Gwen Shamblin 2: Divorce? What Divorce?

[OlderWiserMom]

On 8/7/2018 at 11:23 AM, quiversR4hunting said:

OMG - Has anyone read this blog? http://gwenshamblinshair.com/about/ I love the "about" the blog is supposedly written by Gwen's hair (named Wendy). So the actual blog posts (I scanned quickly) are more serious and calling out the BS that Gwen spews forth. The blog appears only to have posts from September 2016 through October 2016. I wonder what happened to make Gwen's hair stop blogging.

Thanks!  I hadn't seen that but it is great.  And a very accurate and succinct description of exactly what is wrong with Gwen's theology. 

Here are two links about the mother of Joe Lara's child - actress Natasha Pavlovich.  The first is a newspaper article about a number of parents complaining about the judge who had ruled in the Pavlovich/Lara custody case.  The second is just her bio.  I'm guessing she must be about 50 or maybe in her late 40s.  https://fox17.com/news/local/ferrier-files-williamson-county-juvenile-court-judge-under-fire

https://www.imdb.com/name/nm0667874/

[AnnaSofia]

Oh wow, I remember her. She played Roy's mail-order bride on "Wings".

https://www.metv.com/videos/wings-tv/fools-russian

 

[SJWaterford]

On 8/11/2018 at 1:07 AM, RFSurvivor_2 said:

Side note:

I am proud of Hannah's ex coming out and leaving the church. It takes a LOT of courage to do so, especially him being:

1. In the RF cult the majority of his life (lifelong conditioning and brainwashing) who has a general dislike and seemingly at times, borderline hatred for homosexuality.
2. He being gay for SO long and having to deal with internal and personal family issues (ridicule, pressure etc) because of it.
3. A part of a marriage that a lot questioned (whispers I picked up whilist in the church) that even HE knew was wrong. I wouldn't be surprised if he was forced "suggested" by Gwen, leadership and other memebers into it.

He is a good young man and I am happy he has the support of his mother, who is also an awesome human being. He has good friends and a good head on his shoulders. It will be a HARD ROAD to achive stable mental, emotional and physical stability, however I believe he has the right tools and the right people to succeed in life. He is young and has so much to look forward to in his life. I wish he and his mother the best.

I hope he goes and has a wonderful, fulfilling life. I hope he can overcome the spiritual and mental abuse he suffered. And most importantly I hope he finds real love, real friendships and lives his life the way he wants to.

[Tatar-tot]

I am really scratching my head as to when Gwen became unhinged & went off the deep-end into the crazy pool.

 She has plenty of credentials as a nutritionist.  Her original theory was to recognize when your actually hungry and stop when your full.  Gwen brought in spirituality in for help.  In her older books she looks like the soccer mom next door.  

Then she took a left turn into crazy land deciding a diet is a religion, embraced anorexia, and started a hair tease that would out do Dolly Parton on a good day.

Any ideas what triggered her? Or, was it a slow gradual decent into the lead of eating disorders, disputing the cornerstone to Christianity - the holy trinity, and fat shaming her husband to create an excuse to run off with Tarzan?  

Gwen is the clown car of crazy fundies.  I can’t wait to see what emerges next!  Remnant Church should be a TV sitcom. It would be a hit.

 

[nokidsmom]

1 hour ago, Tatar-tot said:

am really scratching my head as to when Gwen became unhinged & went off the deep-end into the crazy pool.

 She has plenty of credentials as a nutritionist.  Her original theory was to recognize when your actually hungry and stop when your full.  Gwen brought in spirituality in for help.  In her older books she looks like the soccer mom next door.  

I just started reading these threads about Gwen and seem to remember her from the 90s, but never did the Weigh Down thing.   Just remember reading about it.   I read her Wiki entry and yeah, she has real credentials and her original idea of paying attention to hunger and feeling full, in short listening to your own body's signals, makes complete sense.  So to see her descend into this craziness has me scratching my head but I know she's not the first person to start out genuinely wanting to help people and then it all goes awry for whatever reason(s).

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

I too hope that Hannah C's ex has a wonderful happy life and that he's able to get over all the mental, emotional anguish/abuse of RF.  I applaud his bravery in leaving no matter what the cost -- estrangement from family, friends, his whole support system; an upending of everything he thought he knew was true.

I do wonder how widely known or whispered about his true sexuality was? Was he coerced/ "recommended" into marriage as a way to "fix" himself? 

Did Hannah know/ suspect going into the marriage or was she blindsided by the break-up, coming out, and divorce? If she was in the dark until the very end I truly feel sorry for her. 

She seems to have bought into RF completely and was a true believer in the whole wonderful godly marriage after the $100,000 wedding.  She married into RF royalty and life was going to be beautiful, peaceful, serene  godly,  and blessed.

 Just over a year later it all goes to hell in a hand basket (for her). It seems Gwen/RF shoved her into a new marriage immediately after the divorce was final.

I really hope there is nothing hidden about the new hubby.  He does appear to be rather older than the usual first time groom in RF.  

[SuperNova]

3 hours ago, Tatar-tot said:

Gwen is the clown car of crazy fundies.  I can’t wait to see what emerges next!  Remnant Church should be a TV sitcom. It would be a hit.

I've been following along in the Gwen threads since they started and I definitely have curiousity as to where this is all going. I'm also aware that this is a snark site, but Remnant Church is not a sitcom. This is a real cult and people are really being hurt and even dying from Gwen's dangerous teachings. 

[Tatar-tot]

You are 100% correct Supernova.  I don’t mean offense but the entire situation is surreal.  I was trying to figure out why someone would get caught up in the church.  My guess part of the pull is there are a large number of members got pulled in on WeighDown and stayed to keep their weight off.  Given the fat shaming (the new politically correct form of racism) that goes on in every level of society today I can see why members of Remnant overlook the faulty, hurtful actions of the church.  

The entire situation is rather sad.  When I see Elizabeth (aka Michele) in sweaters in the heat of the summer Isee a major red flag for an anorexic young woman. I pray that at some point she gets help.

The church is dangerous on some many levels.  I am amazed this place has stayed off the radar screen of all the investigative reporting groups out there.

[RFsurvivor]

1 hour ago, Tatar-tot said:

You are 100% correct Supernova.  I don’t mean offense but the entire situation is surreal.  I was trying to figure out why someone would get caught up in the church.  My guess part of the pull is there are a large number of members got pulled in on WeighDown and stayed to keep their weight off.  Given the fat shaming (the new politically correct form of racism) that goes on in every level of society today I can see why members of Remnant overlook the faulty, hurtful actions of the church.  

The entire situation is rather sad.  When I see Elizabeth (aka Michele) in sweaters in the heat of the summer Isee a major red flag for an anorexic young woman. I pray that at some point she gets help.

The church is dangerous on some many levels.  I am amazed this place has stayed off the radar screen of all the investigative reporting groups out there.

It is almost 90% weigh down conversions to remnant i would guess. Or you were brought in as a child and grew up not knowing it was craziness. 

[RFhmmm]

I stumbled on this blog site while researching Remnant. Trying to weed through everything. The accusations of child abuse is the most concerning issue that’s been brought up. I have a question for RFsurvivor 1&2. I believe you both said you were in Remnant at young ages. What type of physical abuse did you experience or witness as youth?

[RFSurvivor_2]

 

4 hours ago, RFsurvivor said:

It is almost 90% weigh down conversions to remnant i would guess. Or you were brought in as a child and grew up not knowing it was craziness. 

Preciesly!

@RFsurvivor and I were brought into RF during our early to mid teenage years. Before we became official members (yes, there are "unofficial" members of RF) our parents (specifically our mothers) attended (the first of MANY) weigh down classes. Through these classes they were encouraged to bring about the "good change" and "message" they had experienced and learned onto their families. Take note that this is one of the many (if not most important) methods in which the WD model thrives. I would say from my expeirence, a 90% of initial WeighDown participants were women/mothers, followed by their husbands/men and then their children.

Through what my mother had been taught, her experience and results, she decided that my siblings and I were to attend the official (at the time) Weigh Down youth class called "The Last Exodus". Note that not all of my siblings participated in WD due to internal personal issues between my mother and these siblings decisions/lifestyles. @RFsurvivor did not participate in a WD class before becoming a member but a LOT of it's principles were quickly intergrated into her family's life. This also happened with myself and my family.

We were introduced to RF over time when our parents (primarily our mothers) invested a lot of time and energy into WD. They were "personally" invited by their weigh down coordinators to attend "Desert Oaisis". Desert Oaisis was/is a weight loss semenar held at the RF church in Brentwood, TN. This was unofficially deemed the summer "pilgrimage" for weigh down and RF members/participants to meet up,  talk about their experiences, share testimonies, meet WD coordinators and team members as well as Gwen herself. This also was a ploy to get WD participants to learn about RF and potentially spark interest in joining. As they say in America, "on thing led to another" and sure enough, @RFsurvivor, myself and I started attending RF audio casting & webcasting services. Eventually we became members over a span of a few months, then a year apart from each other, moved to TN to be "closer to the saints".

With that being said, I personally do not know of any past or present RF member(s) that joined RF the without the influence and/or knowledge of WD. WD and it's principles are core elements that make up the foundation and structure of RF's belief system. It would be near impossible to be a member of RF without first invsesting time, energy and financial resources to WD. You are required to follow and fully support the WD principles in order to be a member of RF. It all comes full circle.

 

5 hours ago, Tatar-tot said:

The entire situation is rather sad.  When I see Elizabeth (aka Michele) in sweaters in the heat of the summer I see a major red flag for an anorexic young woman. I pray that at some point she gets help.

The church is dangerous on some many levels. I am amazed this place has stayed off the radar screen of all the investigative reporting groups out there.

 

Thank you for understanding. It is very easy to become detatched from it all if you haven't been directly effected by it through 3rd party means or any point like @RFsurvivorand I and many in this forum, intergrated into it. I fully acknowledge that the beliefs, personalities, systems and structures of WeighDown, Remnant Fellowship, Gwen, her family and her teachings are extremely interesting, breathtaking,, thought provoking and drama inducing. To be blunt the subject matter in question is prime-time, good internet talking discussion/meme material, especially in a "snark" based section of a site forum. Indeed the entire WD and RF system can be revealed to be shockingly toxic once an individual  performs his/her proper research and fully understands the basics of cults and cultism. It seems clear as day that WeighDown, Remnant Fewllowship and Gwen are bad news. This isn't always the case, especially for those who have fallen into their trap.

What makes WD and RF so appealing is that it promises to fufill one's purpose and meaning in life. This of course isn't the full case. WD and RF places individuals in a small, controlled bubble/box for which they cannot ever find their OWN meaning of life, purpose and who find out who they truly are. Because of this, there are literal lives that have either been, currently are or will be damaged (possibly destroyed) in the future due to the toxic, harmful and destructive nature of Gwen, her "empire" and her "teachings".  In my personal philosphical opinion, the search for meaning and purpose is half the joy in life while the other half is finding the pieces and making it yourself.

I encourage anyone and everyone reading this to think about where they were at their lowest point in life. Note: If this is too triggering for you then please, I encourage you to not do this but to follow along with what I am about to say. Would you have given ANYTHING to crawl from out of the deep, dark and negative situation(s) you were once or possibly, currently in? How much would you have, how much are you willing to and how much have you sacrificed to achive purpose, stability and meaning in life? Think about this real hard and answer yoursleves truthfully.

When WD/RF was introduced into my life, my mother, brothers and I were extremely poor, depressed, in constant danger and  in consistent life threatening situations due to the enviroment(s) we lived and resided in. My mother begged her god for a change and a path out to the situation we were in. WD/RF came in at the "right time" so to speak, thus my invovlement with them began. My mother was constantly looking for answers in life, as well as pardon(s) from our negative situations and experiences. She was willing do anything and everything to get out of our situation(s) even if it required casting out all logic, reason and to some, ignoring that "little voice" in her head. 

Like many cults (Scientology, Heavens Gate, etc) WD/RF preys on the weak, downtrodden and vunerable. The targeted individua(s) range(s) from the suicidal to power hungry and powerful. Do not think for any second that any of us on this forum were, are or never will be seceptible to falling into a cult like WD/RF. It may not be WD/RF specifically, but it could be the same "performer" masqurading under a different "disguise".

It is still very hard for me to talk about the Elizabeth (Michelle)/Michael situation without experiencing a degree of sadness. I once looked up to them as "big brother and big sister". Despite what they have done and what they continue to do, I still believe they can be saved / delivered from under their mother's grasp. I am the type of individual who sees the potential in all human beings, regardless of who they were and are now. I KNOW they can become MUCH MORE than they are now if they open their eyes, strip away their shackles and take hold of their lives in a positive, fruitful and truly loving manner. No one is too "lost". I personally hope that Elizabeth gets the helps he needs as well as her brother. I hope they both realize how they were/are tools to their mother's schemes. I hope that they like @RFsurvivor and I, emotionally, physically and mentally escape and get the help they need to live steady, consistent lives. I hope they find peace and find the strength to ask for forgivness to those they have wronged.

This statement probably changed the tone of the thread a bit. By all means, everyone, keep asking questions, snark away, dig deep and such. Just remember that these are humans we are talking about. Take that statment as you will. As stated before, @RFsurvivor and I will continue to share our experiences and our opinions about that Gwen, her leadership, Remmant Fellowship as a whole and Weighdown as well.

[SJWaterford]

They like to say the church and Weighdown are separate but cleary they aren't. I only added part of this chain so you'll have to go read the comment thread further if you are interested. You'll also see how her congregation just bombards the comments pages. 

 

Wfg Rob Day says

I know there are many people who would love to permanently get their weight off. The comment thread has been focused on Remnant fellowship church which obviously has people who have differing beliefs than they do. The point I would make about Weigh down is that it is a completely separate ministry than the church. Regardless of what your religious affiliation is, if you’re religious belief is that God should be number one in your life the principles taught at Weigh Down will work for you regardless of your religious affiliation. My wife lost over 70 pounds a decade prior to ever knowing that Gwen Shamblin also had a church. We were in Baptist and nondenominational churches during those 10 years and my wife was able to not only lose it but keep it off the entire time. This article was not about Remnant fellowship church. it was about the opportunity to learn sound faith based principles of how to make sure God is placed on a higher pedestal then food. The only religious person who should have an issue with that is someone whos religious beliefs tell them that it is OK to make food more important than God. In the WeighDown classes you do not learn about the church. You simply learn how to put food in its proper place and the result is your life changes dramatically for the good by having permanent weight loss. Hopefully that does not get lost as a result of a few individuals personal issues with a local church.

 

Glen Wingerd says

Rob Day,
I must point out an agregious discrepancy. You indicate that:

"The point I would make about Weigh down is that it is a completely separate ministry than the church." - Rob Day

This contrasts sharply with this excerpt from a recording of Gwen Shamblin:

"...that he had me understand Galatians of which it's been argued over for centuries with no one has this interpretation that I've ever read. No one out there. But that God not only matched it up, he let the country get fat, brought in Weigh Down, and matched it up to a message that it is from within..."
-Gwen Shamblin (http://www.remnantfellowship.org/.../Introduction-to...)

In this exceprt, Gwen not only explictly ties Weigh Down to her ministry at Remnant Fellowship, but ascertains that God allowed everyone to get fat so that God could then use Gwen Shamblin to bring in Weigh Down and the Remnant Fellowship to save everyone. This goes beyond heracy! Are you really surprised, when you read this, that Remnant is broadly labeled as a cult?

Don't try to tell me that Weigh Down is not only explicitly and as a legal non-profit tied directly to Remnant Fellowship but that Weigh Down, the weigh down workshops, the weigh down website, the weighdown materials, the weigh down seminars (held at the Remnant Fellowhip building) are all designed specifically to draw membership to Remnant Fellowship. More deception.

 

If you want to read more of the conversation and comments, you can go to this site. 

 

https://brentwoodhomepage.com/30-plus-years-and-the-weigh-down-workshop-and-gwen-shamblin-are-stronger-than-ever/
 

[Pregnant Before Marriage]

I have some questions about weddings -

Are all congregants invited to every wedding?

Do they all have to send gifts, whether or not they are invited?

[RFsurvivor]

30 minutes ago, Pregnant Before Marriage said:

I have some questions about weddings -

Are all congregants invited to every wedding?

Do they all have to send gifts, whether or not they are invited?

Depends on the wedding. There are roughly 3 tiers: full church, smaller invite only, even smaller private weddings (the last only done in rare situations)

[RFSurvivor_2]

1 hour ago, SJWaterford said:

Wfg Rob Day

"Regardless of what your religious affiliation is, if you’re religious belief is that God should be number one in your life the principles taught at Weigh Down will work for you regardless of your religious affiliation."

I would love to see the face of a Catholic Weigh Down participant after they listen to this song (which they sell on their WeighDown store):

In case you do not want to listen to this song (which I do not blame you), the point that I am making is in the chorus of this song lyrics:

"Cause I wanted
To find Zion
And God I need you to Rely On
I don't want no Sin
Never going back again
I've spent too many years in that Vatican
I believe this 
Place of Miracles
And the people are pure and are spirit led
The world is starving for truth but here in this place
We truly are fed"

This is one of MANY songs by the Remnant that throws shade/shots at multiple religions, especially Catholicism. "I'll Have Them All Sing Ave Maria", "Christianity 2000 A.D" are especially eyebrow rasing seeing as Michael wrote the songs to be performed from the perspective of "Satan". There's more, especially in a lot of older RF music.

[RFsurvivor]

4 minutes ago, RFSurvivor_2 said:

I would love to see the face of a Catholic Weigh Down participant once they listen to this song (which they sell on their WeighDown store):

In case you do not want to listen to this song (which I do not blame you), the point that I am making is in the chorus of this song lyrics:

"Cause I wanted
To find Zion
And God I need you to Rely On
I don't want no Sin
Never going back again
I've spent too many years in that Vatican
I believe this 
Place of Miracles
And the people are pure and are spirit led
The world is starving for truth but here in this place
We truly are fed"

This is one of MANY songs by the Remnant that throws shade/shots at multiple religions, especially Catholicism.

Or Ave Maria from the Hosanna Symphony. That song is a smack to the Catholics faith. 

[RFSurvivor_2]

1 minute ago, RFsurvivor said:

Or Ave Maria from the Hosanna Symphony. That song is a smack to the Catholics faith. 

 Oh man, that one pissed a LOT of people off when it was released.

[RFsurvivor]

4 minutes ago, RFSurvivor_2 said:

 Oh man, that one pissed a LOT of people off when it was released.

song mentioned above

[RFSurvivor_2]

15 minutes ago, RFsurvivor said:

song mentioned above

Context & Background:

Hosanna Symphony was written by Michael Shamblin over 12 years ago. The music from this album was performed several times in front of a live audience (WD and RF participants) via a musical or as he calls it "viewsical" format. It was performed at Remnant Fellowship. This song is performed by Michael in which he portrays/plays Satan (he also playes Jesus as well in the musical). So if you listen to this song, think of it being performed from the perspective of "Satan" and be prepared to be even more confused/disturbed and possibly pissed (at the hypocricy at least). This song makes me as uncomfortable as I was when I first heard it 12 years ago.

[chaotic life]

I haven’t followed Shamblin since she jumped the shark. Holy moly she reminds me of The Family in Australia now.

[sajetime]

23 minutes ago, RFSurvivor_2 said:

I would love to see the face of a Catholic Weigh Down participant once they listen to this song (which they sell on their WeighDown store)

"Cause I wanted
To find Zion
And God I need you to Rely On
I don't want no Sin
Never going back again
I've spent too many years in that Vatican
I believe this 
Place of Miracles
And the people are pure and are spirit led
The world is starving for truth but here in this place
We truly are fed"

This is one of MANY songs by the Remnant that throws shade/shots at multiple religions, especially Catholicism. 

 

Gwen also was critical of Saint Teresa (SERIOUSLY, how can someone be critical of SAINT TERESA?!?!) in her Legend to the Treasure series. She discounted her vow of poverty and all the wonderful things that woman did for the poor, saying her sacrifices weren’t spirit-led. 

In the same series she actually held up Josef and Sonya Smith (found guilty of killing their son) for being martyrs.

 

[RFhmmm]

Sorry to repost this. Might not be proper etiquette. I would love to hear your experience as children in remnant. 

 

I stumbled on this blog site while researching Remnant. Trying to weed through everything. The accusations of child abuse is the most concerning issue that’s been brought up. I have a question for RFsurvivor 1&2. I believe you both said you were in Remnant at young ages. What type of physical abuse did you experience or witness as youth?

[sajetime]

2 hours ago, SJWaterford said:

They like to say the church and Weighdown are separate but cleary they aren't. 

Wfg Rob Day says

In the WeighDown classes you do not learn about the church. You simply learn how to put food in its proper place and the result is your life changes dramatically for the good by having permanent weight loss. Hopefully that does not get lost as a result of a few individuals personal issues with a local church.

 

 

 

Even the *Basics* class makes Remnant’s views very clear when Gwen tells seekers in one of the later weeks about the plan, “It’s all or nothing.” So if you have extra bites in Weigh Down, you are a disobedient sinner. Just like she (at least prior to the divorce/Tarzan, maybe that has changed) says one must be 100 percent obedient, faultless in their walk with God, which nullifies the whole role of Jesus Christ and the concept of grace. Other classes push her theology further, culminating in Weigh Down Advanced, which calls all other churches counterfeit.

[Destiny]

1 hour ago, RFSurvivor_2 said:

I would love to see the face of a Catholic Weigh Down participant after they listen to this song (which they sell on their WeighDown store):

Separate from the myriad of other issues with this song, friend who's singing is quite possibly the worst lip syncer I've ever seen!

1 hour ago, RFhmmm said:

Sorry to repost this. Might not be proper etiquette. I would love to hear your experience as children in remnant. 

 

I stumbled on this blog site while researching Remnant. Trying to weed through everything. The accusations of child abuse is the most concerning issue that’s been brought up. I have a question for RFsurvivor 1&2. I believe you both said you were in Remnant at young ages. What type of physical abuse did you experience or witness as youth?

There is no need to repost multiple times. If people who have left this group wish to share stories, they will.

[Destiny]

Jumping off from my last post, I'm going to throw this out there: we do not vet anyone who joins FJ, outside of the obvious checking for socks and the like. That means that people from the church could be reading here. Exercise caution with your identity and identifying details while sharing stories if you wish to do so. Remember the HA rule: one out of every two people on the internet is an axe murderer. If it's not you, it's the other guy. Act accordingly.