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Thanks for amplifying this concept, skyrider. My perspective is from a perfect, stereotypical Wafer from birth, compliant unto the last detail. We were bred to contribute to Mecca: Live around other believers (read CORPS) or MOVE to be in closer proximity them Expected to help at EVERY function (free labor) from planning, parking, set-up, cleaning, etc. and scout out free locations (or host ourselves, but most of us had crappy apartments and reached out allowable limit with the landlords) Work Hardily in school to go to a university Find a post-secondary school with other believers (very important) and dissuaded from other ideas /classes that challenged our beliefs or time to help win others BUILD THE BASE and get numbers. A class every quarter was pushed at all costs, far above content and spiritual enrichment. Although not explicitly mandated, implied to get a middle-class job that did NOT in any way impact our Sunday, Fellowship, or time to give to classes. This amounted to lower-middle class jobs and to drop any other position that made you work on those times (just look at the current WAY DISCIPLES model and their love of Panera for low-paying, highly flexible schedules) Tithe/ABS as religiously as possible. Only once was I talked to in person about my name being off of a weekly ABS blue form. Not to get too into finance because "the love of money is the root of all evil". Stocks being controlled by the Adversary Financial planning for Wafers was dismal, including a college workshop where I was told to expect a windfall from a dying relative to pay for a house/college. Really? All of my family are poor Wafers with nothing to leave but a name tag. They asked to see our monthly budget in college and EXPECTED ABS to come out, even if we were not earning an income. Cutting of the hose of blessings, you know. There was a small series on how to save for a car or larger purchase, but that was essentially explain how a monthly budget worked. Keep you head down, don't do anything with money, live a quiet lower-middle income life, donate all free time/money to the cause, and WIN WIN WIN those paychecks souls. It's as sad as it is reassuring that those with titles/responsibilities in the establishment had similar experiences. God was the final Giver- put your head down and do his work now and he will take care of you. Don't you dare take thought for the morrow. Well, I am now baby! I'll retire with over a million in my bank, a pension, two paid-for houses, and the knowledge that I would have had nothing if I didn't leave the Matrix. I am creating the windfall for my children that the Way took from my family.

“The story so far: In the beginning the Universe was created. This has made a lot of people very angry and been widely regarded as a bad move.”― Douglas Adams, The Restaurant at the End of the Universe

In the event of something happening to me....

I'm sure it will! Fun is where you find it and what you make it. Everyone knows how to find this place..... changing places doesn't change personalities.....so I'm planning on it.

I'm glad you liked them! I was cracking up making them- I'll see about making a few more. Any requests?

Remotely.. D 500 O 0 C 100 T no meaning R no meaning I 1 N no meaning A no meaning L 50 Look! 651 events in Doctrinal!

I just ordered Undertow !!!! Congrats, Penworks on getting your story published !

Bullinger. LINK. There, I said it. Once.

EXACTLY. Since twi refuses to invest in each state, in a small-scale brc........corps and adv class grads are forced to scavenge around the city for FREE meeting/class rooms. Translation: Finding a "free" room means clean-up, fix-up, set-up to utilize......and tear-down, put-away, store tables/chairs because it might be used next day by another group. Which means......LOTS of extra time and work for the set-up crew......so it's NOT REALLY "FREE." The field people pay dearly for this. The field people are fleeced of their time, work and hard-earned money (via abs). When I was a limb coordinator in an average-sized state.......the annual abundant sharing totals were hitting $180,000. For a period of time, we were NOT salaried......just got petty cash reimbursements. That's quite a bit of money to siphon off a state without having to "invest" much. At NO time, did the region/trunk personnel think to offer a monthly allowance for room rental. Heck, even our limb meetings.......we were supposed to find a free room. And then.......there were times when we had a special class, ie Rise and Expansion Class, there was a "registration fee" by each student that helped to cover room rental. Why is it.......ALL the heavy-lifting, heavy-"believing to move the word" (cough, cough) HAS TO BE DONE BY THE FIELD PEOPLE ?? The staff at headquarters are PAID to clean bathrooms, polish brass, sweep floors......and the abundant sharing PAYS for the auditorium. Not so in all those far-away states that scramble month after month to put classes/meetings together......cleaning soiled bathrooms and meeting rooms, leaving them better than they found them....and getting home at 11pm, fall into bed and do it all over again for the next class session. What lazy-assed, arrogant bastards......to feed off the blood, sweat, tears and stress of the faithful followers on the field.