Gwen Shamblin 8: Not Smart Enough to Think

[SilverBeach]

1 hour ago, throwaway9988 said:

Gwen is clearly a false preacher whose most notable original contribution to Christianity is the concept of starving yourself for Jesus.

Not original at all, some Catholic nuns were known not only for starving but adding gross substances to whatever they did eat. Mortification of the flesh was a big thing.

Edited August 8, 2019 by SilverBeach

[throwaway9988]

7 hours ago, SilverBeach said:

Not original at all, some Catholic nuns were known not only for starving but adding gross substances to whatever they did eat. Mortification of the flesh was a big thing.

So basically Gwen just has nothing going for her at all ?

[AmazonGrace]

Because the greatest love of all is happening to me 

Spoiler

 

The Greatest Influence on Earth

August 08, 2019

by Gwen Shamblin Lara

0 Comment

True Love is the best kept secret. The Early Christians in I Corinthians 13 were told by the Apostle Paul to “desire love.” Why did God choose True Love as our foundational, most important acquisition?

It is in the exposure to REAL, GENUINE LOVE that you find the answer—for it is an understatement to say that it is the greatest gift. True Love holds in its arms the greatest power on Earth. It is somewhat like the wind. You cannot see it, but you can feel it. However, it is more prevailing than wind, for the impact left in its wake is more permanent. Where a tree may be blown out of its position temporarily, a human can be forever changed when True Love sweeps thru. True Love given in our hearts by God is no little gift but rather is the greatest of all influences on Earth—the greatest of all controls on the Earth.

 

 

[laPapessaGiovanna]

7 hours ago, SilverBeach said:

Not original at all, some Catholic nuns were known not only for starving but adding gross substances to whatever they did eat. Mortification of the flesh was a big thing.

There's even a specific term for it: anorexia mirabilis. Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Angela of Foligno were know for eating scabs and pus out of wounds (gag!). There were also more recent cases (but without the grossness afaik), some even recognized and venerated by the Catholic church (censored expletives). For references look for the biographies of Therese Neumann, Louise Lateau, Maria Domenica Lazzeri, Marthe Robin, Marie Rose Ferron, Marie Julie Jahenny, Alexandrina of Balazar. There were even non Catholic cases in Victorian Britain and in the US, the phenomenon was called "fasting girls".

[WorseThan1Thinks]

1 hour ago, throwaway9988 said:

So basically Gwen just has nothing going for her at all ?

Well, as casually mentioned by others a few threads ago, Gwen did get breast enhancement surgery about a year or so ago (right about the time she started hanging out with Joe, while still married to Dave).  Not sure how many people get that who are over 60 years old, but oh well.

Although I'm not sure how her constant "live for the praises of God, not for man" fit into that.  I'm pretty sure Gwen's bigger breasts aren't getting God's praises.  But I guess they got Joe's.

So while her frame is frail and certainly unhealthy looking, a select few might say she has that going for her.

[precious blessing]

Unrelated to the current discussion - but I just woke up remembering going to "weigh down workshop" with my mom when I was a kid and sitting, playing with legos as the church ladies watched their Gwen Lara propaganda.

The covers of Gwen Shamblin Lara's books are tattooed on my brain. Realizing there was a RF thread on FJ after several years of being a member was a really uncomfortable overlap of my "hobby" and my personal life. Of course I'm not comparing my experience to anyone who has been in the cult, but realizing I was so close to being in it (my mom discussed moving to TN) is upsetting. It leads to a lot of "what-ifs." I have significant mental and physical health problems, my sister is a type-1 diabetic (undiagnosed for many years)... possible eating disorder aside, I seriously question how long we would have made it.

Fuck Gwen Lara - and carry on with this thread's regularly scheduled programming

[SrMaryEloquentia]

4 hours ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

There's even a specific term for it: anorexia mirabilis. Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Angela of Foligno were know for eating scabs and pus out of wounds (gag!). There were also more recent cases (but without the grossness afaik), some even recognized and venerated by the Catholic church (censored expletives). For references look for the biographies of Therese Neumann, Louise Lateau, Maria Domenica Lazzeri, Marthe Robin, Marie Rose Ferron, Marie Julie Jahenny, Alexandrina of Balazar. There were even non Catholic cases in Victorian Britain and in the US, the phenomenon was called "fasting girls".

Very interesting point - while one should always be careful to diagnose modern day psychiatric disorders in historical context, I think that eating disorders have been around for a long time. Add to that a religious enviroment that cheers these women on, and the result is an early death. And what could be more saintly?!

unfortunately, that seems to be exactly where poor Elisabeth is headed. 

[SilverBeach]

4 hours ago, laPapessaGiovanna said:

There's even a specific term for it: anorexia mirabilis. Saint Catherine of Siena and Saint Angela of Foligno were know for eating scabs and pus out of wounds (gag!). There were also more recent cases (but without the grossness afaik), some even recognized and venerated by the Catholic church (censored expletives). For references look for the biographies of Therese Neumann, Louise Lateau, Maria Domenica Lazzeri, Marthe Robin, Marie Rose Ferron, Marie Julie Jahenny, Alexandrina of Balazar. There were even non Catholic cases in Victorian Britain and in the US, the phenomenon was called "fasting girls".

I learned about this, at, of all things, Late Nite Catechism.

Edited August 8, 2019 by SilverBeach

[throwaway9988]

5 hours ago, WorseThan1Thinks said:

Although I'm not sure how her constant "live for the praises of God, not for man" fit into that.  I'm pretty sure Gwen's bigger breasts aren't getting God's praises.  But I guess they got Joe's.

So while her frame is frail and certainly unhealthy looking, a select few might say she has that going for her.

Ew, really? I was blissfully unaware of this until now. I agree, this seems very hypocritical and I find it hard to imagine a regular remnant member getting breast enhancement surgery and not being made to feel incredibly guilty and sinful. They used to not even let girls wear certain swimsuits at camp, because despite constantly harping about personal accountability, they made the girls feel guilty if men had lustful thoughts (“If you were really pure at heart, you would change what you are wearing because you wouldn’t want to even take the risk that a man would be tempted” was said to a girl I knew)! For a cult led by a woman, Remnant is incredibly backwards and sexist, but I guess it’s not surprising that Gwen makes an exception for herself.   She already has a pattern of doing that with wealth, divorce, etc. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

18 minutes ago, throwaway9988 said:

Ew, really? I was blissfully unaware of this until now. I agree, this seems very hypocritical and I find it hard to imagine a regular remnant member getting breast enhancement surgery and not being made to feel incredibly guilty and sinful. They used to not even let girls wear certain swimsuits at camp, because despite constantly harping about personal accountability, they made the girls feel guilty if men had lustful thoughts (“If you were really pure at heart, you would change what you are wearing because you wouldn’t want to even take the risk that a man would be tempted” was said to a girl I knew)! For a cult led by a woman, Remnant is incredibly backwards and sexist, but I guess it’s not surprising that Gwen makes an exception for herself.   She already has a pattern of doing that with wealth, divorce, etc. 

Oh I imagine the cult is full of plastic surgery. But I bet breast and butt implants are rarer than in the general population. Since it’s an eating disorder cult, not that many people will want implants since they might make them look heavier. Anyone getting implants would likely get modest sized ones. But I can guarantee that Botox runs through that cult like koolaid. I bet the plastic surgery most popular in RF are face lifts, tummy tucks, and liposuction. I don’t count Botox. It’s a cosmetic procedure, not a surgery. 

[SuperNova]

7 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

It is in the exposure to REAL, GENUINE LOVE that you find the answer—for it is an understatement to say that it is the greatest gift. True Love holds in its arms the greatest power on Earth.

Holy shit, Gwen and I agree on something! Call me a tree lovin' hippie but I believe that love is the most powerful force on earth. Everything that we do as humans should come from a place of love and truly loving someone is the greatest gift that we can give. Its the only thing that really matters. 

With that being said, I can say without a single doubt in my mind that Gwen Shamblin Lara has no fucking idea what true love is. True love never comes with stipulations. It doesn't have an agenda or an ego. True love isn't about a beach house in Destin or how much food is on your plate. Truly loving someone isn't about trying to manipulate and slander your new partner's ex. It isn't about putting recording devices in the closet of a young girl. It isnt about leading your own child to a life threatening eating disorder and it sure as hell isn't about defending a child murderer. 

[Marmion]

8 hours ago, AmazonGrace said:

True Love holds in its arms the greatest power on Earth. It is somewhat like the wind. You cannot see it, but you can feel it.

So now it would seem that Gwen Shamblin Lara is plagiarizing D.C. Talk , whom quoted Billy Graham in their song , " Mind's Eye " .  

So is this what this thread has turned into , you post homilies from Gwen Shamblin Lara , and then I relate it to some outside religious source ?  Not that I mind , mind you .  It's just that it's bringing up memories of my background in the Holiness movement . Only , to be fair , we usually only entered into a period of fasting preceding an upcoming series of revival services being held at our church . Typically this would only last a week . Other than that , the youth group , with signed parental consent , might combine a " lock in "  , with  the " Famine "  .   But this mortification  through starvation , that Remnant Fellowship engages in , takes fasting to a new , and dangerous extreme , as it relates to the present day normal practice of evangelicalism  .  The closest historical example I can come up with to this would be that of William Morgan  , and the Holy Club   , whom were notorious for their fasting .     

Edited August 8, 2019 by Marmion

[throwaway9988]

1 hour ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

Oh I imagine the cult is full of plastic surgery. But I bet breast and butt implants are rarer than in the general population. Since it’s an eating disorder cult, not that many people will want implants since they might make them look heavier. Anyone getting implants would likely get modest sized ones. But I can guarantee that Botox runs through that cult like koolaid. I bet the plastic surgery most popular in RF are face lifts, tummy tucks, and liposuction. I don’t count Botox. It’s a cosmetic procedure, not a surgery. 

I'd bet $100 that David Martin tried a hair transplant.  And I'm sure cosmetic dentistry is popular too.  Gotta look healthy and happy in order to fool the new recruits

[JermajestyDuggar]

25 minutes ago, throwaway9988 said:

I'd bet $100 that David Martin tried a hair transplant.  And I'm sure cosmetic dentistry is popular too.  Gotta look healthy and happy in order to fool the new recruits

Yes, hair does seem to be important in RF. Probably because Gwen seems to focus so much on hers. But I guess women’s hair is big in most fundie religions. Whether you must cover it, not cut it, or use it to glorify god. 

[Fashion Forward]

1 hour ago, throwaway9988 said:

I'd bet $100 that David Martin tried a hair transplant.  And I'm sure cosmetic dentistry is popular too.  Gotta look healthy and happy in order to fool the new recruits

I know that many of the higher ups have gotten veneers, both men and women. Liposuction or similar surgeries are sometimes recommended to those who have lost an excess amount of weight and have a lot of loose skin (if God is leading you, they say). Some of the women get their eyebrows micro-bladed, lip liner tattooed, and eyeliner tattooed. Tattoos of any other sort are discouraged and considered sinful. Try to figure that one out.

[thoughtful]

Films noir are not supposed to make the viewer giggle. But the opening scene of The Killers, which TCM is showing, just got me. Watch from where I cued it up to about 3:30 to get to the "punchline," and notice that these men are arguing about what they want to eat and whether they are allowed to eat it:

 

[WeirdHarold]

11 hours ago, thoughtful said:

Films noir are not supposed to make the viewer giggle. But the opening scene of The Killers, which TCM is showing, just got me. Watch from where I cued it up to about 3:30 to get to the "punchline," and notice that these men are arguing about what they want to eat and whether they are allowed to eat it:

 

And the town is Brentwood!

[RFsurvivor]

16 hours ago, Fashion Forward said:

I know that many of the higher ups have gotten veneers, both men and women. Liposuction or similar surgeries are sometimes recommended to those who have lost an excess amount of weight and have a lot of loose skin (if God is leading you, they say). Some of the women get their eyebrows micro-bladed, lip liner tattooed, and eyeliner tattooed. Tattoos of any other sort are discouraged and considered sinful. Try to figure that one out.

Wow I didn’t know about the veneers or lipo....

[thoughtful]

1 hour ago, WeirdHarold said:

And the town is Brentwood!

That's what made me laugh!

[AmazonGrace]

Today we learn that love is not a battery. Gwen thinks love affects mankind more than any other force but I beg to differ.  Love will become irrelevant to mankind pretty damn fast  iwhen the sun burns out and we run out of solar energy. 

 

Spoiler

 

The Impact of Love

August 09, 2019

by Gwen Shamblin Lara

0 Comment

Love affects mankind in a positive way more than any other force on the planet, and yet it remains a mystery as to how to generate it and disseminate it. It is not like electricity that can be engineered, stored and then sent thru wires to an outlet to light up a room. It is not like a battery that can harness energy to be used later. It is not like fuel that can, via an energy converter, release power and be used in mechanical energy or kinetic energy, moving wheels and gears with heat that splits molecules apart, releasing energy. Combustion releases huge amounts of energy. When you sit near a fireplace warming yourself, you are soaking up energy produced by billions of molecules that crackle upon splitting apart. But love is more powerful than billions of molecules splitting. It is not like solar energy that can travel for millions of light years and then be captured and translated into power. Love originates from The Source Of All Love.

 

It is not clear Gwen understands what happens in a fire.

[quiversR4hunting]

12 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

Today we learn that love is not a battery. 

I thought you were going to go in a totally different direction with that line! 

[formergothardite]

22 hours ago, Marmion said:

So now it would seem that Gwen Shamblin Lara is plagiarizing D.C. Talk , whom quoted Billy Graham in their song , " Mind's Eye " .

It is obvious from her devotionals that Gwen hasn't had an original idea in a very, very long time. All she appears to know how to do is repeat the same things over and over. And now that she feels like she can't talk about  "The Growl" or waiting 36 hours between meals, she is having an even more difficult time coming up with devotionals. 

[Briefly]

On 8/8/2019 at 6:25 AM, throwaway9988 said:

So basically Gwen just has nothing going for her at all ?

No, that's not quite true.  She has her hair!

On 8/8/2019 at 4:11 PM, JermajestyDuggar said:

Yes, hair does seem to be important in RF. Probably because Gwen seems to focus so much on hers. But I guess women’s hair is big in most fundie religions. Whether you must cover it, not cut it, or use it to glorify god. 

So many of the fundy women never cut their hair, I can't remember the book/verse from the Bible that they use to justify it.  Maybe Gwen's ridiculous hair is because she thinks it's holy?  (I think it's in Corinthians but I haven't looked it up yet).

[Marmion]

1 hour ago, Briefly said:

No, that's not quite true.  She has her hair!

So many of the fundy women never cut their hair, I can't remember the book/verse from the Bible that they use to justify it.  Maybe Gwen's ridiculous hair is because she thinks it's holy?  (I think it's in Corinthians but I haven't looked it up yet).

To put this in biblical , as well as historical context , here is this article .  http://www.spiritualabuse.org/actseighteen/uncuthair.html  Also , I believe that fundamentalists , since the 20's , were reacting against the flappers , with their bobbed hairstyle .  http://www.american-historama.org/1913-1928-ww1-prohibition-era/fundamentalist-movement.htm  , https://www.thoughtco.com/flappers-in-the-roaring-twenties-1779240  

[JermajestyDuggar]

It’s funny how so many religions focus so much on a woman’s hair. It’s not just Christian fundies. There are religions that can focus on men’s hair too. But I feel like it’s less often.