Leaderboard

I always find it so interesting how Grease Spot was maybe a key factor in some folks' decision to leave TWI. I guess it so fascinates me because I want to better understand the thought process that got me into TWI and the thought process that led to my decision to leave it. the process of me getting in: Leaving aside the swarm of subtle influences – be it intellectual, social, emotional, or whatever tugs the "under-shepherders" gently applied to me – I'm left with an embarrassing thought – perhaps I was pretty much passive as a newcomer checking things out. I was very much the Rob Petrie (of Dick Van Dyke show) pushover type when interacting with "sales personnel" anyway – but I am getting better – which reminds me - behind every Rob Petrie type I do believe there should be a strong woman like Laura Petrie – and that's my Tonto. Matter of fact – Tonto was the one who got me interested in Grease Spot – Tonto is a great scout - even before Grease Spot she was into Waydale, TransChat or whatever those websites were called. the process of me getting out: The Internet was a great thing for me to check things out. Yeah – I had already left TWI years before but now rather than being passive I could take an active role and look into whatever I want. I think that is the way it should be. It is a self-guided journey – heavy emphasis on self – I am in control…I can go at my own pace…take as much time as I need to process. Online it's just me and my thoughts….and a computer of course. No one is getting in my face browbeating me or laying it on thick and sweet. And now that it's been so long since I left those insidious little "safety devices" that I absorbed have been disabled; that's those subtle automatic responses that seem to pop up when an idea comes along that's counter to the TWI mindset – like "oh you're entertaining thoughts from the devil", "you're questioning the Word", "you're doubting God", "you're not being thankful for the ministry taught you the Word" so on and so forth – you may remember the drill… Collateral D, i'm so glad you're here! You're posts on this and other threads are so thoughtful and inspirational to say the least and i love your sense of humor. Rock on! so the "moral" of this post is: if you have a pulse and can get on the Internet – there's hope for you yet – this post is dedicated to all TWI lurkers out there. PS: as a TWI lurker you may want to think in terms of a soldier who is not sure yet if they are in enemy territory – and honestly you are the one to decide which side is the enemy of course; so for your own safety and security – trust no one…I'm sort of being facetious…sort of not…do not reveal to anyone the doubts or half formed decisions you have or may start having……watch the skies…keep looking…keep watching the skies…ooops sorry – switched analogies and started quoting from The Thing from Another World.....what?! what!? so some people have waybrain i have movie brain...

MRAP, This thread has not gone off topic. Please stop saying it has.

I don't know who is off topic. You want monotony? Try sitting perfectly still and silent in a large group for hours while the previous generations worship VPW.

That was precisely what happened for me! I was so desperate (M&A'd by TWI) that I wanted to write a huge long grovelly letter of apology in hopes of being readmitted. I couldn't remember their zip code. Googled TWI and GSC popped up as the first item. The name sounded intriguingly familiar... the reading was horrifying but had a ring of truth... the rest is history. That long grovelly letter never got written. Thank God for Pawtucket and for GSC and all who run the cafe now.