Sexual Misconduct Lawsuit Against The Way International

Greetings, readers. News of lawsuits against The Way are often lost or ignored, especially by followers of The Way who deny their importance. This post offers well-researched material about one such lawsuit. Although it happened 26 years ago, it affected many people's beliefs, reputations, and families. That matters.

I bring this to your attention today because it ties into my recent post on the topic of sexual misconduct at The Way: Was Victor Paul Wierwille, Founder of The Way International, a Sexual Predator?

Victor Paul Wierwille, the first President of The Way, personally trained its second president, Craig Martindale, who is featured in the lawsuit I reference here. 

The following report was published on the website of the Christian Research Institute, by Hank Hanegraaff. Hank Hanegraaff | Christian Research Institute :

The Way TreeIs Splintering | Christian Research Institute

"The second president of The Way, Craig Martindale, admitted to sexual misconduct with a younger married female follower in early 2000.[80][81] The woman and her husband sued The Way, as well as Martindale, Rosalie R. Rivenbark, John Reynolds, Donald E. Wierwille, Ramona Biden, Howard Allen, and up to 50 unnamed members of "The Way Leadership". 

Judge Schmitt of Shelby County's Common Pleas Court upheld four of their claims as viable, including the allegation that Frances Allen was sexually victimized by Martindale, Biden, and others; that the assault upon Frances Allen occurred as a result of civil conspiracy; that The Way engaged in a pattern of corrupt activity which included acts of assault and rape; and breach of contract. 

Defendants settled about a month after the ruling.[80]"

The WayInternational - Wikiwand

Recommended reading

For an excellent article on this topic, see Global violence of women in cults: Deliberate and structured mechanisms of control

END

Why I write on Blogspot about The Way

I want to offer another side of the story about The Way to people thinking of fellowshipping with The Way, people thinking of leaving the organization, concerned family members of committed Way followers, and former members curious about how things have been going with The Way lately.

Bio

Charlene grew up on the Eastern Shore of Maryland in a Roman Catholic family. In college, students recruited her into The Way International, a Bible-based cult; she gave it the next seventeen years of her life.

After escaping The Way International™ headquarters in New Knoxville, Ohio, in 1987, she earned a BA in English Literature from Rollins College in Florida, graduating summa cum laude, and worked for more than a decade as a writer in the software industry.

She is a published short-short story writer, an award-winning poet, and a member of the Florida Writers Association, The Authors Guild, and the International Cultic StudiesAssociation. Edge also serves on the FWASpeakers Bureau.

Charlene lives in Florida with her husband, Dr. Hoyt L. Edge, PhD, Professor Emeritus of Philosophy at Rollins College.

Photo taken in 1982 by Charlene Edge (at the time Charlene Bishop) on Wierwille Rd., New Knoxville, OH



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