What is the Big Secret About the Emmaus Walk? Need Advice!

[JohnGM10]

I've never been on a walk, DC What's your overall opinion of the movement/organization? The argument of the thread seems to be mainly that it's an "exclusionary" thing, something that separates parishioners from their church, husbands from wives, non-WTE members from WTE members? What do you think about that particular angle of thinking?



Thanks, Phil I'd really like to hear from those who said they were about to go on a walk, and see what their experiences were. I wonder if any of them are still around CF.

Hello Inkachu
I have just returned from WTE 4-25 thru 4-28-2013. So I am A 4th dayer
WTE is many things mostly it is OK IF you put the product in the correct perspective.
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif']There are, in the end, only two ways open to us: to honestly and honorably make an admission of how far we are from the Christianity of the New Testament, or to perform skillful tricks to conceal the true situation.[/FONT][FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'][/FONT]
[FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'] - Soren Kierkegaard[/FONT][FONT='Verdana','sans-serif'][/FONT]

WTE is a community that requires you to do a 72 hour weekend program before you can fully participate. The community is what is important. My major complaint is that I was excluded from the community when my wife was brought in with candlelight. Again Your outside relationships are secondary to WTE. I have encouraged my wife to also respond. Not only did she really enjoy WTE she later was a table leader. I found it mostly redundant and boring. I also had done much research my wife had not and has not done any
I meet that requirement for having just gone so ask your question.
I also Know Phil G from this forum
May the Peace of Christ Be with You
JohnGM10

 

[Inkachu]

John,
Thanks for your response. You say WTE is "mostly OK". That's a strange phrase to me. You say you were excluded "when my wife was brought in with candlelight", can you explain what that means? I also don't quite understand the idea that outside relationships (I don't consider my family "outside" of my faith) are secondary to the WTE community; that strikes me as unsettling. Separating someone - anyone - from their family, under the name of faith... that sounds cult-like to me.

Just on a whim, I just looked up some info on howcultswork.com and found this:

Cults know that if they can control your relationships then they can control you. Whether we like it or not we are all profoundly affected by those around us. When you first go to a cult they will practice “love bombing”, where they arrange instant friends for you. It will seem wonderful, how could such a loving group be wrong! But you soon learn that if you ever disagree with them, or ever leave the cult then you will lose all your new “friends”. This unspoken threat influences your actions in the cult. Things that normally would have made you complain will pass by silently because you don’t want to be ostracized. Like in an unhealthy relationship love is turned on and off to control.
Cults also try to cut you off from your friends and family because they hate others being able to influence you. A mind control cult will seek to manoeuvre your life so as to maximize your contact with cult members and minimize your contact with people outside the group, especially those who oppose your involvement.

Unless I'm missing something major, this sounds exactly like what's been described in this thread?

John - do you think your wife had a more positive experience than you because she hadn't/hasn't done much research on the movement?

 

[Defensor Christi]

I'm confused about your comments regarding Catholics and communion. Catholics aren't allowed to take communion with other people?

Thanks for your other insights

No, we are not...we are in communion with the Holy See of Rome, not with those who protest...further, our views on the sacrament are vastly different.

 

[Inkachu]

No, we are not...we are in communion with the Holy See of Rome, not with those who protest...further, our views on the sacrament are vastly different.

Well, I realized you weren't Protestant, but didn't see that your location is indeed, in the Vatican. But I've seen Catholic services where people line up for communion; is that not accurate where you live?

 

[Defensor Christi]

Well, I realized you weren't Protestant, but didn't see that your location is indeed, in the Vatican. But I've seen Catholic services where people line up for communion; is that not accurate where you live?

Let me clear some things up...While my flag says Vatican, I am not there....I am in Southern California!

Of course we take communion within Catholic Mass...we dont, however, receive communion in Church's that are not in communion with Rome. (That being non-Catholic Church's) with the exception of Eastern Orthodox, in emergency situations.

 

[JohnGM10]

John,
Thanks for your response. You say WTE is "mostly OK". That's a strange phrase to me. You say you were excluded "when my wife was brought in with candlelight", can you explain what that means? I also don't quite understand the idea that outside relationships (I don't consider my family "outside" of my faith) are secondary to the WTE community; that strikes me as unsettling. Separating someone - anyone - from their family, under the name of faith... that sounds cult-like to me.

Just on a whim, I just looked up some info on howcultswork.com and found this:

Cults know that if they can control your relationships then they can control you. Whether we like it or not we are all profoundly affected by those around us. When you first go to a cult they will practice “love bombing”, where they arrange instant friends for you. It will seem wonderful, how could such a loving group be wrong! But you soon learn that if you ever disagree with them, or ever leave the cult then you will lose all your new “friends”. This unspoken threat influences your actions in the cult. Things that normally would have made you complain will pass by silently because you don’t want to be ostracized. Like in an unhealthy relationship love is turned on and off to control.
Cults also try to cut you off from your friends and family because they hate others being able to influence you. A mind control cult will seek to manoeuvre your life so as to maximize your contact with cult members and minimize your contact with people outside the group, especially those who oppose your involvement.

Unless I'm missing something major, this sounds exactly like what's been described in this thread?

John - do you think your wife had a more positive experience than you because she hadn't/hasn't done much research on the movement?

I first attended the walk in March 2011 after a friend had attended. I had heard about the walk from a minister friend and another friend several years before. Both of these women reported the walk was a very good experience. Incidentally both continued to be very involved in their church. The minister for a time worked the walks in her area.
The walk for me was at times tedious and tiring, but mostly was uplifting and enjoyable. I had always known intellectually about the grace of God, but at the walk felt it on a deeper level. After the walk I attended a gathering approximately 2 weeks after the walk. I was not aware at that time that spouse could attend the gathering and for that reason did not invite my husband. I think I attended 1-2 candlelight services on Saturday nights during other walks. The candlelight service on Saturday night is a highlight of the weekend and is reserved for those who have attended a walk. The reason is supposedly to keep the surprise of the candlelight service. I am glad I did not know the "surprise" beforehand because it was very meaningful and beautiful experience.
In October 2012 I worked a walk and served as a table leader. In preparation for working the walk, I spent 4-5 Saturdays from 8-4 meeting with other walk leaders to prepare.
The overall reported purpose of the walk is to grow leaders for the church. As a 4th day person I was encouraged to go back to my home church and work to help others. Other than working the one walk, I have not been very involved in the walk other than to attend John's candlelight. I continue to be very involved in our home church and in service work in our community.
I am aware that in some churches there have been splits or conflict due to people mistakenly indicating that they are better than others who have not attended. I also understand that family that are not included in the candlelight can feel left out. From John's research I understand that WTE encourages couples to attend on consecutive weekends and for the husband to go first.
In my experience, both in the walk I attended and the walk I worked, the team bent over backward to let the pilgrims(people attending walk) express their ideas and experience the weekend. As leaders we were encouraged to avoid doctrinal debates. The overall plan of having a series of talks with each talk followed by a discussion by the table group allows people to incorporate the talks into their personal life. I can see where the weekend could be used to manipulate people in the wrong hands, but I did not feel manipulated.

 

[JohnGM10]

John,
Thanks for your response. You say WTE is "mostly OK". That's a strange phrase to me. You say you were excluded "when my wife was brought in with candlelight", can you explain what that means? I also don't quite understand the idea that outside relationships (I don't consider my family "outside" of my faith) are secondary to the WTE community; that strikes me as unsettling. Separating someone - anyone - from their family, under the name of faith... that sounds cult-like to me.

Just on a whim, I just looked up some info on howcultswork.com and found this:

Cults know that if they can control your relationships then they can control you. Whether we like it or not we are all profoundly affected by those around us. When you first go to a cult they will practice “love bombing”, where they arrange instant friends for you. It will seem wonderful, how could such a loving group be wrong! But you soon learn that if you ever disagree with them, or ever leave the cult then you will lose all your new “friends”. This unspoken threat influences your actions in the cult. Things that normally would have made you complain will pass by silently because you don’t want to be ostracized. Like in an unhealthy relationship love is turned on and off to control.
Cults also try to cut you off from your friends and family because they hate others being able to influence you. A mind control cult will seek to manoeuvre your life so as to maximize your contact with cult members and minimize your contact with people outside the group, especially those who oppose your involvement.

Unless I'm missing something major, this sounds exactly like what's been described in this thread?

John - do you think your wife had a more positive experience than you because she hadn't/hasn't done much research on the movement?

I am pleased my Wife responded.
Here is My Answers to your questions
Candlelight; This is what makes WTE . IT is what they build the weekend toward and it is EXCLUSIVE you Must be a 4th dayer to attend. This is enforced by just hiding the information from the spouse about the importance to the WTE community of the candlelight service. Ask around in any WTE community and the 4th dayer will tell you that candlelight is reserved.
Other Relationships Are secondary. ; You are joining a group and community a exclusive community. This is like a fraternity , When you become a member you keep some things secret. This part of your life is to be kept secret from , yes even your spouse.
The 4th Dayers offer the excuse that keeping the secret is so you will better enjoy the weekend. Well that may be true. I found the weekend boring by Friday evening while my wifes experience was very positive.
This has been a major issue between my wife and I . I have never on one of these page had a 4thdayer respond to the charges I have made that WTE is harmful to relationships. I have had people respond that they will pray for us but never take a hard look at how WTE by design separated us. Even WTE manuals and applications warn that problems can occur between couples.

Research Mine / My Wifes ; I think we are two different people. Today even with the info she has and the problems we have experienced she still supports the idea of WTE. AHH to complexities of life.
WTE is behind me. We are working on other volunteer projects . A water project in Mexico. We have a saying "Its Mexico" IT has ground to a halt. Back In July to try to get it back on track . And Collecting Medical supplies that is shipped to 3rd world countries.
Glad to answer any other direct questions. We are both retired and fill our days
May the peace of Christ be with you
JohnGM10

 

[Inkachu]

Let me clear some things up...While my flag says Vatican, I am not there....I am in Southern California!

Of course we take communion within Catholic Mass...we dont, however, receive communion in Church's that are not in communion with Rome. (That being non-Catholic Church's) with the exception of Eastern Orthodox, in emergency situations.

So you when you said "you take communion together daily" during the WTE and that you were opposed to that, you meant you were opposed to "Catholics taking communion in a place that is not a RC-oriented church". Do I have it right finally? lol

 

[Inkachu]

John (and John's wife) - thank you both for responding, and for being so candid. I'm sorry that you both had such different experiences, that it's caused (what seems to be) a rift between the two of you. This alone is what makes me concerned about this whole movement. Anything that divides a family, especially a married couple, makes me uneasy.

 

[Defensor Christi]

So you when you said "you take communion together daily" during the WTE and that you were opposed to that, you meant you were opposed to "Catholics taking communion in a place that is not a RC-oriented church". Do I have it right finally? lol

Yes

 

[johnnym]

I thought the walk to emmaus was just a non denomational retreat. i was wrong.
my wife just returned from one of these retreats. she told me she would be leaving the retreat at a certain time and would call me when she was leaving. the retreat location was several hours of travel time away from home and she does not like driving at night. she made it a special point to leave at a time that would put her there well before dark. My wife is a very out spoken person with a strong personalty. she domanates. now she did tell me she could not make any cell phone calls and they requested no one tried to reach her. what they actually said to her was get all your affairs in order before attending the retreat because she would not be able to use her cell phone. in fact they got her to give them her cell phone and hand over a rolex watch valued at over $4,500.00 that i gave her many years ago. no one signed for it they made her believe she volunterred to give it up. why i say this is i attempted to call her when her call was about 3 hours late only for it to go directly to voicemail. i text her and it was undeliverable. i then tried to contact the numbers she gave me only to find out they either did not answer. i could reach nobody and became very concerned. 4.5 hours later she called me and said she was on the way home. at this point she would not be home until almost midnight. i asked why she did not try and call me. her first response was they took my cell phone and they took my watch. she said that in a very adamant tone. but she soon denied she said that and said she voluntarily gave it up. i ask if they would let her keep it just not use the phone and the answer was no. i have a one year old grandson that she keeps in touch with several times a day. but they made her feel it was not important. she was pressured by her peers to give both up. she could not be trusted to keep them. she said there was many surprises similar to those described in this forem. but immediately i told her she avoided telling me the truth about this retreat or they avoided telling her what was to go on. i will tell you this the same day she returned my response was what kind of religious event would exclude her family and turn over to just about anyone a very expensive watch.
i also found out later that she had to leave her car off the site and give someone the key. someone drove her into the retreat location. now she says she could have left at any time but did not have her keys. i told her long befor i found this forum that it sounded like a mind controlling event and a cult. to this day she defends that retreat. i find out things as time goes on. like i said she is and always was a catholic. at this event on the sunday evening church event that she described so beautifully she admitted to being involve in a mach catholic communion. one of bread dipped in grape juce, i told her she needs to see a priest ASAP. they had to ask permission to go to the bathroom. older women complained but did nothing about it. they did not know at any time what time of day it was. and by the way i just read that they sometimes pay for the pilgrim to attend the retread such was this case she said she never paid for anything and was not expected to make any future donations. just return to her community and preach the word and get retreatants. i could go on and on and it is correct that this not only puts a wedge in our relationship but that of my children and friends because she tells them i became angry for no reason and it was all in my mind that i did not want her to go and that is not true at all. i could go on and on but she adamatele defends this retreat that it was not controlling or cultish in any way. my response was why my wife of over 40 years who never stays out of contact decided not to contact anyone and listen to what they told her rather than her better judgement. she had to know she was running very lat, had to use restroom but would not go. totally not like her at all. If you or someone you know wants to attend this retreat than listen to this it is absolutely mind controlling and cult. i would definitely recommend doing your research throughly before thinking about attending. i attend a mens retreat once a year i have never been asked to give up anything except to be silent. nothing is secretive they just ask that you stay silent and avoid conversation during the retreat. you could talk about its content and explain every detail. i am very sorry i did not do my research.

 

[looktohim]

I had never heard about Walk to Emmaus until this past week. My husband's family has grown increasingly concerned about the withdrawing and open hostility which is being shown by one of their siblings. This family member hasn't been to any family events, or even responded to the invitations, in the past three years. When questioned about it responded "I just didn't feel lead".

Another family member happened to mention that everything seemed to be perpetuated when the family member in question attended the Walk to Emmaus. Over the course of the past three years they have cut off all ties, including changing over their cell phone and not giving the number out. This family member now showers the younger children in the family with gifts, but won't even speak to the siblings. These strange actions have prompted us to look into the Walk to Emmaus and it seems very fishy. Have any others experienced similar results when a family member attended on of these events?

Is this bad behavior a result of the Walk? If the love of Christ was what was on display, our questioning would never have let us to the Walk to Emmaus. This family member is NOT trying create relationships which would draw people closer to Christ... Makes me wonder...

 

[GreekOrthodox]

Seriously? The thread is 4 years old!!!

 

[looktohim]

It is not 4 years old to me...

 

[LittleLambofJesus]

Seriously? The thread is 4 years old!!!

So?

.

 

[Inkachu]

I had never heard about Walk to Emmaus until this past week. My husband's family has grown increasingly concerned about the withdrawing and open hostility which is being shown by one of their siblings. This family member hasn't been to any family events, or even responded to the invitations, in the past three years. When questioned about it responded "I just didn't feel lead".

Another family member happened to mention that everything seemed to be perpetuated when the family member in question attended the Walk to Emmaus. Over the course of the past three years they have cut off all ties, including changing over their cell phone and not giving the number out. This family member now showers the younger children in the family with gifts, but won't even speak to the siblings. These strange actions have prompted us to look into the Walk to Emmaus and it seems very fishy. Have any others experienced similar results when a family member attended on of these events?

Is this bad behavior a result of the Walk? If the love of Christ was what was on display, our questioning would never have let us to the Walk to Emmaus. This family member is NOT trying create relationships which would draw people closer to Christ... Makes me wonder...

If you read back through this thread, you'll find quite a few stories of people who went (or their spouses went) and they were uncomfortable with the events, or their spouses came back and seem changed, withdrawn, and secretive about their experiences. All of which are big red flags to me.

I think this movement is a nice concept (get alone with God) that conceals a darker reality (keep secrets from your loved ones, join this elitist group, give up control, let us manipulate your emotions). To me, this IS the definition of a wolf in sheep's clothing. If the wolf were in his own hide, you'd run the other way! It's the fact that he LOOKS just like a sheep that draws you in.

Here's an interesting discussion I found about WTE: Beware: Walk to Emmaus - Ecumenical

 

[looktohim]

Thank you for the reference...I will certianly take a look...I have been reading this thread off and on all day...I'll have to continue to look for those who have had similar experiences...

I feel like this family member is "targeting" the children in our family...showering them with gifts, sending texts, trying to arrange dates to get together with them "without your parents". She won't have anything to do with the parents though, including texting the kids from a "secret" phone number...

Pretty creepy...don't know if it is related to the movement or just creepyness on her part...

That's what I am trying to find out!

 

[Optimax]

Sounds like a highly emotional experience which some mistake for the Holy Spirit.

 

[GreekOrthodox]

It is not 4 years old to me...

Sorry Look, it's a running pet peeve I have with LLOJ who resurrects more threads than Jesus will resurrect people on the Last Day

​

(Sorry, LLOJ, it just drives me nuts because Im not on CF every day so I look at what I think is a thread that has taken off and it turns out it dates back to 2008 and the last posting was a year before)

Personally, anytime I see "small group ministry" I shudder. My last couple years as a Lutheran, we started all of these small groups and a church which was already cliquey, got even worse. The biggest problem is that these small groups are typically not taught by people who have been taught by their church, tend to go WAAAAAY off on their own and well, our pastor had to reel in all the heresies that had meandered into the congregation. Okay he never really was able to clean up after the mess.

 

[seashale76]

Here's an interesting discussion I found about WTE: Beware: Walk to Emmaus - Ecumenical

Inkachu, I generally enjoy your posts, but did you have to link to RR? That's one of the most toxic boards on the internet. Bad times. Bad memories.