A few of years ago, someone made a remark on my blog, which I have now decided to repost since it provides a very intriguing glimpse into the way Amway and WWDB think about and teach their products. Keep in mind that this comment was made quite recently, thus it is not an example of out-of-date teaching.
Allow me to share with you a storey of my "successful" Amway marriage with my readers.
Was a member of WWDB. Puryear is the upline diamond (seriously)
My then-husband (now ex-husband) and I were there from the beginning. Nothing but Koolaid and snack bars were consumed; there was no television, only tapes and books to be read. I was in attendance at all of the functions. Our "vacations" and "dates" were two of our most important functions. We presented ourselves as Mr. and Mrs. Amway in public. He was brutally abusive in his personal life. I finally had the opportunity to depart.
Upline sponsors, Platinums, and Emeralds contacted me and screamed at me, telling me that it was "unbiblical" for me to leave my spouse and that I should have stayed. Is it safe to assume that he was allowed to do what he was doing?
I walked away and didn't look back. After being brainwashed by the WWDB, it was difficult to unlearn.
At the time of our meeting and when we initially married, my husband was not abusive. That began to happen about six months after we were married, at the most.
He was already a member of Amway when we met, but he wasn't doing much with it. Immediately following our marriage, he began to become more involved in "the business."
When I first met him, I didn't know much about Amway. When I met his upline sponsors after we were engaged, I assumed they were just good friends of his. I was wrong. Several months after we were married, I attended a rally and was impressed by how supportive the wives seemed to be of the men. After that, I heard the Emerald woman speak, and all she did was edify her husband or tell "we women" that we needed to let go of any negativity we might be harbouring. As I attended other occasions, I overheard the spouses instructing "we gals" to be obedient, as if we were wrong for having any demands or desires. Is it one of the children's or your birthday, and there's a party to celebrate it? You'll have to guess which one takes precedence. After you've achieved "Freedom," or when you've achieved Diamond status, you can rejoice.
I was under the impression that there would be some sales training. I went to an Artistry clinic, where they taught us how to do cosmetics and showed us some of the most recent hues available. However, there was no information on how to acquire consumers, produce revenue, or even host a cosmetics party in general. Bettyjean Brooks (wife of Jim Brooks, WWDB) made a tape about how to start a retail store, which was played on the show at one point. I placed an order for it, but it was never delivered. Her marriage to Jim ended in divorce. In the meantime, Jim remained in WWDB, and the recording became "unavailable."
Husband adhered to the "fake it 'til you make it" philosophy to the letter. He was known as "Mr. Successful" by everyone. Following the birth of our child, I decided to become a stay-at-home mother. He misled everyone into believing that our Amway income was the reason I was able to stay at home with my children. We hadn't even reached 1500 PV yet. We were never in a position to make money. I kept my lips shut and played the character of submissive/supportive wife, and it worked perfectly. Preparing and maintaining records, managing call-in and pickup for our downline, and attempting to sell our products to "customers." He never attempted to sell anything; it was the responsibility of his wife. That was taught to me by WWDB.
Due to the abuse, the police were called in, and everything finally came to a head. He was required to vacate our residence. He lied to everyone, claiming that it was all a big hoax and that the courts (and I) were exaggerating the severity of the situation. I became certain (as did the therapist) that he was not being completely truthful with any of us after going through counselling and therapy sessions with him. I decided to file for divorce.
It was at that point that the upline got in touch with me. Platinum, emerald, and our sponsor (the wife) all phoned me separately. At first, they claimed to be genuinely "concerned" about me and wanted to provide me advice. When I informed them what had happened and why I was leaving, they responded by saying that it was "unbiblical" for me to leave my spouse and that I should have stayed. You're yelling at me. You're accusing me of being negative. They also stated that there was no way he could have done those things, and that they couldn't believe it when he admitted it to himself. I offered to provide them a copy of the police report if they wanted to see it. Nobody ever took me up on my offer, unfortunately.
Obviously, I cannot say that Amway trained him to be abusive, but I am convinced that they taught him to be a good liar and how to conceal the facts and deflect questioning. They did everything they could to keep the "little lady" at home, pregnant, and in the kitchen, short of preaching it. In the past, wives on stage would boast about how their husband and wife had driven a hundred miles and left their children sleeping in the car while they went into someone's house to demonstrate a plan.
Indeed, freedom is a good thing. It's more like a form of servitude.
The testimony of an Amway or WWDB wife can be very different from one person to the next dependent on the person's own personal experiences with the company. Some wives may have had positive experiences, while others may have had poor experiences or mixed feelings about their engagement in the business. It's possible that some women had both positive and negative experiences. The following is an overview of some frequent topics that may be discussed by a wife in her testimony regarding Amway and WWDB:
The first flurry of excitement: When their husbands initially told them about the business opportunity offered by Amway, many wives recall feeling energized and optimistic for the future. It's possible that the prospect of working from home, being their own boss, and having the opportunity to make a limitless amount of money appealed to them.
The reality check: On the other hand, as they proceeded to learn more about the business and attend meetings and events, they may have come to the conclusion that the business is not as simple or straightforward as it may have initially appeared to be. They may have had difficulty making sales or finding qualified candidates, and they may have also felt pushed to invest more time and money in the company.
The effect on family life: Some wives may report that they feel as though the business has taken control of their lives, which results in their spending less time with their spouses and children. It's possible that they had the impression that they were always working or thinking about the company, and that they found it difficult to strike a healthy balance between their professional and personal life.
The pressure to comply: In some instances, wives may have felt pressure to conform to a particular set of ideas or behaviors inside the Amway and WWDB group. This may have been the case because of the Amway and WWDB communities. It's possible that they believed that in order to be successful in the business, they had to adopt a particular frame of mind or take part in particular activities.
The impact on finances: Wives may also report feeling upset or disappointed with the company's financial results, which can be a byproduct of the business. It's possible that they put a large amount of time and money into the company but didn't receive the return on investment that they had hoped for.
The opportunity for personal growth: Despite the obstacles and problems, some spouses may describe themselves as feeling appreciative for the opportunities for personal growth and development that the business afforded. Because of their involvement in the company, it's possible that they've picked up some new abilities, increased their self-assurance, and made some new connections.
In general, the testimonies of Amway and WWDB wives can be quite helpful in gaining a better understanding of the experiences and opinions of those who have been involved in the business. In the Amway business, it is essential to keep in mind that the experiences of each person are one of a kind, and that there are a lot of different aspects that might lead to either success or failure.
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