Family of ex-church member denies claims of childhood abuse

Source: Associated Press


Mitch Weiss and Holbrook Mohr, Associated Press
 Updated 3:50 pm, Thursday, December 14, 2017

SPINDALE, North Carolina (AP) — Family members of a man who broke with a controversial church based in rural North Carolina have released a video disputing that he was physically and emotionally abused throughout his childhood in the sect.

The Associated Press published a story Wednesday profiling former Word of Faith Fellowship member Jamey Anderson, who said he suffered years of abuse until he fled the church after turning 18. The story noted that nearly two dozen former members told the AP that they had witnessed Anderson being beaten, locked up or humiliated from the pulpit.
 
Anderson's mother, Patti Dolan, did not respond to calls and text messages seeking comment before publication of the AP story. But in a 27-minute video posted online Thursday, she denied her son was abused.
 
"I'm here today because Jamey has gone to The Associated Press and what he has said, even though he is very articulate and may be believable to you, but what he says is lies. There's nothing that he says that's true," Dolan said, flanked by Anderson's grandmother and stepsister.

Read more: http://www.chron.com/news/world/article/Family-of-ex-church-member-denies-claims-of-12431642.php

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Jamey Anderson


‘Nobody saved us’: Man describes childhood in abusive ‘cult’ in North Carolina
By MITCH WEISS
The Associated Press
HOLBROOK MOHR
Wed., Dec. 13, 2017

SPINDALE, N.C.—Jamey Anderson vividly recalls being a skinny kid trembling on the floor of a dank, windowless storage room, waiting in terror for the next adult to open the door.

He was bruised and exhausted after being held down while a group of Word of Faith Fellowship congregants — including his mother and future stepfather — beat him with a wooden paddle, he said. As with most punishments at the secretive Christian church, Anderson said, it was prompted by some vague accusation: He had sin in his heart, or he had given in to the “unclean.” The attacks could last for hours until he confessed to something, anything, and cried out to Jesus, he said.

More:
https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2017/12/13/nobody-saved-us-man-describes-childhood-in-abusive-cult-in-north-carolina.html

Word of Faith website:
http://wordoffaithfellowship.org