Church of Wells Store/Catherine went back MERGED

[antwan]

I'm beginning to read the links with interest, but a question. What is the back story here? How do we know, at all, about the church of Wells, the Groves family, etc.? How did the whole thing come to light? Was it a big local story? Did the Church of Wells make a name for itself on a cult list somewhere? Does the Groves family have a blog and this all came to light "Pennington style" (when Lisa made her "worst day of my life" post)??? Just curious how this ended up on the news AND FJ radars.

[NotALoserLikeYou]

That's a terrible group. So glad she left. I was looking at some members facebooks (seanandpreethi Morris then look at the friends list to find others, including Daniel pursley, whose baby died - he particularly likes to argue with people in the comments) and it's just all kinds of fanatical.

Antwan - the grandmother of the baby who died is a FJ member and she came here and shared. Other relatives of COW members share their stories on other forums.

[mrs]

viewtopic.php?f=8&t=13765&hilit=church+of+wells

http://faith.boardhost.com

[antwan]

I'm beginning to read the links with interest, but a question. What is the back story here? How do we know, at all, about the church of Wells, the Groves family, etc.? How did the whole thing come to light? Was it a big local story? Did the Church of Wells make a name for itself on a cult list somewhere? Does the Groves family have a blog and this all came to light "Pennington style" (when Lisa made her "worst day of my life" post)??? Just curious how this ended up on the news AND FJ radars.

I've gotten to the "back story" links above. This is fascinating reading, albeit incredibly sad and disturbing. :pink-shock:

Btw, my dh and I visited the Hare Krisha compound in WV back in the late 80s or early 90s. His cousin was getting married near there and I insisted we go check it out. Very creepy experience.

Gold "temple" with huge mechanical swans in the pond, barracks housing for families, etc.

[ladyamylynn]

COW is so fascinating and creepy. I'm glad she got out, I was worried that they would marry her off and she would be stuck forever.

[jerkit]

The pray for Catherine Grove FB page has been taken down.

[goldbu]

COW fascinates me. I first heard about it when a friend of mine posted one of those news stories about them last year. She was quoted in it since she had classes with one of them at Baylor. I also went to Baylor at the same time as one or two of the leader guys, but didn't know them. I think the third one was also from the Waco area. One of them fancied himself a "street preacher" and would yell at students in between classes, telling us we were all going to hell. Baylor shut that down quickly. Given what I know about the church they went to in Waco (one of my roommates went to it as well, kinda, off and on), it doesn't totally surprise me that these guys came out of it.

[antwan]

Antwan - the grandmother of the baby who died is a FJ member and she came here and shared. Other relatives of COW members share their stories on other forums.

Oh my word, how absolutely awful. I'm so sorry for her. I am still reading the links provided on this thread (one of the back stories is VERY long), but it's absolutely disturbing. I can't imagine the feeling of powerlessness, trying to protect a loved one who has been brainwashed by a cult such as this. So very sad.

[antwan]

I visited the page of Ryan N Joy Ringnald on FB (Ringnald being mentioned in the back story link above as being an elder who limited Catherine's parents' access to her when they attempted to visit her in Wells). Under "photos", there is one of their toddler, ryan, and Joy in a purple top (lizard behind them). Sheesh, the rant he goes on in comments for that pic. It sounds SADLY exactly like what Catherine Groves said to her parents when she moved to Wells, -that she thought she had been a Christian but the Lord showed her that she had not been. Ryan uses those very same words in his rant. Who started COW?

To quote Ryan (in part, -his rant is LONG and was made to a former high school friend)...

I went to Baylor in 2004. I wasn't able to play ball there, or any other sport, which was somewhat of a blow to me, and therefore (along with a couple of other reasons) I ended up falling headlong into much wickedness my freshman year of college, probably more than ever before (I will forbear to go into details lest I defile the consciences of some that might be reading this). That's when the Lord began to deal with me and show me that I was not a Christian (even though everybody, including all the preachers I had ever met or heard said I was and refused to question my profession), but a needy sinner on the way to hell trying to put on a good smile especially on Sundays, looking nothing like what the Bible says a Christian should look like. He showed me that I had been playing the part of a Christian, but not having the heart of a Christian. You probably thought I was a nice guy in high school, and I was relatively, that is compared to some other more outwardly wicked people we knew, but I didn't look anything like Jesus Christ laying down his life for the souls of men and the glory of God. I didn't want to lay down my life for anybody really, I'd rather enjoy my life, play hoops, be a likable fellow, go to the clubs, party it up, and justify myself all the while by doing some things sometimes that I thought were good to appease any guilt in my conscience - like going to church, going on mission trips, giving people gifts, being the designated driver for some drunken friends, etc. I surely wasn't gonna put my neck on the line for souls or the glory of God though, and that is exactly what a Christian must do and is compelled to do by the Spirit of God Who comes to inhabit them, when they are really born again. The Holy Spirit dwelling in a man is the only evidence we are saved and if we don't have His Spirit we are not (Romans 8:14).

Anyway, the Lord showed me that my heart had deceived me (Jeremiah 17:9), and that I had never been made a new creature in Christ, where old things pass away and all things become new (2 Corinthians 5:17), nor had I ever loved the Lord with all my heart like I was supposed to, thus I began to seek Him with all my might by late 2005 - studying His Word sometimes 10 times a day, turning from all known sin like tobacco, partying, wicked movies, swearing, gambling, being proud, not fearing sin, worrying about my looks, sexual immorality, and anything else I saw that was sin in the Bible as I read it heartily at this time like never before, actively looking to obey it, etc. I was eventually born again by a sovereign work of Jesus Christ my second year of college at Baylor, in around late 2006 after near a year of repenting and humbling myself in every way I knew how. I have been following Him ever since, obeying my conscience, His Spirit, and God's Word with all that in me is at the expense of many friends, much family, and many comforts. To say the least, I'm not so popular as I used to be, but I have peace and God's Word says, "the Lord knoweth them that are His and let every one that nameth the name of Christ depart from iniquity" (2 Tim. 2:19)! I bless the Lord for saving such a wretch as me.

[antwan]

And sadly, there was a very elderly man making multiple attempts at communicating with Joy. I think he's her great uncle, and he stated he hoped to get to see her children. :( For all I know, they're close and talk all the time, but I didn't get that impression. Seemed like he was trying to reach out to her.

[antwan]

And sadly, there was a very elderly man making multiple attempts at communicating with Joy. I think he's her great uncle, and he stated he hoped to get to see her children. :( For all I know, they're close and talk all the time, but I didn't get that impression. Seemed like he was trying to reach out to her.

I saw that, too. Heart wrenching. He is very elderly and surely is feeling time ticking as he tries to reach her heart. SAD!

There were several heart breaking stories in the 9 page docu-article posted in this thread as well, -Karen Dean (mother of Kristin Pursley, whose baby died at 3 days old in this cult) being mocked on FB by Kristin. Justin Southworths' mother, who tried to reach out to her son with a mailed care package, but it was rejected and returned because she is too "sinful" (or whatever the heck he spewed at her) to accept it.

It's miraculous that Catherine got away from these warped people. They have done and ARE doing such damage to their members and their families. I pray that Catherine gets the help and care she needs to sucessfully come out of this abuse and destruction.

[apple1]

The Lufkin Daily News is now reporting that Catherine Grove is back in Wells and planning to be married to a CoW member.

There are a whole lot of details about all this that don't add up. Many discrepancies IMO.

Not the outcome I had hope for.

[jerkit]

The Lufkin Daily News is now reporting that Catherine Grove is back in Wells and planning to be married to a CoW member.

There are a whole lot of details about all this that don't add up. Many discrepancies IMO.

Not the outcome I had hope for.

Wait what?! I thought she was long married off.

[ladyamylynn]

This makes me sick. I wonder which one of the creeps they're marrying her to.

[antwan]

The Lufkin Daily News is now reporting that Catherine Grove is back in Wells and planning to be married to a CoW member.

There are a whole lot of details about all this that don't add up. Many discrepancies IMO.

Not the outcome I had hope for.

Are you freaking kidding me? Makes me want to vomit. I feel SO bad for Catherine's poor parents and family. I'd not handle that well at ALL, -would probably want to do an "intervention" of special ops retrieval followed by "in-patient deprogramming" somewhere.

I know, -not realistic (or legal). Just what I'd want to do, though.

As a person of faith, I'm praying for Catherine. Oh, such a sad outcome.

[mrs]

Are you freaking kidding me? Makes me want to vomit. I feel SO bad for Catherine's poor parents and family. I'd not handle that well at ALL, -would probably want to do an "intervention" of special ops retrieval followed by "in-patient deprogramming" somewhere.

I know, -not realistic (or legal). Just what I'd want to do, though.

As a person of faith, I'm praying for Catherine. Oh, such a sad outcome.

I completely agree. I wonder if it would be possible to find a legal way? This group seems to be very controling. I imagine the tug of war Catherine has been through could be unhealthy. My heart breaks for her parents.

[DGayle]

There needs to be a point hen a church is declared a bona fine dangerous-to-its-members cult and is broken up. COW is mentally abusive to the people there. Abusers shouldn't be allowed to hide behind the disguise of religion, and when the people in charge of the abuse are the leaders, it needs to be stopped.

I just read a bunch of articles on her going back. She's been brainwashed enough to believe she was going to hell for leaving. Time for police intervention to get a victim of abuse away from her abusers.

[antwan]

There needs to be a point hen a church is declared a bona fine dangerous-to-its-members cult and is broken up. COW is mentally abusive to the people there. Abusers shouldn't be allowed to hide behind the disguise of religion, and when the people in charge of the abuse are the leaders, it needs to be stopped.

I just read a bunch of articles on her going back. She's been brainwashed enough to believe she was going to hell for leaving. Time for police intervention to get a victim of abuse away from her abusers.

I agree. And not only this ^^^ but if you carefully read the COW website's article "The Catherine Groves controversy", it contains frightening language, -the kind that literally made me think Waco or Jonestown. The author talked about their willingness to be martyrs if necessary. What does that mean for innocent children within their cult? Very scary.

[Grimalkin]

Are you freaking kidding me? Makes me want to vomit. I feel SO bad for Catherine's poor parents and family. I'd not handle that well at ALL, -would probably want to do an "intervention" of special ops retrieval followed by "in-patient deprogramming" somewhere.

I know, -not realistic (or legal). Just what I'd want to do, though.

As a person of faith, I'm praying for Catherine. Oh, such a sad outcome.

I worry about how she may be treated. Since she tried to escape and even suceeded once. It sends a chill down my spine.

[mrs]

I worry about how she may be treated. Since she tried to escape and even suceeded once. It sends a chill down my spine.

I wonder if the leaders set up the marriage so Catherine is less likely to leave in the future? Kinda like the FLDS. Once she is pregnant or a mother, I imagine running will be more difficult.

Also, I just wanted to mention, the group seems to be growing. I remember the old church photo, of the group in front of a white house. It is obvious the group has grown. So many babies and toddlers!

[jerkit]

I still don't understand how she ended up back there. Her parents used to have a FB page, but they've deleted it.

[mrs]

I recently found the a new site dedicated to "Discerning the Church of Wells." They recently posted about Catherine's return and "Using Marriage as a Control Mechanism."

We spoke with an ex-member of the cult, who said that the Church of Wells use marriage to “stabilize women†who are considered “more likely to fall for the lies of satanâ€, and that women must come under a male covering if they are to be protected from “themselves†and their innate propensity to be lead astray by false teaching and error. Women in the Church of Wells must totally submit to male leading and protection or they are considered a danger to themselves and are “more likely to leaveâ€.

http://www.thechurchofwells.org/using-m ... mechanism/

(Discerning the COW is ".org" the actual COW site is ".com.")

[apple1]

Warning: This is clearly CoW propaganda.

ETA - This is long and so far I have only listened to a small portion.

[DGayle]

Antwan, Waco and Jonestown both went through my mind. There's just 1 way this will all end, and not all those babies will see adulthood. :(

[apple1]

I have now watched the entire video. Very disturbing.

I am even more disturbed for the children that are growing up in that mess.