Editing Nation of Yahweh (section)

==Criticism==
The [[Southern Poverty Law Center|SPLC]] has criticized the beliefs of the Nation of Yahweh as [[Racism|racist]], stating that the group believes that [[Black people]] are the true [[Israelites]] and [[White people|whites]] hold "wicked powers". The Nation of Yahweh has ceased to openly condemn white people as "white devils" as it once did.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2007/nation-yahweh-mourns-loss-leader-shows-signs-new-life |title=NATION OF YAHWEH MOURNS LOSS OF LEADER, SHOWS SIGNS OF NEW LIFE |publisher=[[SPLC]] |accessdate=2023-03-01}}</ref> The SPLC also claims that the group believes that Yahweh ben Yahweh had a Messianic mission to vanquish whites and that it held views similar to those of the [[Christian Identity]] movement, which believes that "[[Aryan]]s" are the true Israelites and non-whites are devils. The SPLC quotes [[Tom Metzger (white supremacist)|Tom Metzger]] of [[White Aryan Resistance]] as saying, "[Groups like the Nation of Yahweh are] the Black counterpart of us." By 2007, the Nation of Yahweh had eliminated calls for violence and toned down its anti-white rhetoric, but remained Black supremacist and antisemitic in its ideology.<ref>{{cite web|url=https://www.splcenter.org/fighting-hate/intelligence-report/2007/miami-based-nation-yahweh-leader-appeals-parole|title=Miami-Based Nation of Yahweh Leader Appeals Parole|publisher=Southern Poverty Law Center |access-date=12 September 2018}}</ref>

The [[Anti-Defamation League]] has criticized the Nation of Yahweh and some other Black Hebrew sects, stating, "In 1987, ADL reported on Black sects holding these views [arguing that today's Jews are not the "[[Jews as the chosen people|chosen people]]" described in the [[Bible]], ... instead that the label applies to people of African descent], such as the Yahwehs and the [[African Hebrew Israelites of Jerusalem|Original African Hebrew Israelite Nation of Jerusalem]]."<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.adl.org/poisoning_web/black_bigots.asp |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20020921123758/http://www.adl.org/poisoning_web/black_bigots.asp |url-status=dead |archive-date=2002-09-21 |title=African-American Anti-Semitism |access-date=2007-10-18 |publisher=[[Anti-Defamation League]] }}</ref>

Yahweh ben Yahweh was known to control the clothing, food, and sex lives of group members and became intimately involved with many female followers. "We may be [[rabbi]]s and [[nun]]s here," he told ''[[The New York Times]]'', "but we don't believe in [[celibacy]]."<ref>{{Cite news|title = Yahweh Ben Yahweh; Led Violent Cult|url = https://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/05/09/AR2007050902629.html|newspaper = The Washington Post|date = 2007-05-10|access-date = 2016-02-22|issn = 0190-8286|first = Matt|last = Schudel}}</ref>

Most followers were men; the main elders were men as well. Yahweh ben Yahweh's wife, Linda Gaines<ref>{{Cite web|title = Top Yahweh Follower Gets 16-year Term In Conspiracy|url = http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1992-08-21/news/9201160860_1_yahweh-trudy-novicki-linda-gaines|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20160304001912/http://articles.sun-sentinel.com/1992-08-21/news/9201160860_1_yahweh-trudy-novicki-linda-gaines|url-status = dead|archive-date = March 4, 2016|website = tribunedigital-sunsentinel|access-date = 2016-02-22}}</ref> (Judith Israel) became a significant helper and leader. Gaines collected money, handled finances and the possessions of full-time workers. She had a bodyguard and was high up in the following.<ref>{{Cite web|title = FindLaw's United States Eleventh Circuit case and opinions |url = https://caselaw.findlaw.com/us-11th-circuit/1344526.html|website = [[FindLaw]]|access-date = 2016-02-22}}</ref>