Another whackjob Christian cult<\/a> that beats, imprisons, and regulates the sex lives of its members.<\/p>\n Congregants of the Word of Faith Fellowship were regularly punched, smacked, choked, slammed to the floor or thrown through walls<\/span> in a violent form of deliverance meant to “purify” sinners by beating out devils, 43 former members told The Associated Press in separate, exclusive interviews.<\/p>\n [ … ]<\/p>\n Those interviewed \u2014 most of them raised in the church \u2014 say Word of Faith leaders waged a decades-long cover-up to thwart investigations by law enforcement and social services officials, including strong-arming young victims and their parents to lie<\/span>.<\/p>\n They said members were forbidden to seek outside medical attention for their injuries<\/span>, which included cuts, sprains and cracked ribs<\/span>.<\/p>\n Several former followers said some congregants were sexually abused, including minors<\/span>.<\/p><\/blockquote>\n Well … you know<\/i>: When you’re no damn good, when you’re nothing but a putrid blot on a cosmos that is stoking hellfire even now, there’s nothing to do but take it.<\/p>\n Now, I grant that Word of Faith is not a typical<\/i> church, but there should be no confusion about this, either: The difference between Word of Faith, and the little white church around the corner from your home, is one only of degree. Each is able to thrive only by degrading its members and turning them into obedient automatons, and after that is achieved the difference between the two churches hangs exclusively on the complex of psychoses found in the pastor.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" Another whackjob Christian cult that beats, imprisons, and regulates the sex lives of its members. Congregants of the Word of Faith Fellowship were regularly punched, smacked, choked, slammed to the floor or thrown through walls in a violent form of … Continue reading \n