Gwen Shamblin Lara 13: Shut UP You Paper-Thin Chip Licker!

[NarcissismKills]

Remnant Fellowship is worse than useless. It is a dangerous Scientology wannabe cult, complete with required paid "courses", rejection of mental health care, use of handlers to manage the lower level members' compliance with the group's rules, and open intimidation of critics. Any support for this pernicious cult, be it via government funding or through the community enabling it, is shameful and wrong. When the Remnant Fellowship cult lost its appeal of the supposed slander by Rafael Martinez several years ago, the three judges opined that everything he had said on his Spiritwatch website appeared to be true. 

[Shaquillle Oatmeal]

Alright. So I'm bored with a few other fundies and ready to explore this rabbit hole. 

Who is Gwen and what is she all about?

[DaisyD]

There are 13 threads that you could read that will explain everything you need to know about the cult of anorexia and color coordinated borg sheep. Let us know if you need the rescue ferrets. 

[Maggie Mae]

1 hour ago, DaisyD said:

There are 13 threads that you could read that will explain everything you need to know about the cult of anorexia and color coordinated borg sheep. Let us know if you need the rescue ferrets. 

Wait, Gwen of the bad hair and ugly shoes requires color coordination? I mostly avoid these threads because there is only so much I can say or think about her rat's nest on her head and her horrible taste in shoes, but now I learn about color coordinating her flock? W.T.H. 

[DaisyD]

31 minutes ago, Maggie Mae said:

Wait, Gwen of the bad hair and ugly shoes requires color coordination? I mostly avoid these threads because there is only so much I can say or think about her rat's nest on her head and her horrible taste in shoes, but now I learn about color coordinating her flock? W.T.H. 

I don't know if it's for every service, but all major holidays (including some kind of made up ones) require specific colors to be worn. It's truly shocking that people follow her on so many levels. 

[formergothardite]

6 hours ago, Shaquillle Oatmeal said:

Who is Gwen and what is she all about?

It is a lot but I'll try and give a short recap. People feel free to correct me when I get stuff wrong. 

Gwen Shamblin Lara wrote a book about weight loss. She then turned that book into a church. Her weight loss advice is basically to avoid eating and when you do eat stick to tiny amounts of junk food and diet coke. Gwen doesn't seem to be a fan of fruits and veggies. There is also licking salt off potato chips instead of eating the chips. And lots and lots of diet coke.

Husband #1 wouldn't go along with the whole not eating thing and didn't seem to participate in the church. So she tossed him for a newer shiner husband, Joe Lara who used to play Tarzan. Gwen tries to pretend her first marriage didn't happen. 

There are lots of weirdness between her and Joe. He twirls her an excessive amount. He also crawls around like a dog chasing her. Their relationship is just down right weird. 

Gwen runs her church with an iron fist. She controls every aspect of member's lives. If people gain weight they are not welcome. She encourages people to cut family off if they disagree with Gwen. Gwen's entire message is to worship The Growl. The Growl is hunger. 

She also claims Jesus picks out her outfits each day. 

[Marmion]

7 hours ago, NarcissismKills said:

When the Remnant Fellowship cult lost its appeal of the supposed slander by Rafael Martinez several years ago, the three judges opined that everything he had said on his Spiritwatch website appeared to be true

For those , such as @Shaquillle Oatmeal, who might not have seen it , here is the presentation by Rafael Martinez , which should fill you in on what all Gwen Shamblin Lara's background and beliefs are .  

Spoiler

 

 

1 hour ago, Maggie Mae said:

Wait, Gwen of the bad hair and ugly shoes requires color coordination? I mostly avoid these threads because there is only so much I can say or think about her rat's nest on her head and her horrible taste in shoes, but now I learn about color coordinating her flock? W.T.H. 

 

 

52 minutes ago, DaisyD said:

I don't know if it's for every service, but all major holidays (including some kind of made up ones) require specific colors to be worn. It's truly shocking that people follow her on so many levels. 

 This falls under behavior control .  

Quote

4. Control types of clothing and hairstyles

https://freedomofmind.com/bite-model/   It's part of the comprehensive process cults use to brainwash the people under their undue influence . 

[SuperNova]

51 minutes ago, formergothardite said:

It is a lot but I'll try and give a short recap. People feel free to correct me when I get stuff wrong. 

Gwen Shamblin Lara wrote a book about weight loss. She then turned that book into a church. Her weight loss advice is basically to avoid eating and when you do eat stick to tiny amounts of junk food and diet coke. Gwen doesn't seem to be a fan of fruits and veggies. There is also licking salt off potato chips instead of eating the chips. And lots and lots of diet coke.

Husband #1 wouldn't go along with the whole not eating thing and didn't seem to participate in the church. So she tossed him for a newer shiner husband, Joe Lara who used to play Tarzan. Gwen tries to pretend her first marriage didn't happen. 

There are lots of weirdness between her and Joe. He twirls her an excessive amount. He also crawls around like a dog chasing her. Their relationship is just down right weird. 

Gwen runs her church with an iron fist. She controls every aspect of member's lives. If people gain weight they are not welcome. She encourages people to cut family off if they disagree with Gwen. Gwen's entire message is to worship The Growl. The Growl is hunger. 

She also claims Jesus picks out her outfits each day. 

Don't forget that RF minions made a shared account to try and set us all straight. Hilarity ensued and they were banned for not following the rules. One person per account but they kept responding like the cumulative Borg. Worth the read.

[formergothardite]

4 minutes ago, SuperNova said:

Don't forget that RF minions made a shared account to try and set us all straight. Hilarity ensued and they were banned for not following the rules. One person per account but they kept responding like the cumulative Borg. Worth the read.

How could I have forgotten! It is well worth reading the original thread to see the RF hive try to pretend that they are totally not cult members who worship hunger. 

[thoughtful]

On 7/18/2020 at 8:39 PM, Xan said:

Gwen says they're "imitating their Judeo-Christian background".  

She used the correct verb, I'll give her that.

 

[DaisyD]

You're not aloud to eat unless it's meal time. You're also not aloud to eat if your stomach isn't audibly growling. If those 2 things never match up, you should eat a bite or 2 every 36 hours. 

Gwen and Joe were caught placing recording devices in Joe's daughter- from-a- previous- relationship's closet. That poor girl's mother is fighting the good fight to protect her daughter from this nightmare. 

Gwen's own daughter appears extremely frail and we only comment on that due to the nature of this cult. We're concerned that a lifetime of Gwen's "certified dietitian" teaching and influence (see above eating advice) has lead her down a serious health risk path. 

Every time we comment on one of these things the cult's social media is altered to hide what we noticed. Including Gwen attempting to avoid talking about "The Growl" in her daily devotionals. This only served to highlight that she either has no other thoughts, or she is so nutrient deprived that her brain has actually ceased to be able to put together a cohesive thought. 

Really though, recaps will never do it justice. It has to be read. 

[Maggie Mae]

26 minutes ago, DaisyD said:

You're not aloud to eat unless it's meal time. You're also not aloud to eat if your stomach isn't audibly growling. If those 2 things never match up, you should eat a bite or 2 every 36 hours. 

So do they listen for each other's stomachs to make noise? Because that's so embarrassing! And what about mood swings? I am just picturing a bunch of grumpy people all listening to make sure their friends are also hungry and grumpy. Headaches? Fatigue? I take it Gwen doesn't believe in exercise either? There's no way you can run 10 miles if you haven't eaten anything other than the salt off of a potato chip and a diet coke. 

[quiversR4hunting]

30 minutes ago, DaisyD said:

Gwen's own daughter appears extremely frail and we only comment on that due to the nature of this cult. We're concerned that a lifetime of Gwen's "certified dietitian" teaching and influence (see above eating advice) has lead her down a serious health risk path. 

Speaking of Elizabeth, has she been sighted lately in any of the youth camps going on? Last I remember she is the youth pastor...

[RFsurvivor]

Just now, quiversR4hunting said:

Speaking of Elizabeth, has she been sighted lately in any of the youth camps going on? Last I remember she is the youth pastor...

Not sure about recently but when I was around and she was the youth pastor she showed up maybe 2x in the summer.  She was not involved in the day to day of the summer day camp

[quiversR4hunting]

1 minute ago, RFsurvivor said:

Not sure about recently but when I was around and she was the youth pastor she showed up maybe 2x in the summer.  She was not involved in the day to day of the summer day camp

That is so odd that the youth pastor is not at the youth camps.

But then again this is Remnant Fellowship ran by Gwen Shamblin Lara and it is a cult. 

[ChadelBaj]

The color coordination also has a lot to do with projecting  the image of perfection. The events that require coordination usually are ones that are filmed/ photographed (weddings, holidays etc.) 

Also, hi!, new poster here and I am pretty familiar with RF (via people I am close with and very worried about). Any new info is always welcome. 

[DaisyD]

10 hours ago, Maggie Mae said:

So do they listen for each other's stomachs to make noise? Because that's so embarrassing! And what about mood swings? I am just picturing a bunch of grumpy people all listening to make sure their friends are also hungry and grumpy. Headaches? Fatigue? I take it Gwen doesn't believe in exercise either? There's no way you can run 10 miles if you haven't eaten anything other than the salt off of a potato chip and a diet coke. 

It would seem that Gwen is against exercise. She's also against healthy food. You eat whatever you crave, but only a bite or two. Just enough to stop the growling. There is no difference between junk food and health food, they're all made up of atoms or something, and health food is just a scam to make money off of you. She doesn't seem to see the hypocrisy of someone who's made millions giving the worst possible dieting advice call the health food industry a scam. Oh, and fritos are biblical. 

[AmazonGrace]

11 hours ago, Maggie Mae said:

So do they listen for each other's stomachs to make noise? Because that's so embarrassing! And what about mood swings? I am just picturing a bunch of grumpy people all listening to make sure their friends are also hungry and grumpy. Headaches? Fatigue? I take it Gwen doesn't believe in exercise either? There's no way you can run 10 miles if you haven't eaten anything other than the salt off of a potato chip and a diet coke. 

My general impression (I have no IRL experience but I'm probably the most faithful follower of her  devotionals lately) that Gwen isn't personally into exercise in any form. There's no way she could run in her heels and she requires divine assistance before attempting the stairs. She also despises people who watch sports because they could be worshipping Gwod instead. In one of the devotionals she said that she has no muscle mass as if it was a good thing.

She is presumably not delusional enough to be against all sports in general as she has occasionally acknowledged that exercise can be beneficial to your health and RF has some sports teams for various games (I am assuming it helps to draw in new young cultists). 

However, she has written numerous times against exercise as a weight loss method. In Gwen's world exercising to lose weight is a man made rule that you will eventually fail at and you will become more obese and more unhappy. 

Jesus didn't exercise.

Edited July 24, 2020 by AmazonGrace

[HerNameIsBuffy]

10 minutes ago, DaisyD said:

It would seem that Gwen is against exercise. She's also against healthy food. You eat whatever you crave, but only a bite or two. Just enough to stop the growling. There is no difference between junk food and health food, they're all made up of atoms or something, and health food is just a scam to make money off of you. She doesn't seem to see the hypocrisy of someone who's made millions giving the worst possible dieting advice call the health food industry a scam. Oh, and fritos are biblical. 

The thing is health food is just food.  I'm doing a whole food for a while now and it's just...food.  When I buy some asparagus the cashier doesn't ask me if I'm eating it for my health or pleasure and upcharge me if it's the former.  

And fwiw my stomach never growls, even when I go days without eating when I would fast or forget to eat.  So if I joined her cult I'd be on the lick a chip every 36 hours plan.  As fabulous as a lifetime of constant migraines sounds I think I'll pass.  

9 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

Jesus didn't exercise.

According to all the iconography I've seen in my Catholic life Jesus had amazing abs.  But you know, my brother has always had a 6-pack without exercising so it can happen.

[AmazonGrace]

Everyone in biblical times must have walked quite a bit and just their  normal daily life tasks required more muscle power that Gwen has ever used in her life. But still, IIRC she wrote something to the effect that Jesus didn't go to gym or jogging or something. 

 

[RFsurvivor]

On the exercise topic, her general stance when I was a member, was exercise for exercises sake was a waste of Gods time and you would be better off serving Gods kingdom. God will provide ways of physical exercise such as helping people move, keeping up with the children, etc. 

 

If you did exercise, you tended to keep it under wraps so that you didn’t get told off for wasting time and mixing the message since the only reason someone would exercise is to lose weight. 
 

it seems her views may have changed based on some of her newer content but I can’t speak to what is being taught since I left a while ago now 

[HerNameIsBuffy]

20 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

Everyone in biblical times must have walked quite a bit and just their  normal daily life tasks required more muscle power that Gwen has ever used in her life. But still, IIRC she wrote something to the effect that Jesus didn't go to gym or jogging or something. 

 

But if he did go to the gym Jesus would totally wipe down his machines for the next person.

16 minutes ago, RFsurvivor said:

God will provide ways of physical exercise such as helping people move,

Yes!  There is nothing safer than people who are generally sedentary lifting heavy furniture and appliances.  That's in the bible.

Edited July 24, 2020 by HerNameIsBuffy
are and aren't are two different words

[AmazonGrace]

I looked up some recent devotionals (recent, as in, posted recently, not recently written) that mentioned exercise and seeing them all together one after one made it seem like  she's feeling forced to admit that exercise is possibly sometimes slightly beneficial for your health because there is just too much evidence to that effect and denying it altogether would make her seem rather insane, and because she found a Bible verse saying there is some benefit.  Like an obligatory disclaimer.

But she gives the impression that's not really what she believes. In her heart of hearts she feels that exercise is just another eating disorder symptom that doesn't really differ from  bingeing and vomiting in her mind. Exercise is bad for you because  it may feel uncomfortable or painful. Exercise is bad for you because it makes you hungry and thirsty and that means you allow yourself to put more food and drink into your mouth. (Chewing is ewwww, and  drinking water is also bad for some reason that is not clear to me. Possibly because of water weight?)  Exercise is bad for you because it is more useful to be vacuuming or organizing closets. Exercise is bad for you because some people make lots of money selling exercise related things. Exercise is bad for you because you might love it and you should only love Gwod. Exercise is bad for you because kids may experience some negative feelings during competitive games. Exercise is bad for you because it gives you muscle mass and muscle mass requires energy and makes you look fat and bulky.  And at the end of the day exercise is a sin because everything is a sin except starving for Gwod.

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1917977

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1917031

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1916060

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1915728

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/32819-gwen-shamblin-lara-10-hanging-onto-the-wine/?do=findComment&comment=1834801

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1907140

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/32981-gwen-shamblin-lara-11-cloudy-with-a-chance-of-the-holy-spirit/?do=findComment&comment=1882027

 

 

[AmazonGrace]

God's will is still in the growl.  Give up more food! You will love it!

The worst thing about Satan is that he made Adam and Eve EAT!  They ate an APPLE! God forbid eating apples!

Spoiler

 

What is Gwen doing to help the sick and the needy daily? I'm guessing not a damned thing but I could be wrong.

Spoiler

 

[freefromthin]

1 hour ago, AmazonGrace said:

I looked up some recent devotionals (recent, as in, posted recently, not recently written) that mentioned exercise and seeing them all together one after one made it seem like  she's feeling forced to admit that exercise is possibly sometimes slightly beneficial for your health because there is just too much evidence to that effect and denying it altogether would make her seem rather insane, and because she found a Bible verse saying there is some benefit.  Like an obligatory disclaimer.

But she gives the impression that's not really what she believes. In her heart of hearts she feels that exercise is just another eating disorder symptom that doesn't really differ from  bingeing and vomiting in her mind. Exercise is bad for you because  it may feel uncomfortable or painful. Exercise is bad for you because it makes you hungry and thirsty and that means you allow yourself to put more food and drink into your mouth. (Chewing is ewwww, and  drinking water is also bad for some reason that is not clear to me. Possibly because of water weight?)  Exercise is bad for you because it is more useful to be vacuuming or organizing closets. Exercise is bad for you because some people make lots of money selling exercise related things. Exercise is bad for you because you might love it and you should only love Gwod. Exercise is bad for you because kids may experience some negative feelings during competitive games. Exercise is bad for you because it gives you muscle mass and muscle mass requires energy and makes you look fat and bulky.  And at the end of the day exercise is a sin because everything is a sin except starving for Gwod.

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1917977

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1917031

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1916060

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1915728

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/32819-gwen-shamblin-lara-10-hanging-onto-the-wine/?do=findComment&comment=1834801

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/33127-gwen-shamblin-lara-12-gwen-says-something-i-cant-understand/?do=findComment&comment=1907140

https://www.freejinger.org/topic/32981-gwen-shamblin-lara-11-cloudy-with-a-chance-of-the-holy-spirit/?do=findComment&comment=1882027

 

 

In my experience, anything that cannot bring glory to WD (and ultimately Gwen) is generally discouraged. While she DOES state that exercise is "useful for bone strengthening) in her original WD book, as you attend the classes, you DO get the sense that exercise is frowned upon, because it can be used for weight loss. I actually know someone who stated that she was chastised because it was believed that she was exercising to control her weight. As someone who once exercised to the point of harm while taking in very little fuel in an effort to be thin, the idea of refraining from exercise was appealing to me at first. The CONCEPT of eating small amounts of food that I ENJOYED for the REST of my life while STAYING thin was also extremely appealing, so I participated in WD off and on for many years.