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Gwen Shamblin: Skinny for Jesus


nausicaa

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There is no emoji to describe the creepiness I feel when just skimming the surface of this revolting ‘ministry’. I won’t dive deeper as I have too many bad memories of being in controlling groups. At least with this one the crazy is fairly obvious.

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I Google imaged a few pics out of curiosity. She creeps me out. She looks scary and ghoulish...and kind of reminds me of David Bowie in labyrinth

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7 hours ago, JesusPony said:

Gwen and her hair appear

Must have been speed reading when I read this as Gwen and her hair apparent, assuming that she was appearing beside one of her kids. 

Also, has anyone found a pic of the missing husband, or has he been scrubbed from the internet?

The info about beating children is as horrible as all other forms of fundy child abuse.  Was the murder conviction of Remnant Church members Joseph and Sonya Smith in the beating death of their 8-year-old son covered?   Here's an overview of the issues from February 2007:  Child’s death renews scrutiny of Remnant Fellowship Church

 Does any of this sound familiar?

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The murder trial of a Georgia couple accused of whipping, confining and then beating their son to death shines a spotlight on the child discipline practices of a controversial Brentwood church.

Josef Smith, 8, died in 2003 on the day he was whipped with foot-long glue sticks, locked in a closet and told to pray to a picture of Jesus. Ex-members of the church say the punishments were in line with the discipline advice they heard while attending Remnant Fellowship Church.

But church leaders, including Gwen Shamblin — the charismatic woman known for creating the best-selling Christian weight-loss program called the Weigh Down Workshop — say the trial under way this week in an Atlanta suburb is their chance to set the record straight.

The church condones discipline, not abuse, said Shamblin. In an exclusive interview, she called spanking a “loving,” “time-tested, ancient teaching from the Bible.”

And then there's this from the same article: 

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Some former church members say obedience to church leaders, called “getting under authority,” is paramount for adults. Children’s disobedience is a sign of sin, they say.  

Ex-members have created an online support group called City of Refuge. Former member Adam Brooks, a Philadelphia psychologist, says the online group has attracted about 100 people, ex-members and family members cut off from those still in the church. They are closely watching the trial coverage, he said.

Like other members, Steve Miozzi and his wife joined Remnant after taking a Weigh Down class at their church in east Cleveland, Ohio. He said he and his wife were initially enthralled.

“You walked into the church, and you thought this is what heaven must look like,” said Betsy Miozzi.

Everyone was thin, their teeth white, the children well behaved, and many appeared to be financially successful, she said. And everyone was “lovebombing” the couple, she said, using the church’s terminology for friendly embracing of new visitors.

But when Steve Miozzi sought help on how to deal with an 11-year-old boy misbehaving during worship services, he said he was told by church leader Ted Anger to beat the back of the boy’s thighs with a glue stick. If the boy didn’t behave he was to keep repeating the procedure, and if the boy continued to misbehave he was to put him in a room with nothing but a Bible, Miozzi said.

Miozzi says that when he visited the Brentwood church for worship services, there were “glue sticks sticking out of diaper bags” in the aisles...

...Child discipline is not what Miozzi says prompted him and his wife to leave the church.

They left after three years because of a church philosophy that he said did not allow any questioning of church leaders. The strict obedience to their authority “destroyed my personal relationship with Jesus Christ,” he said.

Also, he said, he was taken to task for not losing enough weight.

Could there be any more red flags that this is an authoritarian, high control cult, and this is from 2007. 

 Praise Rufus, "After being convicted, the Smiths were then sentenced on March 27, 2007 to life plus 30 years in prison, the maximum punishment" [Wiki] and all appeals were unsuccessful.  Remnant Church still believes the Smith's are innocent and raised $$$$ from church members for all legal fees and appeals. 

 

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The way the church continued to defend the Smith parents after they killed an 8-year-old child and even after they were convicted and sent to prison for it is definitely the sickest part of this. I can't believe that happened and the church... just moved on from it?

I noticed on Gwen's Instagram there are pictures of her and the fam going to Georgia for a prison ministry mission in the last year or so. I know a lot of fundies love prison ministries (literal captive audiences), but it's curious they went to Georgia where the Smiths lived and I assume are still jailed. Georgia is close to Tennessee, I know, but I do wonder if they're still supporting the Smiths in some way.

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So yeah fast forwarded through most of the video.  The musicianship was about the same as any other church youth concert I've seen, more enthusiasm than talent. There were definitely some soloists who shouldn't have been singing at all. 

What's with the synchronized hand raising on certain words and phrases? It looks very choreographed and fake.

Gwen's whole message was  we the remnant are so much better than everyone else because our children are super instantly obedient, skinny, and under authority. Plus they get married young, pop out babies and don't take psychotropic drugs. 'Cause ain't none of our skinny. obedient, authority oppressed kids depressed or suicidal or want to leave home or nothing.

What the heck does "under authority" mean anyway? Kids get under authority at work and get promoted?

 

 

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What weird, disturbing stuff. That story about the death of the little boy is just horrifying. Not to say the weight loss emphasis for adults isn't concerning, but children don't have any ability to leave such situations.

On a lighter note, does the thread title sound like a bad hashtag to anyone else? #skinny4jesus :pb_rollseyes:

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hubs and i were watching a show on hbo called 'the leftovers' about a bunch of people who disappeared and what happens after. there was a cult on the show called 'the guilty remnant', every time i read about gwenydearest i think of that. the show was almost as weird as these people

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The church's YouTube channel is illuminating on some points. There's a video from about a month ago titled "Ten Engagements", which... yes. Ten "so far!" in 2017.

Near the beginning of the video Gwen calls the church "Food Committee" up on stage to thank them for their service or something. First of all, this church having a Food Committee... there's a lot to process there.

But as the Food Committee members are introduced to say how honored they are to serve Gwen, they show clips of their work and it is professional-level stuff and I bet they are doing it for free or very cheap. They showed beautiful cakes that they had made for church weddings. All this delicious looking food constantly paraded in front of people who have been taught to equate food and weight with their salvation. Pretty twisted.

I think this begins to answer some of the questions about how they are affording these expensive looking weddings. Food is handled in-church, Gwen officiates most of the weddings at her mansion (I saw one wedding that was held in the woods)... That just leaves flowers and dresses for the bridal party -- and I bet they have some seamstresses in the church. The couples get a fancy wedding and Gwen gets pretty pictures for the website and another generation of followers.

Then, there are the actual 10 engagements featured in the video. I'm bad at guessing ages, but they are all very young. They took turns sharing about their respective engagements and it was like they were reading from the same script. It sounds like the majority of them were raised in the church. I spotted at least 1 set of brothers (Fischer) and 1 set of sisters (Gunger).  The brothers weren't marrying the sisters, but yes, the gene pool will be very shallow in their kids' generation. 

The engagements gave me a bad feeling because... NONE OF THIS IS A GOOD IDEA. D:

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None of the boys in that engagement video -- and I use the word boys deliberately -- look old enough to shave, much less to be getting married. 

I did notice one young man was heavier than the others.  I wonder how that is allowed.  I thought every cult church member had to be thin?  I read somewhere (here maybe) that the average and devoutly desired/ worked toward size for the teen age girls/ young women is size 2

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This is from her public Instagram page. It was taken January 7. At least she lets her husband out of the dungeon occasionally; it seems. 

Spoiler

IMG_9253.thumb.PNG.dc6daaa708a4edf6591d056da949fdd6.PNG

 

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I actually did Weigh Down Workshop when it was popular in the Baptist church back in the late '90s.  I had some success with it.  But then my church quit teaching the class because she started her own church and doesn't believe in the Trinity.  Back when I took the class, her daughter's name was Michelle.  When did she change it to Elizabeth and why?  More Godly, I guess.  She looks very different from her mother, as in not as flashy and the big hair and such.  Definitely one crazy cult.

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From the page @usmcmom linked to:

Quote

The submissive-role of the wife was strongly emphasized in Remnant Fellowship. In the beginning, the women were to always obey their husbands, even if they were not members of Remnant Fellowship.

Funny, considering the leader is a married woman whose husband  doesn't even appear in family pictures.

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Later the rule would be changed that women were to obey their husbands until their husbands refused them permission to attend Remnant events--then the wife could say that the husband was standing in the way of God's will, which gave her the "right" to disobey her husband.

I wonder if that change took place when David Shamblin stopped following Gwen.

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Gwen impressed upon us that is was possible to become sinless (i.e, perfect) if only we would give up all of our idols (e.g., money, food, our families, our jobs, etc.--basically anything that got in the way of giving our entire devotion to God)

 But then:

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The evidence of this sinlessness was "permanent" weight loss, "cured" diseases (e.g., eating disorders, alcoholism, drug use, and pornography), saved marriages, 100% obedient children, and financial blessings.

And

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I was astonished to see the size of Gwen's home, as well as the size of the homes of most of the employees of the Weigh Down Workshop (who were also all members of Remnant Fellowship). Remnant Fellowship, the main church, is funded by the income of the Weigh Down Workshop. As a result, money is as free-flowing in Remnant Nashville as milk and honey are in the Promised Land 

So, money is not an idol, neither is food, although they talk about it all of the time. 

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20 hours ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

What's with the synchronized hand raising on certain words and phrases? It looks very choreographed and fake.

THANK YOU for alerting us to the hand raising thing, and others for explaining it, because when Roy Moore was giving his non-concession speech this morning (last night?) and a woman in the audience was swaying gently with her eyes closed and her hand raised (two finger hand raise), I knew what it was!!!!!!!  This was at the point when Moore was whining that he was unfairly "put in a hole". 

 

Quote

Gwen impressed upon us that is was possible to become sinless (i.e, perfect) if only we would give up all of our idols (e.g., money, food, our families, our jobs, etc.--basically anything that got in the way of giving our entire devotion all our money to God Gwen)

A few edits to better reflect the reality of Remnant Church. 

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Oh dear the Remnant Fellowship TV "channel" i.e., hundreds of videos on You Tube is a rabbit hole to be feared.  I fell down last night and barely climbed back out with my wits in tact.  THe WTF-ery is so strong there.  

The videos seem to fall into 2 categories -- 1) losing weight and keeping it off and 2) how to be a perfect Christian by worshiping Gwen God and losing weight/keeping it off.  Permanent weight loss is the linchpin of their beliefs.  Everything else flows from that and it all starts with Gwen says God says you need to be skinny.

The various cult members who appear in the videos are in awe of and completely worship Gwen.. It's disturbing to watch them fawning over her and how she has 'save their lives' through Remnant. It's also disturbing to watch her enormous hair that never moves, beige lipstick with dark lip liner, high, high platform heels and her outfits -- either skin tight pant/jeans or ruffly fluffy, foofy dresses.  But I digress.

This video (link below), ostensibly on how to have a long and happy marriage, is really about what should come first in your life and then everything else will be perfect -- God, Gwen, Remnant services, Remnant assemblies, Gwen preaching, God, Remnant events, Gwen, Gwen, fellow Remnant members ("saints"), Remnant volunteer activities, Gwen, All Gwen all the time, everything Remnant, Gwen .......... Your wife and children need to know they are waaaaay down on the list -- may not even be on the list -- that's ok and the way it should be.. 

The Gwen's guests are long time members -- I believe original members from when she turned the weight loss program into a church,  The man works for Remnant;  he's all over the website and in tons of other videos.  This video is interesting (horrifiying?) in its entirety, but if you want to skip ahead he really lays on the Gwen idolatry and outlines the Gwen is always first "rules" at about 15:00 for about 4 minutes. 

http://www.remnantfellowship.tv/remnant-fellowship-marriage-family-in-the-kingdom-of-love-season-7-episode-5/

After watching several of the videos, ultimately I don't think most of the Remnant members are bad people at heart. At least they didn't start out that way. But they have be suckered and brainwashed and programmed into believing Gwen is their "Savior" in everything because her program helped them lose weight.

If they  turn every aspect of their lives and decision making over to Gwen and her rules.  life is so simple.  There are no decisions to make because Gwen's rules tell them what to do in every. single. instance.  There is no time to contemplate that maybe Gwen/Remnant ain't all that because every free moment is occupied with Remnant activities.  There are no family members or friends to voice concerns because Gwen decided  non-members are false Christians and will lead members to damnation -- they must be cut out of lives. 

These people live in an echo chamber bubble where they hear only the voices of Gwen, Remnant Leadership and other members and nothing and no one from "the world" ever penetrates the bubble. 

Children are punished (beaten) into immediate 100% obedience, because.children ask why? Children say no. Children say don't want to. Children resist. Children ask questions. Children want to think for themselves and explore the world. Children act like ..... children.  And the one thing Gwen/Remnant cannot ever. never, ever, ever let get even an infinitesimal toehold is questioning, why, no, resistance. The whole cult/ money making scheme falls apart if people begin to question. If people begin to think for themselves.

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Remant= high control group= cult. I thought I had seen some torturous distortions of Christianity, but skinny = saved takes the cake, pun intended.

Has nobody challenged her about the hypocrisy of having a fat husband. Is he going to hell? Has she given him special dispensation?

As someone who has struggled with weight most of my life, I find Gwen's manipulation of vulnerable people reprehensible. I hope her so called church spectacularly implodes.

 

 

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2 hours ago, Howl said:

THANK YOU for alerting us to the hand raising thing, and others for explaining it...

Can't seem to find the explanation(s) you are referring to... can you point me in the right direction?

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1 minute ago, Flossie said:

@usmcmom

I don't get it.

There has been some discussion here about what Gwen looks like without all the makeup. Also, some speculation on whether she wears a wig or hair extensions. 

Just playing off of all that snark. 

Humor fail. (Insert sad trombone sound here)

 

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15 hours ago, usmcmom said:

This young woman describes her escape from the cult. Several years ago, I read an account written by a young husband. I will keep looking for that one. 

http://www.hkpatterson.com/testimony.htm

So much weirdness in that story. The thing that grabbed me first though was her apparent belief that saying the magic words at age 10 or whatever automatically grants her a free pass to heaven. Explains a lot of the behaviour of certain self-identified "Christian" people. (And again with God "convicting" them to do something, argh.)

It struck me though that if she hadn't gone with her mother she would probably have gone a lot further into the cult - or if the attempts to break the mother-daughter bond had been less ham-fisted then both would have gotten in much deeper. As it was though, that was creepy as hell.

2 hours ago, SilverBeach said:

Remant= high control group= cult. I thought I had seen some torturous distortions of Christianity, but skinny = saved takes the cake, pun intended.

Has nobody challenged her about the hypocrisy of having a fat husband. Is he going to hell? Has she given him special dispensation?

As someone who has struggled with weight most of my life, I find Gwen's manipulation of vulnerable people reprehensible. I hope her so called church spectacularly implodes.

I could certainly live with the IRS being sicced on to her.  Maybe her husband gets dispensation because he does taxes? The one thing I am certain of is that no one has challenged her over it - that would be challenging God and going to hell.

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I can’t  stop watching Remnant videos. It’s captivating and so interesting.

 

I wonder why her husband never is in them or discussed?

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