Remnant Fellowship 21: 53 Standing Ovations and I Move to Brentwood!

[MamaJunebug]

2 hours ago, CRAnn said:

Surely Elizabeth and Michael should be heal from all they’ve been through.  How can they do that while the so called leadership stand by waiting for them to be the next Gwen.

Welcome!  Another person inspired by your courage and hard work to make yourself a GOOD life!

I was going to underline Elizabeth’s name above but on brief reflection, Michael has been betrayed by more than one person. I hope they both figure out how to get some inheritance out of mom’s business (that’s what it came down to) and get on with life. 

Their dad may /not be a shlub, but reports are that they have good relationships with him  Keep stepping, you three, and bring along the children. And Mike’s wife if she’s still around  

i hope a miracle happens and leaders emerge who point RF to plain old Christianity, where the Triune God loves us, mysterious though that god may be. 
 

Personal note to @CRAnn: “intuitive eating!”  That’s the right word for what I’ve been doing. Eat when actually hungry and (for me) mostly plants. And the intermittent fasting has gotten to feel very natural, too. 
 

Again, welcome! 

[AuntKrazy]

On 10/10/2021 at 12:35 PM, rabbitholejulie said:

Random thoughts:

In the first episode of the documentary where Gwen was being recorded for a deposition she was so measured in what she said and so...calm.  A sharp contrast to her hype public persona in front of the congregation.  I guess she needed applause and to be in control in order to be "herself". 

 

The deposition of Gwen reminded me very much of the footage of the deposition of DeAnne Stidham in LuLaRich.  Of course I pretty much watched the documentaries on each back to back. . . 

[JermajestyDuggar]

7 minutes ago, AuntKrazy said:

The deposition of Gwen reminded me very much of the footage of the deposition of DeAnne Stidham in LuLaRich.  Of course I pretty much watched the documentaries on each back to back. . . 

It’s funny how the set up was so similar. Plus both women are charismatic in real life, yet they were much more measured in their answers in that interview. 

[SayonaraLara]

For a second it appeared like perhaps Gwen had risen from the dead, with the LIVE on the screen. But it’s just another old rerun during tonight’s service — so old (2018) that Candace Anger is featured, selling WD hype instead of real estate.

I’d suggest the Remnant faithful might be sick of these videos by now, but they’re still hungrily (so to speak!) binge-watching Weigh Down Advance classes made 20 years ago. (Who else remembers Gwen, in all earnestness, in one of the lessons telling the story of the greedy, prideful spider who dared to come out and intimidate HER when she was in the bathroom of HER mansion? Spoiler alert: She killed it with hairspray due to its “arrogance.” And because, of course, she always had hairspray close by.)

Edited October 14, 2021 by SayonaraLara

[rabbitholejulie]

1 hour ago, SayonaraLara said:

For a second it appeared like perhaps Gwen had risen from the dead, with the LIVE on the screen. But it’s just another old rerun during tonight’s service — so old (2018) that Candace Anger is featured, selling WD hype instead of real estate.

I’d suggest the Remnant faithful might be sick of these videos by now, but they’re still hungrily (so to speak!) binge-watching Weigh Down Advance classes made 20 years ago. (Who else remembers Gwen, in all earnestness, in one of the lessons telling the story of the greedy, prideful spider who dared to come out and intimidate HER when she was in the bathroom of HER mansion? Spoiler alert: She killed it with hairspray due to its “arrogance.” And because, of course, she always had hairspray close by.)

The RF faithful have really low expectations.

[freefromthin]

20 minutes ago, rabbitholejulie said:

The RF faithful have really low expectations.

THIS. I just don't see how they can be so content watching reruns of Gwen in lieu of an actual teacher.

[FreefromRF]

1 hour ago, freefromthin said:

THIS. I just don't see how they can be so content watching reruns of Gwen in lieu of an actual teacher.

When in RF you don't dare complain to anyone that can make any change happen because it will be turned around to somehow  blame you- you are told that you are not "all in for God" if you do not see how blessed you are for "getting" to see the same video for the 100th time! And heaven forbid you mention something to any of your 500+ "best friends" in RF, because they will likely report you to a leader, AKA "the Remnant police," right after they belittle you for having thoughts that are anything but positive and excited to watch a replay! And if that "friend" of yours is older than you or has been in the message longer than you, you do not dare to imply they know better than you do.......

[Red Hair, Black Dress]

I think that RF sees Gwen as still being their leader. No one has to step in; no one will step in -- because no one else is, or ever could be, Gwen the Prophet. 

The fact that she's leading from the great beyond via video is irrelevant. She is still leading. She is delivering "this message" and "this truth." Nothing in the message or truth has changed.

As @FreefromRF said, they see themselves as blessed to have Gwen via video.  How exciting that Gwen and her prophetic teachings are still with them. How amazingly  wonderful that she will always be with them.

 I also think that those who see this is nuts and already have doubts about RF will slowly and quietly leave RF. I don't think it will implode with a bang, just fade away with a whimper.. I think over the next year or 2 you'll see a lot of young people leave.

There might be a very few hard-core believers who cling to watching Gwen together in their living rooms, but I think the property will be sold. Elizabeth and Michael will probably come out of all this with a huge chunk of change. Perhaps Michael can finally break free and be a Nashville musician, not the RF musical genius. 

[Baxsmom]

1 hour ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

I think that RF sees Gwen as still being their leader. No one has to step in; no one will step in -- because no one else is, or ever could be, Gwen the Prophet. 

The fact that she's leading from the great beyond via video is irrelevant. She is still leading. She is delivering "this message" and "this truth." Nothing in the message or truth has changed.

As @FreefromRF said, they see themselves as blessed to have Gwen via video.  How exciting that Gwen and her prophetic teachings are still with them. How amazingly  wonderful that she will always be with them.

 I also think that those who see this is nuts and already have doubts about RF will slowly and quietly leave RF. I don't think it will implode with a bang, just fade away with a whimper.. I think over the next year or 2 you'll see a lot of young people leave.

There might be a very few hard-core believers who cling to watching Gwen together in their living rooms, but I think the property will be sold. Elizabeth and Michael will probably come out of all this with a huge chunk of change. Perhaps Michael can finally break free and be a Nashville musician, not the RF musical genius. 

I am still new to all this Gwen stuff but it still boggles my mind that a "church" uses a weight loss infommercial as one of the services.  Weight loss!  When I briefly joined the Baptist church (for my ex husband), the peacher pulled me aside to say that God would not approve of my dyed hair. I wanted to answer back "would God approve of the wad of untaxed cash, in your pocket, you make from your Vegas ministry"?  

[DietCherryCoke76]

18 hours ago, FreefromRF said:

When in RF you don't dare complain to anyone that can make any change happen because it will be turned around to somehow  blame you- you are told that you are not "all in for God" if you do not see how blessed you are for "getting" to see the same video for the 100th time! And heaven forbid you mention something to any of your 500+ "best friends" in RF, because they will likely report you to a leader, AKA "the Remnant police," right after they belittle you for having thoughts that are anything but positive and excited to watch a replay! And if that "friend" of yours is older than you or has been in the message longer than you, you do not dare to imply they know better than you do.......

Or, your friend complains about yet another rerun YCO, and tells the Remnant police it was you that did!!!

[CRAnn]

51 minutes ago, DietCherryCoke76 said:

Or, your friend complains about yet another rerun YCO, and tells the Remnant police it was you that did!!!

In one of the classes Gwen said about being in Remnant “…. and friend after friend after friend comes on until you have so many friends you can’t even remember all their names!”  Yeah, right.  In what world!?! 

[ManyGoats]

1 minute ago, CRAnn said:

 “…. and friend after friend after friend comes on until you have so many friends you can’t even remember all their names!”

That's a pretty loose definition of 'friend.'

[RFsurvivor]

8 hours ago, Red Hair, Black Dress said:

I think that RF sees Gwen as still being their leader. No one has to step in; no one will step in -- because no one else is, or ever could be, Gwen the Prophet. 

The fact that she's leading from the great beyond via video is irrelevant. She is still leading. She is delivering "this message" and "this truth." Nothing in the message or truth has changed.

As @FreefromRF said, they see themselves as blessed to have Gwen via video.  How exciting that Gwen and her prophetic teachings are still with them. How amazingly  wonderful that she will always be with them.

This gave me a flashback to David Martin after watching a Gwen video (maybe at Passover….there was a particular one we would watch every year) and David said something along the lines of “how blessed are we Remnant Nation that we have the technology to archive messages such as the one we just watched! These recordings will be blessings for generation upon generation of Remnant Fellowship.”

1 hour ago, CRAnn said:

In one of the classes Gwen said about being in Remnant “…. and friend after friend after friend comes on until you have so many friends you can’t even remember all their names!”  Yeah, right.  In what world!?! 

I mean Gwen got the names wrong during a few weddings soooooo 🤷🏼‍♀️

[CRAnn]

13 hours ago, ManyGoats said:

That's a pretty loose definition of 'friend.'

12 hours ago, RFsurvivor said:

I mean Gwen got the names wrong during a few weddings soooooo 🤷🏼‍♀️

I heard about that here on Fj, I think…. Gwen using the wrong names for the bride and/or groom.  Sounds like in her world that didn’t mean they weren’t her “friends!” 🤔  Brings to mind the comments in the documentary about her playing with dolls and putting them “away” when she didn’t like them anymore… except her dolls were/are human beings.  
 

It makes me feel better about my small group of friends.

[CRAnn]

Did you all notice in the documentary in Gwen’s video deposition when asked if she is aware of the fact that a lot of people online think of RF as a cult… she looks angry and resentful and her nostrils almost flare (Botox may have helped her hold it together).  She responded with a focus on what “a lot of people” meant and that “it’s anonymous.”  That was actually quite smart of her and made me wonder how much thought from how many of her “leadership” and lawyers went into it.  It was their way of dismissing the cult accusations.  Seems it did not work.  Can’t recall what it’s officially called, but Natasha won primary parent / decision making role in her daughter’s life, right?  Wonder how that went down at Ashlawn.

[RFfamANON]

8 minutes ago, CRAnn said:

she looks angry and resentful and her nostrils almost flare (Botox may have helped her hold it together).  She responded with a focus on what “a lot of people” meant and that “it’s anonymous.”

And then he asks if she knows that people think she is a prophet and she looks over to her right which is where her attorney is presumably sitting. Like how can you not be prepared for that question?

[RFCult72]

50 minutes ago, RFfamANON said:

And then he asks if she knows that people think she is a prophet and she looks over to her right which is where her attorney is presumably sitting. Like how can you not be prepared for that question?

EXACTLY!

 

[RFsurvivor]

3 hours ago, CRAnn said:

 

It makes me feel better about my small group of friends.

I’m much more particular about the friends I make and keep after Remnant 

Edited October 15, 2021 by RFsurvivor
Grammar is hard

[Willow]

On 10/6/2021 at 11:35 PM, freefromthin said:

so if she REALLY wanted them to STOP giving her praise and admiration, she COULD HAVE STOPPED IT.

Yeah.... there was that one You Can Overcome Show where she told David Martin to answer something but that he could not say her name the whole time. It was outrageous all the side winking and verbal contortions that were really at play at doing that. 

Edited October 15, 2021 by Willow

[Alisamer]

4 hours ago, CRAnn said:

I heard about that here on Fj, I think…. Gwen using the wrong names for the bride and/or groom.  Sounds like in her world that didn’t mean they weren’t her “friends!” 🤔  Brings to mind the comments in the documentary about her playing with dolls and putting them “away” when she didn’t like them anymore… except her dolls were/are human beings.  

That's an interesting comparison, and I can definitely see people feeling that way. Gwen seems to have been a user of people. 

I have to say, though, I've got a good size doll collection and I can remember all their names, so... yeah. Gwen has no excuse for getting names wrong at a wedding. That's ridiculous. 

[MamaJunebug]

59 minutes ago, Alisamer said:

That's an interesting comparison, and I can definitely see people feeling that way. Gwen seems to have been a user of people. 

I have to say, though, I've got a good size doll collection and I can remember all their names, so... yeah. Gwen has no excuse for getting names wrong at a wedding. That's ridiculous. 

Nice way to keep a couple of families knowing their place, in a culture that revered the woman. “Well, I guess she didn’t remember ‘Cheyenne and Van’ because we haven’t really been as supportive and active in RF as we oughta be!”

Bet she remembered the names of the big machers’ and donors’ chirruns.  

[freefromthin]

14 minutes ago, MamaJunebug said:

Nice way to keep a couple of families knowing their place, in a culture that revered the woman. “Well, I guess she didn’t remember ‘Cheyenne and Van’ because we haven’t really been as supportive and active in RF as we oughta be!”

Bet she remembered the names of the big machers’ and donors’ chirruns.  

ANNNNDDDDD once again...I'm DEAD! LOLOLOLOLOL! 

Yeah...Gwen and that whole deposition thing...I'm glad they showed the old footage of her under oath, too. She couldn't deny having used the horrific starvation of the Holocaust victims as an example of the success of her methods. THAT should have been a HUGE red flag, but sadly...I missed it...

[Bluebirdbluebell]

On 10/13/2021 at 10:33 PM, FreefromRF said:

When in RF you don't dare complain to anyone that can make any change happen because it will be turned around to somehow  blame you- you are told that you are not "all in for God" if you do not see how blessed you are for "getting" to see the same video for the 100th time! And heaven forbid you mention something to any of your 500+ "best friends" in RF, because they will likely report you to a leader, AKA "the Remnant police," right after they belittle you for having thoughts that are anything but positive and excited to watch a replay! And if that "friend" of yours is older than you or has been in the message longer than you, you do not dare to imply they know better than you do.......

Someone mentioned similarities between Remnant and LulaRoe and that's a big similarities. Before LulaRich came out, I had watched anti-MLM videos on Youtube. One common experience in MLMs is that the sellers are not suppose to be negative or complain. Not even in private to their uplines. In LulaRoe's case, this really sparked resentment as the clothes dipped in quality.Even now LulaRoe is still in business (for now) and a lot of it's practices are unfair, but the sellers aren't suppose to complain. If you complain, you are told not be negative and face backlash from the other sellers. 

[JuneJuly]

On 10/12/2021 at 11:41 PM, CRAnn said:

I just want to say how grateful I am for FJ and also for the HBO documentary.  I went back and read all the RF threads here and I cannot say how many times I have watched all three episodes of the documentary.  Both have served as an intervention for me.  
 

I was never an RF member, but have been off and on Weigh Down for 22 years and have probably bought everything Gwen ever sold.  For every person who joined RF, I wonder how many others like me have supported Gwen over the years.  
 

Though their “regional representatives” reached out to me many times and I came dangerously close to them one time… I ultimately pushed them away because I was at that same time in domestic violence counseling and ready to leave my abusive husband of 23 years.  It was 2004 and I was certain Gwen would have discouraged me from leaving him even though he was physically and every other kind of abusive.  I remember sensing danger and not wanting to step out of one abusive relationship and into another.  Thankfully the domestic violence counseling taught me to be on the alert for that possibility.  
 

I left that marriage and never took another call from the Weigh Down staff, BUT still… off and on “followed” RF and WD over the years.  Lately I’ve learned that intuitive eating coupled with intermittent fasting actually works better for me than Weigh Down, and  I’ve always known Gwen was wrong about having to be “all in” to keep weight off.  But the emotional pull to her “message” has been stronger than meets the eye.  

Just glad FJ exists because it’s like a beacon of light.. a very real, glaring light shining right into sleepy eyes sometimes, but a LIGHT!  

CRAnn, thank you for sharing your story!  Mine is very similar, I never joined RF but followed WD and Gwen for years.  My last class I took was in 2005.  I was having marriage problems back then, and honestly, I was very tempted to leave him and move to Tennessee and just start over.  I am glad to find FJ too, it's really helping me make sense of all of it. 

On 10/13/2021 at 7:50 PM, SayonaraLara said:

For a second it appeared like perhaps Gwen had risen from the dead, with the LIVE on the screen. But it’s just another old rerun during tonight’s service — so old (2018) that Candace Anger is featured, selling WD hype instead of real estate.

I’d suggest the Remnant faithful might be sick of these videos by now, but they’re still hungrily (so to speak!) binge-watching Weigh Down Advance classes made 20 years ago. (Who else remembers Gwen, in all earnestness, in one of the lessons telling the story of the greedy, prideful spider who dared to come out and intimidate HER when she was in the bathroom of HER mansion? Spoiler alert: She killed it with hairspray due to its “arrogance.” And because, of course, she always had hairspray close by.)

Oh yes, the spider story!  I remember it very well, in fact, I think it was the first thing that got my attention that something wasn't quite right.  It actually kind of shocked me the when I heard it.  At the time though, I chalked it up to being an attempt at humor.   I hate killing spiders and bugs unless I absolutely have to...they are just innocent beings going about their spidery business.  I have yet to see an arrogant one.  LOL!  I try to relocate them outside.  I think it was the Dalai lama said that if he had to kill a spider, he wishes it, "better luck next time." 

[SayonaraLara]

5 hours ago, JuneJuly said:

Oh yes, the spider story!  I remember it very well, in fact, I think it was the first thing that got my attention that something wasn't quite right.  It actually kind of shocked me the when I heard it.  At the time though, I chalked it up to being an attempt at humor.   I hate killing spiders and bugs unless I absolutely have to...they are just innocent beings going about their spidery business.  I have yet to see an arrogant one.  LOL!  I try to relocate them outside.  I think it was the Dalai lama said that if he had to kill a spider, he wishes it, "better luck next time." 

So glad someone else remembers it! Sometimes I think back at some of the craziness and think I had to have made it up! But truth — and Gwen! — are/were stranger than fiction!

Another cringey story: The one about her dogs Chaucer and Virginia (told in The Last Exodus or Exodus Out of Egypt: The Change series or both!). When she neglected the dogs because she was too busy on book tour, they started going to the neighbors (a horse farm maybe where kids took riding lessons?) where they filled up on treats and attention. She got pissy that they were no longer obeying her. And she actually said: “Their hearts were in EGYPT!” Spoiler alert: She did not kill them with hairspray like the “arrogant,” spider, but she did somehow manage to get them “under authority,” like the rest of her drooling followers.

 

 

 

Edited October 16, 2021 by SayonaraLara