
I wasn't a bit surprised to learn that Word of Faith Fellowship used the same legal team that defended the Church of Scientology to protect its own church because its religious doctrines were eerily similar. For example, whenever anybody in the church challenged Whaley's teachings, she would immediately accuse her opponents of harboring "secret sins" (like Scientologists accusing their opponents of concealing "secret crimes"), and then she'd have all the members of her church simultaneously "blast" them during rites of exorcism where'd they punch, kick, and scream into their ears to "remove" rebellious demons while holding them hostage inside a church basement for weeks. She even did that to young children, including screaming into the ears of newborn infants who might've been suffering colic, yet Whaley insisted they were possessed by "crying" demons.
It reminded me of Scientologist's attempts to exorcise disembodied aliens (called Thetans) from their congregants through "auditing."
She also used any "confessions" her congregants revealed to her during church counseling sessions to later blackmail them against testifying in court, much like Scientologists blackmail former members with personal testimonials revealed through their paid auditing sessions.
But unlike other cult leaders, Jane Whaley never suffered any legal consequences for her sins, and she's as politically powerful now as she ever was, despite the fact that some of her congregants were later convicted of felonies. Her church even has outreach consultants to our current president!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Vivienne Leheny who did a superb performance, yet her mimicry of Jane Whaley's southern accent during testimonies brought unintentional hilarity to some otherwise dark, frightening depositions!
Although Jane Whaley regularly attacked her own church members for behaving "unbiblically," she broke so many commandments during a marathon of criminality that the authors were mystified why so few members of her congregation rarely considered challenging her.
For example, whenever members of her church were subpoenaed to testify in court, Whaley would specifically command her congregants (secretly recorded) to "lie to authorities," and the local District Attorney would illegally hire church members to serve on grand juries while destroying witness testimonies submitted to his office by the sheriff's department.
I wasn't a bit surprised to learn that Word of Faith Fellowship used the same legal team that defended the Church of Scientology to protect its own church because its religious doctrines were eerily similar. For example, whenever anybody in the church challenged Whaley's teachings, she would immediately accuse her opponents of harboring "secret sins" (like Scientologists accusing their opponents of concealing "secret crimes"), and then she'd have all the members of her church simultaneously "blast" them during rites of exorcism where'd they punch, kick, and scream into their ears to "remove" rebellious demons while holding them hostage inside a church basement for weeks. She even did that to young children, including screaming into the ears of newborn infants who might've been suffering colic, yet Whaley insisted they were possessed by "crying" demons.
It reminded me of Scientologist's attempts to exorcise disembodied aliens (called Thetans) from their congregants through "auditing."
She also used any "confessions" her congregants revealed to her during church counseling sessions to later blackmail them against testifying in court, much like Scientologists blackmail former members with personal testimonials revealed through their paid auditing sessions.
But unlike other cult leaders, Jane Whaley never suffered any legal consequences for her sins, and she's as politically powerful now as she ever was, despite the fact that some of her congregants were later convicted of felonies. Her church even has outreach consultants to our current president!
I listened to the audiobook narrated by Vivienne Leheny who did a superb performance, yet her mimicry of Jane Whaley's southern accent during testimonies brought unintentional hilarity to some otherwise dark, frightening depositions!
June 20, 2020
It was shocking to see a classic cult story and also be cognizant of the timeline. Word of Faith Fellowship is still going strong today despite countless interviews with an incredible amount of people who had left the church. High-ranking members boast working alongside Trump and this current presidential crew.
A dynamic story relaying several people’s accounts of life in this “church”, what is most heart-wrenching and appalling is how many social workers and policemen chose to turn a blind eye to save their own hides. Not only were children abused, physically and sexually, there were also unemployment scams, and sketchy things done with cooperating foreign countries Brazil and Ghana, encouraging them to become members and then forcing them into unpaid slave labor. Although a mountain of evidence had accumulated over the years, people in positions of power in DSS and law enforcement saw it as a headache and let them go on not just unscathed, but with not even a slap on the wrist.
I won’t say more about the injustices because the way this book lets the story unfold is far more interesting than any ramblings from me.
A dynamic story relaying several people’s accounts of life in this “church”, what is most heart-wrenching and appalling is how many social workers and policemen chose to turn a blind eye to save their own hides. Not only were children abused, physically and sexually, there were also unemployment scams, and sketchy things done with cooperating foreign countries Brazil and Ghana, encouraging them to become members and then forcing them into unpaid slave labor. Although a mountain of evidence had accumulated over the years, people in positions of power in DSS and law enforcement saw it as a headache and let them go on not just unscathed, but with not even a slap on the wrist.
I won’t say more about the injustices because the way this book lets the story unfold is far more interesting than any ramblings from me.
December 9, 2020
Listened via audible
I don't necessarily think this is a 5 star book BUT its super disturbing and hello - in North Carolina! In truth, I could not read this entire book because it is so disturbing. Not on the abuse of children but the fact that this church is still alive and well. Jane Whaley has paid off so many people for so many years and has scared the crap out of her followers that she still is getting away with everything but murder (well, there is debate about even that!). In this day and age, I don't see how something like this awful place can continue, but it does. I feel like the more people know about this book - maybe something will change.
If you join a cult, fine. Ruin your own life. (just watched documentary on Heavens Gate which I mean - was such a dumb cult but at least it was all adults!) But when you join a cult and then drag your children into it and then knowingly allow your children to be abused - that is disgusting. Jane Whaley is disgusting and all the people who know what she does and cover it up.
BTW- if you don't want to read the book - then at least google "Word of Faith" and "Jane Whaley". There is plenty to read.
I don't necessarily think this is a 5 star book BUT its super disturbing and hello - in North Carolina! In truth, I could not read this entire book because it is so disturbing. Not on the abuse of children but the fact that this church is still alive and well. Jane Whaley has paid off so many people for so many years and has scared the crap out of her followers that she still is getting away with everything but murder (well, there is debate about even that!). In this day and age, I don't see how something like this awful place can continue, but it does. I feel like the more people know about this book - maybe something will change.
If you join a cult, fine. Ruin your own life. (just watched documentary on Heavens Gate which I mean - was such a dumb cult but at least it was all adults!) But when you join a cult and then drag your children into it and then knowingly allow your children to be abused - that is disgusting. Jane Whaley is disgusting and all the people who know what she does and cover it up.
BTW- if you don't want to read the book - then at least google "Word of Faith" and "Jane Whaley". There is plenty to read.
July 14, 2020
Krista says:
Told from the viewpoints of former Word of Faith members, this is the story of a religious group turned cult. Much of the information in this book is told from the viewpoint of "survivors." Some of the events are so fantastical that it seems made up or at least blown out of proportion, but that is something readers must decide for themselves. "Broken Faith" is not an easy read, and there are many trigger moments in this book. Child abuse, physical and mental abuse, homophobia, and bullying encompass the narratives of survivors. Shocking, eye-opening, and haunting, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a modern day, true horror read.
Told from the viewpoints of former Word of Faith members, this is the story of a religious group turned cult. Much of the information in this book is told from the viewpoint of "survivors." Some of the events are so fantastical that it seems made up or at least blown out of proportion, but that is something readers must decide for themselves. "Broken Faith" is not an easy read, and there are many trigger moments in this book. Child abuse, physical and mental abuse, homophobia, and bullying encompass the narratives of survivors. Shocking, eye-opening, and haunting, I would recommend this book to anyone looking for a modern day, true horror read.
May 22, 2020
Absolutely horrifying account of a Christian cult still operating in N.Car. Through interviews with those who have left the church, detailed accounts are given of child abuse, adult abuse, slavery, intimidation of witnesses, mismanagement of money. The book left me wondering how money and muscle can destroy the legal system.
Why are people so easily duped? Why do we surrender our morals and conscience to follow evil people? Where is God when his children cry for deliverance and those in power try to stifle their cry?
Why are people so easily duped? Why do we surrender our morals and conscience to follow evil people? Where is God when his children cry for deliverance and those in power try to stifle their cry?
June 26, 2020
Just slightly too comprehensive. I think some of the stories could have been shortened or eliminated. But the research is fantastic. I thought my cult was crazy. This place is insane. I can't believe how protected religions and cults are in America, even when there is evidence that they abuse, manipulate, and rob their members. END NON-PROFIT PROTECTIONS FOR RELIGIONS! End the acceptance of abuse as "religious freedom!"
August 10, 2020
Horrifying.
November 7, 2025
As most books about cults are, Broken faith is interesting, infuriating and so sad. I cannot believe Jane Whaley and her followers have gotten away with what they have. That they continue to. Whaley is deplorable.
The book was overall well written though a bit long. It was also a bit hard to follow at times as they discussed so many people.
Audiobook: 12h 19m
The book was overall well written though a bit long. It was also a bit hard to follow at times as they discussed so many people.
Audiobook: 12h 19m
December 15, 2020
4.5 - excellent investigative journalism.
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