Gwen Shamblin Lara 17: The Hair Apparant

[Cults-r-us]

10 hours ago, EmmieJ said:

Been there, done that myself.

I think Gwen and Joe were legally married.  I also think Joe was probably in it for the money, extravagant lifestyle, and expensive toys.  

How could money, extravagant lifestyle and expensive toys be worth faking weird religion, doing those videos (but then, he is an actor) and sleeping with bony Gwen?

[EmmieJ]

16 minutes ago, Cults-r-us said:

How could money, extravagant lifestyle and expensive toys be worth faking weird religion, doing those videos (but then, he is an actor) and sleeping with bony Gwen?

Not sure if you’re joking, but he’s far from the first to marry a wealthy old fart for their money.  And he’s certainly not the last to do so.  

[Blue]

11 hours ago, RFsurvivor said:

Also I couldn't find the post easily but there was comment of RF members being told to get their wills in order to make sure they had clear instructions of who would have custody of children. From my experience I do know of some families who would put in their wills that guardianship would go to older siblings (who were in Remnant) vs grandparents who were not or even non-family members (who were in Remnant) over non-Remnant families. 

I mean, I guess I get it.

My husband and I have made it clear in our will that our girls, under NO circumstance, are to go to anyone involved in RF. There's an ordered list of who we want them to go to, with a clause that says if any of those people become involved with RF between the notarized will and our passing, that they are no longer able to take our children.

My husband hates RF theology and practices with a passion. Nothing would be more of an insult to his memory than to put his girls in a family that follows them.

10 hours ago, RFFriend said:

Yes, I understand.  I just want to clarify that the comment I made was more on my behalf and I wasn't making a comment about anything to do with this forum or the people that comment here.  I read about different cult groups, but this is the first one I have known people in and so it is different for me.  I thought when I went there, the people would come across like Gwen did to me, obviously out there.  But, I was surprised at how many of them were lovely people.  Hopefully, the church will move in a healthier direction.

Oh I get it - I can honestly say I never thought we'd have family in a cult... And especially not these family members.

I just get nervous when people mention how nice they are... Not because they aren't nice, but because their extreme "niceness" can lead people to believe it's not that bad. How could such nice people be following someone so crazy? 

We've had family who were super against RF go visit TN family, and then come back gushing about how nice everyone is and how they're all so in love with God and then they end up joining. It's like they get blinded by the love bombing.

[formergothardite]

3 hours ago, Blue said:

I just get nervous when people mention how nice they are... Not because they aren't nice, but because their extreme "niceness" can lead people to believe it's not that bad. How could such nice people be following someone so crazy? 

We've had family who were super against RF go visit TN family, and then come back gushing about how nice everyone is and how they're all so in love with God and then they end up joining. It's like they get blinded by the love bombing.

Exactly. Being over the top nice to potential cult members is a classic cult move. Love bombing is a real and dangerous thing. We see it in story after story of people who get sucked into cults. I’m not saying all the people in RF are awful, there are almost certainly genuinely nice members, but I bet there are also plenty who drop the facade of niceness when someone pushes back.  Cults rely on being able to love bomb people into not asking too many questions. 

[RFfamANON]

5 hours ago, Blue said:

I just get nervous when people mention how nice they are... Not because they aren't nice, but because their extreme "niceness" can lead people to believe it's not that bad. How could such nice people be following someone so crazy? 

I too get very nervous because, this is exactly how it has happened in each instance that I have witnessed. My family members were loved on to the extreme. I am watching another family member get sucked in the same way right now. Each time they have said how extremely nice the people there are.

And honestly it’s an intoxicating feeling when everyone is doting on you.  But the minute they realize you are using critical thinking skills, all of that love goes away. 

One question about their beliefs may be ok as long as you don’t follow it up with another that digs a little deeper into their “theory” or “traditions” I have gone from being welcomed to a blessing shower to literally not being spoken to at a wedding the very next day simply because I followed up my question of “what is a blessing shower?” with “I thought this would be about blessing the bride and groom, but it seemed to be more about Gwen, is this how they all are?”  The response was something like miss Gwen and remnant has been such a blessing in our lives and we  are so thankful for her and this church” and then silence. They were no longer willing to talk to me. and the next day….no one talked to me.  

We were at the church a little bit early and several times I tried to help someone who was carrying a big tray or several bags and each time they would not even look at me. They looked straight ahead and said “we all have our roles praise god”. They all said exactly the same thing with the exact same “robot” voice.  It was a very very strange feeling. i knew it was a cult and I still found myself wanting to get back in their “good graces”.

I worked for a mainline denomination at the time so perhaps they realized I wasn’t a good mark or maybe it was all coincidence. All I can say is that IMO it would be very easy to fall into a pattern of behavior that would keep the love coming. 

So when I hear people say but “they are so nice” I cringe. Because they are nice until they aren’t and then they don’t get mean they just ignore you. I have heard it said that the opposite of love is not hate but rather it is indifference.  And that gets to the root desire that most people have. As humans we are made for connection. And to be disconnected causes our brain and bodies to look for a way to reestablish the connection. Without an anchor point outside of RF it becomes vicious circle.  

Dont get me wrong. I don’t dislike any of the people in RF. I love my family and friends who are in RF and I really like the people I have met. But I also know that I cannot trust their “feelings/attitude/actions” toward me.  Not because they are bad people but because they are controlled by power-hungry ego-maniacs. 

NOTE: I have several family members in RF and a few friends who are also part of it. I want to acknowledge this is just my experience and that  others may have had different experiences.  

Edited June 28, 2021 by RFfamANON

[quiversR4hunting]

11 hours ago, Cults-r-us said:

How could money, extravagant lifestyle and expensive toys be worth faking weird religion, doing those videos (but then, he is an actor) and sleeping with bony Gwen?

Every time we talk about the odd match I always think of this awesome song and video by Trace Adkins

 

[JermajestyDuggar]

I guess I should be glad I have extreme trust issues. It all goes back to childhood and being hurt by people. Ever since I was a teen, I have taken a long time to trust people. And if someone comes on too strong when I first meet them, alarm bells go off in my head. Love bombing would have the opposite effect on me. I would get away ASAP. But people without trust issues probably see it as being nice and friendly. The type of cult with any chance of sucking me in would not be love bombers.  

Edited June 28, 2021 by JermajestyDuggar

[quiversR4hunting]

3 hours ago, formergothardite said:

Exactly. Being over the top nice to potential cult members is a classic cult move. Love bombing is a real and dangerous thing. We see it in story after story of people who get sucked into cults. I’m not saying all the people in RF are awful, there are almost certainly genuinely nice members, but I bet there are also plenty who drop the facade of niceness when someone pushes back.  Cults rely on being able to love bomb people into not asking too many questions. 

I agree with you.

I want to add, we (FJers in general) have all watched from afar or as members of churches this is what many big mega churches and small fundie churches do, too. They love bomb the hell out of people so that people don't look too deep into the doctrine or inner workings of the church. The typical* mega church or fundie church isn't a cult but they use the same techniques to get members. The anecdotes I have heard in my area all the big evangelical (no matter the flavor) love bomb the hell out the fresh meat. 

*Obviously, some mega churches are fundie and some mega churches and/or fundie churches are cults- the venn diagram is almost endless. 

1 minute ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I guess I should be glad I have extreme trust issues. It all goes back to childhood and being hurt by people. Ever since I was a teen, I have taken a long time to trust people. And if someone comes on too strong when I first meet them, alarm bells go off in my head. Love bombing would have the opposite effect on me. I would get away ASAP. But people without trust issues probably see it as being nice and friendly. The type of cult with any chance of sucking me in would not be love bombers.  

I don't have trust issues but I would have alarm bells too. Someone coming on too strong makes me wonder what they are over compensating for or covering up. 

[MamaJunebug]

Back when Ms. Nicole Simpson and that unfortunate fellow at the front door met their brutal ends, a wiser friend said simply, “Women who marry for money earn it.”

Applies to both genders, of course. 

[livinginthelight]

7 minutes ago, MamaJunebug said:

Back when Ms. Nicole Simpson and that unfortunate fellow at the front door met their brutal ends, a wiser friend said simply, “Women who marry for money earn it.”

Applies to both genders, of course. 

Sounds like your friend was saying Nicole deserved what she'd gotten. No. She didn't. And as a side note, she'd divorced the guy.

[Howl]

22 minutes ago, MamaJunebug said:

a wiser friend said simply, “Women who marry for money earn it.”

I wouldn't apply this to Nicole Simpson, but yes, the calculus of marrying a rich person you don't love and aren't attracted to...

Edited June 28, 2021 by Howl

[Alisamer]

19 hours ago, Tatar-tot said:

Switching gears:  I watched the video by the guy with the NTSB preliminary report.....All I can say is WTF?????  That flight seemed to be doomed once the gas tanks were filled on the plane and the luggage was loaded.  Is there any flight inspection before a plane takes off or is it just a flying free for all up in the clouds on non-commercial flights???

I believe that even in commercial flight it's the pilot in command's job to confirm all is ready to go, though of course a commercial pilot has a first officer, cabin crew, and a ton of ground crew all with eyes on the plane as well, so plenty of backup. I think it would have been Joe's job to do the weight calculations, figure out necessary takeoff and landing runway length, V1 speed, etc. So I do find it very strange that he just filled the tanks completely up!

I also somewhat question the guy in the video - it was interesting to see his reaction to the NTSB report, but I kept wondering how much was speculation (the marriage stuff) and how much was true - and if he'd present speculation as truth then how trustworthy was his overal take on it. 

An aviation channel that I enjoy that I believe to be actually accurate is Mentour Pilot on YouTube - he's a commercial pilot who posts both accident analysis from his perspective and also general things about planes and aviation. He's not taken on this crash - he tends to focus on airline crashes and doesn't post until the final report is released anyway - but anyone interested in the hows and whys and requirements might enjoy some of his videos. 

15 hours ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

Gates is a surname which to me makes it unisex. It's not a name I would chose, but people have been using surnames as first names for ever.

Surnames as given names are very common in the South, particularly among wealthier families and especially for girls. 

13 hours ago, MamaJunebug said:

Actor Gates McFadden of Star Trek: Some Vintage Or Other is a beautiful woman and who came to mind when Gates Shamblin’s existence came to my attention.  Thus it seems a fine enough girl’s name to my old aural receptors. 

I agree, I like the name Gates. It isn't that different than Page or Parker or Harper or any of a zillion other girls names, to me. I think I went to college with a Grady, a Hasty, a Davis, and at least one Parker. Meredith is a last name, even!

[cookingbutterchicken]

2 hours ago, RFfamANON said:

I too get very nervous because, this is exactly how it has happened in each instance that I have witnessed. My family members were loved on to the extreme. I am watching another family member get sucked in the same way right now. Each time they have said how extremely nice the people there are.

And honestly it’s an intoxicating feeling when everyone is doting on you.  But the minute they realize you are using critical thinking skills, all of that love goes away. 

One question about their beliefs may be ok as long as you don’t follow it up with another that digs a little deeper into their “theory” or “traditions” I have gone from being welcomed to a blessing shower to literally not being spoken to at a wedding the very next day simply because I followed up my question of “what is a blessing shower?” with “I thought this would be about blessing the bride and groom, but it seemed to be more about Gwen, is this how they all are?”  The response was something like miss Gwen and remnant has been such a blessing in our lives and we  are so thankful for her and this church” and then silence. They were no longer willing to talk to me. and the next day….no one talked to me.  

We were at the church a little bit early and several times I tried to help someone who was carrying a big tray or several bags and each time they would not even look at me. They looked straight ahead and said “we all have our roles praise god”. They all said exactly the same thing with the exact same “robot” voice.  It was a very very strange feeling. i knew it was a cult and I still found myself wanting to get back in their “good graces”.

I worked for a mainline denomination at the time so perhaps they realized I wasn’t a good mark or maybe it was all coincidence. All I can say is that IMO it would be very easy to fall into a pattern of behavior that would keep the love coming. 

So when I hear people say but “they are so nice” I cringe. Because they are nice until they aren’t and then they don’t get mean they just ignore you. I have heard it said that the opposite of love is not hate but rather it is indifference.  And that gets to the root desire that most people have. As humans we are made for connection. And to be disconnected causes our brain and bodies to look for a way to reestablish the connection. Without an anchor point outside of RF it becomes vicious circle.  

Dont get me wrong. I don’t dislike any of the people in RF. I love my family and friends who are in RF and I really like the people I have met. But I also know that I cannot trust their “feelings/attitude/actions” toward me.  Not because they are bad people but because they are controlled by power-hungry ego-maniacs. 

NOTE: I have several family members in RF and a few friends who are also part of it. I want to acknowledge this is just my experience and that  others may have had different experiences.  

This was my experience- one question and got yelled at. Had to have phone calls with “Leadership!”  Gwen always points us back to God, give honor where honor is due (don’t you think after 20 years of giving honor, it has been given enough?)

Going “all in” is giving up your brain!  
 

So sad and hurtful!

[AmazonGrace]

Let's godsplain the news!

This is AmazonGrace from Remnant TV, and we have the latest news for you, praise God!

New details emerge about integrity of collapsed condo. We have learned that God demolished the building. At least nine people are dead and 150 are missing. The investigation on  why God chose to kill so many people at once is still ongoing but we are certain He must have had a holy purpose. 

Authorities search for a fan who caused huge Tour de France crash. God created that fan and meant for her to be there. The exact reason is still unknown but we praise God for his infinite mercy, for everyone's life was spared. After the commercial break we interview a saint who believes the cyclists may have avoided another deadly accident somewhere down the road.

At the end of May, there was a deadly plane crash near Smyrna, Tennessee. God chose not to spare the lives of any of the passengers, including Gwen Shamblin Lara and her husband Joe. Jesus couldn't be reached for comment.

God willing, the next newscast will be on 6pm tonight. We pray that God will allow you to live as long.

[Howl]

50 minutes ago, AmazonGrace said:

Authorities search for a fan who caused huge Tour de France crash. God created that fan and meant for her to be there. The exact reason is still unknown but we praise God for his infinite mercy, for everyone's life was spared. After the commercial break we interview a saint who believes the cyclists may have avoided another deadly accident somewhere down the road.

Big Tour de France fan here.  Police are doing some serious searching for that woman; she's probably in hiding somewhere -- maybe even returned to her home country. I don't think she was local. Re-watching the video, she had her back to the oncoming peloton and was showing her sign to a camera.  Pretty sure the cyclist hit at least her arm and not just the flimsy sign and that's what knocked him over. He couldn't have avoided her -- there was nowhere for him to go. 

Now back to your regular programming.  I gotta turn on the TV and watch the current stage we recorded on DVR. 

[JermajestyDuggar]

RF posted pics of Summer day camp in Instagram. Grace is heavily featured. I feel so bad for her. It’s been a month since her father and grandmother died very suddenly and if she’s feeling down or upset about it, I bet the cult s won’t let her show it in public. She’s probably forced to plaster a smile on her face and act like everything in the cult is ok. It’s only been a month but that’s a cult for ya.

[ManyGoats]

21 minutes ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

RF posted pics of Summer day camp in Instagram. 

I looked at those and also watched their summer camp kick-off. I haven't seen enough pictures of Joe's daughter to recognize her but...... is that her in the line-up? Far right in the front.

 

[quiversR4hunting]

1 hour ago, ManyGoats said:

I looked at those and also watched their summer camp kick-off. I haven't seen enough pictures of Joe's daughter to recognize her but...... is that her in the line-up? Far right in the front.

 

maybe. Here is a picture of her at the wedding. I never saw this picture, how in the heck did I miss it? 

[Bluebirdbluebell]

18 hours ago, quiversR4hunting said:

To my bolding, this will only work if the siblings are over 18 and if the oldest child is still young (college age) a judge still may not grant guardianship to that person because of means and maturity. I don't think a judge would allow for under 18 as guardian. People under 18 can't legally sign a contract (unless legally emancipated which uncommon).

In the Martin family, three of the children are married adults. It's possible the youngest two or the youngest one is under 18. Guardianship would probably go to one of his married adult siblings who in the RF versus family outside of the RF. 

[EmmieJ]

5 hours ago, JermajestyDuggar said:

I guess I should be glad I have extreme trust issues. It all goes back to childhood and being hurt by people. Ever since I was a teen, I have taken a long time to trust people. And if someone comes on too strong when I first meet them, alarm bells go off in my head. Love bombing would have the opposite effect on me. I would get away ASAP. But people without trust issues probably see it as being nice and friendly. The type of cult with any chance of sucking me in would not be love bombers.  

I too am very cautious when I meet new people.  Especially anyone who comes on too strong.  First I was reserved because as a child and 20-something, I was on the shy side.  Now I've got over 5 decades of life under my belt and have experienced a lot of different people and experiences, and warning flags tend to be easier to spot.  Another helpful factor is that I'm not interested in being part of any organized religion.  I've got my group:  my family, my circle of friends, and family pets.  I'm pretty content with that.  Hermit tendencies?  Maybe - lol.  

4 hours ago, Alisamer said:

An aviation channel that I enjoy that I believe to be actually accurate is Mentour Pilot on YouTube - he's a commercial pilot who posts both accident analysis from his perspective and also general things about planes and aviation. He's not taken on this crash - he tends to focus on airline crashes and doesn't post until the final report is released anyway - but anyone interested in the hows and whys and requirements might enjoy some of his videos. 

I stumbled across this youtuber awhile ago and I really enjoy his channel.  Thanks for the reminder to look him up again!

[Bluebirdbluebell]

I grew up Catholic. In the 1970s, there was a branch of Catholicism called the Charismatic Catholic Renewal. An older family member went to one of their meetings and they came on too strong. She didn't use the term love-bomb, but they probably were love-bombers. They're still around too. I don't anyone currently involved the Charismatic Renewal, but the former members I know personally still know how to love-bomb people.

[quiversR4hunting]

13 minutes ago, Bluebirdbluebell said:

I grew up Catholic. In the 1970s, there was a branch of Catholicism called the Charismatic Catholic Renewal. An older family member went to one of their meetings and they came on too strong. She didn't use the term love-bomb, but they probably were love-bombers. They're still around too. I don't anyone currently involved the Charismatic Renewal, but the former members I know personally still know how to love-bomb people.

Judge Amy Coney Barrett is part of that group. https://religionnews.com/2018/07/06/amy-coney-barrett-people-of-praise-supreme-court-trump-catholic-charismaticthe-splainer-who-are-catholic-charismatic-covenant-community/ 

 

[MamaJunebug]

5 hours ago, livinginthelight said:

Sounds like your friend was saying Nicole deserved what she'd gotten. No. She didn't. And as a side note, she'd divorced the guy.

Not at all!!!!!’ 
She was saying it’s not an easy life as it might first appear. That marrying for money, a woman (or a msn without resources of his own) is going to work for it, by ego-massaging, sublimating her own desires, etc.

Not that it matters, but this friend was herself a courageous divorcee from a horrible man; she had raised her children beautifully while working and earning advanced degrees!

No. Dear FSM, NO!  Never. I’ve cleared up any misunderstanding, I hope, and have nothing else to say about the subject. 

5 hours ago, Alisamer said:

I think I went to college with a Grady, a Hasty, a Davis, and at least one Parker. Meredith is a last name, even!

In college I met a young woman, first-named Mead.  There happened to be a local election involving a candidate surnamed Mead snd posters everywhere reading

WE

NEED

MEAD

I thought it would be fun to swipe a poster for get - but didn’t. 

[ManyGoats]

Do we know for a fact that Nicole married OJ for money? I didn't follow that case very closely.

[WorseThan1Thinks]

Today's news.

FAA suspends examiner who approved pilot in fatal crash into Percy Priest Lake

https://www.newschannel5.com/news/newschannel-5-investigates/faa-suspends-examiner-who-approved-pilot-in-fatal-crash-into-percy-priest-lake

 

Edited June 28, 2021 by WorseThan1Thinks