Demystifying Cults: Assembly of YHWHhoshua
We talk a lot about religious trauma and cult recovery here at Traumastery, and we believe that there is so much power in knowledge, so let’s dive into another cult you may not have heard of: Assembly of YHWHhoshua.
Many cults, although they may have very different characteristics and beliefs, will often have many of the same red flags. Let’s see if you can spot any commonalities from the previous cults in our cult series.
(Scroll down to the bottom of this post to watch Dr. Quincee break down the features of this cult.)
The Assembly of YHWHhoshua is a small sect of the Sacred Name group in Colorado. They Differ from other Sacred Name groups because they believe that god’s true name is Yahweh (spelled YHWH) hence the name “House of Yahweh” with strange spelling.
Assembly of YHWHhoshua was founded by a self-proclaimed prophet, Laycher Gonzalez. He said he had visions of YHWH and that he first learned the real name of god from a hitchhiker named O.K. Skidmore. Gonzalez believes in the pentecostal emphasis of the baptism of the Holy Spirit— water baptism is the only way to get the “gifts of god.”
The Assembly of YHWHhoshua
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Couldn’t have drawings, paintings, or photos.
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Strict dress code: wool nun-habit-like clothing for women. Couldn’t show any body parts beyond the face.
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Have to eat “pure and natural” food
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Teaches that the Roman Catholic Church and other daughter churches are the “great whore” referred to in Rev. 17 and U.S. is modern Babylon
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Members don’t pay taxes and don’t contribute to social security
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Social security numbers are believed to be a form of governmental control leading to the mark of the Beast.
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We believe that the first step in cult recovery and overcoming religious trauma is recognizing that your experience was traumatic to begin with.
Take our Religious Trauma Quiz Here
If you are asking yourself, what is religious trauma? Oh my goodness, am I in a cult? Was my religious experience a little bit culty? Or do I have religious trauma? First off, I would like to say how proud I am of you for having the courage to question your experiences. Second off: you’ve come to the right place. We have a curated membership for cult and religious trauma survivors where we walk you through all the things that were going on around you that you were taught were normal and even the will of god. You can join us in A Year of Non-Magical Thinking here.
Therapists: If you are a therapist that is helping clients walk through the recovery of really overwhelming groups like this, then we have a training and consultation space made just for you. Learn how cult groups work, what happens in recovery for clients, and how you can best support them along the way. Join us for A Year of Non-Magical Thinking for Therapists here!
