Leaderboard

While I can only speak for myself and my limited observations, I will endeavor to give a glimpse of what happens to a person who goes corps. When I was new to the way ministry I had the beginnings of a relationship with God that was unencumbered by the way international's "advanced" doctrines and legalisms, etc. For a brief time I saw the goodness of God. Naturally, I wanted to help others see the goodness of God as well. That's when I was told about the way corpse. Young, naive, and starry eyed I dropped everything I was pursuing, career included, and started working towards the way corpse with much zeal. Many classes and a couple way disciple runs later I found myself at camp gunnison as in-resindentured way corpse. To say that I was disappointed is an understatement. Instead of a program that was full of life and vigor that helps the participants find their ministries and educates them in a meaningful way, worthy of a degree in Theology, I found a program totally devoid of substance. I compare it to being incarcerated. No TV, no reading materials other than ministry publications, no music other that way productions, very limited phone time, not allowed to leave the campus except with express permission - usually a couple hours on a Saturday, days spent working STS - way mag - present truth in study hall and then working crappy menial jobs....read work/study program. Hard edged and dangerous work projects like "harvesting" firewood from the Gunnison national forest. We were under constant surveillance by the corpse coordinator and other way corpse staff. We were isolated from the outside world and even the staff who worked at the campus. We were not allowed visitors or phone calls except for a little time in the evenings or on Saturday. This lifestyle was absolutely horrible. I came close to leaving so many times. The entire process numbs people down to mindless zombies who've learned when to genuflect and spew the necessary cliches to stay mercifully under radar. By the time a person graduates they are changed. Changed to endure mental / emotional abuse and mindlessly follow orders. If you begin to exercise critical thinking skills that go against the board of dummies desires you will be punished in one way or another. Leaving the way corps and the way ministry seemed just damn near impossible at times. After all, I took a salt covenant. In retrospect I was in deep bondage to the board of dummies and a cult that promises the power of God and only gives heartless legalism to it's adherents. I hope this helps a little to understand why. The way corpse lifestyle is inculcated in people slowly. By the time a person is active way corpse there is deep seated bondage to the board of dummies that takes all that is in a person to break free. Sadly, some never do. However there are the heartless monsters who love the lifestyle, relish in the bondage, and spend their entire lives lording over people who want nothing more than to love God and keep his commandments. These people are full of politics and self promotion and feel that God has given them a special calling above others. Instead of exercising gift ministries in mercy, grace, love, etc, they consider themselves to have "ruling" ministries and expect nothing short of total submissive obedience from the plebes. These bastards are worthy of the judgment they will surely receive as a recompense of their merciless ways and devilish judgments they so coldly pronounce against people who want nothing more than to be a good Christian.

Guess I'm not the only one who bristles at twi's smugness in saying......."earthly family." I never heard the term earthly family before twi.....some 36 years ago. I don't remember if I heard it in pfal or just some teaching, but I do remember the disdain that twi attached to it. Ya know, 'the spiritual family' and more specifically 'the true household of God (twi)' is your REAL family. Spirit is thicker than blood....yada, yada, yada. Wierwille set his eyes on the youth and 'abducted' us from our past, our families, and our geneologies. YET......wierwille trumpeted his wierwille legacy, his roots, his ancestors. Mrs. Wierwille did the same thing. The first three pages of her book boast of the wierwille family and family crest back to the 1300's. The Kipp family is covered in her book as well (though not as extensive as wierwille's family). And......why did/does twi ASSume that my 'earthly family' was/is a bad thing? The double standard is so blatant, so appauling to me. Nothing new though.......didn't Jim Jones make references of 'family' in their compound prior to the Jonestown massacre? Or, the Branch Davidians......and David Koresh taking the young teenage girls to bed for the Davidian family of God? With a 'family' like twi...........who needs enemies?

Given that I'm only one generation from poor white trash, I have to say that my life has been very, very good. Everything that I need, I have. Plus a few things I don't need. Like an airplane. As to the non-tangible things, I raised a quality child, I've provided good jobs with full health benefits for my employees, and I've given the world some useful inventions and products. My hardest task is finding new goals. I've done all the ones I set for myself 30 years ago. As to TWI's influence, I have to quote Margaret Mead... "One way to get insight is to have a religious conversion and get over it."

Good point. It begs the question: Does anyone "need" to live ABUNDANTLY? Seems like the genuine "need" for most people would be to live ADEQUATELY.

I'd rather be "possessed" outside the walls of TWI than brainwashed inside their walls any day.