| When I first met Ron Lohr, I had thought he was a pleasant person. He
never seemed to get ruffled and opened himself up for others to talk to
him. But as time went on, I saw what an act that all was. Whenever I tried
to share with him the way I had felt God's intervention in the lives of
both me and my husband, he just took on a body language that told me he
doubted what I said. For instance, when my husband was set free from his
alcoholism, both of us gave God the glory, but Ron Lohr wasn't used to that
kind of spiritual talk, and I perceived how the WCG
really didn't validate such things.
I remember pouring my heart out to Lohr when he came to visit one time
with his wife, as I had no reason at that time to think I couldn't. In
fact, he
seemed to encourage it. But after that day, both he and his wife were cool
to me and he never spoke to me for the last several years that he
"pastored" in Peoria, Illinois.
Lohr was often on the "soap box" about alcoholism
and he seemed to be addressing the affects of that on those raised in it.
His first wife was an adult child of an alcoholic and I got the feeling
that he thought that was the cause of his marriage problems. I always
thought he
came off kinda neurotic about the subject and his sermons were more "self-
righteous" than compassionate.
It was my impression that Ron Lohr liked
the ladies. I'm not saying for sure what that amounted to. But I do know my "friend"
in there told me how Lohr phoned her and wanted to see her. She said she didn't
know why he phoned her either. Both of us just thought it odd
that he did the calling. (She may not have told me everything.) I certainly didn't experience anything first hand of that
kind of behavior. But I noticed if the women were submissive and nice to
him, he would bend over backwards to help them, and they usually got
what they wanted.
The first few times Lohr visited my home he brought with him a man I'll
call Mr. B. I don't recall that Mr. B had a title as such in the WCG, but
he was a friend to Lohr and was on hand quite a lot to be of assistance to
him. What shocked me was when Mr. B. phoned me one time and invited me to a motel! I never told
anyone, especially since Mr. B. didn't push it when I told him no. He even
told me that my values "kept him on track" because, after all, I wasn't
going to go for it. I don't really know for sure how sincere Mr. B was in his "respect" for me. He never brought up the motel thing again, but
from time to time he would say things such as he didn't get "any" at home
(his wife had health problems) and I think this was so I'd feel sorry for
him. But he found out I'd never cave in to what he wanted. Since Mr. B
died and nothing really came of it, I never told anyone until now. I
realize that I should have felt free to bring the matter to Lohr, but
I figured I wouldn't have been believed anyway and from what I know now of how
things were done in "the church," I most likely would have been put
out of
the WCG.
When I heard of the teens that were put out of the congregation--one of
them his own daughter--I had to wonder what it was that Lohr was trying to "protect the flock"
from? These were
teens that I feel admired Lohr and in some cases almost worshiped him.
After the way they were treated, and how I found out he blew things out of proportion, I wonder how many ever got over it? How
he had to hurt them in the name of discipline. I think all they learned
was not to trust and never to ever turn to the "ministry" for either guidance or help.
They were acting out partly because they weren't as brainwashed
as their parents and questioned things. But Lohr treated them like they were
nothing. If he
was that deceived
and thinks he would "never hurt anyone on purpose," how could he not know,
nor learn that he did? Maybe he could minimize it, but those teens and
those of us who saw what he did sure couldn't. Nor can I minimize how he
treated me.
I read
the letter Lohr wrote to ESN and that is so
typical of the old side stepping he used to do. I personally feel he has no intention of
repenting of hurting anyone. One part of me realizes that he was a vulnerable, needy person who
got taken in, but on the other hand he wanted power too. He wanted to
rise up the ladder in the WCG. That was obvious to me when I used to
hear him preach. He sounds the same to me and very deceptive. He
resigned1
I'm sure because he knew he would never be moved up the ladder in "God's church." He may not be as ruthless as the
hierarchy was, but I feel he is very shallow, very prideful and
hardheaded. I really believe that was what was behind his so called
"breakdown" (and resignation) after the WCG's doctrinal changes. It was more like a tantrum. No, he makes
way too light of what he did, and he hurt a lot of people, not the least of
which was his former wife and daughters.
This Evangelical Presbyterian church that he attends today has in their
"about us" section that they reach out to "the least, the last, the locked
out and the left behind." I can see why Lohr would be attracted to that.
Even if he feels he was abused by the WCG himself, we all were, but he
wanted to be in the limelight. Now he says he preaches at this church and teaches
Sunday school and from what I hear he is a man that still wants to be in
the limelight. If Lohr is so repentant, then let's hear him detail what he
has done. Let him be convicted and feel what he has really been
responsible for. Let him show us all that he isn't just hiding out in a
place that merely "accepts" him.
By
Victoria
(former WCG member)
July 28, 2007
Footnote by ESN:
1
Ronald Lohr was ordained by WCG in
1997 as a pastor in the Tulsa, Oklahoma congregation. He resigned
the same year.
My Thoughts on
Ron Lohr's Email to ESN (insightful article from former
member)
What it Felt Like to Be Kicked Out
of the Worldwide Church of God
(by child survivor
who
was traumatized by being kicked out by Ron Lohr)
Ron Lohr: What
Would Be Genuine Contrition?
(July 2007
letter from child survivor)
WCG Lingo
(Ron Lohr is
mentioned in this June 28, 2004 letter to ESN)
Back to The "New" Ron
Lohr
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