Story #1:

I was in a home improvement store a few weeks ago and out of the corner of my eye I saw Janice, a lady that I knew was still in WCG, and who was an elder's wife. I was in line at the cash register and she was heading my way with her cart. Then before our eyes met, I looked back and she had made a quick turn to the left and went in back of the registers, down another aisle where the power drills and air compressors were, and which led either to the exit or back to the aisle I was in. I watched her as she strolled away and came back out again, several feet distant from me. I knew there was no reason on earth for her to go that back aisle except to avoid passing me!

Story #2:

Coming out of a large discount grocery store, I saw Jane and Bob loading groceries into their van. Since I knew that they were really friendly with everyone when I was in the WCG, I decided I was going to say "hi." Well, Jane smiled and quietly said "hi," but after that she couldn't seem to get anymore words out of her mouth. Bob nodded his head without making eye contact with me; instead he concentrated on unloading the groceries with a straight face. For someone who was so friendly in the WCG, extending a hand shake to everyone, and talking a mile a minute, now he acted like I had the plague.

Story #3:

I was waiting in a dentist's office and saw Claude and Doreen sitting in there. Claude always attended WCG but never became a member. Doreen was a deaconess and had been a member for many years. I am a very friendly sort of person anyway, so I said, "Hello there." Claude started to come over and was going to sit down beside me, but Doreen was making all kinds of motions at him, and then I heard her saying, "Come back here! Don't go over there by him!" I guess she thought I might "contaminate" him somehow since I was "one of those dissidents." What a change from the way they used to be while I was in. [This is a prime example of how staying in the group and being loyal to the "government" becomes more important than expressing true love.]

Story #4:

I saw an old "friend" from the WCG the other day at a large warehouse store. At first I didn't think she saw me or recognized me. I was standing behind her in line. I didn't speak at first either because I thought she didn't see me. I know its been a few years and I have changed in looks as well. But finally I said, "Hello, Lorraine," and she acknowledged me as if she knew all the time I was there. It was evident that she didn't intend to speak to me (hoping I wouldn't notice her) and after mumbling "hi," she quickly whisked on out the door. Of course, that is not surprising at all.

Story #5:

At a friend's wedding, I noticed Martin, a WCG member, walking past the closely arranged tables and headed my way. I thought he was going to stop, but all he did was nod, so I stopped him and started to exchange a few words. He put on a smiling face, stood there about 15 seconds, then said he had to go to the restroom and would catch me on his way back. I assumed he would stop at my table when he came out. Actually, I never saw him come my way again, and I noticed later he was way back over at his table. Sure was a weird way to act when we used to know each other pretty good in the WCG.

Story #7:

Lucille was at my son's wedding. She is an elderly deaconess who still attends WCG. When I passed her table, she said, "Leroy, what on earth made you quit coming to church?!" I would have liked to have said more, but I answered simply, "I may have left the WCG, but I didn't leave Christ." She just stared, speechless, as if she couldn't come to grips with those words. It was evident she was still letting WCG do her thinking for her.

Story #9:

While shopping in the Target department store during Christmas time, and not too many years after I exited WCG, I looked up and saw Jason (a present WCG member) a little ways away. I noticed he had his cart piled with Christmas ornaments, and when he saw me he moved his cart really fast in the other direction, even though he had obviously intended to go in the line where I was at. He acted like he was doing something to be ashamed of and he didn't want anybody to catch him at it, even though WCG has told members it is up to them if they want to observe Christmas. Armstrong's mind control doesn't die easily.

By Leroy and Colette
September 19, 2003

*All names have been changed.

NOTE: This article is not to convey that every present WCG member will react in this manner all the time, but this was certainly the authors' experience.

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